What kind of bags for travel?

[Henessy]

Hi, I will be leaving Singapore soon in 10 days time for China for around 2.5 to 3 months. I intend to bring my Fujifilm S5 pro, nikon 17-35mm f2.8 and the voigtlander 58mm f1.4 to shoot some photos there. Most of my shots will be landscape and streets. As there will also be a lot of walking around mountain and hills involved, I intend to travel light.

May I know what type of bags should I bring along?

-backpack?( I currently own a lowepro computtrekker)
-pouch?
-or Sling bag?

Besides the above, may I know which brand and specific model would you recommend?

Thanks a lot in advance

 

[Lord Soth]

I'm one of those frequent flyer types (been to China 10x) and would recommend bringing 1 of each.

For the chinese mountains, I personally recommend a backpack over a shoulder bag. I'm using the lowepro flipside series (both 200 and 400AW versions) cos' it is lightweight and come with a tripod holder.

There are some mountainous paths (Great Wall included) which are really precarious!

At the edge of a mountain with no railings, the last thing you want is for your balance to be disrupted when your shoulder/sling bag shifts about suddenly due to gravity.

For the cities, there are lots of professional pickpockets around and a shoulder bag is useful for keeping it in front of you for safety.

 

[Henessy]

I'm one of those frequent flyer types (been to China 10x) and would recommend bringing 1 of each.

For the chinese mountains, I personally recommend a backpack over a shoulder bag. I'm using the lowepro flipside series (both 200 and 400AW versions) cos' it is lightweight and come with a tripod holder.

There are some mountainous paths (Great Wall included) which are really precarious!

At the edge of a mountain with no railings, the last thing you want is for your balance to be disrupted when your shoulder/sling bag shifts about suddenly due to gravity.

For the cities, there are lots of professional pickpockets around and a shoulder bag is useful for keeping it in front of you for safety.

Hi,thanks for the prompt reply

May I know how about those beltpacks like the lowepro inverse 100/200AW? Are they good for walking on mountains and hills?

Regarding the pickpocket issue, is the flipside a better option than sling bags?

 

[Henessy]

I'm one of those frequent flyer types (been to China 10x) and would recommend bringing 1 of each.

For the chinese mountains, I personally recommend a backpack over a shoulder bag. I'm using the lowepro flipside series (both 200 and 400AW versions) cos' it is lightweight and come with a tripod holder.

There are some mountainous paths (Great Wall included) which are really precarious!

At the edge of a mountain with no railings, the last thing you want is for your balance to be disrupted when your shoulder/sling bag shifts about suddenly due to gravity.

For the cities, there are lots of professional pickpockets around and a shoulder bag is useful for keeping it in front of you for safety.

Anyway, currently I don't intend to bring a tripod with me as my current tripod is around 3kg...

 

[Lord Soth]

Hi,thanks for the prompt reply

May I know how about those beltpacks like the lowepro inverse 100/200AW? Are they good for walking on mountains and hills?

Regarding the pickpocket issue, is the flipside a better option than sling bags?

Can't comment on beltpacks as I never use those.

The flipside only opens from the side next to your back. It is much safer than other backpacks.

It's just my personal choice, I still prefer a sling bag in front of me in crowded places.

 

[Mirez]

I had this dilemma before~ & I have this camera bag fetish :embrass:

Personally, im not much of a fan to slingshots.

Shoulder bags, are awesomely versatile but not recommended if you're gonna do alot of walking. My travel shoulder bag is a Crumpler 7mdh. Cut out weight if you plan to use it for the whole day.

Beltbags. Inverses are awesome, but you also have toploaders and off trails. depends really on wat you want to carry.


Backpacks. Flipside 200 is just perfect. IMO, your best choice. BUT IF you're gonna carry alot more gear then 300 or 400 would do.

 

[FilterFunk]

while i havent been to china, i had visited places with mountains, hills and places that require long hiking, a backpack is a better option than a sling. your shoulders will thank you for it

and yes i agree with Lord Soth that slings are more helpful in crowded places. maybe a kata T series?

 

[AlexK]

Totally agree with Lord Soth. From my experience during my trip to Beijing last March, I would strongly recommend a backpack. Was using a Crumpler 7m shoulder bag and walking up the Great Wall was tiring with this bag. On the flip side, pls take care when using a backpack in crowded places.

 

[Henessy]

I had this dilemma before~ & I have this camera bag fetish :embrass:

Personally, im not much of a fan to slingshots.

Shoulder bags, are awesomely versatile but not recommended if you're gonna do alot of walking. My travel shoulder bag is a Crumpler 7mdh. Cut out weight if you plan to use it for the whole day.

Beltbags. Inverses are awesome, but you also have toploaders and off trails. depends really on wat you want to carry.


Backpacks. Flipside 200 is just perfect. IMO, your best choice. BUT IF you're gonna carry alot more gear then 300 or 400 would do.

while i havent been to china, i had visited places with mountains, hills and places that require long hiking, a backpack is a better option than a sling. your shoulders will thank you for it

and yes i agree with Lord Soth that slings are more helpful in crowded places. maybe a kata T series?

Actually the reason I was thinking of beltpacks is because I currently own a computtrekker and it is really bulky. Though I am not sure whether the flipside is really bulky.

 

[Lord Soth]

Actually the reason I was thinking of beltpacks is because I currently own a computtrekker and it is really bulky. Though I am not sure whether the flipside is really bulky.

The entire flipside series is rather slim, especially the 200 model.

The largest in the series 400AW can't fit under a plane seat but can fit in the overhead compartment.

The 200 model is really small and can be tucked under a plane seat.

Best is to go down and have a look and feel yourself.

I got both my Flipsides from CP-Peninsular.

 

[Henessy]

The entire flipside series is rather slim, especially the 200 model.

The largest in the series 400AW can't fit under a plane seat but can fit in the overhead compartment.

The 200 model is really small and can be tucked under a plane seat.

Best is to go down and have a look and feel yourself.

I got both my Flipsides from CP-Peninsular.

But is it convenient to take out the camera from the flipside 200?

 

[Lord Soth]

But is it convenient to take out the camera from the flipside 200?

Yes it is. You literally flip it over from your back onto your stomach, then open it to get your camera and gear.

There is a product video on this link :-

http://products.lowepro.com/product/Flipside-200,2082,14.htm

 

[KangS]

A few questions before I saw what I 'recommend'.

1) How long and where will you be taking these tours ? (it will determine the equipment you need to carry along besides the camera gear)
2) How much are you willing to spend in preparation and gear for this trip ? ( it will determine what equipment / gear to recommend too... )

My recommendations (based on 2-3 weeks tours over the past year plus)

1) If you're into landscape, especially in dim lighting conditions now due to the ongoing winter in the northern hemisphere.. bring a tripod. Its invaluable especially when you want to shoot yourself in the scene. Or, if you think you can live with it, get a GorillaPod (believe you have access to the OEM copies at much less). A 3kg rated one can be had for as little as SG$22/- in some places online. Or you can look for one of the superlight Benro TravelAngel series of tripods, about SG$350/-. (I actually own one and find it so easy to carry around, I use it a whole lot more often than my 1.7kg one... )

2) If there's plenty of walking, invest in 2 items,
i) A good pair of walking/hiking shoes. (THink you can get them pretty cheap in China)
ii) A good camera backpack- The Flipside ones are pretty well designed, but they
seriously are not designed for extended trooping use. They do not have a good/firm
waist/hip support strap. Carrying for long hours, with something like 4-7 kg on your
shoulders, you're gonna be aching in agony at the end of your first day out. The
LowePro Primus AW or any of the other brands of backs with an equivalent waist/hip
strap will be a much better option. They are bulky no doubt... but with good reason
(I'll get back to that shortly). Your computrekker seems bulky but its a close match
actually.

3) Security - Its often seen that walking with a backpack in areas with pickpockets might seem an issue, but quite to the contrary. Its really how you carry them. In fact, if you've walked down a crowded street such as Chinatown with the night bazaar now with a bulky backpack, you'll find that its actually easier if you carry it in front of you rather than on your back, and its safer too as its almost impossible to pickpocket !

4)Other items to carry, as mentioned, you need a backpack with spare capacity to carry other stuff besides you camera gear. (this was discussed in a thread not that long ago actually). Typically, besides your camera and lenses, you also need space for spare batteries, filters, cleaner, and things of the sort. Possibly a tripod too. If you're doing a lot of walking, you should have some water with you too. Not to mention some simple finger food or a chocolate bar especially in cold climates. TO mention of which, you need extra warm clothing. Unlike the tropics, the transition from day to night in those places mean a very drastic drop in temperatures, easily 10 degree C within 1-2 hours. So, you'll need clothing with you to tide through the whole day. Wear everything and it'll be too warm, but you still need that extra top when the temperature drops as night falls, so.. yah, where are you gonna put it ? The weather can be no joke in those areas. My first time in British Columbia mountains in Canada in 2000 gave me a real shock literally. Daytime was a really nice 23-27 degrees. But once the sun set (5.45pm), within an hour it was below 20 degrees C, within 2hr it was 15 Degrees C, and it went to about 11~12 degrees C by about 11pm! And it wasn't even autumn yet!

Besides these, you still need to carry other stuff such as your wallet, passport? If its wet weather, maybe a cheapo plastic raincoat for that matter?

All these add up in the space required, so... yah, ideally I would like to carry a small 20 litre backpack like I can in Singapore, but practically, you need something around the range of 30-35litres when you go travelling due to the extra little things that you need to cater for.

Not to forget, what if you bought souvenirs that day ??

Hope this has been of help for your planning...

 

[Lord Soth]

ii) A good camera backpack- The Flipside ones are pretty well designed, but they
seriously are not designed for extended trooping use. They do not have a good/firm
waist/hip support strap. Carrying for long hours, with something like 4-7 kg on your
shoulders, you're gonna be aching in agony at the end of your first day out. The
LowePro Primus AW or any of the other brands of backs with an equivalent waist/hip
strap will be a much better option. They are bulky no doubt... but with good reason
(I'll get back to that shortly). Your computrekker seems bulky but its a close match
actually.

3) ............... In fact, if you've walked down a crowded street such as Chinatown with the night bazaar now with a bulky backpack, you'll find that its actually easier if you carry it in front of you rather than on your back, and its safer too as its almost impossible to pickpocket !

I've climbed up the Great Wall and the Swiss Alps with my Flipside 400AW, loaded with about 5 kilos of equipment in total. The 400AW does indeed have heavily padded waist straps. But the 200 and 300 models do not.

As for carrying a backpack in front of you, yes a lot of people do that in many countries but that sight kinda puts me off. The first thing that comes to my mind when I see such a thing is the phrase pregnant man. No offence intended to anyone out there who carries his backpack in such a manner.

That's why my personal preference is for a sling bag when I'm in a crowded place.

 

[Mirez]

Just an advise. Dun make it obvious you're carrying something valueable. Slinging the bag in front of you will definitely draw attention. A secure backpack or a beltpack eases the situation abit.

Then agen, it depends on how much gear you'd be carrying ;p

 

[Henessy]

A few questions before I saw what I 'recommend'.

1) How long and where will you be taking these tours ? (it will determine the equipment you need to carry along besides the camera gear)

Hi, I will be departing for xiamen 1st in 9 days time. For CNY, I will spend the 1st few days there before departing to shanghai and beijing to meet my mum's friend. I will spend approximately around 10 days each at both cities. I will be spending every night at my mum's friend house or hotel. So trip to every place in the city is on daily basis

 

[Henessy]

2) How much are you willing to spend in preparation and gear for this trip ? ( it will determine what equipment / gear to recommend too... )

Hi, may I know what gears and equipments are you refering to? Photographic related?

Currently I plan to bring just the S5, 17-35mm f2.8, voigt 58mm f1.4, SB-800, CPLs, memory cards and batteries

Not sure whether there is a need to bring the 80-200 f2.8...

 

[Henessy]

A few questions before I saw what I 'recommend'.


1) If you're into landscape, especially in dim lighting conditions now due to the ongoing winter in the northern hemisphere.. bring a tripod. Its invaluable especially when you want to shoot yourself in the scene. Or, if you think you can live with it, get a GorillaPod (believe you have access to the OEM copies at much less). A 3kg rated one can be had for as little as SG$22/- in some places online. Or you can look for one of the superlight Benro TravelAngel series of tripods, about SG$350/-. (I actually own one and find it so easy to carry around, I use it a whole lot more often than my 1.7kg one... )

2) If there's plenty of walking, invest in 2 items,
i) A good pair of walking/hiking shoes. (THink you can get them pretty cheap in China)
ii) A good camera backpack- The Flipside ones are pretty well designed, but they
seriously are not designed for extended trooping use. They do not have a good/firm
waist/hip support strap. Carrying for long hours, with something like 4-7 kg on your
shoulders, you're gonna be aching in agony at the end of your first day out. The
LowePro Primus AW or any of the other brands of backs with an equivalent waist/hip
strap will be a much better option. They are bulky no doubt... but with good reason
(I'll get back to that shortly). Your computrekker seems bulky but its a close match
actually.

3) Security - Its often seen that walking with a backpack in areas with pickpockets might seem an issue, but quite to the contrary. Its really how you carry them. In fact, if you've walked down a crowded street such as Chinatown with the night bazaar now with a bulky backpack, you'll find that its actually easier if you carry it in front of you rather than on your back, and its safer too as its almost impossible to pickpocket !

4)Other items to carry, as mentioned, you need a backpack with spare capacity to carry other stuff besides you camera gear. (this was discussed in a thread not that long ago actually). Typically, besides your camera and lenses, you also need space for spare batteries, filters, cleaner, and things of the sort. Possibly a tripod too. If you're doing a lot of walking, you should have some water with you too. Not to mention some simple finger food or a chocolate bar especially in cold climates. TO mention of which, you need extra warm clothing. Unlike the tropics, the transition from day to night in those places mean a very drastic drop in temperatures, easily 10 degree C within 1-2 hours. So, you'll need clothing with you to tide through the whole day. Wear everything and it'll be too warm, but you still need that extra top when the temperature drops as night falls, so.. yah, where are you gonna put it ? The weather can be no joke in those areas. My first time in British Columbia mountains in Canada in 2000 gave me a real shock literally. Daytime was a really nice 23-27 degrees. But once the sun set (5.45pm), within an hour it was below 20 degrees C, within 2hr it was 15 Degrees C, and it went to about 11~12 degrees C by about 11pm! And it wasn't even autumn yet!

Besides these, you still need to carry other stuff such as your wallet, passport? If its wet weather, maybe a cheapo plastic raincoat for that matter?

All these add up in the space required, so... yah, ideally I would like to carry a small 20 litre backpack like I can in Singapore, but practically, you need something around the range of 30-35litres when you go travelling due to the extra little things that you need to cater for.

Not to forget, what if you bought souvenirs that day ??

Hope this has been of help for your planning...

Hi, for shoes, I actually just intend to wear my asics running shoe:sweat: as when I mean walking around mountains, I mean those small ones and not those like wu yi shan, huang shan. Of course I will be going to the great wall(a great attraction not to be missed) and Pu Tuo Shan in ningbo.

At such, I initially wanted to get the lowepro inverse 100 AW beltpack as it allows me to walk more freely since the weight is on the waist. But on second thought I think it is better to consult fellow clubsnappers before realising that I got a wrong, nonpractical bag.

For security issues, I am rather concerned as I heard many stories on how skillful are the pickpockets there in China. The reason I wanted to buy another bag instead of using my computtrekker is because I don't want to end up bringing my backpack forward every 5 mins while walking to check whether my stuff are still there. And I do not intend to carry my back pack in front cos it looks a bit weird and hinders movement.

For weather, I do not think it is a main concern as I will not be spending my nights there and I always wear 3 layers of clothing during this period when I was in China 6 years back.

For passport, is it better to leave it in the hotel or carry around? For cash, may I know what do you suggest as I don't think it is a good idea to bring lots of RMB around...

Sry for so many questions cos this is my 1st time travelling on a long trip

 

[pisduck]

I usually travel with 2 bodies and 3 lens.

I hate backpacks as it is really hard to deploy. I started with shoulder bags like the billingham hadley pro and crumpler 7mil.

Now my favourite bag is the Slingshot bag. I think the slingshot is really good as it deploys like a shoulder bag but the weight is much better distributed.

Your gear is around mine and I think a Slingshot is still manageable for long periods of time and there is no need for a backpack. I think a backpack is only useful if your gear is REALLY heavy and thus the comfort outweighs the inconvenience.

 

[Henessy]

I usually travel with 2 bodies and 3 lens.

I hate backpacks as it is really hard to deploy. I started with shoulder bags like the billingham hadley pro and crumpler 7mil.

Now my favourite bag is the Slingshot bag. I think the slingshot is really good as it deploys like a shoulder bag but the weight is much better distributed.

Your gear is around mine and I think a Slingshot is still manageable for long periods of time and there is no need for a backpack. I think a backpack is only useful if your gear is REALLY heavy and thus the comfort outweighs the inconvenience.

But how about the security of the slingshots? Cos from what I see the strap is not stiched on but buckle on.