Lowepro Off Road (beltpack): Anyone using it?

[capreppy]

Lowepro Off Road

I'm trying to find a toploading bag that is accessorisable with different sized lens cases on the side. I love my Lowepro CompuTrekker AW Plus, but the thing is just plain huge. I've basically got a second person on my back and I've got to slowly turn around so I don't kill anyone. Plus there are times when I'm local and I don't want to take every little piece of equipment that I have.

Specific requirements:
- be able to hold Canon 20D w/grip and 70-200 2.8L non-IS (attached). This is a worse case scenario. If this fits, everything else I have (at least for now) WILL fit.
- space for Canon 420EX flashgun (may upgrade to 580EX at some point in the future)
- space for CF cards, spare batteries, filters, and other SMALL misc items
- able to add different sized lens cases on the side. (sometimes I just want to carry the 70-200 just in case and have something else mounted)
- can't be more than $150 for the setup (including additional side bags)

I spent an hour each at Arlington Camera and Fort Worth Camera this weekend lugging my CompuTrekker and all of my gear. I tried looking at the Lowepro Stealthreporter series (just not my shooting style), Tamrac Velocity series (didn't fit 20D w/grip), Lowepro Off Trail 1/2 (not big enough for 20D w/grip), Lowepro 75AW Toploader (not really deep enough to get 20D w/grip AND 70-200). The Domke & other similar offerings just don't fit my shooting style.

After a couple weeks of researching, I've come down to one that I think will do the trick. The only problem I have is that no one seems to carry this on their shelves!!!!! Fort Worth camera can have one brought in, but I'd like to know if anyone out there is using or has used this before and what their thoughts were.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thanks,

Tom

[LoungeLizard]

I looked at this and it is HUGE (for a toploader). When you add one or two side lens holders, it got REALLY big. I decided to hold off on it for now, but I'm curious on the outcome of this discussion.

I have an old Tamrac toploader that I manage to squeeze (REALLY TIGHT) my DRebel, grip, 28-135IS (need to check if the 70-200 f2.8L IS fits), and two extra batteries.

[capreppy]

It certainly is big, but it's flexible. This is the primary reason I'm looking at it. If I'm only carrying a body and two lenses, I only need to put the appropriate case on the one side and use the other case for maybe even a water bottle.

It's at its largest when you attach an LC3 (for the 70-200 2.8L) and a LC1W (for the 24-70 2.8L) on the sides. But it can go down from there if you're carrying less equipment.

I want to make sure my equipment is not "sqeezed" in there, because I want to be able to get it out and put it back in there again frequently. The other toploaders just weren't big enough to do that.