LowePro Vertex 300 - Initial Impressions

[jeffkohn]

I just got one of these as my "carry everything and the kitchen sink" bag, replacing my trusty old Phototrekker II AW, which was getting pretty worn and had some broken zippers. This will be the bag I take on the plane with as much camera gear as I can fit in it, and I'll also be using it when shooting from the car or on short hikes. (I pack another smaller pack in my luggage that holds less gear but has room for a hydration bladder and some other non-photo stuff, which I use for longer hikes).

I was a bit unsure about the Vertex 300 from the online pictures, because it looked kind of boxy and I was afraid it might not be all that comfortable. I won't be hiking long distances with this bag, but it will go on shorter hikes, as well as trudging through airports. I almost got the Tamrac Expedition 8x, but the lack of a rain-cover was a deal breaker. I've had good luck with LowePro bags in the past (own several of them), so I decided to take a chance on the Vertex 300.

When it arrived I was pleasantly surprised. It's slightly narrower than my Phototrekker II, but also slightly longer and a bit deeper. The harness isn't quite as adjustable (or bulky) as on the Phototrekker, but it fits my torso fine and is quite comfy even when fully loaded. It actually felt pretty light on my back considering it tipped the scales at 40lbs.

Build quality and materials are up to the usual excellent standards for LowePro, and the bag is well designed with a useful arrangement of pockets and zippered compartments. One nice touch is a padded pocket built into the main flap that is just right to hold a cell phone, GPS, or light meter (kind of hard to explain without showing pictures).

The foam padding in the main compartment seems a little denser and thicker compared to my old bag, which should offer more protection for the gear it carries.

In addition to the hidden all-weather cover, there's another cover that zips over the harness/straps to make stowing the pack a little easier in overhead bins when flying. I also think the slightly narrower form factor will make it a better fit on overhead bins compared to the PhotoTrekker II.

I can fit a huge amount of gear into this bag. For our Oregon trip I'm taking the following:

D300, D70-IR, 24-70 AFS, 70-300VR, 12-24DX, 24 PC-E, 45 PC-E, 85 PC, Zeiss 35/2, Ziess 100/2, 10.5 DX Fisheye.

That's just the cameras and lenses. There's also room for a flash, RRS multi-row pano rig, laser range finder, light meter, GPS, Hoodman Loupe, rocket blower, filters, batteries, CF cards, etc. And my 15" laptop fits in the padded laptop compartment. Supposedly it can accomodate a 17" laptop, but I think that will depend on how thick the laptop is an how much other stuff you have in the pack.

I don't have time now, but after we get back from vacation I'll post some pictures, as well as updated feedback after having used the pack for a week of travel.

[thedugger]

Vertex 300 is awesome, holds lots of gear and great construction.