This video has an extremely impressive “pouch” per minute rate.

First off, I truly appreciate how much time you guys put into this video and braving the heat for us. I was torn between the Atlas, Peak Designs, and Shimoda. Ultimately went for the Atlas Athlete because of the waterproof rain cover, 50/50 split, origami box, removable belt and sealed hydration pouch. I also like how their is a very safe and protected laptop pouch.

"Chris, are you sure about this?" "YES! JUST TAKE THE DAMN THUMBNAIL PHOTO!"

Seeing the bags in the pool was painful, but thank you. This clarified what to look for in a bag as well as what characteristics these particular bags have.

Not sure the rain shower test simulates standing on a Welsh hillside for 6 hours, which my bag failed. Also need a fall backwards into a mountain stream test. Basically submerge the bags for 20 seconds and see what survives. Again this did prove to be a realistic scenario recently

I've had the Atlas Adventure for a couple of years, heavy regular use. Tough and comfortable. When I was looking it was the only one that would take my 500 f4.5 sigma lens. The challenge with all these bags is that they can carry so much stuff you need a sherpa. Great review, everyone has different needs.

And this how review should be made, with the right amount of information, jokes, and tests.

My wedding clients are just going to have to get used to the machete.

Got the shimoda. Love how comfy it is. Down side is the laptop sleeve. Their customer support is amazing shoutout to them because they replaced a soft shell. Ordered it from amazon and there was a tear on the soft shell. I asked for a soft shell and they ended giving me the whole set. I use the second medium dividers for another backpack.

I have the same Wandrd. Yes definitely for a small camera but it’s so compact and a joy to take out. It’s probably the most comfortable bag I’ve had on my back.

As a fly fishing photographer I can't even imagine a camera backpack that isn't very waterproof and as a consumer I can't believe how few good ones there are on the market.

“because travel is such a big thing in 2020” 💀😂

The Atlas Athlete is an awesome pack, comfortable and carries a decent load. I regularly carry, 2 DSLRs and 3-5 lens as well as hiking camping gear. The one thing you missed is that it has a integrated rain cover in the tiny hidden pocket at the bottom as well to keep it even drier in the wet weather.

Best camera backpack for 2020 is your shelf. Since after 2 months of freedom we're back in lock down again. If you got LowePro ProTactic - you're golden for the next decade.

Aluminum frame and waist belt are a must for multi-day hiking trips. I’ve done a lot of hiking in sand and dunes which makes weight even harder to carry. Once I finally upgraded to a proper hiking bag it made such a difference. I went with the F-stop Tilopa, but the shimodas seem awesome too! I also own and have used the Wandrd Prvke 31L which is good for shorter day hikes with lighter equipment.

I bought a Peak Design everyday zip 15l and it is bloody perfect. The size limits you to only take the stuff you need while still having lots of pockets. It is amazing. After 6 months it has 0 scratches or loose strings, just like new. Very comfy even with scoliosis. I carry an APS-C camera, Gopro with accessories, batteries, filters, extra clothes and still have lots of extra space. Very nice!

When manfrotto is the budget option, you know you're gonna need to take out a reverse mortgage on your house

Bought a lowepro protactic 450 AW II which is also accepted by most airlines (I said most cuz I can't ascertain if all airlines allowed it but I didn't have any issue so far with big and small airlines). Used the first version, had no complaint.

You know you are a dad when you label 'condoms' as 'other secret things'. 😂

Great in-depth review - thank you for that! I do agree with the slogan for the Peak Design Travel Backpack: no two trips are the same. So I bought that PD backpack with a set of camera pouches and packing cubes. I absolutely love the modularity and have used it for several weekend trips with the small Peak Design camera sling bag inside, but also maxed out on a two week safari with several flights. The possibilty to tuck away the straps is phantastic for storing the luggage in an overhead compartment or on a dusty pickup bed. The easy access to a jacket in one of the compartments came in handy on brief stops. The 5 liter sling from PD fits perfect as small camera pouch for mirrorless cameras and we used it for walking safari or MTB safari. What I must admit: when fully packed it is heavy and not that comfortable to carry. Good enough for me for airports, reaching the hotel or tent - but I wouldn‘t use it for hiking tours. Still: love that backpack and the whole system from PD.

This thumbnail might be the best one you guys ever did!

The Atlas Athlete is an excellent bag. It's more my long-range one. 15+ miles. I can put my tripod inside of it too. No snagging on trees etc... Another is the Shimoda X30. It's my mid-range 10-mile pack or shorter depending on what's needed. My short-range or crawling through tight spaces pack is the Mindshift Backlight 18L. All 3 of these packs are comfortable and hold my gear perfectly. I had been using an F-Stop Tilopa for 8 years until it finally started falling apart. It went through a lot. I loved that pack's design but it never really fit me very well. All of my gear goes into 1-gallon freezer zip lock bags. Now that I'm older the pack has to fit comfortably first and foremost.

Extremely disappointed that Jordan wasn't trying to steal them this time

Literally the best thumbnail I’ve ever seen

I've been using the Manfrotto Mover 50 for the last 2 years and it's a beast. I am yet to find a situation where something doesn't fit in it and it still shows no signs of wearing. I manage to pack 2 camera bodies, 5 lenses, flash, case for cleaning kit and filters, laptop, mouse, charger for the laptop and the camera, 4 batteries, external hard disk, tripod and there is still a bit of room for smaller things and a compartment for my documents or a tablet.

Loved it. I'm not a Canadian, so north of 30lbs, urban style be damned, I'll take the CosySpeed and use the waist belt - especially if frolicking is likely to be a trip requirement

ATLASPacks are the best. So configurable and comfortable.

Just curious...why nothing from lowepro? IMO they offer the best price/quality/features ratio...

That thumbnail is a work of art.

I have the Atlas Athlete and love it. It is very comfortable and well padded and can carry a pro DSLR and lenses, but not attached. The camera needs to lay down. For me one of the best aspects is how condensed it becomes if not packed out. It can be very low profile.

I own the atlas athlete and it's fantastic

Good one.... thanks. I like: A Backpack that doesn't fry your back on a hot day A Backpack where you can put a small padlock on the zips, as I'm not taking it to an Aircraft loo with me. Something that is simple to get into. I have a Manfrotto bag that you need to "solve" to open up in some ways. Able to fit long things inside it, so not totally separate areas. A nice padded base in case you put it down too quickly. High quality zips that look like they will last some time. Not that heavy, as it's all added weight. Comes with plenty of dividers. Not stupidly expensive (a lot of photo backpacks are crazy expensive). Actually my favourite backpack for a Day's simple photography (so limited gear) is the ThinkTank Glass Taxi. I have one with a big lens and another configured for non-long-lens use (they come with a ton of dividers). I tried other solutions but always found them annoying in comparison, so thought, hey just get another Glass Taxi. However that's not a hiking trip solution.

Wandrd Access duffel is my favorite travel bag (replaced camera cube with tenba dna 11 for daybag carry). Also love Mindshift Backlight 26L for times I need to carry more.

Now, I always had an issue with finding a good backpack, because most of them did not fit the mirrorless small camera Systems such as Leica M, m4/3 or Fuji because they HD DSLR sizes in mind and had not really the capacity to carry food, clothing, drinking, hygiene etc for trip of 2-4 days or a longer outdoor sessions. Long story short, the best backpack for the small camera user that does travel and hike after a long search for me is Wandrd. The PRVKE is the perfect compromise between city and hike and fits a lot of gear. I have a Leica M plus 35mm Cron, 50 Lux, Olympus EM1MKIII with 12-100, 7-14 and 300mm, EC14, Rode Mike, GoPro 8, Peak Design Travel Tripod with space for stuff for a 3-4 day hike. Their new Fernweh improves so much on the PRVKE for Hiking... once they have another color for that one (like the green or blue for PRVKE) I‘ll be first in line.

well review, I choose F-Stop.

I just picked up the PRVKE 21. thanks for the review!

Happy to see that Cosyspeed did such a good job! For me, It looks like the best choice if you ever have to carry your gear for more than just a few hours.

They all look very good though I think I would need a lot of Gym training to get one on and off my back / send me some muscles 😂 great vid Chris and Jordan as always. 🤓

I like the looks of the "backpack" style bags over the square Urban look bags. Keep thinking Ninja Turtle with those lol

You should add travel to the title. These are huge! Even my huge Lowepro protactic 450 II was smaller than most of these.

Nice video. Yet I think by far the perfect bag for me is Think Tank Photo Urban Access 15. It got styles, customizability, and comfort. I was really surprised that not much review over it in youtube, and curious how would professionals feel about the Access 15.

What about the Mindshift Horizon 180 ? It's rotating pouch makes it sooooo convenient when you are on the run and don't get much time to drop the bag, pull out the stuff, shoot, then pull it back in.

Don't Worry. You have the E-M1 Mark III with the 300mm F4 Pro. It will handle the water.

Some nice packs there but one problem I find with these packs is they dont have enough padding at the bottom. Often after a full day and you get tired it is easy to put the pack down a bit hard and damage gear as it hits the ground. I like to put some closed cell foam across the bottom under the insert, as much as I can.

Why no thinkTANK bag?

Yet another entertaining *and* informative clip. Some other "reviewers" in this field fail miserably when they attempt either, let alone both. Just one thought: Australia moved to the metric system many years ago, and though I grew up using archaic measurements, it takes me a bit to convert back and forth: maybe you could put a conversion overlay on the clip for when you mention one metrological system in lieu of another? I have a much-loved friend in America and if I tell her it's 33 degrees outside she gets thoroughly lost, so a conversion might benefit a lot of people. One other thing: I have an inherent distrust of airline baggage handlers and insist on carrying my camera and laptop ontp the plane myself - maybe a review of bags that are a size suitable for carry-on luggage would not go astray? Please though, keep up your excellent work - I look forward to every clip.

For me the big issue is Telephoto lenses. You missing an evaluation for wildlife photography. These lenses are easier to store...

umm..not gonna include F-Stop bags?

Comprehensive and well done, as usual. Thanks. Actually, I don't care a rat's a*s about travel back packs these days, especially $400 ones. But if I were this would be very helpful. Good video, guys.

Great review Chris! Im in the market for upgrading and changing out my current bag. The water test was pretty revealing and moved me to choose one i wasnt really looking at. Thanks again! I currently have a Mindshift bag that is ready for the cemetery..but it has served well, lol.

I love your dry humour! What a great review. Thank you :)

Thanks for the review, i was wondering why most camera backpacks are so expensive, now i see, that there is no reason :) Honestly, a good hiking backpack from a reputable brand like deuter is 150€, most already have back access. Add 50€ for the insert and random other stuff and you are at 200€. Even if you add 100€ for the camera specific design changes you are looking at 250€, most of these are even more expensive! I got a f-stop dalston lately, used for 65€ and it is just a 65€ or say 80€ backpack, no where near worth the 130€ they are charging for it. The production of those backs is as cheap as any other backpack, they do not pay better wages or have significantly better working conditions for their workers...maybe wandrd and peak design, but that is probably just marketing as well. Camera gear is overpriced, because people are willing to pay for their hobby, but one should also mention in a review, that a small hiking back with a camera insert should not cost 400€.

I sympathize you guys having to go thru these tests packing unpacking ! But probably one of the most useful-unique video year. Thanks!

At 30+ pounds any pack will become very uncomfortable after a few minutes unless you have transferred the weight to your hips. That is what the hip belt is for. A good pack has minimal weight resting on your shoulders. Shoulder straps are ONLY to prevent the pack from falling backward.

Great review video. So thorough and covered all the bases that I was asking about to myself but no one was listening.....I think i'll get the new(?) Wandrd Prvke 41L and they supposedly upgraded a few things on all their bags since this review. Again, thanks!

Cosyspeed ist great! 💪🏼

Shimoda actually has a newer design, you used the older design. The newer action x is even better! With still the same things you liked about this one.

I'm happy as cats with my Protactic 450 AW II but I still enjoy watching these videos for the fun. I laughed out loud at the machete New York joke. The manfrotto bag doesn't look good at all for the price.

"rainfall simulation device" - I LOL'd

I have serious doubts that the CosySpeed would get on an Air Canada plane.

Another great video, in fact I just ordered my Atlas Athlete bag!

I bought the PRVKE 31 but found it actually a bit too big for my use as a daily and/or travel bag so I ended up buying the smaller PRVKE 21 as well 😅 The 21 is the perfect size for me as it fits a couple of Leica Ms + lenses + Ricoh GR1, a Macbook Pro 15" (and accessories) and an iPad Pro + essential travel stuff that I don't want to check-in. Also, the killer feature for me is that it fits under the seat in front of you on the plane!👌 I use the 31 if there's a need to have more things with me, and without the camera cube, it works great as a motorcycle travel backpack with plenty of space to pack clothes, etc. For longer rides, the waist straps + rainfly are a good addition.

I loved this video, good information and as always....humor.

"Little zipper pouch you can put your weed in there.." Sold!

As an America, the imperial measurement shade in these videos is perfect. :D Also I have a Prvke and use it as a daily driver when I don't need it for photography. Damn good bag.

Should check also Fstop gear bags. Out of all the bags I’ve bought (something my wife is starting to hate) it’s the only one that hits all the check marks when I need to carry a lot of gear or travel.

For hiking... Shimoda is really hard to beat!

Shimoda's newer bags are even better. The Shimoda Action X50 is the best bag I know of for camera gear!

"Deserts of Iran hot" - I am an Iranian, and thank you for the shout out :))

Lol somebody’s backyard in Tampa hot. It has been hot here. If you’re ever in the area come say hello!

And the new Action line of Shimoda is even better than the explore series in my opinion. Leaves nothing to complain for me!

So now it's ok to use pounds as a measure of weight?

Great video! Well put together, entertaining and informative keeps you wanting more!😃

Great video... but why no Lowepro bags in the lineup?

Chris slipping Rob Schneider reference there made me giggle :D

A couple of those brands are not sold at all where I live (Europe). The most popular brand here is Lowepro.

Upvote for the thumbnail alone! 😄

My best camera bag is still my north face recon. Key feature is it doesn’t look like a camera bag

At 15:20 look who's coming home from school throwback

Moderately surprised that we don't have LowePro or Think Tank bags in here, like the BackLight series... Especially since you're using ThinkTank accessory pouch thingies :P

I have the WANDRD as my urban/travel/short walk-in-the-woods backpack. Its modularity and storage capacity is great. The removable camera unit makes it great for airline travel. However, it is not comfortable because of the hip belt. Most of the weight ends up on my shoulder. I have both Atlas backpacks, the Athlete and the Adventure. The Athlete is my go-to backpack for hiking with my camera. The camera compartment is not removable. So, not as versatile as WANDRD. It is designed for mirror-less, so the camera gear carrying capacity is limited. But, I think it is a good thing because it makes you carry less up the mountain. I have the bright yellow one. Great for safety when hiking, but bad for wildlife photography. That black one would be nice. My Atlas Adventure backpack is black. Almost two years later, it is still brand new and residing in my closet. If the Adventure was designed exactly as the Athlete but with a bigger capacity, it would be great. However, they added so much padding and pockets on the Adventure that it made it heavy and bulky. I ended up going back to my traditional backpacking Osprey pack when going camping. The Adventure may end up being my dedicated wildlife photography backpack.

Which bag do you think would be best to include a gimbal? I have the Zhiyun Crane 2S and would prefer to carry it in the same bag as the rest of my gear without disassembling it. If anyone has any thoughts on that, it would be much appreciated. The bag would also have a mirrorless camera, three lenses, and a mavic pro.

No lowepro? Whistler, pro trekker, powder?

Informative and entertaining....this is why i subscribe to you guys.

I’m so glad I only take one mirrorless camera and one lens when I go out.

I like the format of this review. I wish somebody did this for female bodies. Because apparently the only camera bags designed for women look like handbags, which are not very practical for hiking. But it is impossible to consider the bags shown here because they're never reviewed for women. I don't know if you know this, but our chests and hips look different. Normal hiking bag designer know that women need different bags. I don't understand why camera bag designers ignore this.

Good timing on this. I’m looking for a replacement for my old Tamrac which is finally starting to have issues.

Thanks for this eh..kinda buyer's guide, I guess. Made me be very happy that I went for f-stop

I wonder how long this video was after the first round of edits

Great review. Personally, I would need a truck to haul these huge and heavy backpacks.

I backed Shimoda on Kickstarter, going for the 70 litre Action X. I had to wait months for delivery due to the pandemic, but I'm really delighted with it. I've hiked with it for hours in heavy rain - comfortably carrying a ton of heavy gear - and it performed incredibly well.

Wow! Suitcases with straps. Each to their own. Thanks for the advice.

Travel backpack for 2022

3 cm in equestrian terms. I’m so glad you did that conversion! Saved me so much time!!!

Weather simulation device.... Thats a good one

Excellent presentation. Shimoda Explore impressed me, too.

"Because travel is such a big thing in 2020." Ha ha.

This comparison was not fair enough, because you left out the new Shimoda X50/X70... it would overshadow even the Explore any time, with the roll-top feature, better shoulder straps, removable waist belt, 2 side pockets/side pouches... its a dream come true photo backpack! :)

I shoot Olympus so I don’t need to worry about size,of the bag or if the gear is well protected or bag is waterproof.

Very few packs give you everything accessory wise in its price. Look at the shimoda which is not the new version out by the way, you want a rain cover, pay extra, camera cubes, pay extra.