Bags Please help me solve a bag conundrum...

Lightmancer

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Location
Sunny Frimley
Name
Bill Palmer
Okay, please bear with me on this, and read to the end before responding.

I am in the market for a photo backpack. I have one at the moment but it is cheap and starting to get a bit ratty. What it does do is hold everything I want to carry, to wit:
1 Domke F5Xb, containing a Fuji X100T, WCL and TCLX100 converters back to back, a pouch with batteries, memory cards, hood and charging cable.
1 Fuji XPro2 with 14, 18-135, 27 and 35 (f2) lenses plus a pouch with batteries, memory cards and card reader.
1 Portable telephone
1 Kindle paperwhite
1 "electronic handbag" (as my wife calls it) with assorted cables, chargers etc for all of the above.
1 shemagh
1 cap, flat, head for the use of
1 folding shopping bag
1 folding umbrella
1 Leuchtturm notebook ('cos Moleskines aren't made like they were)
1 pen
1 set of keys

Now, the only time it will be fully loaded like this is when travelling to and from my destination. It must therefore be carry-on baggage compatible. I don't need quick access to the Domke or it's contents while in transit.
At my destination I will empty out the bag and either carry it with the XPro2 and lenses and a jumper etc or I will leave it behind and just take the Domke out with me.
It must be a backpack. A sling is useless to me partly because it doesn't spread the weight very well and partly because I am left-handed and they all open for the convenience of right-handers.
It must be light.
It must be robust.
It must be discreet.
It must be moderately stylish; the ballistic nylon, urban ninja look is anathema to me. Think canvas and leather trim.
It must be comfortable - I may need to wear it fully laden while wandering around airports with my main case in tow.
I don't mind too much if I have to take it off to access the X-Pro and lenses and value security over accessibility, within reason.

I ordered a Manfrotto Perspectives 15 but that did not have enough camera storage space. I'm wondering about some of the National Geographic bags, particularly the Africa medium size but I can't find a local stockist o given a try and I'm not sure about security.

Any ideas...?
 
Bill - The NG Africa medium doesn't look all that large based on the photo with the guy here -
Amazon.com : National Geographic Africa Medium Backpack For DSLR, Lenses, Tripod and Laptops : Camera & Photo
However, what about this little number -
B:P.jpg

Sorry, I couldn't resist. No comment. :rolleyes:
. . . David
 
Bill - The NG Africa medium doesn't look all that large based on the photo with the guy here -
Amazon.com : National Geographic Africa Medium Backpack For DSLR, Lenses, Tripod and Laptops : Camera & Photo
However, what about this little number -
View attachment 27240
Sorry, I couldn't resist. No comment. :rolleyes:
. . . David
Ah, that's not the one - my bad, it's not the Africa. It's this one I was thinking of: National Geographic Medium Camera Rucksack: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo
... but the problem with this one is that bizarre access panel. I can see all sorts of expensive accidents as well as theft possibilities with this setup:
61ebv3xD1IL._SL1000_.jpg
 
just looking at this bullet-point list.....

It must be a backpack.
It must be light.
It must be robust.
It must be discreet.
It must be moderately stylish
It must be comfortable


...... there are a few items here that are mutually exclusive. Or am I the only one that thinks backpacks are ugly by nature (I have one for travel, but I HATE it)
 
No, y'see, it's that ninja thing again. Remember "...the ballistic nylon, urban ninja look is anathema to me..." Not obly do I not want a black nylon one because I want to avoid looking like an SAS wannabee but in practical terms, I'm mostly going to be using it in hot countries. Khaki canvas is more practical and more in keeping.
 
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