It was about this time last year that I was absorbed in deciding what camera gear to take with me to Germany. We had a family vacation planned for a one week cruise on the River Rhein – from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands.
I knew I was going to take my Canon PowerShot G11, my don’t-leave-home-without-it camera. The big question was would I take the big Canon with its retinue of lenses. And would I take my laptop with Lightroom and Photoshop? It came down to one simply stated problem – how could I safely get them over there and back?
I knew I wasn’t going to check my camera gear or laptop so I needed a way to take them as carryon. But we’re talking international flights here with all sorts of carryon luggage and weight restrictions. It was going to come down to the camera bag.
I prefer backpack style camera bags and I already owned a popular brand bag that had served me well. But it was quite heavy and couldn’t carry a laptop. Time to look for a new one.
I asked a photographer friend what he would recommend and he suggested I check out a company called thinkTANK Photo. I did. They have a line of backpacks called StreetWalker. They are slim and lightweight and, very importantly, designed to fit into the overhead compartments on international flights. OK, I’m interested.
The line has three models including one called the StreetWalker HardDrive that has a compartment for a 15” laptop. This is looking better and better. In fact, it’s exactly what I need. So based on my friends word-of-mouth recommendation I placed an order.
When it arrived a few days later I was eager to check it out and was really surprised by what I found. The most obvious thing was the superb quality of workmanship. I ‘m beginning to feel even more comfortable with this decision.
I immediately loaded it up with my camera gear and laptop and everything fit. Now this is quite a feat since my camera is a Canon 1Ds Mark III, meaning the body is the same size as, say, a 5D with an external battery pack. But the thinkTANK folks had thought of that and there was a little extra room at the top of the bag where the larger Mark III camera body could extend down into the space where the laptop goes. And the laptop still fit. I’m thinking, “Wow, that’s pretty cool. They thought of everything.”
One thing I appreciated in Germany was how nicely the back was padded, making it very comfortable to carrying through the interminable tunnels at Frankfurt International Airport.
As I used the backpack more I became aware of other features that I really appreciate, little things that set this bag apart. For example, you can strap your tripod to the back but they’ve designed it in such a way that the tripod extends below the bottom of the pack but not above the top. This is really important to me because I find myself ducking under a lot of branches to get to where I want to shoot. And the tripod doesn’t catch on anything. Just one more thing they thought of.
There are more examples of delightful little things that the engineers have put into this bag that are surprising, cleaver and set this bag apart.
So, when thinkTANK Photo offered me the opportunity to become one of their affiliates I jumped at the chance. I have no reservation in recommending their products to anyone. The quality is second to none, the engineering is thoughtful and effective and their bags are rugged enough to stand up to just about anything.
The nice thing about being an affiliate is there’s something in it for you besides getting a great camera bag. If you place an order through the links on this post or use my affiliate code when checking out (WS-427) thinkTANK Photo will send you a very nice gift (for orders of $50 or more).
So if you’re thinking about upgrading your trusty camera bag check out thinkTANK Photo. I’ll bet you’ll find something that suits your needs to a tee. And I know you’ll be happy with the bag.
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Hi, Ralph. Okay, I’m jealous. I have nearly every bag that ThinkTank makes; can I be an affiliate, too??
Yea, it doesn’t seem right. I have just one and I love it. I assume you’re happy with yours too Steve.