day treks with photography equipment...

Hi all,
I'm planning to have a 4-5 days trek in Scotland and was wondering what is a better approach to carry 'enough' with you. I plan to take either a zoom/ 24TS lens and 45TS lens, tripod and a 6D. It will be a 'base camp' trip so day treks around the camping area. It will involve some hiking (8-10km each day with about 1000m elevation) around Glencoe. I was looking for some ideas to carry photography and food/water for a day. Any suggestions welcome.

Thanks

One photo backpack I would suggest you look at is the Gura Gear Uinta 30L Backpack. It will accommodate your tripod and has a rain cover. You can get modules for your camera gear too that fit inside the bag.

If you want a completely waterproof bag, check out the bags made by Patagonia and OverBoard. Two possible ones are the OverBoard Pro-Sports Waterproof Backpack 30 L and the PATAGONIA BLACK HOLE PACK 25L. I do nor believe either of these will provide any special protection for your camera gear so you may want to get wraps for the camera and each lens. Some photographers prefer this approach anyhow in that it allows the use of almost any bag for photo and other purposes and can keep the weight down.

Joe Smith

I give thumbs up to the Mindshift bags. The large is big enough to carry pro gear, plenty of food water and spare clothing, a slick tripod carrying system and a slide out fanny pack that allows to you not have to take the pack off. They also have a smaller bag that might be perfect for your day trips.

For day trips, when possible, get the weight of the equipment off your back (vertebra) and on to your hips. Doing so will maintain a safer center of gravity, equipment access, ease of movement, and produce less stress and fatigue on your back. All belt systems (Spider and others make them) accomplish this. Backpacks with belts somewhat do this until you bend over then some of the backpack's weight will shift to your back.
Good Luck

Maybe take a young apprentice along with the understanding he is your caddy and will carry all your stuff.  "Jeeves, the 500mm with the 1.4 on the Gitzo!"

Steve Cirone wrote:Maybe take a young apprentice along with the understanding he is your caddy and will carry all your stuff.  "Jeeves, the 500mm with the 1.4 on the Gitzo!"

Lot to like with that response.    LOL.  except that steve should have said, he or she..  lol.. oh dear....

With what you said,.... one body and maybe two shift lenses or a zoom, I can't see why any backpack that you may already have won't do.  all you really need to consider, is that as in my opinion, the KIT your taking isn't going to weigh you down, SO , is adequate food, drink and rain protection a better priority.   a days food / drink isn't going to weigh you down.  

So, to me what's relevant are the questions on AGE, Portability etc.  You don't say...    If cruel eld age creepeth up, back pains etc, the advice we can give may be more of help.  If not an issue,  my take is you don't have enough weight of kit to make an issue and just get on with it and enjoy.  

Personally, I'd consider what prep you have about midges etc, not the bags you want to take as the timing of year will make a difference.  (summer = midges.. autumn = fairly safe).   Either  way, PLEASE DO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF RAIN PROTECTION>>>