Clik Elite Compact Sport Backpack Review

As a backpacker, climber, paddler, and cyclist, I spend a considerable amount of time in the wilderness, even when not out photographing nature. Ever since I started backpacking, I’ve found myself incredibly disappointed by functionality, comfort, and design of photo backpacks.

I’ve owned and used a handful of photo backpacks. In addition to my own recreational pursuits, I also work as an adventure guide and trip leader which has given me the opportunity to try out a variety of backpacking packs as well. The difference in comfort and balanced load carrying capabilities between the two is like night and day.

When I first heard about Clik Elite photo backpacks, designed with the adventurer in mind, I was intrigued. I had long given up on photo backpacks for my camera equipment and had resorted to carrying my fragile and expensive gear wrapped in t-shirts in one of my smaller backpacking packs. But Clik seemed to see the need for a pack with a backpacker style harness, suspension, and frame designed to safely and securely hold cameras and lenses. Their packs even had integrated hydration sleeves! It sure looked like they had the right idea.

Of course, the only way to know for sure was to try one. I ended up choosing the Compact Sport, a small body-hugging backpack designed to hold a minimum amount of gear. When I do landscape photography trips, I carry only my 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4, 70-200mm f/4 IS, 1.4x teleconverter, 25mm extension tube, and a couple of filters, plus my tripod and ball head. For reptile and amphibian photography, macro photography, or adventure photography, I occasionally carry even less. I wanted a compact, close-fitting backpack that would comfortably hold the gear I needed for a day hike, without being too heavy or awkward to carry, and the Compact Sport seemed to fit the bill.

First Impressions

When my pack came, I was quite excited to test it out, but I gave it a good look over first. I really liked the neutral color I chose, Clik Grey, a warm gray color that looks sleek but also like it would do a good job of disguising scuffs and dirt. The pack itself was quite small and compact, only a little larger than my CamelBak Daystar, which is my usual daypack for hiking when I bother to wear a pack at all. The pack appeared to be well designed, made from a durable medium-weight nylon fabric with an adequate amount of padding on the harness and back, solid buckles, and heavy duty snag free zippers designed to seal out moisture and dust. The zipper tabs were large enough to grab and operate with gloves on. Well thought out bungee cords and loop closures adorned the pack in several areas, designed to sling on extras such as a tripod or rain jacket. Inside, the camera compartment was small but adequately padded, and the top compartment had a velvety soft liner, but was equally on the small side. I noticed that while there is a sleeve for a hydration bladder, the pack does not ship with one included. Empty, I found the pack weight to be on par with what I expected, a bit heavier than my Daystar but no where near as heavy as other photo backpacks I’ve used, the most similar being the Lowepro Primus AW II. The Compact Sport also has two mesh outer pockets and a small flap pocket below for small items like memory cards.

Once I tried to fill the pack with my equipment, problems quickly turned up. The camera compartment is actually quite small. I found it only large enough to hold my 5D with 17-40 attached, and even that is quite a tight fit. Clik has another model of backpack similar to this one, the Pro Sport, which is designed to hold professional camera bodies or bodies with a vertical grip, but I think that pack would probably be a good choice for even those using the higher end non-pro bodies, like the Canon XXD or XD series, or Nikon DXXX series of cameras. This model, the Compact Sport, seemed to be designed to comfortably fit only the smaller, entry level DSLR bodies, like the Canon Rebel or Nikon DXX series, even though it was able to fit my 5D Mark II with a squeeze. Once loaded with the 5D Mark II and 17-40, the photo compartment became too narrow to add another lens, so I was only able to shove some smaller accessories, like my step-up rings and filters, on the side. I ended up putting everything else in the top compartment. Once all of my photo gear was loaded inside, there was very little room for anything else, save for my cell phone and ID, which went in the small pocket on the very top of the pack. This little pocket is nice for small items you want to get to quickly, as it prevents important items from getting lost amongst the tumble of other gear you may be carrying.

Then came the mounting of the tripod. I use a Gitzo GT1541T tripod, which has a reversible center column design. This made it quite difficult to attach the tripod, as the center column got in the way when I tried to put the legs in the side pocket, and when reversed, there is no column for the top bungee loop closure to grasp. I ended up putting only one leg in the pocket and pulling up the hook inside the center column to tie the bungee around. The turn knobs on my ball head, the Really Right Stuff BH-40 LR, made it too bulky to fit into the mesh rear pocket on the outside of the pack, so I ended up shoving it in the top compartment of the pack along with my 70-200mm lens, teleconverter, extension tube, lens hood, and lens caps.

Field Tests

For my first test with the Compact Sport, I used it packed up as described above and wore it on a quick six mile bike ride on a paved bike path near my home. On my back, the pack felt good, and it hugged my body comfortably. I found the hip belt to be quite comfortable, and they had the same one pull adjustment design as on my Osprey Talon 44 overnight and summer pack, making it very easy and quick to get the perfect fit. The sternum straps, even in the highest position, seemed to be a little low, but not uncomfortably so (probably less of an issue for male users). The torso length was pretty perfect for a pack this size, shorter than what a properly measured multi-day or expedition pack would be for me, but long enough to transfer some of the weight of the pack off my shoulders. It was also short enough to keep the pack from interfering with sitting down or pressing uncomfortably on my lower back and butt. I’m about 5’5″ and have roughly a 19″ inch torso, so individuals of different sizes may feel differently.

Once I got on the bike, I was impressed with how the pack carried. I felt well balanced, and, although I was aware of wearing a backpack, I don’t think it affected my ride at all. I took out my mountain bike, so I hit a small section of dirt trail adjacent to the path to test out how well the pack would handle with a bit of a bumper ride and some hills, descents, and sharp turns. While the three hundred foot section of trail is pretty non-technical, the pack stayed with me perfectly. Even the tripod, which I was a bit worried about with my jerry-rigged attachment setup, stayed secure.

One thing I did notice immediately was that the shoulder straps pinched my neck a bit while riding my bike. I think this has a lot to do with having the body in forward position and head up, as it caused the narrowness of the shoulder straps on the Compact Sport to pinch my trapezius muscles. I expected that, in a less aggressive riding position or while hiking, the pinching wouldn’t be an issue, as I hadn’t noticed it while trying on the pack. Otherwise, I found the pack to be quite comfortable. It appeared to ventilate well, as it wasn’t until about four miles into the ride on one of the first 70F degree days of spring for my back to start to feel hot and sweaty, and even then, it wasn’t unbearably so. I wore just a cotton t-shirt and had no rubbing, chafing, or discomfort, save for the neck pinching.

My second test was another quick one – a herping hike involving a short walk down a woodland trail, some bushwacking, and a bit of a creek walk, flipping logs and rocks along much of the way. I carried the pack loaded the same as before, but had my tripod in hand, so I wouldn’t have to unstrap it every time I wanted to shoot. The bag was again quite comfortable, and the shoulder pinching I had experienced when biking with it was a non-issue while standing upright. The pack stayed close to my body the whole time, and didn’t shift annoyingly when I bent over to flip rocks. I also had no balance issues with the pack (a rarity for me when walking in streams), which made me feel a lot more confident and less worried about breaking my gear.

Following these initial tests, I took out the pack, loaded with gear, for a few more extended trips. I used the Clik Elite Compact Sport exclusively on two weekend long herping trips this month, and found that I couldn’t quite get everything into the pack that I wanted in a way that made my gear easily accessible. I did manage to fit it all in, but it wasn’t pretty. The end result: a 5D Mark II, 17-40mm f/4, 70-200mm f/4, 580EX flash, Better Beamer, Flash Diffuser, two 77mm filters plus a 500D 77mm close-up attachment, 12mm and 25mm extension tubes, 1.4x teleconverter, hoods for both lenses, and 67mm-77mm step up ring all shoved into a too small bag, with the GT1541T tripod slung on the outside and the loosened BH-45 LR ball head sticking out of the mesh pouch in the back. I was able to carry everything I needed, but too often the process of switching lenses or accessories was painstaking, involving unloading much of what I had packed and repacking it in a different format. The bag still performed nicely, but it was certainly not designed to hold that amount of gear. I never even bothered to add a hydration bladder to the pack, as this would have made the fit even tighter.

For shooting landscapes, when I switched items less and carried a bit less gear, the Compact Sport pack was a good companion. One lens usually stayed on the camera, and the most gear fiddling I did was switching a lens, adding a single teleconverter, or adding and removing filters. Unlike herps, where you can go from shooting a very small subject to a fairly large one, or one that is quick to one that doesn’t move much, landscapes are more predictable from a photography perspective. They allow you more time to set up your shot and switching between lenses and filters does not have to be such a rushed process. I found this style of shooting much more complimentary to using the Compact Sport.

In most of my tests, I mounted the tripod and ball head to the pack and hiked with my hands free. Those who always hike with tripod in hand and a camera mounted on top of the tripod will find this pack more usable in a variety of shooting situations because of the need to carry less gear in or on the pack itself. However, I like the option of having my hands available when hiking on uneven or loose terrain, as I frequently use my hands to scramble up and down steep slopes, balance myself using trees or nearby objects for help, or to break my fall when I trip or slip on trail, which happens rather frequently. I also like knowing that I can fit all my gear into my pack if necessary should inclement weather turn up.

Conclusion

While the Compact Sport may not be perfect, it is my favorite photo backpack that I have ever used. I find it to be significantly more comfortable than other photo backpacks, with a better designed harness and improved load carrying and balance. I still prefer true backpacking packs for overall comfort, but I will continue to use this pack for day hikes where landscapes are my focus and I don’t need to carry much of anything else.

I was a little disappointed with how small the usable space inside this pack is for loading camera equipment, but then again, my CamelBak Daystar doesn’t have a lot of space either. This pack is probably better suited for individuals carrying a single small entry level DSLR camera and lens, who can then use the extra space for necessities like rain gear, food, a map and compass or GPS, and a first aid kit. For those wanting to carry a bit more photo gear, the Clik Elite Pro Sport or Nature backpack might be a better option. I recommend getting a pack in which the photo compartment is large enough to hold the photo gear you wish to carry. Planning to use the other “personal gear” compartments for your photo equipment will nearly always result in too much gear in too little space, making it difficult to access items when you most need them. It is also important to have space for non-photography related necessities while on the trail, such as food, water, additional clothing, and navigational tools. I chose a smaller pack because I wanted something compact and body hugging. The Compact Sport, as its name suggests, meets these requirements, but at the expense of usable space.

I do hope Clik Elite can address the minor fit issues I have with the pack, including the low sternum strap and narrow attachment points of the shoulder straps. The narrow attachment points of the shoulders may be even more of an issue for men, who typically have broader shoulders then women. I also wonder if maybe the use of a slightly stretchier, less stiff fabric would make for an overall lighter product and perhaps allow for slightly larger non-pro bodies, like my 5D Mark II, to fit into the pack without so much force on the zippers. Other improvements: larger mesh outer pockets (perhaps with draw cords to make them more snug if needed) and maybe a slightly larger door to the gear compartment, as the small window made it a bit tricky to fit in filters around the edges and then wiggle them out again.

Overall though, I’m happy. This bag looks great, carries well, and protects my gear. I can just squeeze enough of my equipment into it to make it usable for my purposes, and for landscape day hikes, it is just what I need.

Photo backpacks will probably always be a compromise, as they need to be a bit heavier and more durable to carry heavy, expensive camera equipment in a well padded and secure fashion. However, I think Clik Elite is taking a step in the right direction, and may be the only company out there that is really trying to combine what adventurers and photographers need into a single design. For those unwilling to compromise the protection of their gear, but looking for a more comfortable and portable solution for their on the go, outdoor photography, a pack from Clik Elite is the way to go.