Shooting
In the past I’ve been very frustrated by backpacks that do a great job protecting my camera but make it impossible to access it as quickly as I would like. Especially when shooting in the backcountry, it’s annoying and potentially dangerous to need to wait for the photographer to take off his pack, undo four buckles, unzip two pockets and fiddle with the camera before he can get the shot. So in the past, I’ve resorted to skiing with my camera in a large hunting fanny pack—one zipper and it’s out and ready to shoot. Of course, this system does nearly nothing to protect the camera, and makes the photographer look like a very lost redneck.
Evoc’s line of camera backpacks completely solves this problem. The camera pocket is accessible through a zippered pocket on the right side. Just undo the sternum strap, slip one shoulder out, reach down, unzip, and fire away. With a little practice, you don’t even need to undo the waist strap; you can just spin it around your waist a little. The camera is always easily accessible, unless you happen to be carrying skis in an A-frame configuration, in which case the side pocket will be covered.
This quick camera access alone puts the CP 26l head and shoulders over any non-camera-specific bag I’ve used, and it’s worth noting that this is a feature F-stop bags don’t incorporate.
If you do need to fiddle with your camera longer (e.g., to swap out a lens or change a battery), the zippered back panel folds out, providing a nice surface to set gear on, as well as making everything accessible. Just make sure you’re in a safe area if you do open the whole back up; one badly timed turn, and all your gear will be covered in snow.
The CP 26l’s 60 / 40 space allocation means you have about 15.5 liters of space for camera gear. I easily fit my Canon 7d, 70-200mm telephoto, 11-16mm wide angle, 8mm fisheye, 18-200mm superzoom, and Gopro into the camera section with room to spare for two more regular sized lenses. It’s important to note that the camera pocket is 6.5” deep, so your pro-sized body with a battery grip may not fit.
The CF and SD card pockets are a nice touch, and the clear, zippered pockets are perfectly sized for batteries and other small accessories like lens caps. I appreciate the transparent material in the pockets; no more fumbling around forgetting where you put something.
Traveling
The CP 26l sits right on the edge of airline carry-on size limitations. I’ve flown with mine four times now, and have yet to run into an issue—though I’d hate to have to try to fit it into one of those little “maximum bag size” racks.
Traveling with expensive camera gear is always nerve racking, and this is where the CP 26l really shines. All those little pockets and features make organizing your valuables easy, and the padded laptop sleeve is a huge plus. I usually try to fit into my carry-on all of my camera gear plus everything I need to survive for up to three days. The CP 26l swallows it all up with ease, and the heavily-padded hip belt makes hauling that load through endless airport terminals a bearable task.
However, on trips where I need less camera gear and more adventure gear, the CP 26l’s 60 / 40 space division becomes less effective. The top, non-camera gear pocket just isn’t big enough to carry everything I need on a trip, so I’ve resorted to stuffing gear into some of the camera compartments as well. The telephoto lens compartment actually fits a pair of bike shoes perfectly, and it’s easy to pack a few days worth of socks and underwear around the rest of my camera gear.
NEXT: In the Field, Durability, Etc.
Thank you for the well thought-out review.
Been searching for some time for a bag that has side access and actually protects gear, I wish these guys did a better job at marketing (wasn’t an easy find) – so thank you for taking the time to write this up.