A Road Less Traveled

Like many other photographers out there, it seems that I have become a photo bag collector over the years. Think Tank, Lowepro, and Tamrac bags have all found a home in my closet at one point or another. Albert Einstein once said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”, but what other option do we truly have? We all seem to be looking for that universal utopian bag that solves all of our photography transportation needs, but does one exist?

In my own search for the perfect photo bag earlier this year I came across F-Stop Adventure Gear, a small company with big ambitions. Getting feedback from professional adventure photographers in the field, they created their first line of “Mountain” photography backpacks. Although they come out of left field, the F-Stop name caught fire within the adventure community and through simple word of mouth advertising, their Tilopa and Satori backpack lines became incredibly popular. Although they had gained a large amount of support from the community, they knew their bags were not perfect. Rather that sit around and bask in the lime light, they went back to the drawing board, using first hand experience as their guiding factors. After a few months of sorting out design details and dealing with a manufacturing problem, the new bags are finally here and I have to say that I am incredibly impressed.

Overview:

The Satori backpack is F-Stop’s premier “Expedition” bag. It is meant to be used to carry all your gear up a mountain or to the park. The bag itself is made of rip stop nylon and high density foam that allow the bag to take a beating. All of the zippers on the outside of the bag are YKK Waterproof zippers that should give you a solid piece of mind when the weather turns nasty. The bag is covered with Molle attachment points that give you total control of the placement of external pouches.The ICU is X-large (7.5′ deep, xx’ wide x 19′ tall) and should be able to hold everything you could possibly need, including the kitchen sink. It comes with a full sized hip belt and padded adjustable shoulder straps that easy take the weight of a fully loaded bag. You can easily attach a tripod, skis and or a snow board to the front of the bag with a simple attachment system. A tripod can also be attached vertically to either side of the bag as well as horizontally at the bottom of the bag, like a sleeping pad. There is even a laptop sleeve that can fit up to 17′ laptops in a heavily protected area.

Initial Thoughts:

This bag is one of the best bags that I have used in a long time. After going through so many bags in the past, it is nice to finally feel comfortable with a photography backpack. My problem is that I am 6’3, 210 lbs and shoot a lot of adventure/travel photography in usually very remote places. Because I like to cover all my bases, even when I find a location that is 15 miles off the beatenpath. The Satori Backpack holds its own and holds it well. Even when fully loaded with camera gear (see images), including a 13 macbook pro and a book, the Satori’s suspension system transfers the weight incredibly well. Most camera backpacks are not built for tall people. At 6’3, the bag sits snuggly on my hips, allowing the backpack to transfer the weight off my shoulders, alleviating a common issue of back pain that I find with most camera bags. The hip belt and shoulder straps are of course adjustable, allowing the backpack to fit well on just about anyone.

The top compartment holds all of my loose gear (including remotes and lens cleaning supplies) while the zipper just below it opens up to the top of the ICU, giving you plenty of extra room to throw in food, a jacket and any thing else you might want to bring along on a shoot. The ICU itself is completely removable , which allows you to buy the smaller ICU option in order to have more room for adventure gear rather then photography equipment. I love the number of Molle attachment points, as I always carry a few carabiners to help attach external pouches. The bag itself holds up very well in the rain, although if I was in a down pour, I would probably buy a 3rd party rain cover just to be safe. On a recent trip to shoot photography in Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe, the bag performed flawlessly. I had no issues with carrying the bag on the plane and it easily fits into any overhead compartment that I have used so far.

Conclusion:

F-Stop Gear’s Satori backpack is a solid performer on all fronts. The rip stop nylon and excellent construction allow this bag to exceed in the harshest of conditions. The suspension system works well at transferring the weight of a fully loaded bag, allowing you to venture farther and farther off the beaten path without feeling it in your back. I highly recommend this bag to just about anyone that has been searching for a great photo backpack.

This information is straight from the F-Stop website: