As I Xi It v2.3

Well, on my sojurn to Whipsnade yesterday I took my Primus backpack out for its maiden voyage as it were. It faired pretty well, the harness was as comfortable as it looked and I wasn’t feeling particuarly achey after a few hours of continuous wear. However, I’ll admit that this morning I was feeling a little sore around the shoulders and neck region but far less than two weeks ago when I used my North Face Big Shot. This time round, most of the weight was transferred to the hips. As with most females, whether you like it or not, the center of gravity tends to be around the middle so stability wasn’t an issue here.

The generous padding (as far as it goes for photography backpacks) worked wonderfully, my hips didn’t feel bruised after carrying it. Once filled up with my photography kit, water, food and other bits and pieces, it probably weighed in at a total of 5 – 6 kg.

I liked how the zips are back facing so there’s no issue of putting dirty straps/belt back on after its been laying in the dirt following lens changes or lunch getting. I didn’t bother using the side door.

We didn’t get caught out in any massive downpours so I can’t comment on the extent of its waterproof abilities. There were a few light showers, but nothing major. In the one real rainy period we had, we were inside the elephant house.

It’s been quite a positive experience and I really like the bag. If you can get it for a decent price, it’s definately worth it. A quick google shows that the cheapest price in the UK currently is £99.89 at Warehouse Express, still a bit steep I reckon, but then, you may beg to differ.

I’ll leave you with a pic of the bag on the floor of the elephant house. That’s my Canon EF 100-400mm peeping out of the Primus and to the right of it is Soph’s Pretty Boy backpack by Crumpler. The only reason my bag looks so much bigger is because of the ultra-wide angle lens distortion.

This afternoon my Lowepro Primus arrived. I decided I that I needed a new camera bag (yet another one) after my last photographic excersion. My North Face Big Shot although very well made and practical gets rather uncomfortable after walking long distances when its got a heavy load. The waist belt’s a bit flimsy and left me with bruised hips and aching shoulders. So I went in search of a dedicated camera backpack and came up with the Lowepro Primus AW. It normally retails for around £115 – 138.00 but I found it for £57.97 on Amazon.co.uk so I thought why not?

The shoulder straps and waist belt have plenty of adjustable bits and are nicely padded. From my initial test wear, it’s quite comfortable, sits well on my hips. It’s all pretty well made even if it is from recycled used plastic bottles. For those who know me, I guess it’s pretty appropriate that I’ll be using an ecofriendly camera backpack. It seems to tick all the right boxes from the outset but the real test will come later when I take it out in the field to see how it fares in its element.