My Lowepro experience

[+evenstar]

I would like to thank Lowepro for keeping my equipment safe for today.

Was shooting at the beach for my school's yr1 orientation today, when it suddenly poured heavily without warning. With just enough time to disassemble and keep my equipment into my Lowepro SR 300AW, I starting walking back with some student councillors and ushered the freshmen back to school. Meanwhile, everyone around was drenched from head to toe, and that included my camera bag. (For those who were around Marine Parade area around 12pm today, you would have know how heavy the rain was).

Back at school, I dried myself and took out my camera bag for a check. To my amazement, not a single item inside my bag was wet, and that includes my notebooks and notes. Only the top and side outer covers were wet. NOTE: I did not use the rain cover provided inside the bag.

Currently, the whole bag is inside my dry box. Since being put in, it has raised the humidity level of the dry box from 30% to 65%.




Anyone else with experiences of Lowepro products, whether good or bad, just post it here. Keep banal talk away.

[fWord]

Wow...it was a close shave for you. Good to see that only you and the outsides of your bag got wet in the rain.

I haven't put my Lowepro Mini Trekker AW to any harsh tests yet, and have owned it for just two months or so. However I'm always confident that my equipment is well-padded within...absolutely no worries bumping around in the mad crowds of Dhoby Ghaut with this bag.

Also, it's incredibly spacious. I'm just waiting for the chance to go on a trip. It'll be possible to carry all my gear with me, plus snacks, and a waterpack on the outermost pocket. What's more, the tripod straps on to the bag as well.

The only annoyance is that it takes remarkably long to get gear out of the bag, and a change of lenses is a hassle with the tripod strapped in the way. But for a long walk, nothing beats the advantages offered with so little compromise.

I would have chosen a Micro Trekker if I wasn't so KS, but more space is usually a good thing. After all, I can't carry two bagpacks on a holiday trip, can I?

[TrailsofLife]

Just share lah. Today's rain was heavy and sudden! I was out with my gears in my old mini trekker without AW! My bag was all wet, but my gear inside is still dry.

Just a little tips, next time if you have outdoor shoot, bring 1 or 2 plastic bags in your outer most pockets thats easy to access, those from cold storage or NTUC will do. If rain, just put your camera with your flash and lens into the plastic bags(for me, I always use 2 layers) and twist it up and run to the nearest shelter.

Cheap and good AW protection..he he..

[TrailsofLife]

Just share lah. Today's rain was heavy and sudden! I was out with my gears in my old mini trekker without AW! My bag was all wet, but my gear inside is still dry.

Just a little tips, next time if you have outdoor shoot, bring 1 or 2 plastic bags in your outer most pockets thats easy to access, those from cold storage or NTUC will do. If rain, just put your camera with your flash and lens into the plastic bags(for me, I always use 2 layers) and twist it up and run to the nearest shelter.

Cheap and good AW protection and fast, no need to dissemble anything..he he...

[TMC]

My ex rover plus withstood/protected my equipment from rain, snow, mud and dirt. In side got a little damp from really heavy rain but nothing a thirsty hippo or 2 couldnt handle

[Stoned]

I got my Off trail 2 wet at the same event too. I'm not sure what happened but it appears that my equipment was reasonably dry. Stuff still works so that's cool.

[nightwolf75]

Originally Posted by Max 2.8 Just share lah. Today's rain was heavy and sudden! I was out with my gears in my old mini trekker without AW! My bag was all wet, but my gear inside is still dry. Just a little tips, next time if you have outdoor shoot, bring 1 or 2 plastic bags in your outer most pockets thats easy to access, those from cold storage or NTUC will do. If rain, just put your camera with your flash and lens into the plastic bags(for me, I always use 2 layers) and twist it up and run to the nearest shelter. Cheap and good AW protection and fast, no need to dissemble anything..he he...

haha... tried and proven method from our NS days.

my stealth reporter 200AW also went thru a 'water baptism'. equipment was dry tho the bag was damp. the AW series is well-suited for our crazy weather. minor nitpick for me is i dun like their design and layout for the mini-trekker AW. i swapped to a tamrac expedition 4. however, my main carry-ard bag is still the 200AW.

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

i was in HK disneyland with my roverII AW. it was raining and my cams were inside with my lenses. after about 2 hrs walkin in the rain, i realised to my horror that i forgot to put on the raincoat. but thankfully everything was still dry.

in the end, i fell sick from walkin in the rain for hours but my cam stuff was safe

[Witness]

hahaa...i kena the rain on sunday too..... but wat i did was to use the two rain covers on my SR300...... kept all my gear safe..... and no a drop of water on the main bag itself .....

cheers..

[Redieye]

Have been using my Compact AW for a couple of years, use to put on the rain cover and fasten it onto my bike and ride in all weather(sunshine, rain, thunderstorm). Can fully trust it as all my equipments are safe and sound.

One more point to mention, Lowepro bags are very long-lasting and durable, can withstand tough weather and some rough handling. So far, only the shoulder strap of my bag was starting to 'tear apart' at the sewing joint. Good bag, good buy.

[Storm_C70]

Originally Posted by nightwolf75 haha... tried and proven method from our NS days. my stealth reporter 200AW also went thru a 'water baptism'. equipment was dry tho the bag was damp. the AW series is well-suited for our crazy weather. minor nitpick for me is i dun like their design and layout for the mini-trekker AW. i swapped to a tamrac expedition 4. however, my main carry-ard bag is still the 200AW.

a zip lock bag is also a gd backup to protect the equpiments inside the bag.

[aloyteo]

evenstar, the sch u are talking about is VJC right?

[+evenstar]

Originally Posted by aloyteo evenstar, the sch u are talking about is VJC right?

yupxx

[LensView]

Safest place your gear can be in. Keeps it dry and safe. Once I was doing a shot up on of those cranes you see at the PSA ports. I was climbing up halfway I slipped and dropped my bag, I was using the photo trekker. It fell almost 3 storeys. I thought I was a goner. But everything was still intact. Lowepro !

[Xpose]

Go beach road and buy those cheapo $2 poncho and just dump them in your bag, come in very handy be it if you are lying down on grass taking pics or rain

[Xpose]

Go beach road and buy those cheapo $2 poncho and just dump them in your bag, come in very handy be it if you are lying down on grass taking pics or rain

[yeocolin]

I own a Rover AWII for 1 year plus now. Got it cos of my trip to Himachal Pradash, India where I was to do backpacking. Got it as a day pack cum photography equipment to carry gear and tripod and yet can still go trekking. Didn't want to carry my op-tek tripod strap as it'll mean carrying around too many equipment (cos tripod will be carried seperately from day pack)

The padding allowed my equipment to survive well despite going some super bumpy roads on the national bus service on long journeys. The dusty environment ensured bag was always dusty, but the outer surface allowed me to clean off the dust easily when I got home.

Later brought it to Ulanbataar, Mongolia. Did some rock climbing. The design of the pack allowed me to quickly take out gear, shoot and replace gear. While climbing through some tight holes, I needed both hands. The design despite it being a daypack (it has a seperate opening for gear only) allowed me to put equipment in and out quickly.

The outer material is tough enough not to show signs of tear despite some travelling, squeezing through holes when rock climbing and not too gentle usage on rocky journeys.

I've yet to put my Rover AW II through wet weather and don't plan to do it too. Have been caught with drizzle and quickly sought shelter, but that's hardly a test is it? But its certainly heartening to hear that it can survive such wet downpour even w/o the AW cover! Kudos to Lowepro.

Only downside is that the price is on the high side. The Rover is also very bulky and heavy even when empty, so it'll add to the encumbrance, so be prepared to train if going trekking with tripod, gear and as day pack.

I certainly hope to own the Rover for as long as I can.

[yeocolin]

I always wondered how do you guys travel around with a full camera backpack when trekking/travelling. Wouldn't it be inconvenient when you carry only camera gear and nothing like another coat/food/reading material/shopping? Alternative will be to carry another daypack, but that'll be so inconvenient and bulky, hence a hybride day pack/camera pack is my automatic choice.

Will be glad to hear users of full camera backpack share their experience especially when trekking/travelling overseas.

[+evenstar]

Originally Posted by yeocolin I always wondered how do you guys travel around with a full camera backpack when trekking/travelling. Wouldn't it be inconvenient when you carry only camera gear and nothing like another coat/food/reading material/shopping? Alternative will be to carry another daypack, but that'll be so inconvenient and bulky, hence a hybride day pack/camera pack is my automatic choice. Will be glad to hear users of full camera backpack share their experience especially when trekking/travelling overseas.

For me, I usually travel light when on vacation. ie one Rover AW II with one camera + 1 lens + 1 flash.
The top compartment will be used to store stuff such as pens, lens cloth etc. Food and drinks are a nono inside the camera bag just in case of leaks

[yeocolin]

Originally Posted by yeocolin I always wondered how do you guys travel around with a full camera backpack when trekking/travelling. Wouldn't it be inconvenient when you carry only camera gear and nothing like another coat/food/reading material/shopping? Alternative will be to carry another daypack, but that'll be so inconvenient and bulky, hence a hybride day pack/camera pack is my automatic choice. Will be glad to hear users of full camera backpack share their experience especially when trekking/travelling overseas.

Oh, when I mean by full camera backpack are like that of trekker, road runner series.
http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Backpacks/allWeather/