where to try the 2 side by side?
Try TK Foto in Shaw Towers. :thumbsup:
I was also deciding between these 2 bags. TK Foto had both. Service is great; they're happy to let you take the bags out from their plastic packaging, and let you try them on. :thumbsup:
Here's my $0.02 worth:
CompuRover AW:
-Has AW cover and tripod holder.
-Many small pockets for little accessories, but side mesh pockets are useless.
-Bigger, and with padded waist strap (removable)
-Bottom (camera) compartment is not so easy to open because of its square shape, but once open equipment won't drop out (try it and you'll understand)
-Costs about $10-15 more than the Tamrac
Tamrac Adventure 9:
-Water-resistant nylon and rainflaps, enough to protect equipment in light rain. Lash tabs at the bottom, can be used for tripod.
-Not as many small pockets for accessories, but very usable side mesh pockets.
-Not as large as CompuRover. Waist strap is not padded, but is also very unobstrusive.
-Bottom (camera) comparment unzips very smoothly, but flap opens to completely expose the camera compartment. So it can be a little risky trying to grab some equipment without first lying the bag down (try it yourself and you'll see what I mean...)
-Slightly cheaper than the CompuRover
(I think the two are about the same in weight, though I might be mistaken.)
I wanted something that's big enough to hold all my lenses (including a 400mm prime that's 20cm long), plus a laptop, plus space on top for other stuff. I intend to use it as carry-on luggage on my travels, but I also want to use it for day-to-day shooting. So it had to be spacious, but not so huge that I'll look like a Ninja Turtle on the MRT. ;p
In the end I bought the Tamrac, and bought a small (20-30L) raincover from an outdoor shop, for use in very bad weather. The CompuRover is nice, and would be fine for carry-on luggage, but I found it way too big for day-to-day shooting...
At the end of the day, you'll need to figure out why you are buying the bag, and what you are using it for. To each his/her own...