A pretty nice bag for a sensible price

[Jamie Pillers]

I just received a camera bag I ordered through Amazon. Its called a Rothco Urban Explorer. I thinks its an amazing deal! For $15 (!!!) you get a bag that's about the same size as the Domke F803, slightly lighter canvas weight. It's the perfect size for a RF-size camera with lens mounted, plus another lens. And its got a pretty well thought out pocket arrangement. I use it to carry the Fuji X100, a book for emergency cafe reading, phone, wallet... perfect. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/URBAN-EXPLORE...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1305851225&sr=8-2

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Here's a picture of the bag

Here's a picture of the bag

 

[kdemas]

You can't beat the price Jamie! I LOVE the black dot on your X100, too funny! I won't take this off topic but let us know how you like the Fuji.

Enjoy your new bag, a nice find!

 

[TaoPhoto]

I use that same bag! I got mine at a local military surplus store. $12 I think. Just perfect for a RF or OM SLR, a lens or two, a light meter in one side pocket and extra film in the other. I think it's my all-time favorite camera bag that doesn't look like a camera bag.

 

[Damaso]

Thanks for the tip, I have a friend who might like this bag...

 

[jpmac55]

Looks nice. Is there an internal slot for an iPad or Kindle?

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Room for Kindle, iPad

Room for Kindle, iPad

There's no built-in slot, but the bag is wide enough for either. I think one of the bag companies makes a wide padded insert that could be used for that purpose. However, I think something handmade would be more appropriate, given the price of this bag. 😛

 

[Jamie Pillers]

The Black Dot covers the microphone... my anti-video statement. 🙂
Love the Fuji. I'm modifying a Thumbs Up for it, to add another bit of 'cool-ness'. 😛

 

[mccurleyphoto]

Just bought this bag for $5.99...great deal. Thanks for the heads-up.

 

[bucks11]

I also found one at a military surplus store for around $10. Mine's black, though. It's almost perfect size for my rfs and its amazing how the little pockets fit 2 rolls of film each, and one of the side pockets it perfect for my XA. Nice find!

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Yes, I meant to say in the original post that the bag comes in both olive green and black. I prefer the olive green as it seems a bit less noticable out on the streets.

 

[paulfish4570]

rothco has an excellent web site with pics of all of their product. i'm leaning toward the paratrooper bag. thanks for the tip, Jamie.

 

[Snowbuzz]

Is the main compartment zippered? I notice a lot of shoulder bags have a non-zippered main compartment to facilitate easy access, but also easy access for thieves too IMO.

 

[keytarjunkie]

Do you think you could take some pictures of the inside of it? That does look like a decent bag at a much cheaper price than anything else.

 

[paulfish4570]

some neoprene inserts make any simple bag more versatile.

 

[Roger Hicks]

But is $15 a sensible price? Cheap, yes but sensible?

Allow for the profits all along the chain (at the very least, manufacturer and seller, as the two are seldom identical) and the cost of the raw materials, corners have been cut somewhere, probably in the wages of those who make it. Are they being underpaid? Are they working, in my grandmother's memorable phrase, "with red-hot needles and burning thread" to save time?

Ex-government is different: it's already been paid for once. So has bankrupt stock. But I have my doubts about an all-new bag at $15.

Cheers,

R.

 

[paulfish4570]

new bags from the rothco site are about double that and, i think, worth it.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

keytarj. and snowb.,
The inside of the bag is entirely empty... no pockets on the inside. The only zippered pocket is in the cover flap. All the other pockets are velcro'd closed. The main cover flap is secured by one of those black plastic male-into-female connectors that I really like. If you ease them together they make no noise, as opposed to velcro.. which I hate because of all the noise it makes when you open it.
Jamie

 

[Jamie Pillers]

Paul, I considered the paratrooper bag as well, but decided to go with the smaller bag since I already have a nice Crumpler 5-million dollar bag for my DSLR.
Jamie

 

[loquax ludens]

But is $15 a sensible price? Cheap, yes but sensible?

Allow for the profits all along the chain (at the very least, manufacturer and seller, as the two are seldom identical) and the cost of the raw materials, corners have been cut somewhere, probably in the wages of those who make it. Are they being underpaid? Are they working, in my grandmother's memorable phrase, "with red-hot needles and burning thread" to save time?

Ex-government is different: it's already been paid for once. So has bankrupt stock. But I have my doubts about an all-new bag at $15.

Cheers,

R.

It's a sensible price because it is widely available for that price, in competition with goods of similar manufacture. Goods don't sell for a loss, excepting extraordinary circumstances. You don't know whether or what corners were cut and how. On a forum like this, without investing energy to research fully, you can only surmise. Any person could choose to investigate further, demand answers from the manufacturer, make assumptions based on his own experience or on the hearsay of others, and choose whether or not to purchase based on conscience with regard to discovery or belief, or on the simple economics of the deal, or based on desire.

The concept of "fair trade" is laudable, but no one owes anyone anything that they do not contract for or wish to give.