Canvas or Ballistic Nylon?

Canvas or Ballistic Nylon?

  • Canvas

    Votes: 139 63.2%

  • Ballistic Nylon

    Votes: 66 30.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 15 6.8%
  • Total voters
    220
My vote goes for the Billingham canvas style bags. I have had the opportunity to try out a few and it is a tie between the L2 Alice and the Hadley Pro. Too bad they do not have the olive colored canvas any more. Would love to have a Hadley Pro in Olive.

Edit: I think it always helps to see an image of a bag with equipment in it. I know it is not necessarily a thread about what can fit in the bag but more what material. This canvas bag has been in 3 different jungles in 3 different countries nad my gear has never gotten wet. Including a waterfall tour in Costa Rica. The outside got wet but dried in about an hour. Equipment in the bag is 2 MP's with a 28/f2 and 35/f1.4 with a Leicavit mounted on one MP. Plus a 21/f2.8 with accessory finder on top and there is a Sekonic L-558 in the front with 5 rolls of film under that.
 

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I like the way the Domke canvas feels and looks, but don't take those bags anywhere it can rain. Nothing worse than a soaked bag, with your gear in it.
For a while I took a super compact backpack rain cover with me, that I would use if it started to pour.

In addition I have the Domke J-803 in black nylon and will take it anywhere. It's water resistant and very tough, but it would be nice if they made a version in tan colored nylon for hot climates.

That said I also have a canvas Billingham L2, which has proven to be extremely water-resistant. I've been caught with it in several storms and while the bag got soaked, the contents remained bone dry.

My only complaint about the Billinghams is that when they are new they look rather flashy and expensive, which IMO makes them a target for thieves. They are so well made that it's taken about 6 years of abuse to take the 'newness' off of mine. ;-)


HL
 
I am glad to see that no one has mentioned the Leica M bag. Although this bag appears similar to the L2 Alice it has zippered fron section and then a flap that goes over the top and closes with the typical billingham style closures. Those closures are not made of leather so that when they get wet they do not hold their shape well. My M Billingham bag will never stay closed now because those securing pieces got wet. Only accept real leather closures.
 
Glenn: Not related to bags, so OT, but... there's GOTTA be a story about the Glenfiddich girl on your website. I'm not a Glenfiddich fan (save for bottlings I've not yet tasted), but this lass might turn me. Nice photo.
 
Dude.... She was like 19 years old man... I just couldn't (I'm getting too old and will have to turn in my "DAWG!" id for a marriage certificate). Sooo, she got me drunk and she slammed back 2 shots herself (drinking age is allot different in Colombia) and I called it a night. I did make a print for her though and she loved it.
 
Well, I figured she was about that young and nothing inappropriate inferred... just a real nice photo. You dawg.
 
I love the feel of my old Domke canvas bag, it has my old Nikkormat in storage in it. Of late I too am using several diaper bags I got a Target too, but mine were $10 USD each. They are small enough that I can carry two without too much trouble. The extra insulation helps keep film from getting over heated in the hot sun. I like the two bag option, one for my M6, winder and three lense, the other or my F2, 28/2.8 AIs, TC-200 and 180/2.8 ED.

B2 (;->
 
Everyday use & walking around locally, I prefer canvas.
However when travelling, I prefer nylon. I recall being in 4 days straight of moderate-heavy rainfall in Amsterdam with my camera bag fully exposed for an average of 5 hours/day (tourist - what can I say) with no affect on the gear inside.
Or perhaps I've just had crappy canvas bags?
 
I'd go for the newer material – got the word on how hard wearing it is from Ros Billingham when I ordered one of the new Hadley bags directly from the factory.

Nominally a D SLR bag, this was for my Nikon D100 (Boo! Hiss!) but it takes my R-D1 plus Voigtlander SW Heliar, and 35 and 50 mm Summicrons very neatly – camera face-down on top, one spare lens in each internal pocket and the 15 D finder in the 'well' between them. Looks lovely in sage with tan leather trim too.
 
Domke states that their canvas bags are treated with a water repellent during manufacture.
 
Ballastic is ok in front loader, frequently need to do this, beer ingress, mud ingress, cement dust, ...

Noel
 
I'm a canvas guy- humidity here scares me with a plastic bag. A little lower profile too? I think my Domke 803 can really look like a messenger bag if you don't have the camera out. I guess it would also depend on your location- around here a canvas bag is less of a 'sore thumb' than a ballistic one would be.

I've never had rain troubles with the Domkes, been caught out for short spells a few times, no full day in the rain. I also find them to be cooler on the hip in the summer- I do hate being too hot.
 
Trius said:
Domke states that their canvas bags are treated with a water repellent during manufacture.
Click to expand...
If so its a pretty poor one. I bought a new F-1x earlier this year and first time out in the rain the water went into the fabric. I use NikWax TX.Direct spray-on and give each bag 3-4 coats. It works reasonably well.
 
I'm surprised about canvas not being waterproof. I have found that canvas canopies on (military) trucks etc. last years longer than the various plastic alternatives and are more waterproof. Presumably most nylons have the waterproofing on the "outside", but (rather expensive admittedly) canvas is waterproofed all the way through. I have not seen a camera bag made out of that stuff.

The nylon I've seen is more flexible than the mega canvas though, and lighter too. Swings and roundabouts. If I expect lots of rain I always use a drybag liner anyway.

I use a small Macpac rucsac (their own canvas-like material) hanging off one shoulder, or an Agu bike handlebar-bag made for camera use. Both are effectively "invisible" in Holland.
 
Trius said:
Actually, this is a camera forum.
Click to expand...


Did not mean to upset your sensibilities...ballistic nylon if in fact the question has to do with what kind of camera bag I prefer.

Best regards,

Bob:D
 
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