My approach to a non-conventional camera bag

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noisycheese

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I wanted a bag that is small enough to carry my Leica M with one lens attached, a few accessories and occasionally, a second lens. I wanted a light colored bag (sand or khaki) for the 85-95+ degree Fahrenheit weather we get during the summer in these parts. I also wanted a bag that does not look like a camera bag or laptop bag.

After a lot of searching, I settled on this bag, the 5.11 "Four Banger:" http://www.amazon.com/5-11-Magazine...d=1435030840&sr=1-1&keywords=5.11+four+banger

I have found that no camera bag offers exactly what I want, so I have started using non-photographic bags and customizing them with padding inserts of my own design to protect my camera from impact damage. With the Four Banger, this approach has worked out very well.

This bag works very well for a one camera, one (maybe two) lens/es, light color for hot weather walkabout day bag. When you want to go light and fast and always have a camera and lens at hand, the 5.11 Four Banger bag is an excellent choice in my experience.
 
OK, since a photographer can never have enough bags, you caught my attention and I just spent too much time looking at 5.11 products (will probably try one of their tactical pants).

This bag is interesting to me because it's not too deep, meaning access to smaller equipment, such as Leica M lenses, should be pretty easy. Items won't disappear like down at the bottom of a deep bag.

I'm curious why you went with this model instead of their 2 Banger bag, which would seem to be OK, in size, for an M camera with lens and an additional lens? (on viewing their video, the 2 Banger is probably on the small size) Did you consider their Bail Out Bag? The main compartment dimensions would appeal to me more, but I don't like the magazine pockets on the front - looks too tactical/military.

But since I like to carry around a few lenses, I'm more interested in the 4 Banger model.

If you could answer some questions:

Dimensions of the main pocket?
Is the main pocket lined with any kind of loop material?
Any padding? (I prefer none)
What insert(s) do you use?
Is the back side of the bag the same nylon as the rest of the bag? Is the material smooth or coarse? (After extended use I find coarse nylon fabric abrades my clothes)
Is the strap long enough for cross body wearing? (an Amazon review hinted the strap is short)

Thanks in advance!

BTW, I completely agree about repurposing non-photo bags.
 
Been using a Kakadu shoulder bag (with a couple of Domke inserts) for a long time to carry my ZI with attached 50mm, plus 1 or 2 lenses plus film and accessories.
Width: 14 1/2", Height: 9 1/2", Depth: 4 3/4"

5l2816tobl.png
 
I got mine from an army navy store in Vermont but they don't carry it any longer.

http://www.kakadutrader.com/bagindex.html in upstate New York seems to carry it, and I'm sure others do as well. Just google "kakadu shoulder bag." Just make sure you get the shoulder bag and not the larger 'bum' bag (17-inch width) unless you want the larger one.

Cheers!
 
I've been using a Henry Tompkins Leather small satchel, which usually has a small laptop in it, a domke insert containing an M6 or Canon P, some books and notebooks, a roll case full of pens, and an umbrella. It's thick leather, so it's heavy, but it's got a great classic look and is extraordinarily sturdy. The 13" Macbook Air is slightly too large, really, but I'm about to get a new computer through my job and it's gonna be one of these new super slim Macbooks, which will fit better.

 
rscheffler said:
OK, since a photographer can never have enough bags, you caught my attention and I just spent too much time looking at 5.11 products (will probably try one of their tactical pants).

This bag is interesting to me because it's not too deep, meaning access to smaller equipment, such as Leica M lenses, should be pretty easy. Items won't disappear like down at the bottom of a deep bag.

I'm curious why you went with this model instead of their 2 Banger bag, which would seem to be OK, in size, for an M camera with lens and an additional lens? (on viewing their video, the 2 Banger is probably on the small size) Did you consider their Bail Out Bag? The main compartment dimensions would appeal to me more, but I don't like the magazine pockets on the front - looks too tactical/military.

But since I like to carry around a few lenses, I'm more interested in the 4 Banger model.

If you could answer some questions:

Dimensions of the main pocket? 15" long x 7" tall x 3" to 4" wide, depending on how you measure it; the bottom panel is 3" wide
Is the main pocket lined with any kind of loop material? The back panel inside has 100% coverage using the fuzzy side (loop) velcro
Any padding? (I prefer none) No padding
What insert(s) do you use? I made a 3" x 15" bottom pad, cut from a 1" thick closed cell rubber gardener's kneeling pad. My camera with 35mm Summicron mounted goes in to a Zing 8" x 9" neoprene pouch, which then goes in on top of the 1" thick base pad. A second lens can be carried also, which would go in to a 5" x 3.75" Zing neoprene lens pouch (yes, I am OCD about impact protection).
Is the back side of the bag the same nylon as the rest of the bag? Yes - the entire bag is made of 500 denier cordura (midweight), but also has a flat pocket the size of the back of the bag which will provide airflow/ventilation. Is the material smooth or coarse? (After extended use I find coarse nylon fabric abrades my clothes) The material is not slick like a gore-tex rain shell, but it is not what I would call abrasive; I would call it a textured, non-slip finish, similar to new denim (not like stone washed or broken in denim, or a Carhart jacket).
Is the strap long enough for cross body wearing? (an Amazon review hinted the strap is short) I am 6' 0" tall and the strap is plenty long enough for me to do a cross body carry with the bag resting on the top of my hip (just below the kidney area). A very tall guy (6' 6" to 7' 0") might find the bag rides higher, over the kidney.

Thanks in advance!

BTW, I completely agree about repurposing non-photo bags.
Click to expand...

My answers to your questions are in orange. Also, I looked at the 2 Banger. It looked just a little on the small side. The 4 Banger will let me carry my M-P with a lens attached and a second lens, with a few accessories for a day of shooting. This amount of gear can be carried all day with no discomfort, which was my goal. I also looked at the Bail Out Bag, but it looked like it was a little too large for my intended purposes.

So far, the 4 Banger has been a good choice for every day carry of my M-P, which was another goal - to have a bag and kit small and light enough that I would always carry it. The strap and pad that come with it are quite comfortable, and the tan color is what I wanted for carrying my camera in the hot weather of summer. An added bonus is that it does not look like a camera bag; the military appearance may have a psychological deterrent value in that it may give pause to potential thieves.
 
kxl said:
I got mine from an army navy store in Vermont but they don't carry it any longer.

http://www.kakadutrader.com/bagindex.html in upstate New York seems to carry it, and I'm sure others do as well. Just google "kakadu shoulder bag." Just make sure you get the shoulder bag and not the larger 'bum' bag (17-inch width) unless you want the larger one.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

@kxl,
Holy Moses, is that a beautiful bag! Not that I actually need one, but I know what my next bag purchase is going to be! :D
 
@noisycheese - Thanks very much! The 4 Banger sounds promising for my uses. I would prefer it was a few inches shorter in length, but I'm sure I could find use for the extra space...

One additional question - Do you find the bag wraps/conforms well to the side of your body?

@kxl - Thanks for the photo and link. I agree, it looks like a really nice bag.
 
Having my self-image abused when my kids were younger I found small diaper bags are often very temperature impervious. Still have a few in one of my box-o-bags.

B2
 
Speaking of diaper bags... haha... I've been eyeing the one from Tom Bihn: The Parental Unit. Not having seen one in person, I'm not entirely sure if it will meet my needs (probably deeper than I would like) as it looks a bit big in their 'in use' photos/video. What caught my attention were the outside pockets that can hold things like bottles, which could probably be repurposed for holding a lens in each. And the interior can be divided into four sections, though I'm not sure how will it will work for photo gear.

On the larger side of gear bags, I bought their Western Flyer carry-on bag and it has worked well for packing a multitude of DSLR gear in Domke inserts in addition to an M kit and other accessories packed in Tenba Tool Box 'bags' which fit perfectly in the Western Flyer's second dividable large compartment (a Tool Box 4 and 6 will fit in each compartment, or one Tool Box 8 and a small pouch). My use of the Western Flyer is really only intended as a travel/transit bag. When I'm at the destination, I'll shoot from something smaller. Tom Bihn's packing cube system for these bags is pretty cool for regular clothes packing, but I found their Packing Cube Shoulder Bag will fit a Domke 3-section (11"Lx8"Hx3"D) insert and make a reasonable shooting bag. I can even pack one each of the Tenba Tool Box 4 and 6 organizers in it, and the whole thing fits in one of the Western Flyer compartments... Anyway, this is probably overkill for a lot of people, but I love the organizational aspect of the Tom Bihn bags (not just for photo use).
 
rscheffler said:
@noisycheese - Thanks very much! The 4 Banger sounds promising for my uses. I would prefer it was a few inches shorter in length, but I'm sure I could find use for the extra space...

One additional question - Do you find the bag wraps/conforms well to the side of your body?

@kxl - Thanks for the photo and link. I agree, it looks like a really nice bag.
Click to expand...

Yes, it does mold to the body pretty well. I have used some square shaped padded camera bags that feel like you took the mailbox off the post out front of your house and are carrying that around on a strap; that is not the case with the 4 Banger and the Zing neoprene pouches.
 
Very interesting to run into this just now.

I visited a police/emergency uniform and gear outfitter this morning (was looking for a stethescope ... they have good ones inexpensively for EMT and police packs) and ran into the 5.11 gear bags there. They didn't have the Four-Banger but they had the 5.11 Large Tactical Gear Bag which looks to be a good size for larger kit (like a Hasselblad 500 or Nikon F6 outfit). Solidly put together and plenty of possibilities.

@KXL :: That Kakadu shoulder bag really does look nice. Can you shoot a couple of pictures of it open so we can see the inside?

I'm looking to set up a bag for the F6 right now; it's a largish camera and I want to set up a bag for it and two-three lenses. I think I have a Domke F3X in the closet that I used to carry the Nikon F3 kit once upon a time. Hard to believe that was over a dozen years ago.

G
 
Godfrey said:
@KXL :: That Kakadu shoulder bag really does look nice. Can you shoot a couple of pictures of it open so we can see the inside?
Click to expand...

Sorry in advance for the crappy photos, but I uploaded some photos of the bag here.

Short description: The bag's made of heavy canvas. There an over the top flap that's secured with two belt buckles. There's a full-length pocket in front and one in the back, both secured by metal snaps. There is also a small pocket in front as well as one on each end, all of which are secured with belt buckles. Under the flap, there is a heavy metal zipper that covers the main compartment. There is a small zippered pocket that will hold batteries and others small stuff.

I use a Domke FA-226 2-Compartment Short that's currently storing a Nikon 105/2.5 AIS and a Nikon 28/2.8 AIS, and a Domke 1 compartment short insert (model name?) for a Nikon FM2N and a CV 58/1.4 SL II. If I had put in the inserts side to side rather than end to end, I could have easily fit in another Domke insert for my SB-28 flash and/or a few rolls of film, etc...

Or instead of my film gear, if I wanted wanted to use my DSLR, I could have easily fit my D800e and Sigma 50/1.4 and 2 prime lenses (assuming I could find the appropriate insert).

There is no padding on the bottom, so I will sometimes pad it with a towel for some protection. Lastly, because it is basically just a canvas shoulder bag: 1) it will mold to your hip and, 2) the Domke inserts will roll around a little unless you secure them (e.g., wrap duct tape around both inserts)

I highly recommend the bag.

Cheers!
 
I also have a kakadu bag. Bought it almost 10 years ago. Very nice thing. It's really well made with heavy zippers and clasps.
Maybe a bit too heavy. It's not lightweight even unloaded

Also use a TreeTap messenger bag. It's soft canvas with a treetop rubber flap for rainy days.

My favorite bag is a Finnish Gasmask bag that I bought from eBay.
Kaki, Canvas, brass fittings and snaps. A few interior pockets otherwise a blank slate.
There is a top strap for the shoulder and a lower one for your waist when needed.
I like the lower strap when I'm on my bike. Combined with the shoulder strap it keeps the bag at my hip on my back rather than sliding around.

All are Canvas, light colored, and very discreet.
The gas mask bag is the cheapest and best size for a 1 body/3 lens or, .. 2 bodies each with lens kit.
I usually run with one body with lens and a Olympus XA3 or mju2.


BTW.. Kakadu still sells all the same bags they did years ago. There are more colors than before and higher prices but otherwise it looks the same.
 
Thanks! It looks like a good piece ... Been a while since I outfitted a bag to fit a pro-grade SLR. The shape and sizing is very different from what works for the RF gear.

G

kxl said:
Sorry in advance for the crappy photos, but I uploaded some photos of the bag here.

Short description: The bag's made of heavy canvas. There an over the top flap that's secured with two belt buckles. There's a full-length pocket in front and one in the back, both secured by metal snaps. There is also a small pocket in front as well as one on each end, all of which are secured with belt buckles. Under the flap, there is a heavy metal zipper that covers the main compartment. There is a small zippered pocket that will hold batteries and others small stuff.

I use a Domke FA-226 2-Compartment Short that's currently storing a Nikon 105/2.5 AIS and a Nikon 28/2.8 AIS, and a Domke 1 compartment short insert (model name?) for a Nikon FM2N and a CV 58/1.4 SL II. If I had put in the inserts side to side rather than end to end, I could have easily fit in another Domke insert for my SB-28 flash and/or a few rolls of film, etc...

Or instead of my film gear, if I wanted wanted to use my DSLR, I could have easily fit my D800e and Sigma 50/1.4 and 2 prime lenses (assuming I could find the appropriate insert).

There is no padding on the bottom, so I will sometimes pad it with a towel for some protection. Lastly, because it is basically just a canvas shoulder bag: 1) it will mold to your hip and, 2) the Domke inserts will roll around a little unless you secure them (e.g., wrap duct tape around both inserts)

I highly recommend the bag.

Cheers!
Click to expand...
 
noisycheese said:
Yes, it does mold to the body pretty well. I have used some square shaped padded camera bags that feel like you took the mailbox off the post out front of your house and are carrying that around on a strap; that is not the case with the 4 Banger and the Zing neoprene pouches.
Click to expand...

Thanks very much! I found a couple Canadian tactical equipment dealers who apparently stock it at reasonable prices, so I may go that route over ordering from the US. In the meantime, I received delivery of a pair of 5.11 Taclite Pro pants. I've been looking for something to augment a few convertible lightweight cargo pants that are starting to wear out, and this may work OK. I shoot a fair amount of sports in the fall and am often kneeling. One appealing aspect of these tactical pants is the ability to add kneepad inserts, which I intend to use for this purpose instead of the big, bulky strap on kinds. Sure, the thin pads won't be as protective, but hopefully will be good enough. Anyway, from the pants it seems 5.11 quality is decent for the price. And if you're happy with the 4-Banger, I'm quite tempted to give it a try.

This whole thing spun me off in a tactical gear tangent that I'd always avoided because I didn't really like the military look of many of the bags with all the Molle straps, etc. But it led me to Vertx, which apparently is a collaboration, to some extent, with Arcteryx. I love Arcteryx products. Anyway, I noticed the Vertx EDC Satchel. It looks to be extremely well designed and made (though only comes in black and dark gray) and should be easy to repurpose it to photo use. I really like the design of the zip accesses that open the bag only enough for you to see what's inside and not advertise the contents to everyone else around. The entire interior compartment is lined with loop material, so sticking Domke or similar inserts in there should work OK too. I don't really care for the concealed carry aspect of many of these bags. At least with the EDC Satchel, the rear compartment could be repurposed to carry a tablet or a thin laptop like an 11" MacBook Air, or similar. It, too is quite tempting, though at $149 suggested list, is a bit on the steep side for a small bag. But again, the quality looks really good. And they've made a serious effort to mask the 'tactical' functionality from influencing the look of the bag.
 
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