Summer is in full swing and with it, some awesome opportunities for photography. For those of us looking to get that perfect shot, it usually requires taking a camera or two, our favorite assortment of lenses, some spare batteries, and maybe even a drone.
That’s not exactly an easy group of things to carry on a hike, not without the right backpack, that is. Recently I’ve been testing out Incase’s new DSLR Pro Pack and Capture Sling Pack, two bags that are ideal companions to your camera and even your drone.
Incase DSLR Pro Pack
My personal favorite from these two has been the Pro Pack. This well-designed bag not only easily holds all of your camera gear, but has room to spare for a laptop and anything else you might want to bring with you.
The bag’s front is where you’ll store everything but your camera gear. The main pocket can easily handle a laptop up to 15-inches, tablet, pens, cables, and more. There are plenty of pockets for organization and enough room for most things. The front of the bag also has a fabric-lined pocket for your smartphone, and a larger pocket just below that.
The back of the bag, however, is where the real fun lies. Unzipping the padding on the back of the bag reveals the camera compartment which is absolutely huge. It is lined with a soft fabric and comes with a handful of velcro dividers to let you customize the space however you’d like. It can fit a ton of equipment all without feeling bulky or cramped.
I could easily store my Panasonic Lumix G7 with a Sigma lens and adapter, Canon T3i with 50mm prime lens, as well as spare lens for the Lumix and a larger zoom lens for my T3i all while barely filling half of the bag.
What’s best about the design of this pocket is that you have easy access to your primary shooter through a zipper at the top of the bag. Simply open it up and you can quickly and easily take out one of your cameras without opening up the entire back panel.
Along with that gear, I was able to toss my SD card wallet and some spare batteries into the back panel’s pockets, as well as fitting my DJI Spark into the bag. While the extended propellers on the Spark do make it a bit tricky to safely store in here, it fits without an issue. I can even toss my controller and a spare battery without filling the entire bag.
The straps you’ll be wearing on the Pro Pack are also very comfortable even with the bag fully loaded. You can, of course, adjust the straps however you would like to suit your needs.
Incase asks $149 for the Pro Pack and I’d say it’s absolutely worthwhile. This bag fits everything you’d need and if you run with multiple cameras and lens, this is the best way I’ve tried to comfortably hold it.
Incase Capture Sling Pack
Along with the Pro Pack, Incase also sent over the Capture Sling Pack, a more compact option. This slightly smaller bag is better suited to a single-camera shooter, but it accomplishes that very well.
There’s plenty of room inside the main pocket for a camera and lens to sit comfortably, and you can adjust the two velcro inserts to offer a tighter fit on your camera. There are a handful of pockets inside for various accessories like batteries and SD cards, and even a pocket for an spare lens (I was able to fit a Canon 18-135mm lens in this pocket without an issue).
The even more ideal scenario for this bag, if you ask me, is taking some photography, but also for carrying around your drone. The DJI Spark fits in this bag well with room for its spare battery, propeller guards, remote, and even the charging kit if you want. The DJI Mavic Pro would also fit in this bag very well if you happen to have that option.
Unlike the Pro Pack, the Capture Sling Pack isn’t a traditional backpack, so it only has one strap. While that’s not as comfortable if you ask me, it does make putting the bag on and taking it off quick and easy, something very important when you’re trying to get that perfect shot.
As for storing items aside from your camera gear, the Sling Pack doesn’t offer a ton of extra room. There’s a smartphone pocket on the same side as the camera pocket, a very well padded pocket for your 13-inch laptop, and a handful of zippered pockets along the opposite side. There’s also a single pocket up front that has plenty of room for your smaller items.
At $149, the Capture Sling Pack is asking for the same money as the Pro Pack, while offering a bit less room. If you don’t need the space the Pro Pack offers or want something better suited to a drone, I can easily recommend this option, but otherwise, I think the Pro Pack is definitely a better value.
Both the DSLR Pro Pack and Capture Sling Pack are available now from Incase.
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