graphlex Posted November 29, 2015 Share #41 Posted November 29, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) The Fogg B-Laika is extremely serviceable for actual photographic use. I doubt, moreover, that it enjoys high brand recognition among street criminals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 29, 2015 Posted November 29, 2015 Hi graphlex, Take a look here Shoulder bag recommendations. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Jeff S Posted November 29, 2015 Share #42 Posted November 29, 2015 The Fogg B-Laika is extremely serviceable for actual photographic use. I doubt, moreover, that it enjoys high brand recognition among street criminals. But if you own one, you should be aware that it's written in small case letters....b-laika...per one of Fogg's owners, bee berman (yes, that's how she writes it)....the other being Nigel Fogg. I have one that's over 20 years old, nondescript in all-black, no showy label or colors, and well worn by now. Mine is also smaller than the current ones, as the owners listened to customers who now want more room for modern gear. I use it for travel and transport....otherwise, no bag when out shooting unless extremely cold (to warm the camera body and battery). When I recently needed an even larger bag for extended travel, I opted for the Billingham Hadley Pro....flawless construction and I hadn't realized how expensive the Fogg bags had gotten....plus it's harder to get the plain deep black like older versions. The owners will, however, customize just about anything, although I've never gone that route. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
graphlex Posted November 29, 2015 Share #43 Posted November 29, 2015 Not only will bee and Nigel customize; their cordial readiness to repair a Fogg bag, however old and however abused, is extraordinary. They are helpful well beyond any reasonable expectations. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kilmister Posted November 29, 2015 Share #44 Posted November 29, 2015 Lord knows how old my Fogg bag is. It is made of finest sail canvas. Corners are leather and a bit of hide food polished up those bits. Velcro is used so there is no delay in opening the bag. When travelling it fits into a compact aeroplane's overhead locker with ease. It has pockets for a smartphone, wallet, watch, knives, bomb making equipment, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, small children stolen from parents, and an aged granny trying to get to Switzerland to end her life. In fact, everything the modern traveller needs. What more could you want? P.S. If GCHQ are monitoring all posts on forums, this will be a test because I'll probably have blue flashing lights outside the house within 30 minutes. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bocaburger Posted November 30, 2015 Share #45 Posted November 30, 2015 I bought a used Fogg once when the prices were not far off from Billingham's but sent it back because it was quite boxy and stiff and the materials didn't seem as good. Maybe they have gotten twice better since then, to account for them being twice the cost nowadays Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwschneider Posted December 2, 2015 Share #46 Posted December 2, 2015 My goal with any bag is to NOT look like I'm carrying gear. And I'm going into detail because I'm sure there are people who, like myself, read these responses to garner ideas for themselves based on their own needs. With that said: 1. I had an ONA Berlin II for all of 3 months and sold it earlier this summer. The black leather was "too nice" for what I put my bags through. A personal call on my part. Beautiful bag, but not for me. 2. I have owned a WOTANCRAFT Scout for 5 years and it's great with the waterproof camera insert option. I get a lot of compliments on it (grey waxed canvas with leather details). It carries my Leica Q, LUMIX GX8 with 14-140 lens attached and either my 100-300mm zoom or a big flash all at once if I want to carry two rigs. Plus I can slide my iPad Air inside behind the camera insert and it's great. 3. I have a WOTANCRAFT Raven for night shooting in clubs of if I'm dressed to the nines and want to bring my camera without bringing too much attention to my gear. It's a beautiful leather bag with great function and a very soft dark purple interior. I carry my Leica Q, SF26 flash, 3 spare batteries, SD card, lens wipes and hardly anyone notices the bag (I only use a hand strap with any camera so I always need a messenger/side bag since I never have my camera around my neck) This camera also works when I am in costume at party events. Something to keep in mind with the WOTANCRAFT bags is the straps are a bit "tight" for my frame (6'1"/250lbs) so when I ordered the bags I requested (politely) for a strap about 4 to 8 inches longer and they were happy to oblige. Excellent gear bags and very nice people. 4. I have recently switched for when I travel to a Timbuk2 SNOOP (small) insert inside a Timbuk2 Commute Laptop TSA-Friendly Messenger Bag (2014). I can carry both cameras and a flash or spare lens, travel docs, chargers, PLUS my iPad Pro in a back zipper area. And it has the slide-through in the back so you can slide it over the handle of your suitcase and securely wheel it on top your suitcase without someone snatching it. Looks like a simple messenger bag. 5. And if I have to carry a bunch of gear I go with my Think Tank Urban Disguise 35. I have taken that bag to the Caribbean 6 times and all over Europe twice and used to carry all my Canon DSLR and underwater shooting gear when I was shooting with that larger setup with no issue and it looks like the day I bought it after all these years. I am a strong believer there is a proper bag for every shooting situation which I why over the last 25 years I have owned about half the bags out there and these are my keepers. Sometimes I just need to carry my Leica Q and a spare battery, other times I'm shooting with two cameras and need to switch "in bag" without anyone noticing I'm carrying a bunch of gear. After seeing too many people get their backpacks cut in Barcelona or Athens without their noticing, I have stopped using them myself simply because they don't work for me except when shooting in the wild (I've had backpacks by TAMRAC, LOWEPEO and Crumpler but none stand out). I shoot with friends who only use backpacks and they couldn't be happier because it's out of the way once they have their camera in hand. When I'm on catamarans or river rafting I will use a fully submersible backpack with a camera insert in the bottom. Sometimes the best bag is a simple one not designed for cameras with an inexpensive camera insert slipped into it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted December 2, 2015 Share #47 Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) My goal with any bag is to NOT look like I'm carrying gear. Sometimes the best bag is a simple one not designed for cameras with an inexpensive camera insert slipped into it. This is my EDC bag. It's actually a Maxpedition Versipak Mongo, but for the purposes of posting it here I thought I'd have a little fun with it. I have a Timbuk2 XS camera insert which fits in the main compartment perfectly. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Edited December 2, 2015 by hepcat Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/253687-shoulder-bag-recommendations/?do=findComment&comment=2941472'>More sharing options...
mike_h Posted December 2, 2015 Share #48 Posted December 2, 2015 I've had Billingham bags for years...and I'll never buy another. My wife and I walked home in a rain storm not so long ago. She was carrying a Billingham Hadley Pro. I was carrying a Brady Gelderburn. When we got home we emptied half a litre of water out of her - properly closed and not old - Billingham. The inside of the Brady and all of its pockets except the rear pocket - for obvious reasons - was completely dry. So Brady only for me, except if I want really good but ugly protection then it's an Ortlieb Soft Shot or Day Shot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 2, 2015 Share #49 Posted December 2, 2015 I've had Billingham bags for years...and I'll never buy another. My wife and I walked home in a rain storm not so long ago. She was carrying a Billingham Hadley Pro. I was carrying a Brady Gelderburn. When we got home we emptied half a litre of water out of her - properly closed and not old - Billingham. The inside of the Brady and all of its pockets except the rear pocket - for obvious reasons - was completely dry. So Brady only for me, except if I want really good but ugly protection then it's an Ortlieb Soft Shot or Day Shot. Which material was your wife's Billingham? Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted December 2, 2015 Share #50 Posted December 2, 2015 (edited) This is my EDC bag. It's actually a Maxpedition Versipak Mongo, but for the purposes of posting it here I thought I'd have a little fun with it. I have a Timbuk2 XS camera insert which fits in the main compartment perfectly. Well there you go, in times of increased security concerns of terrorism we have a bag that looks like body armour or a potential bomb holder in its military look. A Billingham Hadley Pro makes you look like a fisherman lost in the city. I'd also say the Think Tank Retrospective isn't far away from being an anonymous bag that doesn't screen 'high end kit'. Steve Edited December 2, 2015 by 250swb Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 2, 2015 Share #51 Posted December 2, 2015 A Billingham Hadley Pro makes you look like a fisherman lost in the city. Looks pretty basic in all black to me. I only use it for travel (not actual shooting), so it really never sees any city long enough to get lost. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belle123 Posted December 2, 2015 Share #52 Posted December 2, 2015 I've had Billingham bags for years...and I'll never buy another. My wife and I walked home in a rain storm not so long ago. She was carrying a Billingham Hadley Pro. I was carrying a Brady Gelderburn. When we got home we emptied half a litre of water out of her - properly closed and not old - Billingham. The inside of the Brady and all of its pockets except the rear pocket - for obvious reasons - was completely dry. So Brady only for me, except if I want really good but ugly protection then it's an Ortlieb Soft Shot or Day Shot. I know someone that buys fabrics for sail boat covers, and could be Billingham got a bad batch of material, it happens. Too bad they didn't test it. Never had this problem. All mine repel the rain quite nicely. But I wouldn't consider just taking a walk with it and the camera in a monsoon or take a swim with it. A half liter is quite a lot!!!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kilmister Posted December 2, 2015 Share #53 Posted December 2, 2015 Canvas needs to be conditioned. Anyone that has had a canvas tent will know that you have to erect the thing so it is taut, wet it liberally, and let it dry thoroughly. It is the same process with any canvas product. People have been camping for donkeys years under canvas and never been soaked ... until they step outside the tent on an English summer's day! Half a litre of water is about a US pint. Not enough to harm conditioned canvas. Half a metric tonne of water would not break through tight canvas although it might flood from underneath. Choose a warm sunny day, empty your canvas bag, soak it thoroughly, then leave to dry in the sunshine. Result: conditioned canvas. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 3, 2015 Share #54 Posted December 3, 2015 Billingham bags come in either canvas or a synthetic material they call Fibrenyte. According to their info, both materials are fused with an additional waterproof layer called StormBlocker. Seams are are also sealed with waterproof tape, and various other weather sealing steps are taken. Billingham is known not just for quality construction, but quality service. I have little doubt that they would be shocked to hear the above story and would immediately make the situation right. Jeff Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_h Posted December 3, 2015 Share #55 Posted December 3, 2015 Which material was your wife's Billingham? Jeff It is canvas, not fibrenyte. I don't think it's the material, though it might be. I'm more inclined to think it's the way the flaps etc are designed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_h Posted December 3, 2015 Share #56 Posted December 3, 2015 Canvas needs to be conditioned. Anyone that has had a canvas tent will know that you have to erect the thing so it is taut, wet it liberally, and let it dry thoroughly. It is the same process with any canvas product. People have been camping for donkeys years under canvas and never been soaked ... until they step outside the tent on an English summer's day! Half a litre of water is about a US pint. Not enough to harm conditioned canvas. Half a metric tonne of water would not break through tight canvas although it might flood from underneath. Choose a warm sunny day, empty your canvas bag, soak it thoroughly, then leave to dry in the sunshine. Result: conditioned canvas. This has precisely nothing to do with Billingham bags. As Jeff has pointed out Billingham (with their canvas bags) along with makers such as Brady use two layers of canvas bonded to a rubber membrane and then the seams sealed. A perforation of the membrane is required to let water through. What almost certainly happened in this case is that water entered because the flap design is sub-optimal. Once inside the canvas did not let the water out, it was nicely waterproof. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hepcat Posted December 3, 2015 Share #57 Posted December 3, 2015 Well there you go, in times of increased security concerns of terrorism we have a bag that looks like body armour or a potential bomb holder in its military look. Steve Steve, it may not be elegant, but then neither am I. A Billingham would look as out of place on my shoulder and in the places I go as this probably would be on yours. That doesn't make it a bad bag or an unreasonable alternative. It cost a third of what a Hadley costs; is waterproof; and is tough, and unobtrusive. Yes, it's unobtrusive. I've carried it in several major cities (and airports I will add) without a sideways glance from anyone. I do have a question though: what, exactly, does a bomb holder look like anyway? And it looks nothing like the body armor i wore daily for thirty years. That was an ill-informed and unnecessary comment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff S Posted December 3, 2015 Share #58 Posted December 3, 2015 (edited) It is canvas, not fibrenyte. I don't think it's the material, though it might be. I'm more inclined to think it's the way the flaps etc are designed. I bought a Hadley Pro for travel precisely because of better design than alternative bags I checked, specifically flaps, etc. I don't think design is the issue; rather, I think the problem cited here is unusual and deserves specific attention from Billingham. I've had zero problems with my bag (Fibrenyte). Jeff Edited December 3, 2015 by Jeff S 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_h Posted December 3, 2015 Share #59 Posted December 3, 2015 I bought a Hadley Pro for travel precisely because of better design than alternative bags I checked, specifically flaps, etc. I don't think design is the issue; rather, I think the problem cited here is unusual and deserves specific attention from Billingham. I've had zero problems with my bag (Fibrenyte). Jeff This photo is of the very same Hadley Pro. It has very little in it - adding more makes matters worse. The "gusset fastener" on the outer pock is released and the main closure straps are at about the halfway hole. As you can clearly see water is free to flow into both the front pocket and the main pocket. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/253687-shoulder-bag-recommendations/?do=findComment&comment=2942017'>More sharing options...
mike_h Posted December 3, 2015 Share #60 Posted December 3, 2015 In contrast my now aging Brady Gelderburn is carrying its usual load in this picture - iPad in sleeve, keyboard, notebooks aplenty, coat, umbrella, various road warrior cables, cords, chargers, battery packs, wallets, security passes, medications etc. It's heavy. The flap, as you can see is covering both the main zip and the front pocket zip. It's not a totally waterproof setup but it has never, ever leaked in any way. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I also use an Ortlieb Day Shot and a Soft Shot - the latter a good small shoulder bag. They look ugly by comparison but they are 100% waterproof. Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! I also use an Ortlieb Day Shot and a Soft Shot - the latter a good small shoulder bag. They look ugly by comparison but they are 100% waterproof. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/253687-shoulder-bag-recommendations/?do=findComment&comment=2942022'>More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.