Water Resistant/Proof Bags

[tommonego@gmail.com]

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I am going to Iceland in early fall, rain and wind seems to be a constant in Iceland. So I am looking for a water resistant or better proof bag and a camera cover. Any suggestions?? Suitable for hiking too, so if a backpack room for other non camera gear. Right now I have a Domke bag and a Natl Geo backpack, I like them both but hardly water resistant.

Edited August 5, 2021 by tommonego@gmail.com

[pgk]

Ortlieb: https://www.ortlieb.com should produce something that fits your needs.

[Ouroboros]

Take a look at Shimoda and F-Stop backpacks if you have some money to offload, they're what 'real photographers' use if you're the sort who believes everything on YouTube.  You'll need to buy an optional raincover though, stupid decision not to include this on such expensive bags and one reason why I've not gone quite as far as Checkout with Shimoda.

The only fully waterproof bags and backpack that I've ever owned are made by Ortlieb, but the backpack was probably designed by a canoeist and not by a photographer.  It's an odd shaped thing and the harness is crap.  I've used it for years and it's widely travelled, but it's not exactly a comfortable carry especially  when packed heavy with my Fuji GX617, a Hasselblad 503cw with three lenses, film, filters, tripod etc and there's barely room for waterproofs and food.  It's ok for short walks to camera-hostile dusty and wet locations such as beaches, waterfalls etc.    

LowePro might have something useful to you for less money.  I've had a few LowePro backpacks over the years but never found any of  them really comfortable on a hike.  

The best, and most cost-effective, option for me is still to use a tried and trusted hiking backpack with a range of different sized (F-Stop & Shimoda) inserts, depending on which of my numerous backpacks I intend to use and what camera gear I take. 

My largest backpack is a Macpac Ascent at 50 New Zealand litres.  That makes it about 70 normal litres capacity and it'll take my Fuji GX617, film, light meter, filters and associated stuff in an insert which is in turn is placed inside an Exped Drybag.  All my camping gear, food and water etc for an overnighter also gets swallowed up by the Ascent.  Lesser epics are taken care of with my selection of smaller hiking backpacks with camera gear in inserts and Exped Drybags.

Until one of the camera backpack manufacturers finally comes up with something that has less design and function compromises than advantages for outdoor photographers, I'll just carry on doing it the way I've always done it.  

 

Edited August 5, 2021 by Ouroboros

[tommonego@gmail.com]

I should have included camera covers, I have a basic one but it requires taking off the camera strap, which is difficult with the strap I am using. Exploring the backpack listed above, thanks for the tips.

[Gelatino]

Just coming back from Iceland. 

I never decided to put on the all weather cover on my backpack although some times we could not see the rain falling because of the fog 😆Actually it was much more condensation than real rain (which means 100% humidity)

Years ago I bought a waterproof bag (20l) for trips in zodiac, but nerver found it convenient: opening in the upper part implies bad acces to the bottom , good protectipon against water/poor protection against shocks, they are basicaly made for safe transport in case of immersion or heavy rain, and not very comfy as a backpack.

Find a large plastic bag a bit more resistant than a simple trash bag, open two holes for the straps : light, cheap, efficient, for occasional use.

Other idea : a poncho cyclists use in case of rain

 

[tommonego@gmail.com]

vor 5 Minuten schrieb Gelatino:

Just coming back from Iceland. 

I never decided to put on the all weather cover on my backpack although some times we could not see the rain falling because of the fog 😆Actually it was much more condensation than real rain (which means 100% humidity)

Years ago I bought a waterproof bag (20l) for trips in zodiac, but nerver found it convenient: opening in the upper part implies bad acces to the bottom , good protectipon against water/poor protection against shocks, they are basicaly made for safe transport in case of immersion or heavy rain, and not very comfy as a backpack.

Find a large plastic bag a bit more resistant than a simple trash bag, open two holes for the straps : light, cheap, efficient, for occasional use.

Other idea : a poncho cyclists use in case of rain

 

Interesting take, the National Geographic back pack I have is cotton, but it could be sprayed with a water resistant spray and it has a rain cover, which I didn't use even in Costa Rica rainforests. It is also comfortable, just not the best for camera access, it also has extra space for day pack needs. I have been hearing about horizontal wind driven rain in Iceland, glad to hear someone who didn't experience that. 

[JonPB]

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I use multiple dry sacks within a non-dry-specific carrying bag. I might have my camera & lens in a 10 liter sack, another lens in a 5 liter sack, and batteries in a 1 liter sack. (Do check the specific bag you're considering before buying on size: manufacturers vary widely in how tightly compressed the top is before calculating volume.) This allows me to pick bags based on comfort and convenience, moving sacks from bag to bag or not bothering with them in dry weather. It is really nice to have the same waterproof storage regardless of whether it is my checked luggage, a big hiking pack, a weekender bag, a running vest, or my evening-in-the-city bag (which I really ought to just call a purse). Opening one bag to access equipment only exposes the contents of that single bag to the elements. If one bag fails, is is probably partially protected by other bags, but even complete failure does not risk all of the gear. Different colors allow for quick organization. The bags themselves provide abrasion resistance, and often a shirt or jacket will provide cushioning, but the bags themselves aren't too bulky if you want to put them inside a purpose-made insert.

I've also used them for documents and clean clothes. Dirty laundry goes unprotected in the bottom of the bag; if it rains hard enough, add a little detergent in the morning and they'll be clean by night!

The downside of multiple bags is that they're a bit cumbersome. With two or three lenses and a handful of accessories, the comfort of carrying them inside the right bag or pack wins; but if I were hauling a full lineup for use at an event, I'd want the faster access of a dedicated bag.

I've used LensCoat products. They're exactly what they claim to be, which is a bit bulky and awkward around the camera -- practice putting it on, operating the camera, and taking it off before going out into the elements -- but durable and effective. If I were so lucky as to be paid to shoot in the rain, I'd use them. But, as I'm mostly walking around in the rain, no such camera-wrap will stop the water from running down my arm to my wrist to the camera. So, instead of that sort of product, I just wear a rain jacket that's otherwise too large, carry the camera on a sling-style strap beneath the jacket, and keep my hands tucked up in the sleeves so they stay dry for when I want to handle the camera. Take a shot or two, wipe off with microfiber cloth, and back under the jacket it goes. In really bad weather, the jacket will also fit like a cape over a day bag. I'm sure I look a complete mess, but I'm usually enjoying myself too much to care when out and about in weather like that. @Gelatino mentioned a poncho: I think that'd be even better, so long as it isn't one of those one-time-use emergency/stadium jobs.

I once bought a Chrome Industries backpack that looked the part of being waterproof. The staff told me it was safe for anything short of submersion. The insides became soaked the first time I walked around in a light rain, and the people at Chrome didn't care. (Since then, I've repaired multiple stitching and zipper failures. I couldn't return it or get service on my "lifetime" warranty, so I modify it and make the most of it.) Point being: as with every other product, if something claims to have lots of useful features but it hasn't been on the market for a long time, it probably doesn't actually deliver. I don't think I'd trust another pack to stay dry in more than 15 minutes of rain unless it were a dry bag with straps from a company that mostly makes dry bags for watersports, like Ortlieb. Those bags work but are a pain to get into and out of; they're designed to haul gear from camp to camp, where it is loaded while packing up a campsite in the morning, emptied on arrival at the next camp, and otherwise trusted but ignored. Not nice for getting at another lens to capture a fleeting moment. So, the smaller, lighter-weight dry sacks are my choice.

[beewee]

I’m a huge fan and longtime user of the Arc’teryx Alpha FL 30 backpack. In the spring/summer/fall, I use it for hiking to carry my essentials and I stow my camera in a cheap padded pouch similar to an Ape Case Cubeze. In the winter, I use it for hiking and ice climbing and the Alpha FL 30 does a great job keeping everything inside dry even when I’m basically climbing under a natural shower drizzling over an ice fall. The volume of the pack is around 23L but expandable to 30L with the roll top expanded. There’s also the Alpha FL 40 which is around 30L in volume but can expand to 40L. The roll top closure system does a great job to keep sand, rain, snow, etc… out even in the windiest conditions.

One thing to note is that the bag is a very minimalist bag. There are no internal organizers, only one external zippered waterproof pocket, and some attachment points for ice axes, hiking poles, jacket, rope, and crampons. It’s pretty versatile but if you’re the type that likes to have lots of pockets for internal organization, this is the wrong bag.

Personally, I prefer the minimalist setup which reduces weight and I pack stuff that I seldom need to access such as first aid kit and spare jacket at the bottom. Food, camera pouch, water lives near the top and is readily accessible.

Edited August 6, 2021 by beewee

[tommonego@gmail.com]

So after looking at this here are the four back packs, none really water proof but water resistant.

1)PGYTech Onemo

2) LowePro Tactic, BP 350 AWII

3) Wandrd Prvke 21

4) Shimota Explorer

Still looking fro a camera cover.

[huwm]

My Q2 and some lenses fared okay in a canoe capsize tucked up in a Shimoda action x30, the Cl and Lumix lens that weren't in the bag are of course kaput

The bag was in the water for just a few minutes and is of course not designed for immersion, just for rain so I was lucky

I have proper canoe dry bags to use when I expect trouble and will be using them at all times when on the water in small vessels in future

Edited August 6, 2021 by huwm
typo

[ynp]

I use the König backpack on my Zodiac Hurricane 733 and it’s a pretty wet boat. Tested the Fotorucksack in torrential rains,  it’s much better than my F-Stop backpack. 
https://www.koenig-photobags.de/fotorucksack/