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Accessory review: Vanguard Up-Rise 33

Sep 15, 2013 at 22:50:14 GMT
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With a smart look and clean design, the Vanguard Up-Rise 33 stands out from the pack. Capable of holding a small to medium DSLR, the Up-Rise 33 also expands to allow room for a 13-inch notebook computer, or contracts if you use a mirrorless camera system and want a smaller overall profile. It has served as a good commuter companion for one of our reviewers for about eight months. Read how it performed in his review.

Comments

Total comments: 44
MtOlympus
By MtOlympus (1 day ago)

When I bought mine I had one SLR. When I decided to get a second so I wouldn't have to keep switching lenses, I was surprised to find that bag would handle two with no problem. Now I can quickly switch from wide angle to telephoto from this bag.

0 upvotes
RicardoPhotos
By RicardoPhotos (3 weeks ago)

Yes. Excellent review and pics.

I always wondered about these bags. They always looked of excellent quality and use.

0 upvotes
Emilie R
By Emilie R (3 weeks ago)

It is very difficult to carry a bag like this (shoulder/messenger style) on one shoulder when i is fully loaded, so if you intend on carrying alot of gear, then this may not be the right choice of style for you.

2 upvotes
Par Deeson
By Par Deeson (3 weeks ago)

I agree, unless you carry it across the shoulder. I have the Up-Rise 38 and i'ts bigger and takes more load.

0 upvotes
Mike Minh
By Mike Minh (3 weeks ago)

A bag review with this degree of detail, including photographic evidence? Is this for real? Can't wait for equally detailed reviews of photographer jeans (degree of abrasiveness on tripods, squeeze-factor of the seams influencing your steady hand during shots, measured colour reflection on subjects for macro shots), photographer socks (how fast do they dry when you have stepped in a puddle?) and inevitably coming, photographer underpants (I leave it to your imagination which details we urgently NEED to know on these).

I all seriousness, an overview article "15 practical bags" or "10 tips on what to look for in a good bag" is more than enough. I mean really, it's a bag, fgs.

Comment edited 41 seconds after posting
1 upvote
Saint Yves
By Saint Yves (3 weeks ago)

so many words to say so little...

1 upvote
WayneHuangPhoto
By WayneHuangPhoto (3 weeks ago)

This is a website about photography and photo equipment and accessories, and you're complaining about an in-depth review of something totally relevant?

4 upvotes
refusenik
By refusenik (3 weeks ago)

What's the difference (other than appearance) between the Up-Rise and Up-Rise II bags? Is the velcro on the II stronger?

0 upvotes
Earthlight
By Earthlight (3 weeks ago)

The velcro has not been failing in mine in a little over a year of daily use. I have the original version.

0 upvotes
Wilmar Boer
By Wilmar Boer (3 weeks ago)

The sleeve that holds the camera seems rather small. Does it hold a fullframe DSLR with batterygrip attached?

My typical settup:
D700 with grip
12-24, 24-70, 70-200, SB800, SB900, batteries and small stuff

0 upvotes
NotSteve
By NotSteve (3 weeks ago)

Shawn, thanks for a pretty good review. I've used this bag almost everyday for about 2 years. A couple of points I would like to add.

The rain cover is attached to the bag by piece of webbing with a clip at the end, located to the right of the pocket where the rain cover is stored. Since you're not going to use the rain cover, voila, you've got your key clip.

I find the rain cover useful and in a torrential downpour it kept the contents more or less dry. It goes on pretty quick, like putting a fitted sheet on a mattress.

The main compartment can hold my K-5, 3 zooms, 3 primes, including the one on the camera, a flash, plus a computer.

Velcro still works just fine. Wish it had a bottle holder (I clip one on the side if needed), and also a place to clip a rear bike light.

A major plus is that it looks like a regular shoulder bag. Also, if you paid $170 for yours, that's too much -- I paid $130, $168 after tx & shipping from the US to Canada and that was 2 yrs ago. It's less now.

0 upvotes
Earthlight
By Earthlight (3 weeks ago)

I have had this bag for a little over a year in daily use. I must say I really like it. Water bottle holder is easy to add and I have done it before with a cheap carabiner lock. Also, in my bag the rain cover pouch is attached to the bag.

I usually have one body and two lenses with me, an iPad, a couple of filters, papers and what not. Works like a charm. I love the organization of the bag.

The only thing that irks me is that when the bag is on a table or, say, in the passenger seat of a car and I reach to get something with one hand the large patches of welcro have more than once stripped the skin on my knuckles. But that's a small price to pay for a wonderful bag like this.

Well, maybe they could also improve the shape of the dome above quick release clip as it is somewhat hard to use the clip. But it makes it slower for thieves too. But this is nitpicking. All in all I love the bag.

I used to stick to Lowepro, but this one is a truly great bag.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 14 minutes after posting
2 upvotes
Earthlight
By Earthlight (3 weeks ago)

I just checked and the trolley sleeve mesh on mine is still like new. I probably wear different kind of jeans that are less abrasive.

Shawn, are you sure you don't have the keyhook/rain cover pouch holder in yours. It is located in the top right corner of the bag when looking at it from the front.

0 upvotes
Earthlight
By Earthlight (2 weeks ago)

Oh well. It's a great bag anyway.

Comment edited 1 minute after posting
0 upvotes
Richard Peterson
By Richard Peterson (3 weeks ago)

Looks really cool, feature wise. I bought one of the Manfrotto bags built with similar logic, but without the removable camera insert and expandable size. I love the zippered-easy-to-remove top, and I convert it to different uses for different situations (i.e.- when I shoot events, I keep cameras out and use it to carry a row of easy to access lenses and flashes). I was surprised to see that they carry these bags at Target and Best Buy, but they stand out in the row because they have a sophisticated look the other bags lack. Benefit of the Manfrotto bag is that it only costs 60 something. I would love to try the Up-Rise, too, looks great for my needs. Even Swiss Army makes a sharp looking bag like this, but it's missing the top zipper, which I consider essential. So many interesting looking bags these days, wow. I probably own more than 20 already after several decades of professional photography! But now I'm adding the Fuji X series to my equipment, a good excuse to buy even more!

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 5 minutes after posting
0 upvotes
Daxs
By Daxs (3 weeks ago)

I don't like black and simple bags! Nothing about style! They can make really good tripods but bags without style!
I'm choosing Crumpler, Style and Safety!

1 upvote
NotSteve
By NotSteve (3 weeks ago)

To the contrary, I find that this bags very plain and unassuming appearance is a safety feature. It doesn't have an obtrusive logo and doesn't advertise that you've got a bunch of camera equipment like some other bags do.

But, if you want to stand out in the crowd, Crumpler bags do seem quite stylish.

1 upvote
AbrasiveReducer
By AbrasiveReducer (3 weeks ago)

The last thing anyone with expensive camera equipment should be concerned about is being stylish. One thing this bag does seem to have in common with Crumpler is that it's rather heavy--almost 3.5 pounds, empty.

0 upvotes
Daxs
By Daxs (3 weeks ago)

I have Crumpler bag, for Five years! Two bags! One is backpack! My experience said, best bags in style and safety! And that is what I'm talking about, safety for equipment!

0 upvotes
Nikonal
By Nikonal (3 weeks ago)

I have had one of these for about a year now and it's a very flexible bag. In mine I carry a Nikon D800, 70-200, 17-35, 50mm, two SB700 flashes, polarisers, extra batteries for D800 and flashes, cleaning kit, a headlamp, and other accessories. I recommend it.

2 upvotes
RudivanS
By RudivanS (3 weeks ago)

That's one heavy shoulder bag then. Not too far to walk then?

Comment edited 32 seconds after posting
0 upvotes
Nikonal
By Nikonal (3 weeks ago)

Actually, I got my numbers wrong, my Vanguard is an Uprise 38. Yeah, I wouldn't carry my whole kit in the bag for walking around but for in and out of the car/planes it's great. I have a smaller Manfrotto sling-style bag for walking around which is quite good also

0 upvotes
Azurael
By Azurael (3 weeks ago)

Nice to know I'm not the only photographer toting a Nexus 4 :)

1 upvote
D1N0
By D1N0 (3 weeks ago)

Photo bags are like T-fords. They come in any colour you like as long as it is black.

0 upvotes
Faketastic
By Faketastic (3 weeks ago)

I've had this bag since January and I really like it. Perfect for my NEX collecetion and a iPad.

1 upvote
refusenik
By refusenik (3 weeks ago)

I like the look of this bag for my new NEX kit (16-50 + 55-210 zooms) and accessories, plus it doubles up as a man-bag

0 upvotes
SeeRoy
By SeeRoy (3 weeks ago)

Another bag! triffic!
Up to now there is such a dearth of bags to lug gear around in. Such inventive names too. On this page alone I can see:
a TurnStyle
a Photo Sport Shoulder (I thought this was a type of repetitive strain injury)
a Cool Walker (aimed at the "Street" crowd, I imagine)
and of course the resonantly-named Vanguard Up-Rise 33 (A name that might equally be applied to a pharmaceutical product aimed at ED sufferers.)

3 upvotes
h2k
By h2k (3 weeks ago)

In your list of key features, i miss mentioning the material. It is important if the outer material is
- prone to accumulate dust or grease
- waterproof
- easily cleanable,
so it is not just robustness alone

Also for me, i'd like to know if the bag has "little feet" so that if you put it on the ground, it doesn't stand on the whole bottom of the bag (probably getting dirty or wet), but just on it's little feet.

2 upvotes
Shawn Barnett
By Shawn Barnett (3 weeks ago)

I mention the material, but not whether it's easily cleaned. It is. I've used it for 8 months, and didn't clean it for these shots. I mention how it performs in the rain in the review as well, and that it has a rain cover. There are also photographs of the little feet, as well as the vinyl bottom. All of this is in the review.

4 upvotes
Eric Hensel
By Eric Hensel (3 weeks ago)

Ahhhh...so I need to read the review...

1 upvote
dave_bass5
By dave_bass5 (3 weeks ago)

I've had this bag since June and love it. I always prefer top loaders and this replaced an ageing Lowepro Classified 160.
The only downside I find is I like to keep the hoods on my lenses, and the one on my 24-70 f2.8 II catches on the ridge of the internal part sometimes, making it difficult to just slip in.
Otherwise best bag I've ever had. I might replace it soon with the next size up though. I love the hidden pocket on the front flap.

1 upvote
mlseatwa
By mlseatwa (3 weeks ago)

I've had this bag for about 6 months and love it, as well. It easily carries an OM-D and several lenses, with room for a laptop or iPad. I attach a water bottle to the v-shaped fabric that the strap attaches to using a carabiner clip--works great.

1 upvote
Shawn Barnett
By Shawn Barnett (3 weeks ago)

Good idea. I'll look for one.

0 upvotes
Eric Hensel
By Eric Hensel (3 weeks ago)

That carabiner will hold your keys as well :)
I use a tiny S-Biner for my keys all the time now...

Comment edited 1 minute after posting
0 upvotes
Sam Carriere
By Sam Carriere (3 weeks ago)

"Lacks water bottle holder" is a con?

1 upvote
yslee1
By yslee1 (3 weeks ago)

Hydration is important, especially on longer photo shoots.

0 upvotes
Shawn Barnett
By Shawn Barnett (3 weeks ago)

Yep. I used it for 8 months; sometimes I wished for a water bottle holder. I have other bags that have them.

1 upvote
InTheMist
By InTheMist (3 weeks ago)

Yep. Water bottle holder by train or foot. Strobe holder during events.

For me it's a decisive feature.

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting
0 upvotes
Eric Hensel
By Eric Hensel (3 weeks ago)

Personally, if I'm going out long enough to need a water bottle, I'd need a bigger bag for food, jacket, etc.
Just take another small bag with this one?

0 upvotes
RudivanS
By RudivanS (3 weeks ago)

Ha, Just bought it today before seeing this review - pure coincidence :)
All good seems a good camera bag. Got tired of small backpacks.

2 upvotes
Camediadude
By Camediadude (3 weeks ago)

Great review on an intriguing bag, thank you.

3 upvotes
rkodama1
By rkodama1 (3 weeks ago)

I'm a fan of Vanguard products. They do not have a high profile name but they make both quality bags and tripods. I have an Uprise 38 and have used it for business trips as well as a general work bag. It is well made, has tons of pockets, expandable and has a professional clean look. Glad to see Vanguard getting some visibility here.

2 upvotes
RichRMA
By RichRMA (3 weeks ago)

Looks like an overnight airline bag.

1 upvote
strata83
By strata83 (3 weeks ago)

I have a smaller version of this bag, Up-Rise 28. It's advertised as big enough for 11" laptops, yet my 13" MacBook Pro fits in.

That bag has a big flaw, however — if it's tilted forward, smaller items may fall out of its front pockets. This happened to my phone and a charger — thankfully I noticed it before walking away!

3 upvotes
Total comments: 44