X-E2 Backpack for hiking

fcallington wrote:

georgehudetz wrote:

Hi.

I did quite a bit of research on backpacks and ended up with two - A Tamrac Mirage 6 and an F-Stop Guru.

The Tamrac is my "city" bag for daily use, and for vacation travel.

The F-Stop is for backpacking use.

For your trip, I'd suggest looking at the Tamrac. It will secure your X-E2 with 10-24 well, with a side-access pocket for quick access. The lower compartment will secure your other lenses, while the upper compartment is separate and can hold non-photography related items. It comes with a rain cover. And, while the main lens compartment may have more space than you need, you can easily reconfigure it with the included dividers to handle other items. It is very comfortable with a sternum strap, can carry a tripod, has a side pocket for a water bottle, etc. It's a very well thought out pack.

The F-stop is also very well designed and constructed, but is probably overkill for what you need. But take a look - if you find a small "ICU" unit (the units that organize your photo gear) that suites your needs, the Guru will have more space for non-photographic items than the Tamrac. And, the F-Stop has a "real" hip belt, while the Tamrac just has a simple strap.

Take a look at both web sites - they have some great stuff.

+1

I have found that most camera backpacks are good at carrying camera gear but not much else. The F-Stop packs allow for extra clothing layers, food and water. One can also buy their ICU units separately and use them in whatever backpack they already own.

The Tamracs are also a good design, with separate compartments, etc.