Cosyspeed: updates on actual shipping + feedback on products

Well I received the backpack. Looks and feels well made. The bottom isn't rubberized though, it's just a thicker nylon like material than the rest of the bag (perhaps a final change from the prototype Chris tested).

I for some reason received two XL cubes. One was in the backpack and is just all gray, the other one is the black one listed on their website.

The black one feels much sturdier than the gray one. Gray has hard panels on both long sides, but the two short sides don't have it. The black one has hard panels on all sides, so seems like the better cube.

BUT, the black one is ever so slightly longer than the gray one, making it harder to open up the cube while it's in the backpack than the gray one. I'll need to see which one I'll like using more. It's between a stronger sturdier cube and one that's easier to open.

The side zipped laptop compartment is nice, fits my 14" laptop easily. And then the main part of the backpack has a divider that you can zip open or leave it closed. I'll leave it closed as I can put in a few odds an ends there while traveling (such as headphones, books, etc.). And then the brain has a mesh pocket underneath it, good spot for passports and such. And the top part has a couple of organizational pockets and otherwise just a large open space.

Comfort is good, though the straps run a little close to my neck, will see how that fares while carrying it for many hours (hoping it doesn't rub my skin).

These are my short initial impressions.

starfly wrote:

Well I received the backpack. Looks and feels well made. The bottom isn't rubberized though, it's just a thicker nylon like material than the rest of the bag (perhaps a final change from the prototype Chris tested).

I for some reason received two XL cubes. One was in the backpack and is just all gray, the other one is the black one listed on their website.

The black one feels much sturdier than the gray one. Gray has hard panels on both long sides, but the two short sides don't have it. The black one has hard panels on all sides, so seems like the better cube.

BUT, the black one is ever so slightly longer than the gray one, making it harder to open up the cube while it's in the backpack than the gray one. I'll need to see which one I'll like using more. It's between a stronger sturdier cube and one that's easier to open.

The side zipped laptop compartment is nice, fits my 14" laptop easily. And then the main part of the backpack has a divider that you can zip open or leave it closed. I'll leave it closed as I can put in a few odds an ends there while traveling (such as headphones, books, etc.). And then the brain has a mesh pocket underneath it, good spot for passports and such. And the top part has a couple of organizational pockets and otherwise just a large open space.

Comfort is good, though the straps run a little close to my neck, will see how that fares while carrying it for many hours (hoping it doesn't rub my skin).

These are my short initial impressions.

Mine is due to deliver tomorrow (if I'm home since it might have signature required).  Let's see how many XL cubes show up.

Chris 222 wrote:

starfly wrote:

Well I received the backpack. Looks and feels well made. The bottom isn't rubberized though, it's just a thicker nylon like material than the rest of the bag (perhaps a final change from the prototype Chris tested).

Nope, no change. This was already addressed above. Basically Vaude used the standard industry practice of a stronger material that receives a slightly different coating.

I think we can safely assume that "rubberized" is just one of the many odd or just bad translations from German on the CS site.

I'm actually glad it's not rubberized, as that type of material tends to flake off with age anyway. Starts to look ugly and can make an otherwise decent bag look completely worn out.

I for some reason received two XL cubes. One was in the backpack and is just all gray, the other one is the black one listed on their website.

Check the provenance on the grey/beige one: Vietnam or China?

Also, check the dividers on the grey/beige one. Does the hook side actually adhere to the loop lining of the Cube? On the one I initially received there was practically no grip.

I can't tell where the gray one was made, but the dividers don't stick at all to the sides. Terrible velcro they're using. In that sense, glad they included the other cube as well, as in that one the velcro sticks just fine.

The black one feels much sturdier than the gray one. Gray has hard panels on both long sides, but the two short sides don't have it. The black one has hard panels on all sides, so seems like the better cube.

Actually the grey one is FAR stronger (I found out the hard way, check my review again.)

I'm sure it is, but what I like about the black cube is that the top and bottom sides also have thick padding. Particularly for the bottom I like that, as that's where I can fit my 100-500 lens.

The gray one has absolutely no padding down there, so when setting the bag on the ground there would be no protection for any lenses on that side.

BUT, the black one is ever so slightly longer than the gray one, making it harder to open up the cube while it's in the backpack than the gray one.

Yup, the CEO told me they would do that. Never said why but I agree that it makes access to the zipper a little more difficult. What I suggest doing is simply zip both sides up to about two inches from the top. Don't worry, you gear won't go anywhere.

Yep, that's what I did last night, figured there's not need to fully close it each time.

I'll need to see which one I'll like using more. It's between a stronger sturdier cube and one that's easier to open.

The side zipped laptop compartment is nice, fits my 14" laptop easily. And then the main part of the backpack has a divider that you can zip open or leave it closed. I'll leave it closed as I can put in a few odds an ends there while traveling (such as headphones, books, etc.). And then the brain has a mesh pocket underneath it, good spot for passports and such. And the top part has a couple of organizational pockets and otherwise just a large open space.

Comfort is good, though the straps run a little close to my neck, will see how that fares while carrying it for many hours (hoping it doesn't rub my skin).

Probably just simple adjustments needed, this takes time and many miles (all packs behave differently while loaded and actually used out there.)

These are my short initial impressions.

Thanks for sharing!

And remember how we do it (FAQ 1): minimum of 100 miles (~161 kms) and 10,000 feet (~3000 meters) elevation (up and down mountains) testing the pack with varying loads, terrains and weather.

Yeah, I'll get to test it in the coming months. But I can already tell it'll be a keeper either way. Perhaps not as feature rich as some dedicated photography backpacks, but those carry like bricks anyway. It has enough features to satisfy my needs. And it's great you can just remove the cube and turn it into a fully fledged hiking pack when photography gear isn't needed (but who am I kidding, I'll always have at least some photography gear on me).

Oh, and my tripod fits perfectly well in one of the side pockets.  Somehow putting it on my left feels more natural.  I could put it centered on the outside of the pack in the large mesh pocket, but that pocket will then probably wear out pretty quickly.

Now it's time to cut out or blacken-out the "photohiker" branding

starfly wrote:

Chris 222 wrote:

starfly wrote:

Well I received the backpack. Looks and feels well made. The bottom isn't rubberized though, it's just a thicker nylon like material than the rest of the bag (perhaps a final change from the prototype Chris tested).

Nope, no change. This was already addressed above. Basically Vaude used the standard industry practice of a stronger material that receives a slightly different coating.

I think we can safely assume that "rubberized" is just one of the many odd or just bad translations from German on the CS site.

I'm actually glad it's not rubberized, as that type of material tends to flake off with age anyway. Starts to look ugly and can make an otherwise decent bag look completely worn out.

I for some reason received two XL cubes. One was in the backpack and is just all gray, the other one is the black one listed on their website.

Check the provenance on the grey/beige one: Vietnam or China?

Also, check the dividers on the grey/beige one. Does the hook side actually adhere to the loop lining of the Cube? On the one I initially received there was practically no grip.

I can't tell where the gray one was made, but the dividers don't stick at all to the sides. Terrible velcro they're using. In that sense, glad they included the other cube as well, as in that one the velcro sticks just fine.

Mine arrived today with both cubes. Neither has any provenance. It is not that the Velcro on the gray dividers is bad, rather the material used for the inside of the cube itself is not substantially piled loop side for grip. Also, only the separate black cube has the D-rings and shoulder strap. The gray one does have wood panels in the sides and the zip top cover seems thinner with a grab handle on the cover as well as the top. Thinner certainly makes it easier to keep out of the way when it is open.

The black one feels much sturdier than the gray one. Gray has hard panels on both long sides, but the two short sides don't have it. The black one has hard panels on all sides, so seems like the better cube.

Actually the grey one is FAR stronger (I found out the hard way, check my review again.)

I'm sure it is, but what I like about the black cube is that the top and bottom sides also have thick padding. Particularly for the bottom I like that, as that's where I can fit my 100-500 lens.

The gray one has absolutely no padding down there, so when setting the bag on the ground there would be no protection for any lenses on that side.

BUT, the black one is ever so slightly longer than the gray one, making it harder to open up the cube while it's in the backpack than the gray one.

Yup, the CEO told me they would do that. Never said why but I agree that it makes access to the zipper a little more difficult. What I suggest doing is simply zip both sides up to about two inches from the top. Don't worry, you gear won't go anywhere.

Yep, that's what I did last night, figured there's not need to fully close it each time.

I'll need to see which one I'll like using more. It's between a stronger sturdier cube and one that's easier to open.

The side zipped laptop compartment is nice, fits my 14" laptop easily. And then the main part of the backpack has a divider that you can zip open or leave it closed. I'll leave it closed as I can put in a few odds an ends there while traveling (such as headphones, books, etc.). And then the brain has a mesh pocket underneath it, good spot for passports and such. And the top part has a couple of organizational pockets and otherwise just a large open space.

Comfort is good, though the straps run a little close to my neck, will see how that fares while carrying it for many hours (hoping it doesn't rub my skin).

Probably just simple adjustments needed, this takes time and many miles (all packs behave differently while loaded and actually used out there.)

These are my short initial impressions.

Thanks for sharing!

And remember how we do it (FAQ 1): minimum of 100 miles (~161 kms) and 10,000 feet (~3000 meters) elevation (up and down mountains) testing the pack with varying loads, terrains and weather.

Yeah, I'll get to test it in the coming months. But I can already tell it'll be a keeper either way. Perhaps not as feature rich as some dedicated photography backpacks, but those carry like bricks anyway. It has enough features to satisfy my needs. And it's great you can just remove the cube and turn it into a fully fledged hiking pack when photography gear isn't needed (but who am I kidding, I'll always have at least some photography gear on me).

Oh, and my tripod fits perfectly well in one of the side pockets. Somehow putting it on my left feels more natural. I could put it centered on the outside of the pack in the large mesh pocket, but that pocket will then probably wear out pretty quickly.

Now it's time to cut out or blacken-out the "photohiker" branding

Looks good at first review. Doubt I will get time to load the cube with gear until the weekend. As Chris mentioned in the review there are a lot of loose strap ends everywhere. I do wish that the hip belt pockets were like on the Atlas which have pouches inside that pull out. They are large enough on the Atlas to hold my Olympus 12-40 f2.8 lens. That let's me carry the body with the 40-150 or other telezoom attached for wildlife. and still be able to switch to a landscape lens without dropping the pack. I would trade the side pockets for Molle or similar attachment points so I can choose a pouch of my own.

I am not a fan of the plastic clip-on attachment method used by the sternum strap. I have had that on other packs and they never seem to stay on. I also find that the strap just works it's way into different positions all day long; generally too high up.

For me, the mesh side pockets are 2-3 inches too high to be useful for water bottles. Won't really know for certain until I can load the pack up, but empty I cannot reach above the top of them to insert or remove a bottle. I can always push a bottle up from the bottom, but not very useful if I cannot put it back. I will have to see which of my CamelBack bladders is a good fit although I prefer bottles for ease of refilling. Also, have yet to figure out the proper routing for the tube from the bladder to the outside. Doesn't seem to be an access port as on my other packs.

Really my only initial observation/complaint is that I prefer a few more zippered pockets. I will have to see what my many packing pouches and cubes can do for me instead.

Until I looked through my old pack collection I had forgotten about the Kata Bumblebee UL-222. Chris I am guessing that might be one of the "failed attempts" at a TMP photo backpack that you were thinking about. I never loved that pack. A lot of weird, too small, too tight external pockets. The most bizarre shoulder straps that were too stiff and not airplane bin friendly. I really did like their bright yellow cube interior.

Chris 222 wrote:

Ken Gosden wrote:

starfly wrote:

Chris 222 wrote:

starfly wrote:

Well I received the backpack. Looks and feels well made. The bottom isn't rubberized though, it's just a thicker nylon like material than the rest of the bag (perhaps a final change from the prototype Chris tested).

Nope, no change. This was already addressed above. Basically Vaude used the standard industry practice of a stronger material that receives a slightly different coating.

I think we can safely assume that "rubberized" is just one of the many odd or just bad translations from German on the CS site.

I'm actually glad it's not rubberized, as that type of material tends to flake off with age anyway. Starts to look ugly and can make an otherwise decent bag look completely worn out.

I for some reason received two XL cubes. One was in the backpack and is just all gray, the other one is the black one listed on their website.

Check the provenance on the grey/beige one: Vietnam or China?

Also, check the dividers on the grey/beige one. Does the hook side actually adhere to the loop lining of the Cube? On the one I initially received there was practically no grip.

I can't tell where the gray one was made, but the dividers don't stick at all to the sides. Terrible velcro they're using. In that sense, glad they included the other cube as well, as in that one the velcro sticks just fine.

Mine arrived today with both cubes.

Neither has any provenance. It is not that the Velcro on the gray dividers is bad, rather the material used for the inside of the cube itself is not substantially piled loop side for grip.

Not to split hairs here but "Velcro" is actually made of two parts. The Hook and the Loop. What I find astonishing here is that we now have two customers who have received defective ICUs (the grey/beige ones) and apparently without so much as a note of explanation.

I would normally not have disclosed this, but in light of what I see I feel it is the right thing to do. What happened is that the Vaude factory, last year, used the wrong "loop" material for the Cubes, making them pretty useless and resulting in lots of unhappy customers for Cosyspeed. At the time I was told that CS was replacing the cubes for free, but since they are still shipping bad units, one has to wonder.

Since the new black ones (supposedly mass produced at a different factory in China) are not even available right now (site shows "Pre-order! Delivery in June 2021!" I'm not making this up...) I can only assume that they had a very small batch of black ones made.

Anyhow, no transparency, no sharing of vitally important info with the customer (even on SM from what I'm told): keeping the customer completely in the dark seems to be an acceptable practice at Cosyspeed. Befuddling and sad.

Also, only the separate black cube has the D-rings and shoulder strap. The gray one does have wood panels in the sides and the zip top cover seems thinner with a grab handle on the cover as well as the top. Thinner certainly makes it easier to keep out of the way when it is open.

The black one feels much sturdier than the gray one. Gray has hard panels on both long sides, but the two short sides don't have it. The black one has hard panels on all sides, so seems like the better cube.

Actually the grey one is FAR stronger (I found out the hard way, check my review again.)

I'm sure it is, but what I like about the black cube is that the top and bottom sides also have thick padding. Particularly for the bottom I like that, as that's where I can fit my 100-500 lens.

The gray one has absolutely no padding down there, so when setting the bag on the ground there would be no protection for any lenses on that side.

BUT, the black one is ever so slightly longer than the gray one, making it harder to open up the cube while it's in the backpack than the gray one.

Yup, the CEO told me they would do that. Never said why but I agree that it makes access to the zipper a little more difficult. What I suggest doing is simply zip both sides up to about two inches from the top. Don't worry, you gear won't go anywhere.

Yep, that's what I did last night, figured there's not need to fully close it each time.

I'll need to see which one I'll like using more. It's between a stronger sturdier cube and one that's easier to open.

The side zipped laptop compartment is nice, fits my 14" laptop easily. And then the main part of the backpack has a divider that you can zip open or leave it closed. I'll leave it closed as I can put in a few odds an ends there while traveling (such as headphones, books, etc.). And then the brain has a mesh pocket underneath it, good spot for passports and such. And the top part has a couple of organizational pockets and otherwise just a large open space.

Comfort is good, though the straps run a little close to my neck, will see how that fares while carrying it for many hours (hoping it doesn't rub my skin).

Probably just simple adjustments needed, this takes time and many miles (all packs behave differently while loaded and actually used out there.)

These are my short initial impressions.

Thanks for sharing!

And remember how we do it (FAQ 1): minimum of 100 miles (~161 kms) and 10,000 feet (~3000 meters) elevation (up and down mountains) testing the pack with varying loads, terrains and weather.

Yeah, I'll get to test it in the coming months. But I can already tell it'll be a keeper either way. Perhaps not as feature rich as some dedicated photography backpacks, but those carry like bricks anyway. It has enough features to satisfy my needs. And it's great you can just remove the cube and turn it into a fully fledged hiking pack when photography gear isn't needed (but who am I kidding, I'll always have at least some photography gear on me).

Oh, and my tripod fits perfectly well in one of the side pockets. Somehow putting it on my left feels more natural. I could put it centered on the outside of the pack in the large mesh pocket, but that pocket will then probably wear out pretty quickly.

Now it's time to cut out or blacken-out the "photohiker" branding

Looks good at first review. Doubt I will get time to load the cube with gear until the weekend. As Chris mentioned in the review there are a lot of loose strap ends everywhere. I do wish that the hip belt pockets were like on the Atlas which have pouches inside that pull out. They are large enough on the Atlas to hold my Olympus 12-40 f2.8 lens. That let's me carry the body with the 40-150 or other telezoom attached for wildlife. and still be able to switch to a landscape lens without dropping the pack. I would trade the side pockets for Molle or similar attachment points so I can choose a pouch of my own.

I hear ya! Alternatively, try something like the Talon, just swing it to the front (see Article 5.) Not perfect but works pretty well. Ou just check your old fanny packs. I have a couple that work great with MFT gear for this.

I am not a fan of the plastic clip-on attachment method used by the sternum strap. I have had that on other packs and they never seem to stay on. I also find that the strap just works it's way into different positions all day long; generally too high up.

There was no slippage on our test unit but you're right, I've experienced this on some other packs. Unfortunately, this mechanism seems to be the norm these days.

You do have a couple of options. If you're certain about your sternum strap height and never change it, us a small piece of metal with a crimping tool and set it just below the strap connector, on the "spine" that runs up and down.

If you know you might move it, just use a small stainless steel safety pin that runs though the spine,

For me, the mesh side pockets

wow... those pockets are made of mesh on your pack?

No, I misspoke, they are stretchy material.

are 2-3 inches too high to be useful for water bottles. Won't really know for certain until I can load the pack up, but empty I cannot reach above the top of them to insert or remove a bottle. I can always push a bottle up from the bottom, but not very useful if I cannot put it back.

No issue here mentioned by any tester but different people have different motion range. As noted in the review, the front of the pocket is lower so this is where you want to put your bottle. Loaded packs feel very different so you'll have to see.

Push comes to shove, do what we all do with high-pocket packs (very common) unclip the front belt, swing the pack slightly to the front and grab the bottle with your opposite hand.

I will have to see which of my CamelBack bladders is a good fit although I prefer bottles for ease of refilling. Also, have yet to figure out the proper routing for the tube from the bladder to the outside. Doesn't seem to be an access port as on my other packs.

Yup. You can run the hose all the way through the top opening but it's far from ideal.

Best workaround is to set a hole+ grommet where it works best for you, keeping in mind that there's only one hose clip on the left shoulder strap.

That is my likely plan once I figure out how to get into the right area.

Really my only initial observation/complaint is that I prefer a few more zippered pockets. I will have to see what my many packing pouches and cubes can do for me instead.

Answer: a LOT. Hee hee... Always good to have a bunch of those at hand.

Until I looked through my old pack collection I had forgotten about the Kata Bumblebee UL-222. Chris I am guessing that might be one of the "failed attempts" at a TMP photo backpack that you were thinking about.

Yes.

I never loved that pack. A lot of weird, too small, too tight external pockets. The most bizarre shoulder straps that were too stiff and not airplane bin friendly.

Indeed. That pack actually had some nice features but they completely botched those shoulder straps. They were just horrible.

Seemed more like a harness, then straps.

I really did like their bright yellow cube interior.

+1.

Ken Gosden wrote:

Looks good at first review. Doubt I will get time to load the cube with gear until the weekend. As Chris mentioned in the review there are a lot of loose strap ends everywhere. I do wish that the hip belt pockets were like on the Atlas which have pouches inside that pull out. They are large enough on the Atlas to hold my Olympus 12-40 f2.8 lens. That let's me carry the body with the 40-150 or other telezoom attached for wildlife. and still be able to switch to a landscape lens without dropping the pack. I would trade the side pockets for Molle or similar attachment points so I can choose a pouch of my own.

Hi Ken, I wondered how you are getting on with you Cosyspeed 44?

Also, how does it stack up gainst the Atlas (was that Athlete or Adventure?). I was seriously considering one until I came across Chris' dissertation on camera backpacks.

I'm looking for a siolution to accommodate a 40cm long camera + lens.

Thanks, Richard

No Time To Lose wrote:

Ken Gosden wrote:

Looks good at first review. Doubt I will get time to load the cube with gear until the weekend. As Chris mentioned in the review there are a lot of loose strap ends everywhere. I do wish that the hip belt pockets were like on the Atlas which have pouches inside that pull out. They are large enough on the Atlas to hold my Olympus 12-40 f2.8 lens. That let's me carry the body with the 40-150 or other telezoom attached for wildlife. and still be able to switch to a landscape lens without dropping the pack. I would trade the side pockets for Molle or similar attachment points so I can choose a pouch of my own.

Hi Ken, I wondered how you are getting on with you Cosyspeed 44?

Also, how does it stack up gainst the Atlas (was that Athlete or Adventure?). I was seriously considering one until I came across Chris' dissertation on camera backpacks.

I'm looking for a siolution to accommodate a 40cm long camera + lens.

Thanks, Richard

I have the Athlete which replaced my Fstop Guru.  Atlas Athlete vs. Cosyspeed is a tougher call for me.  Honestly I like and dislike them both equally. I agree with a lot of the logic and hiking experience from Chris' point of view relative to hiking packs.  However, both represent compromises which are inevitable in this use case.  And it is important to note how personal this use case can be.  It is as bad as the Apple and Android choice. A lot is going to depend on your very specific use.

I have used both packs more than once on 8-12 mile day hikes in both southern summers and western winters. The Atlas has been with me to Yellowstone in December with some light hiking and snowshoeing in temps around 5-35F. Probably a total of 40 miles over 5-6 days.  Also, last spring in the Smoky Mountains covering about 70 miles in 8 days of day hiking with the longest day at 12 miles and maybe 5000 feet of climbing.  The first big trip with the Cosyspeed was a week around Mount Rainier all day hiking.  covering similar distances and climbing totals last August.  Just a couple of weeks ago the Cosyspeed did winter duty in southern Utah for a week.  It was a little warmer and drier than my Yellowstone winter trip, but the hiking was probably comparable.

On my body, and in my typical photo hiking use I have not found one to be tremendously more comfortable than the other at the end of the day.  I would probably give a slight edge to the Cosyspeed and it is a little less annoying regarding sweating.  Not that I sweat that much less wearing it, but at least I don't sweat through the back panel and soak the actual pack itself.  Some of my comfort challenge might be that I have not quite dialed in the very adjustable Cosyspeed. A minus of that adjustment is that the shoulder harness adjustment latch is too easy to grab when picking up the pack by the grab handle.  Also the waist belt on the Cosyspeed seems to need constant tightening.

Both hold my m4/3rds gear pretty well.  What I pack varies a good bit depending on what I expect to photograph.  I also pack it slightly differently for traveling to a location versus how it is packed when actually hiking.  For traveling, generally via airplane, I find I can get about the same amount of gear that I refuse to check into each bag.  My typical complement of gear is 1-2 Olympus OMD EM1 bodies, one with the 12-40 pro attached. one with no lens.  The 40-150 Pro, 7-14, 60mm macro, 300 F4 pro and both the mc14 and mc20 teleconverters.  in the Atlas the 300 has to go in the non-photo top of the bag in a lens wrap for travel.  I occasionally pack a medium sized flash, the FL-36, or the Olympus twin macro flash.  My tripod, a midsized Manfrotto, is in checked luggage although this last trip I decided to also bring my Peak Design tripod as carryon.  I had planned some possible slot canyon hikes and wanted to have something more compact in those tight spaces.

When I am actually hiking the gear gets rearranged.  I still like the Peak Capture clip even though I agree it can wreck havoc on a shoulder strap over time.  I just have not found any other solution that fits my use.  The EM1 with the 12-40 is what I have on it 90% on the time.  If I am walking in an area where I am expecting wildlife I generally have the EM1 with the 40-150 in my hand.  That only goes onto the capture clip for short periods generally when I need both hands to climb over a fallen tree or a short rock scramble.  With the one body and lens out of the pack there is always room to move the 300 F4 into the padded section.

My photohiking style is a lot of constant stopping over a mile with stretches of continuous hiking of 1-2 miles to the next stretch of constant stopping.  Most of that is not stopping long enough to want to take the pack off.  I am perfectly comfortable wearing either pack loaded crawling on the ground while taking a few flower or insect close ups.  If the stop is something like a waterfall or nice stretch of stream cascades, then the pack comes off.  This has driven my complaints about needing a way to manage a body and one extra lens without removing the pack.  When that is any combination of the 12-40, 7-14 and 60 macro I usually manage in the Atlas using the capture clip on the shoulder strap and a lens in one of the belt pockets.  With the Cosyspeed I end up with the extra lens in a pants pocket (I tend to wear 4-way stretch hiking pants which handle the lenses pretty well).  I have managed to strap on a variety of lens pouches to the Cosyspeed, but nothing satisfactory.  There are no really stable places that are in ready reach on that pack.

Build quality on both seems comparable.  I have had no failed bits on the Atlas. On the Cosyspeed padded insert one of the zipper pulls failed the first day of use at Rainier.  I ended up replacing it with a small nylon cable tie.  Neither padded compartment fits my gear with the provided inserts and dividers.  Having a lifetime collection of bags I have similar collection of dividers and can generally make something that gets close.  I have not tried the custom dividers from Chris' article.  But I have sewn a few over the years.  It never fails that you make them for one bag and the next bag needs the hook side where the last needed the loop side.

Hydration wise I prefer the hydration bladder storage in the Cosyspeed for ease of insertion.  I don't really care for the routing of the tube.  The bladder is very hard to insert into the Atlas as the side compartment is very tight.  I find that for my the side pockets on the Cosyspeed are about 1-2 inches too high for me to be able to easily access a water bottle.  I can get it out with some difficulty, but putting one back is much harder.  The pockets on the Atlas are just enough lower that I can extract and insert a bottle without dislocating my shoulder.

For air travel I have had no real issues getting either into the standard overhead bins.  The Atlas is a little easier, but that is true of any pressure fit versus tmp pack.  I did use compression straps on the Cosyspeed once to cinch the pack down a bit as it is a tight fit in some bins.  I will say the Cosyspeed suspension is easier for travel than my original tmp camera bag, the Kata Bumblebee.  That one had a frame that was seemed to have much more total volume and just plain horrible stiff shoulder straps.

Finally, I have not had the Cosyspeed in any really serious rain.  The Atlas has gotten pretty wet and either one with a rain cover is not going to stay completely dry when you have tripods and bottles on the outside. I do have oversized rain covers to handle that, but fit is never perfect.  The Atlas plus of having the padding totally integrated in the bag does save a little volume, but it also means once wet you cannot remove it to speed drying.

I only have my m4/3rds gear to check what might fit.  If you PM me I would be glad to take a few quick photos of some that might be comparable in size to yours in both bags.  My guess is that 40cm (assuming back of camera to front of lens) will be a challenge.  My EM1 with the 300 F4 is only in the 32-34cm range and I can't recall packing it assembled in either bag.

Sorry if this was rather free form rambling.  I use all my structured thought mental ability during my working hours

Chris 222 wrote:

Ken Gosden wrote:

No Time To Lose wrote:

Ken Gosden wrote:

Looks good at first review. Doubt I will get time to load the cube with gear until the weekend. As Chris mentioned in the review there are a lot of loose strap ends everywhere. I do wish that the hip belt pockets were like on the Atlas which have pouches inside that pull out. They are large enough on the Atlas to hold my Olympus 12-40 f2.8 lens. That let's me carry the body with the 40-150 or other telezoom attached for wildlife. and still be able to switch to a landscape lens without dropping the pack. I would trade the side pockets for Molle or similar attachment points so I can choose a pouch of my own.

Hi Ken, I wondered how you are getting on with you Cosyspeed 44?

Also, how does it stack up gainst the Atlas (was that Athlete or Adventure?). I was seriously considering one until I came across Chris' dissertation on camera backpacks.

I'm looking for a siolution to accommodate a 40cm long camera + lens.

Thanks, Richard

I have the Athlete which replaced my Fstop Guru. Atlas Athlete vs. Cosyspeed is a tougher call for me. Honestly I like and dislike them both equally. I agree with a lot of the logic and hiking experience from Chris' point of view relative to hiking packs. However, both represent compromises which are inevitable in this use case. And it is important to note how personal this use case can be. It is as bad as the Apple and Android choice. A lot is going to depend on your very specific use.

I have used both packs more than once on 8-12 mile day hikes in both southern summers and western winters. The Atlas has been with me to Yellowstone in December with some light hiking and snowshoeing in temps around 5-35F. Probably a total of 40 miles over 5-6 days. Also, last spring in the Smoky Mountains covering about 70 miles in 8 days of day hiking with the longest day at 12 miles and maybe 5000 feet of climbing. The first big trip with the Cosyspeed was a week around Mount Rainier all day hiking. covering similar distances and climbing totals last August. Just a couple of weeks ago the Cosyspeed did winter duty in southern Utah for a week. It was a little warmer and drier than my Yellowstone winter trip, but the hiking was probably comparable.

On my body, and in my typical photo hiking use I have not found one to be tremendously more comfortable than the other at the end of the day. I would probably give a slight edge to the Cosyspeed and it is a little less annoying regarding sweating. Not that I sweat that much less wearing it, but at least I don't sweat through the back panel and soak the actual pack itself.

You make a great point. PP backpanels are stitched into a very large piece of fabric (rear part of the pack's main compartment) that is supposed to be waterproof or "water-repellent" but that's just not true when you have a source of moisture (sweat) that constantly drenches that fabric. It enters the packs via both the stitches and capillarity and the worst part is that is never really dries over multi-day hikes. I'm working on some updated and new FAQs for R1 and this is one of the topics.

This is of course not an issue at all with TMP packs.

Some of my comfort challenge might be that I have not quite dialed in the very adjustable Cosyspeed. A minus of that adjustment is that the shoulder harness adjustment latch is too easy to grab when picking up the pack by the grab handle. Also the waist belt on the Cosyspeed seems to need constant tightening.

Odd. Problem with the triglides maybe?

Not sure what "triglides" might be. It seems to be a slow and steady loosening as I mainly detect it by the increasing mass hanging off my shoulders. Again, it could be a fit issue. And since I often take off the pack 10-15 times in a mile when I am taking a lot of pictures it could just be that I never quite get it situated right as I start a longer stretch of pure hiking.

Both hold my m4/3rds gear pretty well. What I pack varies a good bit depending on what I expect to photograph. I also pack it slightly differently for traveling to a location versus how it is packed when actually hiking. For traveling, generally via airplane, I find I can get about the same amount of gear that I refuse to check into each bag. My typical complement of gear is 1-2 Olympus OMD EM1 bodies, one with the 12-40 pro attached. one with no lens. The 40-150 Pro, 7-14, 60mm macro, 300 F4 pro and both the mc14 and mc20 teleconverters. in the Atlas the 300 has to go in the non-photo top of the bag in a lens wrap for travel. I occasionally pack a medium sized flash, the FL-36, or the Olympus twin macro flash. My tripod, a midsized Manfrotto, is in checked luggage although this last trip I decided to also bring my Peak Design tripod as carryon. I had planned some possible slot canyon hikes and wanted to have something more compact in those tight spaces.

When I am actually hiking the gear gets rearranged. I still like the Peak Capture clip even though I agree it can wreck havoc on a shoulder strap over time. I just have not found any other solution that fits my use. The EM1 with the 12-40 is what I have on it 90% on the time. If I am walking in an area where I am expecting wildlife I generally have the EM1 with the 40-150 in my hand. That only goes onto the capture clip for short periods generally when I need both hands to climb over a fallen tree or a short rock scramble. With the one body and lens out of the pack there is always room to move the 300 F4 into the padded section.

My photohiking style is a lot of constant stopping over a mile with stretches of continuous hiking of 1-2 miles to the next stretch of constant stopping. Most of that is not stopping long enough to want to take the pack off. I am perfectly comfortable wearing either pack loaded crawling on the ground while taking a few flower or insect close ups. If the stop is something like a waterfall or nice stretch of stream cascades, then the pack comes off. This has driven my complaints about needing a way to manage a body and one extra lens without removing the pack. When that is any combination of the 12-40, 7-14 and 60 macro I usually manage in the Atlas using the capture clip on the shoulder strap and a lens in one of the belt pockets. With the Cosyspeed I end up with the extra lens in a pants pocket (I tend to wear 4-way stretch hiking pants which handle the lenses pretty well). I have managed to strap on a variety of lens pouches to the Cosyspeed, but nothing satisfactory. There are no really stable places that are in ready reach on that pack.

Build quality on both seems comparable. I have had no failed bits on the Atlas. On the Cosyspeed padded insert one of the zipper pulls failed the first day of use at Rainier. I ended up replacing it with a small nylon cable tie. Neither padded compartment fits my gear with the provided inserts and dividers. Having a lifetime collection of bags I have similar collection of dividers and can generally make something that gets close. I have not tried the custom dividers from Chris' article. But I have sewn a few over the years. It never fails that you make them for one bag and the next bag needs the hook side where the last needed the loop side.

LOL, so true!

But hey, you don't buy new photo hardware every couple months, right? If I were in your shoes I would spend a little time making the exact dividers I need. Also, consider making them with double flaps, they hold up in position SO much better than the single ones!

Yes, but I find that my photo load changes on nearly every hike. I really have 3-4 different configurations that I would want to use on a regular basis. Just don't want to buy and build a Landscape, Wildlife, Macro and general travel insert for each.

Hydration wise I prefer the hydration bladder storage in the Cosyspeed for ease of insertion. I don't really care for the routing of the tube. The bladder is very hard to insert into the Atlas as the side compartment is very tight. I find that for my the side pockets on the Cosyspeed are about 1-2 inches too high for me to be able to easily access a water bottle. I can get it out with some difficulty, but putting one back is much harder. The pockets on the Atlas are just enough lower that I can extract and insert a bottle without dislocating my shoulder.

For air travel I have had no real issues getting either into the standard overhead bins. The Atlas is a little easier, but that is true of any pressure fit versus tmp pack. I did use compression straps on the Cosyspeed once to cinch the pack down a bit as it is a tight fit in some bins. I will say the Cosyspeed suspension is easier for travel than my original tmp camera bag, the Kata Bumblebee. That one had a frame that was seemed to have much more total volume and just plain horrible stiff shoulder straps.

Finally, I have not had the Cosyspeed in any really serious rain. The Atlas has gotten pretty wet and either one with a rain cover is not going to stay completely dry when you have tripods and bottles on the outside. I do have oversized rain covers to handle that, but fit is never perfect.

That's okay, a tight fit is actually not a good thing in constant rain.

It's not an issue with it being tight. More of it staying put over the top of the pack. Not a big deal overall since I am not doing more than day hikes and generally not going on if the rain is that bad.

Have a gander at FAQ 15 which describes the 2 mods many of us make to our rain covers (mid-strap with buckle, drain holes)... problem solved!

The Atlas plus of having the padding totally integrated in the bag does save a little volume, but it also means once wet you cannot remove it to speed drying.

I only have my m4/3rds gear to check what might fit. If you PM me I would be glad to take a few quick photos of some that might be comparable in size to yours in both bags. My guess is that 40cm (assuming back of camera to front of lens) will be a challenge. My EM1 with the 300 F4 is only in the 32-34cm range and I can't recall packing it assembled in either bag.

Sorry if this was rather free form rambling. I use all my structured thought mental ability during my working hours

Nice post Ken.

I was surprised though by your issues with using a second cam on the CP44, especially since it's one of the very few packs on the market (all brands and models combined) that has such wide side pockets. If memory serves, they're nearly twice as wide as some of my Futuras, and I have been plopping both compacts with long zooms and ILCs with a medium zoom or lens in and out of those, lens first, for years. In fact it's wide enough on the CP44 that I remember plopping a EM1.3+12-100 in the CP44 with the lens up in testing!

The side pockets on the CP44 are very generous indeed.  They can handle all three legs of my Manfrotto tripod although I typically put only two inside to not over strain it.

I think the issue is more with a technique that you may not be aware of, and in fact I'll have a new quick FAQ about that because I've had some private conversations that make me think you're far from being the only one.

In a nutshell, what we've been doing for eons is simply release the shoulder buckle on the side we need to access by a few inches. You don't have to drop the pack but you can now just lift your elbow and grab or drop anything that's in the pocket. With a bit of practice you can even loosen and re-tighten the lower compression strap.

For me it is really a range of motion problem in my shoulders. Even on the Atlas where I can access a water bottle in the side pockets it is often painful. I do regularly loosen and tighten the lower compression strap.  And I can generally get the bottle out and back in, but it causes shoulder joint pain about 50% of the time. When I drop the shoulder strap the top of the pocket is farther from my body and I just don't bend like that these days. One of the reasons I prefer to use a CamelBack bladder. The side pockets are my lunch time and reserve water source.

For reference, some of my hikes follow the same MO you described above, and on those I would estimate that I use this technique anywhere from 10 to 50 times a day. It takes literally seconds so that's no biggie. Still, it's a bit harder to do with loads above say, 30 pounds.

I haven't weighed my loaded pack, but I suspect I am right around 25-30 pounds with water.  Hiking solo and often on less traveled trails, I don't go out without adequate water, at least a 1000 calories of food beyond a lunch, flash lights, extra cell phone power bank, space blanket and rain gear or an extra light shell. No desire to be the next statistic at the end of a search and rescue mission.

Anyhow, some manufacturers have started including pockets with dual access (top and side) which I think is a good step forward, but the workaround is pretty easy.

I have the Athlete which replaced my Fstop Guru. Atlas Athlete vs. Cosyspeed is a tougher call for me. Honestly I like and dislike them both equally. I agree with a lot of the logic and hiking experience from Chris' point of view relative to hiking packs. However, both represent compromises which are inevitable in this use case. And it is important to note how personal this use case can be. It is as bad as the Apple and Android choice. A lot is going to depend on your very specific use.

I have used both packs more than once on 8-12 mile day hikes in both southern summers and western winters. The Atlas has been with me to Yellowstone in December with some light hiking and snowshoeing in temps around 5-35F. Probably a total of 40 miles over 5-6 days. Also, last spring in the Smoky Mountains covering about 70 miles in 8 days of day hiking with the longest day at 12 miles and maybe 5000 feet of climbing. The first big trip with the Cosyspeed was a week around Mount Rainier all day hiking. covering similar distances and climbing totals last August. Just a couple of weeks ago the Cosyspeed did winter duty in southern Utah for a week. It was a little warmer and drier than my Yellowstone winter trip, but the hiking was probably comparable.

On my body, and in my typical photo hiking use I have not found one to be tremendously more comfortable than the other at the end of the day. I would probably give a slight edge to the Cosyspeed and it is a little less annoying regarding sweating. Not that I sweat that much less wearing it, but at least I don't sweat through the back panel and soak the actual pack itself. Some of my comfort challenge might be that I have not quite dialed in the very adjustable Cosyspeed. A minus of that adjustment is that the shoulder harness adjustment latch is too easy to grab when picking up the pack by the grab handle. Also the waist belt on the Cosyspeed seems to need constant tightening.

Both hold my m4/3rds gear pretty well. What I pack varies a good bit depending on what I expect to photograph. I also pack it slightly differently for traveling to a location versus how it is packed when actually hiking. For traveling, generally via airplane, I find I can get about the same amount of gear that I refuse to check into each bag. My typical complement of gear is 1-2 Olympus OMD EM1 bodies, one with the 12-40 pro attached. one with no lens. The 40-150 Pro, 7-14, 60mm macro, 300 F4 pro and both the mc14 and mc20 teleconverters. in the Atlas the 300 has to go in the non-photo top of the bag in a lens wrap for travel. I occasionally pack a medium sized flash, the FL-36, or the Olympus twin macro flash. My tripod, a midsized Manfrotto, is in checked luggage although this last trip I decided to also bring my Peak Design tripod as carryon. I had planned some possible slot canyon hikes and wanted to have something more compact in those tight spaces.

When I am actually hiking the gear gets rearranged. I still like the Peak Capture clip even though I agree it can wreck havoc on a shoulder strap over time. I just have not found any other solution that fits my use. The EM1 with the 12-40 is what I have on it 90% on the time. If I am walking in an area where I am expecting wildlife I generally have the EM1 with the 40-150 in my hand. That only goes onto the capture clip for short periods generally when I need both hands to climb over a fallen tree or a short rock scramble. With the one body and lens out of the pack there is always room to move the 300 F4 into the padded section.

My photohiking style is a lot of constant stopping over a mile with stretches of continuous hiking of 1-2 miles to the next stretch of constant stopping. Most of that is not stopping long enough to want to take the pack off. I am perfectly comfortable wearing either pack loaded crawling on the ground while taking a few flower or insect close ups. If the stop is something like a waterfall or nice stretch of stream cascades, then the pack comes off. This has driven my complaints about needing a way to manage a body and one extra lens without removing the pack. When that is any combination of the 12-40, 7-14 and 60 macro I usually manage in the Atlas using the capture clip on the shoulder strap and a lens in one of the belt pockets. With the Cosyspeed I end up with the extra lens in a pants pocket (I tend to wear 4-way stretch hiking pants which handle the lenses pretty well). I have managed to strap on a variety of lens pouches to the Cosyspeed, but nothing satisfactory. There are no really stable places that are in ready reach on that pack.

Build quality on both seems comparable. I have had no failed bits on the Atlas. On the Cosyspeed padded insert one of the zipper pulls failed the first day of use at Rainier. I ended up replacing it with a small nylon cable tie. Neither padded compartment fits my gear with the provided inserts and dividers. Having a lifetime collection of bags I have similar collection of dividers and can generally make something that gets close. I have not tried the custom dividers from Chris' article. But I have sewn a few over the years. It never fails that you make them for one bag and the next bag needs the hook side where the last needed the loop side.

Hydration wise I prefer the hydration bladder storage in the Cosyspeed for ease of insertion. I don't really care for the routing of the tube. The bladder is very hard to insert into the Atlas as the side compartment is very tight. I find that for my the side pockets on the Cosyspeed are about 1-2 inches too high for me to be able to easily access a water bottle. I can get it out with some difficulty, but putting one back is much harder. The pockets on the Atlas are just enough lower that I can extract and insert a bottle without dislocating my shoulder.

For air travel I have had no real issues getting either into the standard overhead bins. The Atlas is a little easier, but that is true of any pressure fit versus tmp pack. I did use compression straps on the Cosyspeed once to cinch the pack down a bit as it is a tight fit in some bins. I will say the Cosyspeed suspension is easier for travel than my original tmp camera bag, the Kata Bumblebee. That one had a frame that was seemed to have much more total volume and just plain horrible stiff shoulder straps.

Finally, I have not had the Cosyspeed in any really serious rain. The Atlas has gotten pretty wet and either one with a rain cover is not going to stay completely dry when you have tripods and bottles on the outside. I do have oversized rain covers to handle that, but fit is never perfect. The Atlas plus of having the padding totally integrated in the bag does save a little volume, but it also means once wet you cannot remove it to speed drying.

I only have my m4/3rds gear to check what might fit. If you PM me I would be glad to take a few quick photos of some that might be comparable in size to yours in both bags. My guess is that 40cm (assuming back of camera to front of lens) will be a challenge. My EM1 with the 300 F4 is only in the 32-34cm range and I can't recall packing it assembled in either bag.

Sorry if this was rather free form rambling. I use all my structured thought mental ability during my working hours

Thanks very much for the detailed resoponse Ken.  Length / rambling not an issue - I find it very helpful to have the context because everybody's needs are different.

Your gear is similar to mine except I virtually never carry a tripod and have PL 8-18, 12-100 & 150-400. It is the 1X / 150-400 that is really throwing up the backpack challenges. My current  Mindshift Rotation 180 Pro was great for camera access when I had the EM1.2 & PL 100-400 (the 1.2, 12-100, filters and 8-18 all fitted neatly in the rotation pack.

I like the Capture clip too - great once the camera has come out but better with a 1.xx body than the 1X. I'm still figuring out the best way to carry the 1x + 100-400 when its out of the bag. While it's not sooo much heavier than the 300, it is more cumbersome.

My use is also similar - generally photography while out ather than going out for photography. You can do what you want on your own but my wife generally wants to complete the planned hike before dark. Typical hikes are up to 10-15 miles - at the higher end when we go somewhere special. The hills are exactly that (i.e not mountains) here in the UK but we like to travel and then we see a lot more mountains.

Thank you for the PM offer - I'll follow up on that. If I were to go the Atlas route, the Adventure might be the way to go for me.