I don’t know a lot about camera bags, but Lowepro is well known for their quality and I’ve only had good experiences using their bags. They’re rugged, well equipped and divided properly with easy access.

This one is quite soft, therefore comfortable to wear with a big, padded part against the back. It holds a single body and between three and four lenses or a couple of lenses and a flash. I’ve successfully loaded a DSLR with a mounted lens, a tele lens, a small DV-camcorder, a mini tripod and a Speedlight — and some cables, filters etc. Basically all I need… It gets quite heavy, but the shoulder strap is reasonably padded.

In case of bad weather, its All Weather Cover keeps the rain out. Relatively easy to operate, although it makes it a bit difficult getting to your gear. During daily use, a zipper across the top gives you access to the camera in the middle of the bag without the need to actually having to open it.

There are all the usual pockets and a few places to drop a book, a map or something like that. And here’s the thing: Though officially not a laptop/camera-bag, a 12″ Powerbook fits perfectly in the big pocket at the back of the bag, making it the perfect companion for a day out. It obviously takes up some of the space, but a DSLR, a Powerbook, a DV-cam and a charger, some cables, a set of headphones and a book easily fits. You don’t want to carry that around all day, it’s heavy as hell, but compared to carrying two bags all day…

When not in use, my 12″ Powerbook lives in its padded home aka the Acme ‘the slim’ laptop sleeve/bag. It’s a tight-fit sleeve-ish laptop bag with room for nothing than the laptop itself and a few slim items in the front pocket. Apart from its simple design, the advantage of the Acme is its small form factor, which makes it the perfect hybrid between a laptop sleeve and an actual bag. I use it as a sleeve inside my Chrome bag deep forest iii comparsa download mp3 but every once in a while, I head off to a meeting without the need for anything than my laptop. And while it’s actually a bit too metro for my liking, it is kinda handy that it has a shoulderstrap and a set of leather handles for carrying.

All in all, it looks a bit too slick, but is incredibly practical compared to its fellow sleeves.

First, a quick look on my most trusted friend, the always-on-my-bag Chrome Citizen messenger bag. I’ve had it for almost two years and apart from general wear and tear and the beatiful camo pattern going a bit pale where it touches the back, I have to say it’s still as good as new. It doesn’t do anything fancy; one big compartment, a small pocket on the front for keys and other small items and the usual place to put your pens — as if anyone ever had the need for that. It’s waterproof; the big compartment is surrounded by some rubbery fancy material I’m sure has a classy name I can’t remember and is flowing freely within the Cordura outer shell.

The strap is heavily padded and has an extra strap for holding it in place — a feature that can function as extra security as well, should someone decide to push the big trademark buckle on the front. It’s incredibly convenient not having to take the bag over the head all the time, so if you just get to unbuckle it yourself, it’s kinda clever.

I’ve had my hands on a lot of other messenger bags that of course is the obvious choice when you go around by bike a lot (go Copenhagen) but this is by far the most comfortable. One thing it doesn’t do, however, is being the usual shoulderbag. The strap simply isn’t long enough and is shaped in a way that doesn’t make that an option — which is fine by me; it’s not healthy anyway. The adjustment of the strap (which by the way is seat belt-ish) is pull-in-one-end, release-by-pulling-the-metal-ring-at-the-other-end which works fine but maybe isn’t as smooth as the Timbuk2 heavy-duty plastic buckle. A matter of taste, I guess.

It’s big enough to hold a 15″ laptop (I’m carrying a 12″) but isn’t padded enough for that use — you’ll need a seperate laptop sleeve for that (more on that later). Due to it’s shape, it holds quite some stuff but quickly gets uncomfortable if you don’t pack it right. Ideally you should always have a laptop or similarly flat against your back, which is pretty much the only thing I can think of that woudl go against recommending this rugged piece of equipment. So it’s hereby recommended.

(I’m thinking of doing more reviews / recommendations. If you think that’s a stupid idea or just consumerism at its worst, leave a comment.)