F-Stop Loka photo packpack and new ICUs – photo showcase

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by dancarrphoto, Reuben Krabbe . Reuben Krabbe said: salivating over new @fstopgear camera bag Loka on @dancarrphoto's blog: http://bit.ly/cjs1fA want want want want want [...]

Dan,

These bags look amazing.
Once ive got some money in my pocket, i think I’ll be getting one.

One question… its always annoying for me digging through packs to get stuff out especially when on the hill. If you have the small or medium ICU in the bag and extra clothes or whatever on top, is there an external zip to access your gear, or do you have to pull the extra stuff out and then pull the ICU out and re-pack when you’re finished?

Cheers

Hey Sam. The whole back panel opens up on the pack as in this photo here http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/101014_7791_dancarr.jpg

So when you need access to your camera gear you open the back panel and then unzip the panel on the ICU. Mostly when I’m shooting I actually dont even close the ICU panel. Just close the back panel instead.

This photo from an older article about the bigger older version of the Satori pack also shows what I mean.

http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/img_9706.jpg

Does that answer your question?

Great post. New ICU’s look great. I think the new Medium ICU holds just about as much gear as the 1st Gen Large ICU does. Looks like a small downgrade but more room in my pack!

Yeh, that does answer my question.
Thanks a lot.

Yeah Ben. The new ICUs do hold roughly what the one above them held last time round. I used to need the Xl to get my 300 in but now the L is fine.

Is it possible to fit 2 bodies, with 2 lenses on, in the small ICU?

Dan,

Thanks for the great images, quick question though. Could you tell me the approximate folder height of your tripod, my main concern with this pack is its ability to carry a Gitzo 3541LS. Thank you.

Duc, which lenses ?

Obviously not 2 x 70-200 or anything like that……. let me know what you want to fit and if I have them I’ll try it out.

21 inches mate. I think thats about the same as the Gitzo no ? Maybe an inch shorter but I dont think you’d have any issues. I have been looking at getting the 3541 too, or maybe the new RRS TVC-23. Not sure yet.

Thanks, Dan. Just some Zeiss like the 21, 35 and 100. Not that I have them now, but that’s the plan.
And can you fit the small + medium inside. What are the capacity of that combo compared with the large?

Duc I’m afraid I don’t have any of those Zeiss lenses. Can I suggest that you look up the dimensions of the canon 1dMKIV and 70-200 f4 IS that I have in the Small ICU. And then compare that to the dimensions of your Zeiss.

As for your second question…… Yes , please refer to the last picture I posted. As I said there you can fit both the Medium and Small in the bag simultaneously. And you can judge from the gear in the photos how the capacity compares pretty well. That combo is bigger than the large as you will see.

Dan, is the front pocket large enough to hold a shovel blade, handle, and probe? I prefer to keep all of my avy gear in one place, separate from the main compartment and not lashed to the outside of the pack. Thanks.

Hmm probably not Adam. If that is an absolute necessity then check out the Tilopa backpack which is a little larger and designed more with big backcountry missions in mind.

That sucks. I was under the impression/expecting that the designers of this pack would have thought of this.

Adam I’m not sure I see the problem here the designers of this bag DID think of that, its called the Tilopa! The Tilopa is like a Loka but with a dual layered pocket on the front big enough for all that stuff.

In fact the new Tilopa is called the Tilopa BC and will be released in a couple of months. That is designed to be a backcountry pack. If they had made a larger pocket on the front of the Loka then it would have increased it’s bulk and volume almost in line with the Tilopa so you would have a product crossover which is totally pointless and then you anger the people who all called for smaller, lighter, slimmer packs. With different packs, everyone is happy. Except they can’t all be made simultaneously.

When they had just the Tilopa and Satori people who wanted on mountain packs said they were too big, so this is the pack for them. If you need the feature you say, then the Tilopa is the bag that is designed for you not the Loka. Having a slimmer design with a small front pocket also helps keep the weight closer to your body which is much better for skiing.

Personally for me even if I did want to use this pack in the BC I would just put the blade and probe in the front pocket and the handle on the side of the bag. There are loops that are just wide enough for the handle to slip into wo make sure there is a secure fit. That said, most people want to carry the whole lot inside the bag anyway and use the front pocket for things they need more regularly like extra layers and food. There is no speed advantage to keeping the avy gear in the front of the bag, still only 1 zipper away and the main compartment zipper will always be a wider opening so if anything , if you needed that stuff in a split second it will be quicker from the main area.

Otherwise just wait for the new Tilopa BC. It has all the features of the Loka, but with a larger front pocket and sllightly more interior room and an even chunkier waist belt to support the bigger load.

Hmm, sounds like the Tilopa BC is better suited for my needs avy gear-wise but the whole reason I was excited about the Loka was that it was small. I don’t want a big photo pack since I usually only carry one body and one or two lenses w/ me (70-200 2.8 and something shorter), and I was planning on using this thing w/o ICU as my normal ski pack on non-shooting days.

IME, most other camera packs don’t ski/carry very well since they’re designed as camera packs first but the Satoris and Tilopas that I have used (as flash mule for Grant Gunderson) have been amazing. They’re just a bit big for just ripping around w/o camera and flash gear. That’s why I was excited about the Loka; it seemed to be the perfect size for someone like me that wanted a fully-featured ski pack that could be small enough for chairlift rides and could also be a fully-featured camera pack… with the full BC kit.

Basically, I’m the guy that wanted a slimmer lighter Tilopa, but apparently I’m the opposite of the “most people” since I’d rather have my avy gear separate from the mess and chaos that is the main compartment of my pack. That’s where my layers/skins/food/water/first aid/10 essentials/rope/etc. all live, and when I need to get my avy gear quickly (hopefully never), I don’t want to have to dig through all that stuff. All of the BC packs I’ve had in the past 10 years (BCA, Indigo, Osprey, BD, DaKine from 20-40L) have had separate compartments for avy gear, so I guess I’ve just gotten used to that. The only pack that didn’t have that was a Dana Designs from 1992 and it was a PITA to spill everything out to get my avy gear.

The F-stop thread on the TGR forum is what convinced me to pre-order the Loka and it’s waiting for me to return home from work. I guess I’ll just have to wait and see if it’s as big of an issue as I think it is.

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions.

FWIW, I was using the Dana pack the one time that I did have to get to my avy gear in an emergency situation. That was when I decided that keeping my avy gear all mixed up with everything was a bad idea.

I guess the thing I hadn’t considered is what else is in the main compartment. When I use it I have the largest sized ICU in there. So all the there things you listed are not there. Just an ICU and the shovel, probe and handle making them easy enough to grab and extract. I can see that if you had all that other stuff in there it would be a bit of a PITA to dig through all that stuff.

It’s very hard to accommodate everyone exactly, you have to shoot for the “most people” thing. Like I said, a pocket big enough on the front of the loka would really almost turn it into a Tilopa.

Any info on any significant changes to the Tilopa in the new version Dan? I’m about to pull the trigger on a nearly new Tilopa for a decent price.

Dan, What is a better setup IYHO,
Would you recommend just getting the large ICU to store all my gear,
D3s, 24-70, 70-200, and 300mm 2.8 or using two ICU like you have pictured with the 300 in the small ICU and camera and smaller lenses in the medium ICU?

Steven

Forgot to ask, what camera strap do you use on your Canon 1DS mkIV

The strap is some kind of Optech strap that Canon gave me. The padded bit is removable so it is not on there in the photos. Makes it easier to pack.

If you can only have one of the solutions, go with the large ICU.

Thanks for the info Dan,
So when you go out shooting for the day and you know you are going to use both your 70-200 and your 300mm 2.8 you would rather have them all in the large ICU as opposed to carrying them both in the small and medium icu?
Oh yeah forgot to ask you how do you like using RRS MH-01 High Capacity Monopod Head? Do you feel this is a must have

Steven

Steven in the 2 ICU configuration it is hard, if not impossible to pull the 300mm out from the back panel. You have to get it out using the main compartment zipper that is the cause for my preference. The bags were never designed to fit those 2 ICU simultaneously, its just a bit of luck. If you only occasionally use the 300 then you might be fine with that. Also the 2 ICU config you can fit way more stuff then I would be likely to take with me anyway.

As for the MH-01. Not a must have at all. I dont know anyone else with one, but I’m an RRS fanboy

Dan, that’s what I was afraid of, sounded like a nice idea to have two compartments but I also was concerned how hard it would be to actually pull out the lens when needed.
I think I will go with your recommendation and get the large ICU.

Yeah the MH-01 looks cool but for now I Just have a QR clamp on my mono pod.

Thanks again for all your help.
Steven

The front panel of the ICU (that zips open) doesn’t look as strongly padded as the back and sides. Is it padded at all? How waterproof is the ICU? Did it come with extra dividers for you to organize your lenses as you wish?

Sorry for the many questions, i’m quite keen on getting either the f Stop ICU (Large) or the Dakine Camera Block to fit into my new Incase Messenger Backpack!

Front panel is not so padded no. When its in the bag, the back panel of the pack is thickly padded so that does the protection and allows you to just tuck the icu lid away.

PLenty of dividers come with it. You can also order a whole second divider set for just a few bucks if you want to go crazy with it but I think there is plenty with it

Hey Dan,

Have spoken to you previously about the Loka. Super pumped to get it, tis exactly what i want. Only trouble is that I want to get the optional rain cover and hydration unit holder but see no option for it when i go to purchase. Spoke to someone directly from f-stop a while ago now and they said a new site would be up some time during October. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Sean.

Sean yes I believe that stuff is not far off. The new site is due any day now but I honestly don’t know any more than that.

Hi, is burton’s f-stop pack a licensed copy of this one or a sort of collab ? I’m looking for a small and most low-profile backpack (just one pro body and lense for occasional shooting only while mostly riding all days long), i guess that the loka might be too big, thinking about the burton’s one.. what would you guys recommend ?

Burton one has nothing to do with this company. Burton one is super bulky and uncomfortable. The Loka would be perfect for what you are describing.

Hi, the f-stop website mentions that the Loka has a laptop sleeve, but I couldn’t see it in any photos? Up to what size laptop would fit with a small + medium ICU simultaneously? How about with just with the medium ICU?

Its totally unpadded , it will hold a 13″ laptop of the Macbook variety or small netbooks. Really if you want to carry a laptop I would recommend going with the Tilopa BC which I have detailed in another post because that one has a padded sleeve that will take anything.

You can see the sleeve in photo #11

Thanks Dan, I read your other post on the Tipola BC as well, but based on my needs (mostly camera gear + laptop + small personal items at most) and your recommendation at the end of that post I thought the Loka would be more appropriate. My thought is that besides the laptop I doubt I’ll need the extra space of the Tilopa BC, so I like the idea of the weight being closer to my centre of gravity with the Loka. Or could I still get the result using the compression straps on the BC?

I forgot to mention I’d be using a laptop sleeve case (neoprene or similar), which would mean I could live without the padded sleeve of the Tilopa BC. Thanks!

[...] F-Stop Loka. It's supposed to show up here on Monday, but the reviews for it are great. Here's a review/preview of it. I plan to write up my own once I get it. The camera pack is removable so you can use it as [...]

[...] [...]

I just ordered one of these for an upcoming trip. Stoked on your review. It answered all the questions I had.
I’ve just got one more –
I get a terrible headache shooting events more than about an hour with a traditional strap. Is the D-ring on the Loka shoulder strap strong enough to attach a short single strap/leash and hang a Nikon D80 from it? I do outdoor travel stuff, so I would use this shooting on foot in cities, roaming about, etc., NOT while up riding or shooting snow. Mostly shorter lenses, nothing too bulky. I looked at the harness adapters from Think Tank, but they’re specific for their packs. Anybody mod the Loka to accept a front harness style hanger? I’m basically walking 3 cities in Spain and shooting. Pack will be on me during that time, carrying camera gear, jacket, food and all the daily essentials. In short, I’d like to replace the traditional neck strap with something attached to the Loka’s shoulder strap(s) instead. Suggestions or solutions would be welcome.
TIA!
Kelly.

Good question Kelly! I like the think tank straps but I can’t say for sure whether they would would work. However, you can find a solution from a company called optech. Google them and they have so many strap options. I feel sure there is a solution there probably. This is the section you need http://optechusa.com/system-connectors.html

You could get 2 pairs of the connectors. One attached to camera and one on the bag. This would work for sure, I use them for various shoulder straps.

hi dan,

i would like to order a bag to be shipped to the netherlands, but i couldnt find on the website if that is actually possible.
I dont mind if it takes a few monts to get here…i just rather would not buy it in the netherlands for price reasons.

Hope you can help me!
Thanks!

They will ship anywhere. Just go through the ordering process and put your address in.

Hi Dan,

I read that the Tilopa would hold a 13“ laptop, unpadded. However, would I be able to use it to carry my photo gear in a large ICU, with a 15“ laptop while traveling (flying). The Tilopa will be perfect for my BC ski trips but do not want to carry a seperate laptop bag while traveling to destination.

Thanks
Simon

I carry my 15″ laptop in it when I fly and I have an XL ICU in there too no problem in the Tilopa. But are you talking about the loka ??

Yes I I am talking about the Loka, sorry, I got mixed up.

Me again,

The Loka + medium ICU + 15“ laptop for traveling. Going BC, I would not carry the laptop.

Simon

Hmm, that would be a tight fit. I wouldn’t recommend it. If you want a laptop thats what the tilopa is for.

Hi Dan,

From what I can read, the difference between the Tilopa and the Loka would be the dept (8“versus 2“). The ICU`s are 7 1/2″ deep but the medium is tapered which would leave more space and I think I could fit my 15″ laptop in there. When I travel, I put all the low value stuff (like chargers and other accesories) in my checked luggage and only keep the laptop and lenses in my carry on. I really don’t want to carry a larger back pack for BC day trip and try to minimize to 1 carry on bag while traveling. I hope it would work.

Simon

[...] frame with a waist belt to take all that weight off the shoulders.  Love it!  Take a look at Dan Carr’s Blog for the [...]

Hey Dan

I’m looking at what icu to get I have 5d 17-40 50 1.4 and 70-200 2.8

I’m sure medium would fit easy but I’m trying to get more space the 70-200 2.8 is 2.2 cm more than the f4 do you think there would be enough room for 2.8 ? In the same configuration u showed in photo of small icu lens not attached ?

Thanks Dan

I’m not sure to be honest. I don’t have the 2.8 anymore so I can only guess as best you can from the photos. My guess would be no, you need the medium.

Hi Dan

just getting back about the 2.8, i just found a photo of a 2.8 in a small ICU from F-stop

so just in case anyone else asks looks like its tight but god to go

http://fstopgear.com/images/pi_10/icu/content/bin/images/large/_MG_6749.jpg

i got both the small and medium anyway (handy to have both)

Dan, do you have shots of where the water bladder goes, I know you can put them on the outside back pocket but somebody told me you can have it inside somewhere? Any help would be appreciated.

Dan, can you fit in a MacBook 13´ in the front pocket and safe?

I dont know, I have a 15″ so I can’t check that for you. Try asking the guys at F-Stop

[...] http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2010/10/14/f-stop-loka-photo-packpack-and-new-icus-photo-satori-t... [...]

[...] it snowboarding or hop on your bike.  The rear opening of the pack is smaller than that on the Loka and Tilopa BC and is designed around the size of the medium ICU (you can find extensive photo [...]

I apologize up front is this question is obvious, but do you have to unload everything packed above the ICU in order to get to the contents of the ICU? I see the one photograph where the portion of the pack nearest your back unzips to give access to the ICU, but if you pull the whole unit out, obviously anytihng above it will fall and you will need to repack your pack. Can anyone elaborate on the ICU access?

Thanks,
D

No need to pull the ICU out when you are shooting. You just access it’s contents through the back panel. ICU stays in the bag. And you wouldnt normally open the back with the bag standing up like that either , it would normally be on the ground lying on its front so when you open the panel nothing falls out. See this video http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150240333214924

Tilopa BC or Loka?

I’m a newspaper photographer, so I need daily backpack for shooting in the city.

This is my gear: Canon 1D MARK IV, lenses 16-35, 70-200, 50 mm/1,8, fisheye, 2 flashes (sometimes 3 with small Radiopopper), small Gorillapod for flash and 13″ Macbook. Sometimes I need 100 mm macro lens for weddings. I think medium ICU will be the best. Am I right?

And because I’m a climber (mostly bouldering) and outdoor fan, I need place for climbing shoes, chalk bag, clothing for training, goretex jacket and some food. Sometimes food and 2nd layer clothing for 1-day trip.

Can you help me? Loka or Tilopa BC?

Thanks,

Lukas

Either would fit the gear you want. Yes I think a Medium ICU ought to work ok. Bit of a tight squeeze but doable. The differentiating factor for you is the laptop. Only the Tilopa has a padded laptop sleeve. The Loka sleeve is not padded. So do you want to give the laptop protection at all ?

Thank you for your answer. I’m not using Macbook every day and I have it in this cover: http://www.booqbags.com/Vyper-XS2-macbook-sleeve

I want to buy Macbook Air 11″ for field editing and travelling.

I’m having second thoughts

Well in that case for you I’d probably get the Loka.

Great pictures. This little pictorial has pretty much convinced me to go with the Loka. The only photo I wish you would have included is one with the bag set upright with the three ICU’s propped next to it to give us an idea of how much room will be left on top with ICU’s inside. It’s kind of hard to tell with the pictures you included that give us a view from above with the ICU’s inside. For day hikes where I’ll need to carry some extra stuff for myself and another, I’ll need to know what kind of space I’m looking at. Besides that, fantastic review!

Dear DAN,

Your review helped me decide among a variety of options. I think loka is all what i need. I want to buy this backpack to use while on trail on my mountain bike.

I was wondering though which ICU shall I purchase? The Medium shallow or the Medium Pro? I own a D7000 with Nikkor 18-55mm, 50-200mm, 35mm, an SB-900 flash and a set of pocketwizard. In the future I am planning to get also a Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 and a nikkor fisheye 10mm or sigma 16mm.

Please advice accordingly.

Thank you in advance

Regards

M

Hey Dan,

That’s a pretty detailed review, very well done. I’ve almost decided to go for Satori EXP for my expeditions but I am still very much confused between Satori and Loka. Tilopa BC would be a better mix of options for me but it’s not available in the Grey-Mist color in this stock and that’s the color I want the most. Do you have any word from F-stop as to when this pack would be available in Grey?

I am planning to buy a Medium Pro ICU with the package but I think Satori EXP will be a bit too large for me, I seem to love it though. One thing that I noticed is that only Satori doesn’t have the plastic sealed bottom and I couldn’t understand why, I mean okay it wasn’t designed for the purposes served primarily by Tilopa BC but it’s still an expedition level pro grade pack and it’s their flagship model. Or may be I am missing out some info on that? I think it’s a good feature and it should have been included in Satori as well.

Another concern is that of the torso length. What would be your suggestion for someone who is 5’7″? Do you think these packs would be too big/long for a person of that height and the body/bag weight proportions would not be properly managed?

Also what would be the bag of your choice between Guru and Kenti if you had to choose one favorite (apart from the fact that Guru takes ICUs and Kenti does not)?

Thanks a bunch for putting effort and giving us the opportunity to decide more wisely.

BR/Faisal` .

I had a question about usage. Most pictures of camera bags show small lenses on the side and the telephoto (70-200) attached to the body. What do you do when you are shooting with a 50mm? Where do you store the 70-200 if you swap lenses? In your picture of the Medium ICU there’s no where to put it. Thanks!

Well the dividers are arranged to accommodate the most used lens on the camera. You would simply have to re-arrange them to allow the 50 to be on camera.

[...] offer a series of different sized camera modules (ICU) to slot inside. For more information, read this review. To pair with it, I wanted the smallest waist pack which would hold a camera body with zoom lens [...]

[...] offer a series of different sized camera modules (ICU) to slot inside. For more information, read this review. To pair with it, I wanted the smallest waist pack which would hold a camera body with zoom lens [...]

Hi Dan,

thanks for all the nice work and the detailed pictures.

I kept coming back because I was still unsured what ICU I’d need. And now I finally realized, what puzzled me about your pictures: where did you put the lens hoods?? It pretty easy to fit all these lenses into a small or medium IC when omiting the hoods.

Are you not using lens hoods, or have you found a secret room where to put them?

Bye
joey

Ah good question, I put all the hoods into the top lid pocket.

Hi Dan,

Thank you so much for reviewing this bag. Nicely done =)

I am planning to get this bag, however, can’t decide on which ICU to take. Below is the list of gears that I might be carrying:
- 2x D700
- 14-24mm f/2.8
- 35mm f/1.4
- 60mm f/2.8
- 85mm f/1.4
- SB900
- iPad

Any idea which ICU might fit my requirements?

Many thanks, Dan =)

You’re going to need the large one if you plan on taking 2 camera bodies.

Large Pro or Large Shallow? I won’t be using any grip

Well you know personally I would still go large pro. Then you are covered in the future if you get a pro body or a big lens like a 300. A 300 2.8 for example is too thick to fit in the shallow ICU.

Hi Dan!

Can i ask your help?
I have to find a bag to carry on my gear:
mamiya 645 AFD + 80 1.9
d300 + BP
85 1.4 afd
50 1.2 ais
12-24 tokina
3 or 4 flashes
chargers and cables, Cf card exec

what do you think is the best for me: tilopa BC or Loka?
And wich ICU?
Last question: have you ever tried to put the ICU XL into the Loka? Does it fit well?
Thank you very much, i hope u’ll answer and sorry for my english
Have a good day

I would say Tilopa with the XL.

XL won’t fit well in Loka no.

thank you very much Dan!
Have a good day

Hi DAN!
Me and another guy have a question.

The external dimensions of the XL ICU are:
(18cm Depth x 29cm Wide x 48cm Tall)

The internal dimensions of the Loka are:
19cm Depth x 30.5cm Wide x 52cm Tall

Viewing this we think that the XL ICU could fit into the Loka but we are not sure about this.
Can we ask you to make a pratical try and tell if it works?
Because the European Warehouse has finished the Tilopa BC and we need a bag for a trip.
Thank you if you will help us.

Hi Dan, thank you so much for this review, and the detailed pictures. It’s really helping me make a decision. I appreciate this was published in Nov 2010 so things at F-Stop may have changed however you note in your last picture that a Medium and Small Pro ICU will fit together in the Loka but this is not listed as an option in F-Stops ICU Diagram. Could you confirm if this works?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
John