Think Tank My 2nd Brain Review

The guys at Think Tank Photo recently sent me one of their latest My 2nd Brain laptop bags to test and review.  This new lineup of cases is designed specifically with Apple products in mind, and sized for the 11″ Macbook Air and 13″ + 15″ Macbook Pros.  There’s also an additional Tablet version which is designed specifically for the iPad and all of the larger ones also feature a plush lined iPad pocket. The idea behind these bags was to design something that has the perfect space for all the things you need when you travel with your laptop.  …

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Mindshift Gear’s New Rotation 180 Pro – Full Review

Last year at Photo Plus Expo in New York I came across a surprise as I was walking across the show floor to the Think Tank Photo booth. Attached to the side of their booth was a small table and a new banner; Mindshift Gear. I’m a big fan of Think Tank’s stuff, you guys have probably read a review or three on here in the past but whilst they make the best roller bags and sports/event photography gear in the business they have never produced a bag that suits my main needs as an outdoor and adventure sports photographer. …

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Gura Gear Kiboko 22L Review

IMPORTANT NOTE

Gura Gear acquired the Tamrac brand and merged the two together.  Gura Gear as a standalone brand is gone, and all of their bags have been renamed to be sold under the Tamrac name in the G-Elite collection.  Aside from small aesthetic changes to use the Tamrac logo, the bags have remained the same.  Throughout this review, I have used the name Gura Gear, but when searching for more info on these products, or searching to buy them, you should now search for the Tamrac G-Elite bags instead.

Design & Features

Exterior Dimensions: 14x18x9 inches (35.6 x 45.7 x 22.9 cm); 22 Liters useable

The Kiboko 22l+ continues on from the popular 30L with a the same butterfly opening design.  The benefit of this is that you can selectively access your gear whilst keeping other parts of it away from the elements.  The downside is that you have to lay the bag with its back on the ground when you do this and padded back panel picks up a lot of dust and dirt.  The outside of the bag is made from VX-21 , a lightweight yet tough and abrasion resistant material which is often used to make sails.  It is expensive but it seems to do a decent job and designing a bag that was lightweight was a top consideration.  If we’re all going to have to deal with reduced carry-on allowances there’s little point using up half our allowance with the weight of the bag.  It’s a theory that I very much like.

gura gear kiboko 22l review

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Lowepro Flipside Sport AW Review

I’ve previously reviewed the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 which I found to make a good lightweight adventure photography bag for one camera, one lens missions.  This year Lowepro added to their lightweight lineup with the Flipside Sport 10L and 15L and they were kind enough to provide one for long term testing.  After a few months of usage I’ve drawn my conclusions so read on to find out more! Overall Design I’ve never really understood the name designation of these packs as side does not flip at all, the aforementioned Photo Sport 200 had a side opening and would have …

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Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW Review

The eternal quest for the perfect camera bag is one that I’m sure you’re all familiar with.  I’ve given up looking for “The One” though because the breadth of photography that I enjoy makes such a bag an impossibility.  I prefer to narrow things down a little and in this instance I’m on the hunt for the best outdoor adventure photography pack. This year Lowepro launched two bags that fall into this category, the Photo Sport Sling 100 and the Photo Sport 200 AW. Lowepro recently sent me a 200 AW to try out and it’s actually the first Lowepro …

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Think Tank Skin Set Review

Last month I went to France to shoot the 24 Heures du Mans in Le Mans and before I left I grabbed a few extra items to make my assignment a little easier. First up was the Think Tank Hydrophobia 300-600 rain cover. The next think I wanted to do was take a look at the Think Tank Skin system to carry some additional items around with me while I was shooting.  A lot of you know me for my winter sports photography and for that I use a variety of specialized bags from F-Stop but this time I needed …

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Introducing the F-Stop Satori EXP Backpack

Last week we took a look at the newly released Guru 28 liter backpack.  This week I’m giving you guys a first in-depth look at the soon to be released F-Stop Satori EXP which is due to be on sale this coming July.  This pack sits at the opposite end of the Mountain Series to the Guru, with a Capacity of 62 liters and as the EXP designation implies this one will hold everything you need on your next expedition.  The pack might be larger than the F-Stop Tilopa backpack, but by forgoing the waterproof TPU base seen on the …

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Introducing the F-Stop Loka backpack

Regular readers of the blog will know that I use mainly use the F-Stop Satori to carry my gear around. I am also part of the F-Stop Faction team.  For some time now the guys at F-Stop have been working on a new pack called the Loka.  With input from all the Faction members they have created a new pack that slots into the Mountain Series lineup below the Satori and the Tilopa in sizing. The new pack is now up for pre-order and the first production versions are expected to be delivered in late August. As soon as I …

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F-Stop Satori Camera Pack

Almost more than any other question I get asked is ” What camera bag do you use?”  This is the answer…… well, one of them anyway.  F-Stop is a company which specializes in camera bags for the adventure minded photographer.  If you like to ski, hike, climb or ride a bike with your gear these are the bags for you.  My main use for the Satori is backcountry skiing and my previous one saw some heavy action over an 18 month period.  During this time, F-Stop was constantly seeking feedback from a group of action sports photographers including myself and …

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Think Tank Wired Up Collection – Review

This Month, Think Tank Photo will be releasing an entire new collection of camera bags designed specifically with the Multimedia photographer in mind. With the advent of cameras such as the Canon 5dMKII and the the Panasonic GH-1, more and more photographers are being asked to shoot video and/or audio on photographic assignments. More to shoot means more to carry and these new bags are designed specifically to meet the new challenges associated with multimedia shooting. If you decide to purchase any of the bags, Think Tank has a special offer on at the moment. If you go to their …

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