Photogs: How do you carry on the mtn?

[JBN999]

Just picked up a 30D the other week and the season is coming up. I have had a Dakine Heli-Pro for a while and it's a badass pack. I was just curious if any of the photographers on the board have used it to carry camera gear on the slopes or if you use something more specialized like the Sequence or some other brand's camera pack.
Do you just throw your stuff in the pack and go or do you have some sort of packing method to make sure nothing is flying around when you are skiing?

Thanks

[StormRider]

I have a LowePro Nova 2 AW
It fits my camera, a 18-50mm lens, a 70-300mm lens, and the little stuff like extra batteries, filters, and cards. It fits nicely in my backpack and leaves plenty of room for ski gear. It even has a neat little nylon “rain coat”. When it is time to shoot I just pull the whole bag out. When I’m not skiing it is a nice compact shoulder bag.

Dakine does make a backpack with a removable photo gear insert. One nice feature about that bag is that the back of the back unzips to access the photo gear so you don’t have to put back and straps in the snow. I looked at it, but thought the photo inset took up too much space.

[JBN999]

Dakine does make a backpack with a removable photo gear insert. One nice feature about that bag is that the back of the back unzips to access the photo gear so you don’t have to put back and straps in the snow. I looked at it, but thought the photo inset took up too much space.

Yeah thats the 'Sequence' I was talking about. Like you said, it seems its like a backpack cover for a camera bag. I don't see how you could fit much else in it.

[summit]

I use a 5 point harness and store the extra lens up my butt.

[Schralper]

Yeah thats the 'Sequence' I was talking about. Like you said, it seems its like a backpack cover for a camera bag. I don't see how you could fit much else in it.

It IS a backpack the works for haulin camera gear. I've used mine for a solid 2yrs. and DIG it!
I usually carry my F5 + 28-80, 24, 80-200, film, etc. and sometimes my video camera. Though I usually carry that in a chest pouch. Plus my backcountry gear, shovel, probe, etc. I can also carry my tripod if needed. I don't always ski w/ all my lenses especially when going b/c. UGH!

[orlowskij]

I use this http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search. Big enough for a body and a few lenses, plus I can throw a little bit of other stuff in too. Kind of a pain in the ass to take off and unzip when I want to shoot, but I wear it skiing and on my dirtbike and it's solid. Not really enough room for BC gear though.

[birdboatboy]

I would definitely say that lighter is better. One way to go is start with the bare minimum (one body one lense) and then add more items as you find yourself wanting them. You may miss a good shot from not having a certain piece of gear, but you may also realize that you don't need everything you used to carry. Then look for the smallest, lightest way to package it.

[cj001f]

I've one of these from KGear.com

It'll hold a body+lens, 80-200, Wide Angle + Speedlight. The minimum kit I travel with.

Otherwise a LoweType SLR case and a couple of individual lens cases.

[MeatPuppet]

Regular backpack(arcteryx M30) with my camera wrapped in a midlayer(wool sweater, etc) and the compression straps synched down. If I am pushing myself and expect to take hard falls, I leave my DSLR at home. I've never taken multiple lens's with me. But I would/will probably use a similar setup with the lens' in their soft case and then wrapped in something fluffy.

[mtbakerskier]

I just use an army of midget sherpas......


Actually the sequence is by far the best commercially avaliable camera pack for skiing.

[bklyn]

Just got the sequence pack that I will be using for light/medium duty work days as well as skiing. Used to use a small carry on sized wheel suitcase or shoulder bag depending on what I had to carry.

Last week I did 3 jobs with the shoulder bag and I swear my spine is twisted. Hopefully the sequence will help me to be able to stand up straight 30 years from now. For skiing, I think I will really like some of the features on the pack. I'm going to have to pack it much lighter for a ski day, because it is heavy already without ski related gear.

Backcountry carries it, mag discount was a nice plus.

[Storm11]

I use one of these, also from www.kgear.com :


It will hold my 20d with battery grip, 28-135 zoom as well as another lens or my speedlight. I actually rigged it so I could clip it to my backpack and it would sit on my chest... but I was always afraid of falling on it.

Another thing I started doing was taking the insert from my Pelican case and stuffing it in my backpack (an Osprey back loader). I've always wanted to make another velcro flap that will cover the top of the Pelican insert, but have never gotten around to doing so. I have a fairly decent sized Pelican, so if you went with something smaller( like this: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...oryNavigation), you could make it so it only takes up 1/2 the room in your pack, yet still carry a body and 2-3 lenses.

[bio-smear]

I've got the Sequence, but my buddy has the Crumpler Keystone, and he likes it .:

[JBN999]

I was thinking about rigging something up in the Heli-Pro to keep everything secure and padded since I already have it. No hope? The fit is pretty tight in there if I have the bladder full. Not to mention there is the vent at the bottom of outside pocket of the pack that has me nervous about snow getting in if I set the pack down.
I was thinking of a way to mount the Dakine camera block on the outside of the heli, but I can't really visualize how big the thing is. I would probably look like a jong, jumping on a chair with packs flying all over the place.

Not that I am a Dakine fanboy, maybe there is something more compact out there from a different brand.

[ski_adk]

Burton makes a nice pack that I like:

http://www.burton.com/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=475





I'm using last year's model and it's good for all uses -- including skiing. In it, I'm carrying my 300D, 70-300mm, 10-21mm and the kit lens, plus a detachable flash with plenty of extra room for other things...including a shovel, probe, extra base layer and a water bottle. Oh yeah, there's a ski carry on that sucker too.

[strawjack]

i bought a lumbar from mountainsmith. haven't used it yet, but i think it'll work for quick access and its not too bulky.

http://www.mountainsmith.com/store/?...3e8bc58a73f4ef

[bklyn]

I packed the sequence for a job yesterday - 27lbs.
No wonder I was twisting my spine with the shoulder bag.

[The Jackamo]

i use a sequence and i've found that if you're really good with how you pack your gear, you can actually fit a fair amount. i usually am able to carry two camera bodies (20D and Rebel XT), 3 lenses (70-200 f/4.0, 20mm f/2.8, 28-70 f/4.0-5.6), a panasonic HD camcorder, and a tripod. not bad considering that it's essentially a snow pack with a camera bag in it.

[Schralper]

i bought a lumbar from mountainsmith. haven't used it yet, but i think it'll work for quick access and its not too bulky.

http://www.mountainsmith.com/store/?...3e8bc58a73f4ef

Yea, I have MS lumbar, used once.
I'll never use it for skiing again. Nope.

Why?
Cuz I hate having my camera and lenses bouncing off my ass while skiing!

[Dirty Hoar]

Yea, I have MS lumbar, used once.
I'll never use it for skiing again. Nope.

Why?
Cuz I hate having my camera and lenses bouncing off my ass while skiing!

Use the provided butt-plug-cinch-strap next time.

[summit]

i'mthinking about a chest harness that would work for a 20D 70-200 2.8 and one more shorter zoom for quick access... anyone seen anything good? cant be a pure shoulder pack it needs to be a 4pt at least

presently i'm doing this with a Lowe Pro Offroad using both the lumbar strap and the shoulder strap but it bounces and sits very low (knee hits when worn forward(

[cj001f]

you tried just rigging the cameracase to your pack straps? Loop some webbing through the sternum strap attachment and a few other fitting up top, something similar to the waistbelt, if your case can hold it. The advantage/disadvantage of the kgear shit is they come with more lash/attachment points than LowePro et al. so it's easier to rig things, but they weigh more and have a less streamlined profile.

The first gen Mountainsmith camera stuff was "meh" 80% of the way there, not all the way. Haven't used the most recent stuff.

[JoeStrummer]

Burton makes a nice pack that I like:

http://www.burton.com/ProductDetail.aspx?pid=475





I'm using last year's model and it's good for all uses -- including skiing. In it, I'm carrying my 300D, 70-300mm, 10-21mm and the kit lens, plus a detachable flash with plenty of extra room for other things...including a shovel, probe, extra base layer and a water bottle. Oh yeah, there's a ski carry on that sucker too.

Is there a diagonal ski carry or do you just use the vertical snowboard carry?

[hhski]

I packed the sequence for a job yesterday - 27lbs.
No wonder I was twisting my spine with the shoulder bag.

can you lash down a tripod on the pack?

[bklyn]

can you lash down a tripod on the pack?

Yes.
....