Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Tenba Shootout 32L Bag (632-431)

Top positive review

This backpack replaced about three other pieces of gear!

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017

In a word, this backpack is AWESOME! Opinions expressed below are from a field test conducted in New York's Adirondack High Peaks.

As a landscape photographer, I do a LOT of walking. I've probably spent more money and brainpower trying to figure out how to get my camera up steep hills comfortably than I have on any other photographic accessory.

After trying out a number of backpacks and accessories, the solution I finally settled on was to use anOsprey Packs Manta AG 36 Hydration Pack, Fossil Grey, Medium/Large, with aThink Tank Photo Digital Holster 20 V2.0. The Think Tank holster clipped through one of its side loops to the lower trekking pole attachment on the backpack with a carabiner. I found that solution relieved some of the weight and stress from the shoulder strap, helped control the holster's movement/stability, and still allowed relatively quick and easy access. When I was traveling over ice or tougher rock scrambles, the backpack had enough room that I could stuff the whole holster inside.

The problems with the above solution:
- Less than ideal protection in difficult terrain
- Shoving the holster in the backpack marginally improved protection, but made it inconvenient to get back out to use
- No good place for the tripod (I strapped it to the compression strap on the right side)
- Clipping the holster to the trekking pole loop improved stability and balance, but was still a pain in the butt to have a large, heavy object swinging from my hip
- No protection for lenses or other gear (drone) without buying heavy/bulky wraps or cases

The solution was workable, but I didn't particularly like it. With these issues in mind, I formulated the following requirements for my ideal solution:
- Minimize weight "overhead" - i.e. how much the empty gear-carry system in total weighs; comfortable load support is factored into this as well.
- Improve protection - I routinely hike with over $5000 in camera equipment, and it would be nice if my gear-carry system helped protect it, so I didn't have to constantly be so conscious of how I was moving.
- Improve balance - the system described above is workable, but the balance is terrible. Loads were off-center, and although the carabiner helped control stability, the camera/holster was prone to shifting as I moved up and down steep slopes/rock scrambles, and I had to constantly keep an eye on it as I moved to make sure it didn't bang on rocks and stuff. Also, this system inhibited my ability to freely use my left arm, due to a large object on my left hip.
- Allow easy access to the camera - in some situations, such as photographing fall foliage, there are so many awesome opportunities that I'm constantly shooting on the go. I don't want the gear-carry system to be such a hinderance that I skip good opportunites just because it's a pain to get to the camera.
- Allow quick and easy donning and doffing of the backpack - I'm just as guilty as anyone of "shooting from the hip" with my backpack still on, pulling me off balance, because it was too much of a pain to take off the backpack and holster, then put everything back on and readjust.

With these requirements in mind, here is how the Tenba Shootout 24L works with my needs, as well as some unexpectedly nice features, and a few (minor) detractors.

*** The One AWESOME Feature To Rule Them All ***
- This backpack, in a sentence, has amazing balance. Once adjusted to fit my body shape, it carried the load comfortably, with almost no shift in weight whatsoever as I moved. The load stayed tight to my body as I moved, with very minimal and predictable shifting as my posture changed. By this, I mean that the backpack essentially behaved as though it were a single solid mass, even though there were a number of things packed into it, and moved as if it were a natural extension of my torso. After climbing up a 3000' peak that took almost three hours, my back, neck, and shoulders felt as fresh and relaxed as if I was carrying a lightweight daypack, even though I was carrying over 15 pounds of gear. Great job, Tenba!
- The backpack comes with plenty of adjustment for people of all shapes and sizes. It has load-lifter straps at the top of the shoulder straps, adjustable shoulder strap length, and adjustable hip belt straps. The hip belt is also removable (I think), to reduce the footprint for air travel.

*** Major Features that I like ***
- Main compartment organization is great. It comes with a good number of dividers and spacers. I removed about half of them because I'm an ounce-counting miser, and because I don't need them. I have one compartment for the camera body + lens, and this naturally causes pockets to form for a second lens next to it, and a small compartment below for a drone controller or some small items like filter holders, clean socks, or snacks. Roughly the top half I leave open as one big section to stuff a light jacket, extra snacks, a drone, or whatever.
- On the left side (as you wear it), there is a little door that you can open that gives you immediate access to your camera. For me, this is HUGE, because it makes it so easy to grab the camera for opportunities I happened to come across as I hike along, and then easily stow the camera again. This feature is one of my deal-breakers: I'm not going to go for any system where I can't get to the camera easily, and this side access works great! You just undo the sternum strap, swing the backpack around on your left shoulder (you can leave the hip belt strapped on), open the door, and "Bam!" the camera is right there. It holds my Canon 5D Mk IV, attached lens, and tripod plate no problem, though I do have to wiggle it a bit to get it out. If using a battery grip, this side door would definitely not work. Also, on the inside of the door is a little zippered compartment that you can use for a lens cloth or lens wet wipes.
- Laptop compartment between the main compartment and your back. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be used for a hydration bladder, but that's what I use it for. I put aHydrapak Shape-Shift 3L Reversible Reservoir, Clearinto the laptop compartment. It works well with 1.5 liters of water, and would probably be okay with up to 2.0 liters. I routed the hydration hose out the top of the zipper and through a stretchy loop on the right shoulder strap.
- Behind the main compartment is a zippered full-length compartment, with some organizational pockets that I use for carrying essential hiking gear: flashlight (goes in one internal pocket), first aid kit, battery pack and charging cable for my phone (goes in the other internal pocket), extra straps, bug repellent, hand sanitizer and wipes, and a couple of ziploc baggies.
- On the outside of this pocket are two little zippered pockets on the very back of the pack. One of them had a memory card organizer, which I promptly removed since I don't use it and I'm stingy with weight, but it's a nice touch for event photographers that need to keep their cards separated. Also nice is that these pockets have little mesh organizers in them, as well as a little mesh bottom to prevent objects from falling out when you open the pockets.
- On the bottom are compartments for an integrated rain cover with a black side out for rain, and a silver side out for reflecting the sun (more about this later). Also on the bottom is a compartment to shove the tripod foot into. It's pretty easy to get the foot out, and it gives stability to your tripod.
- On the left side (as you're wearing it) is a an upper zippered pocket for small items. It has a little clip inside for your keys or some other small item, and it's about four inches deep; it was conveniently sized for stuffing the bottoms of my convertible hiking pants into. On the right side is a full length pocket, which you can use for things like removable tripod center column. It's also good for holding a delicious sandwich from a local Lake Placid deli.
- All the main compartments are rigid and well padded, and I wasn't worried at all about protection for the camera. Even though Tenba claims this backpack doesn't have a hard interior frame, it's very firm and rigid, and doesn't have any trouble standing up or holding its shape. The exterior is made of tough-looking nylon that you can scrape along rocks and trees with. All of the interior dividers stick nicely by hook-and-pile, and are well padded. I removed about half of the interior dividers to make myself a large space at the top to stuff a light jacket or my drone.
- The laptop compartment, main compartment, camera access side door, and the full length back compartment all feature double zippers with built-in holes for attaching luggage locks, in case you're in a crowded place like the airport, or you're on a shoot in the city. It was hard to tell from pictures and reviews if the side access for the camera was lockable, and I was a little concerned; but, not to worry, Tenba thought of that, and it is lockable.
- The shoulder straps are super comfortable and support the pack well. Additionally, even though this is a shorter, airline-sized bag, it's adjustable enough to get the hipbelt down to a comfortable height (I'm 5'8"). Also, the weight is so well distributed between the different support components that it never felt like a burden to take it off and then put it back on again, even though with all my gear + water, it weighed about 20 lbs.
- Being so heavy, thick, and black, I thought that the interior would probably get clicking hot, and I was a little concerned after walking for about an hour on an 85-degree day with the sun roasting me. To my great surprise, the padding functioned like the insulation in a thick lunch caddy, and kept the interior nice and cool, just like I left the hotel with. I'd imagine you could even put a chilled water bottle in there, and it would stay cool for a long time, even in warm weather. The integrated rain cover with silver side was totally not necessary to prevent the backpack from heating up inside. Even the sandwich that I had stuffed in the long side pocket didn't get very warm, which was nice.
- There's some substantial back padding, which makes it comfortable to wear, as well as some air-flow channels to help evaporate sweat.

*** Minor Features that I like ***
- The chest/sternum strap is adjustable up and down. It also has this little stretchy piece built into it, so it can flex a little as you move along. The benefit of this is that as you change position to climb up and down rocks, the pack adjusts with you automatically. The downside is that the overall tension is just slightly less than I'd prefer it to be.
- Each shoulder strap has a little stretchy loop around it for holding things, as well as a D-ring sewn in just below the stretchy loop, which is a nice touch. I used one stretchy loop to hold my hydration hose, and one of the D-rings held my towel.
- Tons of organizational pockets and compartments all over. Awesome!

*** Neutral features ***
- This pack, at 4 lbs with all the dividers in, 3.5 lbs with dividers out, and about 3.8 lbs as worn by me, is pushing the limit of what I'd consider comfortable (as a smaller person). My previous system, described above, weighed about the same between the holster and backpack, and any additional wraps or cases added more weight, so it's kind of a wash for me. The good news is, it's way easier to organize the Tenba Shootout because it's already padded and has dividers built right in.
- Air flow channels along your back. In my experience, "air flow channels" are pretty useless. They blow away sweat in the channels, but the 90% of your back that's not over the channel becomes a soggy, sweaty mess. That's pretty much normal for all air flow channels, and the trade off is either sweat relief or padding. The good news is, the back padding is generous and comfortable, if somewhat sweaty in warmer weather.

*** Minor negative features ***
- Keep in mind these are all very minor negatives compared to the overall awesomeness of the backpack, and not worth knocking off a star.
- No heat-embossed sunglass pocket. The 32L has it, but the 24L does not. Seriously, WTF.
- No hip belt pockets. Again: seriously, WTF.
- I kinda wish it had a large mesh outer pocket, for stuffing wet gear, empty snack wrappers, etc. Not a huge deal, just would have been nice.
- No stow-on-the-go style trekking pole attachments or gear loop. Tenba advertises this as good for hikers, and guess what, this hiker likes using trekking poles. Not a huge deal either, since I rarely used the attachments anyway, and Tenba did give us some other straps, D-rings, and attach points elsewhere. If I wanted to stow the trekking poles, I'm sure I could figure something out, but I'd have to take the pack off to do it.
- If you have a full-frame DSLR, two or three lenses, and some accessories (intervalometer, flash, filters, etc), it'll all fit nicely, but there's not really enough space to add extra clothing for those hikes that require dressing in layers. I like this bag enough that I might get the larger 32L for those colder hikes, but the 6lb weight makes me balk a bit. The 32L version is also too big to qualify as an airline personal item.
- The internal dividers can sag a bit on the side closer to the opening, so if you try to open the main compartment while it's standing up, stuff might tumble out. It does come with a couple of black straps to prevent your camera/lenses from falling out that way, but little stuff like snacks and filters could shift. Easy solution is to lay the backpack flat before opening.
- Not cheap. But, you get what you pay for. Definitely a top-notch product.

Overall, this is an amazing product that has replaced about three separate pieces of equipment that I had cobbled together in a Frankenstein contraption. Unless this thing falls apart after like a year, Tenba has a customer for life!

9 people found this helpful

Top critical review

Critical reviews›

Mark

Good specific design. Not meant for a multi use bag.

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2016

I bought this pack after much research and for the positive reviews on it. I generally trust Tenba and they did a great job advertising it. I thought this would be a convenient, lightweight pack with plenty of versitality
The backpack is probably more convenient for videographers than it is for photographers. I bought this bag initially for a hiking trip in hopes that in the long run, it would also work for my portrait sessions. After the 'trial run' of the hike I have decided I will return this item.
Pros:
-Material seems tear resistant as advertised
-The deep pockets are great for long items (advertised for boom sticks)
-The back of it is very cushy
-The Air flow back is great for having it on for long amounts of time
-Relatively comfortable to wear
-Appears sturdy
-Appears to be water resistant

Cons:
-Zippers. Though they are advertised as the "YKK" zippers, they are very irritating. They felt rough and would catch whether the pack was full or empty
-Pockets: Although there are pockets everywhere, I found them inflexible and stiff. The interior zip pockets can barely hold my chargers and batteries (one zip compartment: two Canon chargers, two batteries). So I tried moving those to an exterior pocket-just did not make sense after placing them their. The bottom line here seems to be: You have to use the pockets exactly as they are advertised or else they will be utterly useless.
-Straps complicated to adjust
-Side access for Camera-this is great if you have a small camera. I used this with a Canon 6D (no grip) with a Canon 70-200 2.8 attached. Every time I finally bypassed the zipper problem I would struggle to force the camera through the pocket. This served completely useless if time is against you. I later used my Canon 60D w/ grip and 24-70 2.8 attached and found the same problem but worse. The camera barely fit through the compartment.
-Storage: It was a major struggle to pack this bag. I spent 30 mins trying to fit (w/ convenience in mind) Canon 6D, Canon 60D w/ grip attached, Two Canon 70-200 2.8, Canon 16-35 2.8, Canon 24-70 2.8. Not my usual kit, but for the trip I was taking I need this. I wanted to have at least one of the cameras accessible through the side pocket, but found it nearly impossible to safely pack the bag this way. I compromised by follow the photos online-with make no use of the side pocket. So why even have it?
This combined with the stiff pocket issues just made this pack completely unappealing to me.

In the end, the design and features are unique. But this pack is in no way flexible for the multi-job photographer. It has its specific design with a specific photographer (or videographer) in mind. A portrait/wedding photographer obviously is not that type.

3 people found this helpful

128 total ratings, 109 with reviews

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From the United States

A Useless Noob

This backpack replaced about three other pieces of gear!

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

In a word, this backpack is AWESOME! Opinions expressed below are from a field test conducted in New York's Adirondack High Peaks.

As a landscape photographer, I do a LOT of walking. I've probably spent more money and brainpower trying to figure out how to get my camera up steep hills comfortably than I have on any other photographic accessory.

After trying out a number of backpacks and accessories, the solution I finally settled on was to use an Osprey Packs Manta AG 36 Hydration Pack, Fossil Grey, Medium/Large , with a Think Tank Photo Digital Holster 20 V2.0 . The Think Tank holster clipped through one of its side loops to the lower trekking pole attachment on the backpack with a carabiner. I found that solution relieved some of the weight and stress from the shoulder strap, helped control the holster's movement/stability, and still allowed relatively quick and easy access. When I was traveling over ice or tougher rock scrambles, the backpack had enough room that I could stuff the whole holster inside.

The problems with the above solution:
- Less than ideal protection in difficult terrain
- Shoving the holster in the backpack marginally improved protection, but made it inconvenient to get back out to use
- No good place for the tripod (I strapped it to the compression strap on the right side)
- Clipping the holster to the trekking pole loop improved stability and balance, but was still a pain in the butt to have a large, heavy object swinging from my hip
- No protection for lenses or other gear (drone) without buying heavy/bulky wraps or cases

The solution was workable, but I didn't particularly like it. With these issues in mind, I formulated the following requirements for my ideal solution:
- Minimize weight "overhead" - i.e. how much the empty gear-carry system in total weighs; comfortable load support is factored into this as well.
- Improve protection - I routinely hike with over $5000 in camera equipment, and it would be nice if my gear-carry system helped protect it, so I didn't have to constantly be so conscious of how I was moving.
- Improve balance - the system described above is workable, but the balance is terrible. Loads were off-center, and although the carabiner helped control stability, the camera/holster was prone to shifting as I moved up and down steep slopes/rock scrambles, and I had to constantly keep an eye on it as I moved to make sure it didn't bang on rocks and stuff. Also, this system inhibited my ability to freely use my left arm, due to a large object on my left hip.
- Allow easy access to the camera - in some situations, such as photographing fall foliage, there are so many awesome opportunities that I'm constantly shooting on the go. I don't want the gear-carry system to be such a hinderance that I skip good opportunites just because it's a pain to get to the camera.
- Allow quick and easy donning and doffing of the backpack - I'm just as guilty as anyone of "shooting from the hip" with my backpack still on, pulling me off balance, because it was too much of a pain to take off the backpack and holster, then put everything back on and readjust.

With these requirements in mind, here is how the Tenba Shootout 24L works with my needs, as well as some unexpectedly nice features, and a few (minor) detractors.

*** The One AWESOME Feature To Rule Them All ***
- This backpack, in a sentence, has amazing balance. Once adjusted to fit my body shape, it carried the load comfortably, with almost no shift in weight whatsoever as I moved. The load stayed tight to my body as I moved, with very minimal and predictable shifting as my posture changed. By this, I mean that the backpack essentially behaved as though it were a single solid mass, even though there were a number of things packed into it, and moved as if it were a natural extension of my torso. After climbing up a 3000' peak that took almost three hours, my back, neck, and shoulders felt as fresh and relaxed as if I was carrying a lightweight daypack, even though I was carrying over 15 pounds of gear. Great job, Tenba!
- The backpack comes with plenty of adjustment for people of all shapes and sizes. It has load-lifter straps at the top of the shoulder straps, adjustable shoulder strap length, and adjustable hip belt straps. The hip belt is also removable (I think), to reduce the footprint for air travel.

*** Major Features that I like ***
- Main compartment organization is great. It comes with a good number of dividers and spacers. I removed about half of them because I'm an ounce-counting miser, and because I don't need them. I have one compartment for the camera body + lens, and this naturally causes pockets to form for a second lens next to it, and a small compartment below for a drone controller or some small items like filter holders, clean socks, or snacks. Roughly the top half I leave open as one big section to stuff a light jacket, extra snacks, a drone, or whatever.
- On the left side (as you wear it), there is a little door that you can open that gives you immediate access to your camera. For me, this is HUGE, because it makes it so easy to grab the camera for opportunities I happened to come across as I hike along, and then easily stow the camera again. This feature is one of my deal-breakers: I'm not going to go for any system where I can't get to the camera easily, and this side access works great! You just undo the sternum strap, swing the backpack around on your left shoulder (you can leave the hip belt strapped on), open the door, and "Bam!" the camera is right there. It holds my Canon 5D Mk IV, attached lens, and tripod plate no problem, though I do have to wiggle it a bit to get it out. If using a battery grip, this side door would definitely not work. Also, on the inside of the door is a little zippered compartment that you can use for a lens cloth or lens wet wipes.
- Laptop compartment between the main compartment and your back. I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to be used for a hydration bladder, but that's what I use it for. I put a Hydrapak Shape-Shift 3L Reversible Reservoir, Clear into the laptop compartment. It works well with 1.5 liters of water, and would probably be okay with up to 2.0 liters. I routed the hydration hose out the top of the zipper and through a stretchy loop on the right shoulder strap.
- Behind the main compartment is a zippered full-length compartment, with some organizational pockets that I use for carrying essential hiking gear: flashlight (goes in one internal pocket), first aid kit, battery pack and charging cable for my phone (goes in the other internal pocket), extra straps, bug repellent, hand sanitizer and wipes, and a couple of ziploc baggies.
- On the outside of this pocket are two little zippered pockets on the very back of the pack. One of them had a memory card organizer, which I promptly removed since I don't use it and I'm stingy with weight, but it's a nice touch for event photographers that need to keep their cards separated. Also nice is that these pockets have little mesh organizers in them, as well as a little mesh bottom to prevent objects from falling out when you open the pockets.
- On the bottom are compartments for an integrated rain cover with a black side out for rain, and a silver side out for reflecting the sun (more about this later). Also on the bottom is a compartment to shove the tripod foot into. It's pretty easy to get the foot out, and it gives stability to your tripod.
- On the left side (as you're wearing it) is a an upper zippered pocket for small items. It has a little clip inside for your keys or some other small item, and it's about four inches deep; it was conveniently sized for stuffing the bottoms of my convertible hiking pants into. On the right side is a full length pocket, which you can use for things like removable tripod center column. It's also good for holding a delicious sandwich from a local Lake Placid deli.
- All the main compartments are rigid and well padded, and I wasn't worried at all about protection for the camera. Even though Tenba claims this backpack doesn't have a hard interior frame, it's very firm and rigid, and doesn't have any trouble standing up or holding its shape. The exterior is made of tough-looking nylon that you can scrape along rocks and trees with. All of the interior dividers stick nicely by hook-and-pile, and are well padded. I removed about half of the interior dividers to make myself a large space at the top to stuff a light jacket or my drone.
- The laptop compartment, main compartment, camera access side door, and the full length back compartment all feature double zippers with built-in holes for attaching luggage locks, in case you're in a crowded place like the airport, or you're on a shoot in the city. It was hard to tell from pictures and reviews if the side access for the camera was lockable, and I was a little concerned; but, not to worry, Tenba thought of that, and it is lockable.
- The shoulder straps are super comfortable and support the pack well. Additionally, even though this is a shorter, airline-sized bag, it's adjustable enough to get the hipbelt down to a comfortable height (I'm 5'8"). Also, the weight is so well distributed between the different support components that it never felt like a burden to take it off and then put it back on again, even though with all my gear + water, it weighed about 20 lbs.
- Being so heavy, thick, and black, I thought that the interior would probably get clicking hot, and I was a little concerned after walking for about an hour on an 85-degree day with the sun roasting me. To my great surprise, the padding functioned like the insulation in a thick lunch caddy, and kept the interior nice and cool, just like I left the hotel with. I'd imagine you could even put a chilled water bottle in there, and it would stay cool for a long time, even in warm weather. The integrated rain cover with silver side was totally not necessary to prevent the backpack from heating up inside. Even the sandwich that I had stuffed in the long side pocket didn't get very warm, which was nice.
- There's some substantial back padding, which makes it comfortable to wear, as well as some air-flow channels to help evaporate sweat.

*** Minor Features that I like ***
- The chest/sternum strap is adjustable up and down. It also has this little stretchy piece built into it, so it can flex a little as you move along. The benefit of this is that as you change position to climb up and down rocks, the pack adjusts with you automatically. The downside is that the overall tension is just slightly less than I'd prefer it to be.
- Each shoulder strap has a little stretchy loop around it for holding things, as well as a D-ring sewn in just below the stretchy loop, which is a nice touch. I used one stretchy loop to hold my hydration hose, and one of the D-rings held my towel.
- Tons of organizational pockets and compartments all over. Awesome!

*** Neutral features ***
- This pack, at 4 lbs with all the dividers in, 3.5 lbs with dividers out, and about 3.8 lbs as worn by me, is pushing the limit of what I'd consider comfortable (as a smaller person). My previous system, described above, weighed about the same between the holster and backpack, and any additional wraps or cases added more weight, so it's kind of a wash for me. The good news is, it's way easier to organize the Tenba Shootout because it's already padded and has dividers built right in.
- Air flow channels along your back. In my experience, "air flow channels" are pretty useless. They blow away sweat in the channels, but the 90% of your back that's not over the channel becomes a soggy, sweaty mess. That's pretty much normal for all air flow channels, and the trade off is either sweat relief or padding. The good news is, the back padding is generous and comfortable, if somewhat sweaty in warmer weather.

*** Minor negative features ***
- Keep in mind these are all very minor negatives compared to the overall awesomeness of the backpack, and not worth knocking off a star.
- No heat-embossed sunglass pocket. The 32L has it, but the 24L does not. Seriously, WTF.
- No hip belt pockets. Again: seriously, WTF.
- I kinda wish it had a large mesh outer pocket, for stuffing wet gear, empty snack wrappers, etc. Not a huge deal, just would have been nice.
- No stow-on-the-go style trekking pole attachments or gear loop. Tenba advertises this as good for hikers, and guess what, this hiker likes using trekking poles. Not a huge deal either, since I rarely used the attachments anyway, and Tenba did give us some other straps, D-rings, and attach points elsewhere. If I wanted to stow the trekking poles, I'm sure I could figure something out, but I'd have to take the pack off to do it.
- If you have a full-frame DSLR, two or three lenses, and some accessories (intervalometer, flash, filters, etc), it'll all fit nicely, but there's not really enough space to add extra clothing for those hikes that require dressing in layers. I like this bag enough that I might get the larger 32L for those colder hikes, but the 6lb weight makes me balk a bit. The 32L version is also too big to qualify as an airline personal item.
- The internal dividers can sag a bit on the side closer to the opening, so if you try to open the main compartment while it's standing up, stuff might tumble out. It does come with a couple of black straps to prevent your camera/lenses from falling out that way, but little stuff like snacks and filters could shift. Easy solution is to lay the backpack flat before opening.
- Not cheap. But, you get what you pay for. Definitely a top-notch product.

Overall, this is an amazing product that has replaced about three separate pieces of equipment that I had cobbled together in a Frankenstein contraption. Unless this thing falls apart after like a year, Tenba has a customer for life!

9 people found this helpful

Helpful

J. Silberman

Holds a Ton and makes carrying a lot easier.

Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2014

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 32l BackpackVerified Purchase

OMG! This is the monster of all backpack carrying bags. It can hold more than I can comfortably carry. The strap system is excellent. The side access for one camera is very nice and the compartments are all useful, including the sunglasses. I got this one so I could carry one instead of two camera backpacks. I have the small Tenba shootout and Canon backpack.
The inside compartments are tall enough to allow the pack to close against the dividers instead of the gear. I customized and rearranged the inside (used a few dividers from the old bag and put both cameras in horizontally with lenses on) to hold two slr's with 24-70 and 70-200 with one spare camera body only with 50mm and 85mm primes all comfortable fit. The outside storage holds 3 600ex's vertically and 1 horizontally in cases with a room for some 3 battery chargers and a tester in between.
I don't use the tripod strap as the weight is already too much and the effort to secure it isn't worth the time when I often carry more than one along with light stands. The computer compartment is roomy enough for my dual camera harness and a macbook with room to spare.
I use outside lid compartments for memory card cases and SLR batteries along with USB cable & extra lens cloths. I have only a few things on the inside lid compartments as it is already pretty stuffed. It's good for thin books, cloth, and thin cables. The only issue I could recommend is the side access door could have a felt or cloth backing instead of plastic. I stuff a cloth in when I close the panel so the display on my SLR doesn't risk damage.
All in all a great bag.
The side compartments hold cleaning cloths extra AA batteries in chargers and stacked multiples high. I use the monopod compartment for the batteries so the outside elastic are open for when I don't want to open the case for storing small items, notes, etc.
The case is durable and the zippers use coated cable loops. The ergonomics are great and it is comfortable even when you are adding more weight than you should. It's easy to slide in and out of sideways to put down or to rest the bag for accessing the side compartment. I can't reach it when its strapped fully.
The bag is really well designed and actually feels good even when heavy. It directs the weight to the lower back to force proper carrying posture and the waste belt holds it in place.
Oh, it protects your stuff too.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ryan Anthony

Very Durable, Would Recommend. Wish It Could Fit More Though.

Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2017

Verified Purchase

Great bag. Suprisingly lightweight, even when totally full. A lot of pockets and features. Just wish the interior was a BIT bigger. I have trouble fitting all my gear in it on shoots. And forget about bringing a couple extra lenses and 2 cameras. This is more for 1 camera, a few lenses and some gear like audio equipment and accessories.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Awesome bag for GoPro

Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2016

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 14l Actionpack (for Gopro)Verified Purchase

Review for the 14L GoPro setup. Fantastic bag. I was able to consolidate what I would consider a medium sized collection of accessories. I have 2 gopros, just about every branded mount, and a few 3rd party bits and bobs. The individual sections are very useful, you can get some extra space for larger items if you forgo one of the pouches and put items in loose. The tethered wallets are good for organizing screws. The side pockets are elastic and are great for the 3-way mount or any other gopole like stick. Rind cover works fantastic and folds up into an attached pouch when dry. All the front pockets have different zipper pulls, so its easy to tell what pocket your opening without having to look. Few minor notes on the marketed features: the water bladder pocket seems like a pipe dream, if you have items in the front pockets, and a full camera load in the main section you can barely squeeze your hand into the pocket, making for a potentially high pressure situation, just not enough space everything. On the same note the sunglasses pocket is not rigid and hangs into the main section, if you have gear up to the top there is no space for glasses. These minor drawbacks are just that, minor. 5 stars all the way.
I got a chance to field test the rig during the Chicago Cubs world series win. I was out for almost 8 hours and the bag was comfortable and did not strain my shoulders. Final product can be seen here [...]
A must for the style oriented GoPro enthusiast.

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Mark

Good specific design. Not meant for a multi use bag.

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2016

Verified Purchase

3 people found this helpful

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Ken

Very nice bag

Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2014

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 32l BackpackVerified Purchase

Just took my first trip with this backpack, and I'm really glad I got it. I was worried that it might not fit under the seat on tiny commuter airplanes, but no problem. The big straps and belt are a bit in the way on an airplane, but you get the payoff when it goes on your back with a lot of gear. It's just WAY more comfortable than my old Lowepro DSLR Video pack 350 AW. This thing has a real backpacking quality belt and harness system. The belt detaches easily if you are really space constrained.

It also holds more stuff than the Lowepro, with lots of compartments for keeping small things organized. And the deep front pocket can hold several jackets and such. And, of course, the side opening provides quick access to your camera with the pack on your back -- a key feature for me.

If I were going to pick nits, I would say that the strap for attaching to a wheelie bag is too low for stability. I ended up using the tripod strap instead -- in reverse -- and that worked fine. Also the computer compartment is smaller than the Lowepro's.

The sunglasses compartment on top is a very nice touch. Holds big wrap arounds.

All told, a very well thought out, quality product. Looks and feels like a fine piece of kit, and super comfortable with a heavy load.

4 people found this helpful

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RMA626

Perfect bag for 2 months, then a strap came loose

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2015

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 18l BackpackVerified Purchase

I liked this bag a lot, until a side strap came loose at the seam after two months. I wrote Tenba and found out that the bag has a 5 year warranty. I sent it back to Tenba - they simply told me to send it back, with no instructions on the best way to do so. I went to the UPS store and paid $27.88 to have bag packaged and sent by ground. I told customer service about the cost for return, here's the response: "Yes the retail UPS stores are pricey. You would do much better with your own box and post office." I'm a bit upset at that response and the lack of pre-instruction. Also, I still haven't heard from Tenba how they will handle the bag: repair, replace, time frame.
The strap was on the side, and is there to attach a light jacket or the sort. In other words, it isn't used all the time. This leads me to believe that this was a flaw in how the back was produced. That is a quality control issue.

UPDATE: Tenba replaced the bag with another one. Almost immediately, a zipper tie came off that bag. I installed another tie that I had on hand. And now, in February, a chest strap can unattached. I'm not impressed with Tenba and can't recommend.

7 people found this helpful

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Gary Goodnow

Poor interior design results in less room for actual camera gear. Also too heavy and bulky. I returned mine.

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2015

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 32l BackpackVerified Purchase

It's difficult to find the "perfect" camera backpack, but this one isn't even close. I just returned it, and must say that Amazon makes this the most pain free process I've ever encountered. I rarely send anything back to anybody, and this is the first time with Amazon, and it was super easy and inexpensive with Amazon providing a pre-paid (they deduct the amount for the refund) label at their very favorable rates.

Back to the bag. There were a lot of positives. It was very well made with a lot of innovations such as their harness design with very comfortable shoulder and waist straps which were well padded. There were also a lot of pockets to store peripheral items and a very well padded storage area for a laptop. And at first, I thought the side zipped pocket for direct camera access was a great idea. But this turned out to be the major design flaw. This forces you to set the interior up so your camera fits sideways, greatly reducing storage space for zoom lenses. Also their "innovative" crush proof sunglass case at the top of the bag, results in a hard shell protruding inside the interior space where the camera and gear all live. This totally eliminates two inches across the entire bottom of the bag as useable space. The other negative was all the dividers were just thrown into the bag interior with no setup at all. And the Velcro does not adhere well to the sides or bottom, resulting in a flimsy set of dividers. I worked with various configurations, building always off the side entry design, and no matter what I did, I could not configure the interior to house very much actual camera equipment. A couple DSLR camera bodies, two zoom lenses and one fixed lens and that was it. I later bought an Incase DSLR Pro Pack for half the money, and got two more zoom lenses plus more peripheral gear into the bag and had a much less weight and bulk to try to get onto airline storage compartments.

If you are looking for a very well made, comfortable and heavier style of pack and do not have a lot of camera gear, this may be the bag for you. But if weight is a concern, along with the ability to store a lot of actual camera gear, then I would look at other bags, like the Incase DSLR Pro Pack.

9 people found this helpful

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Mauricio

Es muy resistente

Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2024

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 14l Actionpack (for Gopro)Verified Purchase

Lo tengo hace varios años y sigue intacto

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Bryon

Fantastic bag for my Sony A7

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2015

Color: BlackStyle: Shootout 14l Actionpack (for Gopro)Verified Purchase

I love this bag! I purchase this bag to carry my Sony A7 along with a few lens (50mm, 35mm, 16-15mm, 70-200mm) for a recent trip to France. For me, (backpack are a personal choice) this bag was a perfect fit and pocket layout worked well for easy access. I was able to get all of my camera gear in along the a iPad and other goodies without looking like I was running away from home. On the airplane over head bin the bag was not an issue. I had plenty of room and if needed to, I could place it under the seat in front. On the tour bus or smaller airlines bin compartment the bag fit very well.

I did do a couple of modifications that I wish Tenba would have included.

1) A locking zipper in for the back main compartment. I just place a small S-biner on both of the zipper to lock it. This prevents the possibility of have the main compartment being opened in a crowed area.

2) I place some tie down in the from front. I was then able to lock the two front pockets (as seen in the second picture on the right side held by the pinch stopper) to prevent the pockets being opened easily in a crowed area. I was also able hold my Bose headphones or whatever I need to hang off the back (shopping bags, coat etc...).

I also place my ThinkTank bag in the main compartment. This way if I'm unable to take my backpack into a place I can use my ThinkTank bag as a side bag. Plus, for my every day back and forth to work, I use the main compartment to carry my lunch.

Overall, this bag is very versatile, smart, and good looking compare to the larger camera bags that I have tried. If you are looking for a midsize camera bag, I would take a closer look at this one.

Pros: small, lightweight, good pocket layout, smaller bags included, thicker hip belt then other brands that is removable, small anchor hooks in key areas, thick elastic bands on the straps to hold the extra webbing, good support harness and good travel size bag for smaller airlines and tour buses.

Cons: No locking zipper for the main back and front pockets, loose threads on the stitching, top bands on the harness could be thicker and more durable (after a short of usage of 1 mo they are showing signs of wear).

2 people found this helpful

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