Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsThis bag tries to do many things well. It mostly succeeds!
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2018
I would say 4.75 stars... So, I have started to accept this bag and it is pretty good... It carries my Laptop and a small camera kit in a semi manageable package. A couple of things could be improved and I have listed them in order of most needed to meh.
1. I wish it would stand up. When its loaded with a laptop and gear it might, but other times as you are trying to pull gear out flops on its "face". If the base were an inch wider I believe the bag would stand up in most cases and be much less frustrating. I actually considered returning the bag due to this frustration but have managed to work through it, even though its a huge frustration. I am still considering sewing some sort of role on the base of the bag to prevent it from falling over but would hate to destroy the look of the bag,
2.The strap is so close! It's not uncomfortable, but with a full load, it bites the shoulder a bit. I have noticed on the short walk from my desk to the car the strap can become uncomfortable fairly quickly. My main camera bag is a Lowepro Magnum 200 AW Shoulder Bag and that thing has the strap down! It has the most comfortable strap I have every used. The Peak Design strap is nice, feel nice and smooth, but just lacks a little bit of padding to make it great. So a more padded strap would be so nice, especially since I cannot set the bag down without it falling on its face.
3. The front pocket is a tad too thin... I had to buy a gear bag and role it up filling a lens compartment to manage all my accessories. If the base of the bag was extended and the base of the pocket was extended the bag would be much more useful.
4. The side pockets are useless. Even if I felt comfortable loading a piece of gear in the unsecured space, it pushes into the main compartment of the bag and takes away from the main compartment. I wont put anything in these pockets. Maybe a lens cloth or lens cap on a shoot, though I would not be very confident in their security.
5. Waste strap... See complaint #2. I am thinking of cutting those off. If I have a heavy kit to carry for a long time, ill choose another bag. I have not had a moment I though they would be helpful.
6. The dividers... meh. Maybe the updated ones are better with the "split" but these... divide stuff. Would be cool if the dividers were all Velcro so you could split a pocket in half with an extra divider.
All that being said, as an everyday carry for a laptop and camera kit, this thing does a pretty great job. Maybe not a 5 star but closer to 5 than 4. The main compartment has enough flexibility to change things out quickly. The clip to close the bag is clever and useful. I like the color and material. The strap has a nice feel (with a light load). the laptop, tablet and cell pocket are useful. In conclusion, this bag tries to do many things well. Though it is not the best camera shoulder bag I have used, or the best laptop bag I have used, it is the best laptop/camera shoulder bag I have found to date.