Spoiler alert: 15 years ago I found the perfect camera bag, and I’m giving one away. Keep reading.
I am embarrassed by how many camera bags I own. Unlike the cameras and lenses that have come into my life and served their purposes before being sold to find a new life with someone else, my camera bags seem to have entered the house through a one-way door. Perhaps you share my shame. Tidy to a fault in other areas of my life, I am—when it comes to camera bags—a hoarder.
Every photographer I know has made a joke at some point about “still looking for the perfect camera bag,” usually right after—or right before—buying yet another camera bag.
And so, I have a confession: I just bought another camera bag. But it’s not what you think. It’s not because I finally found the perfect bag (I did, but more on that in a moment). It’s not because my last one wore out (it didn’t). It’s worse than that: I bought it because I like the colour and I think it’s dead sexy. Don’t judge me.
It gets even worse. I now own 7 of this particular bag. Some of them are different sizes. Some of them are different colours, and one is sitting on a shelf unopened, and I bought it just in case the company ever stops making them, that’s how much I love this bag. The bag in question is the GuraGear Kiboko, and I’m giving one away.
When safari clients ask me to recommend a bag, the Kiboko is the one I recommend. For me, and my needs, it is the perfect bag (that’s why I have 7 of them), and if you make it to the end of this post, there are details on how you might win one of your very own.
No, there is no one universally perfect bag. The bag that works for street photography won’t be quite so perfect for wildlife, and the bag that fits that bill might not do what you need for weddings. My perfect bag won’t necessarily be your perfect bag. Like any gear we choose, all of us should be asking “perfect for what?”
Here’s what I need in a camera bag for most of my work:
First, it’s got to fit within carry-on size limits of the planes on which I travel. That’s a non-negotiable. And it’s got to do this and still fit my 600/4.0 lens.
It’s got to be light. Many camera bags are overkill when it comes to the padding and the protection. I’d rather trade a little of that for a lighter bag. I don’t know what y’all are doing with your bags, but mine aren’t getting stepped on by elephants. It’s hard enough packing gear to fit within airline limits, so the lighter the bag (while still offering protection), the better.
It’s got to be workable, meaning it’s got to get my gear where I am going but it also has to be easy to work out of when I get there. Can I get the gear I need when I need it? Is it easy to organize?
And it’s got to be a backpack. No other bag works for what I do. Much as I would like a roller, I need a backpack. Especially now, walking on a prosthetic leg I need to be able to put my gear on my back where it’s balanced, and my hands can be free for other things. Rollers just add weight and don’t work on anything but perfectly smooth terrain. Good for airports, but not the rough ground where I do so much of my work.
So, it’s got to be a backpack, but I’m not looking for something with which I can hike the West Coast Trail. I need a good harness, but not something so bulky that it fills the airport sizing devices. Comfortable, but not bulky is hard to come by.
For the last 15 years or so my main camera bag when doing either humanitarian or wildlife work has been the GuraGear Kiboko 30L. When doing street work I always favoured a smaller kit and found that a simple leather satchel was enough for me, but when flying with more gear, including larger lenses, it has always been the Kiboko (which means hippo in Swahili). It’s light, comfortable, ridiculously well designed, and has everything I need and nothing I don’t. Here are some pictures stolen from the GuraGear website (it’s cool, they know)
I shouldn’t love a camera bag this much but I do. I shouldn’t be calling a camera bag “sexy” but I’m stupid like that.
That I am even writing an article about a camera bag should tell you how much I love these bags. They are light. They are brilliantly and thoughtfully designed. They are crazy durable, and I am very hard on my gear. And they fit in the overhead bins on every plane I’ve ever flown on, with the exception of those tiny regional jets but they don’t count because nothing more than a jacket and a laptop fits into those. The Kiboko will, however, fit under the seat in those cases. And it will still (hippo that it is) swallow my 600/4.0 lens.
When I travel my Kiboko will hold a 600mm on one side (or a 300mm and a body, with room for a couple tele-extenders) and my 100-400, 24-105, two more bodies, and various batteries and SD cards on the other side. It will easily take a change of clothes, as well.
When I’m shooting on location, I can remove a couple dividers and it will hold cameras with the lenses mounted (except my 600mm, which is usually in my hand), and the long front pockets hold my rain jacket in one side, a sweater in the other, and a water bottle in the side. I’ve got it down to a system. There’s a place for everything. And if I don’t want to use the backpack harness, it all zips away nice and tidy, and looks like a smaller bag than it really is. They’ve even colour-coded the inside lip of the zippered compartments with blue piping so you know if you see blue, the bag isn’t fully zipped up.
I could go on and on—there are so many really thoughtful design touches that make this not only a good bag but a great one—but my purpose here isn’t to sell you on a bag but to give one away.
There are some nice camera bags out there, but these are the best I’ve used, and they’re perfect for what I do. That’s why I have 7 of them. And it’s why I’ve partnered with GuraGear to give one away.
Here’s how to enter:
The rules are simple: first, you’ve got to be on my Contact Sheet mailing list (follow this link to sign up) and you’ve got to leave a comment below. Tell me just how many camera bags you have. Tell me what you look for in a bag. Or tell me you have a Kiboko bag and love it as much as I do and want another one. And if you feel the need to weigh-in on my bag-hoarding problem, feel free to do that too. But leave a comment.
On January 15, I’ll draw the name of a winner and announce it here on the blog, and if that’s you then GuraGear will ship you a brand new GuraGear Kiboko 30L+ which is like the bags I have but it can now also take a laptop in a zippered sleeve in the back. Good luck!
For the Love of the Photograph,
David
In the interest of transparency and because people freak out about this kind of thing, I am now a GuraGear ambassador. Last month I asked them if I could join the family because I’ve been recommending their bags for years and I like the people that work there, and they said “welcome home!” So if you use my last name DUCHEMIN as a coupon code you’ll save 10% and they’ll send me a couple bucks or buy me a whisky. But I joined forces with them because I love and use their gear, not the other way around.
Comments
I have three backpacks, two sling bags, a messenger bag, and three or four shoulder bags. But what I don’t have is the perfect bag!
Strangely only one camera bag currently but this one looks amazing, just what I need for my next trip to Orkney.
I have 7 camera bags and a rolling case, still haven’t found “the ONE”! Would love to give this one a try!
As seems to be true of many who have commented, I also have several photo bags. The Think Tank turned out to have very uncomfortable backpack straps (it always has to be a backpack, too), Lowe Pro bags that I have (several, unfortunately) are too heavy, the Mindshift Backlight 26l doesn’t fit my gear (the space isn’t wide enough), and now I am traveling with a Peak Design large cube inside an Osprey bag for the flight but stuffing gear in a drybag backback when I go out into the field. It’s far from an ideal setup, so it would be fun to try something in the intermediate size — the GuraGear Kiboko sounds like it might be the “just right” bag with a lot of functionality. I would definitely put it to the test should I be chosen!
Oh, the neverending search for the perfect camera bag is over! I have 3 at the moment, one satchel style that I never use because, like you, I prefer a backpack. The satchel makes me too lopsided. One sling-style backpack that I bought because it was on sale but I also never use because it just doesn’t hold enough. And the one I mainly use, which is some sort of no-name thing I bought when I was in Oman and my old one fell to pieces! And now this one has had a zipper replaced and strap repaired once…
I always thought my perfect bag had side access, but that was always a problem because then on the other side there’s only room for either tripod or water bottle, but not both. And then I’d just end up putting my water bottle inside, which feels risky. And I need a good harness with a waist strap because stuff gets heavy! So I’m still using my old half-broken bag because I still haven’t found the perfect one to replace it. This one looks like it solves the side-access problem with the butterfly opening, thus leaving me two sides to use! Love it!
David, I have a Lowepro Mini Trekker that I love, it has been with me for many years, it has a lovely patina. It does everything that I need it to, it has been on many canoe trips. But I do have a Lowepro shoulder bag that is gathering dust in a closet somewhere. However the bag that I use the most is a small “man bag” made by Timbuk2 Designs. It carries my Nikon Z7 and the other essentials for my day.
6 bags. I have my favorite one for city work. I have not been able to find the one for nature work. Your bag sounds cool. Your spiel is even better! I want a sexy camera bag!
Nice looking bag, David. Might work great for bear camp.
I’m currently mainly rocking two bags. The one for travel or longer lenses is the Peter McKinnon nomatic. I love the laptop sleeve in it. I also love that it stands up without falling over. Really nice bag. But can’t believe that I needed to pay more to get tripod straps. Which I haven’t yet done.
The other is a smaller lowepro 250 sling bag. Great for my Nikon with a 24-70. I just wish the internal divider was removable so it could carry up to the 100-400 lens attached.
Oh yeah – I also have an older Lowe pro backpack that doesn’t do its job well and I should give back to the universe. But for some reason it lives in my closet.
And no judgement on your hoarding issue. I now have 7 pairs of the same Eddie Bauer pro guide pants because I am afraid that they will stop making them or slightly change their shape in the near future.
David, your emails are always a joy to read and give me so much to think about; thank you. I have one simple, small actual camera bag, a backpack and leather bag for the other paraphernalia I may need on a shoot. This bag looks like a terrific tool and I see why you have so many! 🙂 Cheers!
David,
I am excited that someone will be getting a new camera bag and I hope it is me. I have two bags. One is a sling that is too small to carry my favorite lenses and the other is a backpack that I love but is completely worn out. I decided last year that I need a new bag. I spent a lot of time researching and comparing camera backpacks but never did buy one.
I love your writing and have been reading your posts for a few years. A calm demeanor comes through in your writing while inspiring creativity.and diligence to enjoy photography while always improving the art.
Happy New Year
—jane
I have (only?) two camera packs. One is a Tamrac and is too small; I bought it from a famous adventurer (yes, actually!) but it would serve better as a picnic pack than a camera bag. The other is a Ruggard sling bag which appears to never have been used which is about right-sized but is pretty stiff; I found it at Goodwill and it was underpriced by someone who didn’t know what they were pricing. David, I could surely benefit by being the recipient of this Kiboko pack.
Love your commentary and “get off your butt” cheerleading.
Like you said there is no perfect camera bag, that’s an understatement. Yes we need at least 2, depending on if your landscape, wildlife ,street etc.
I have 2, I backpack Tamrac, smaller one can’t remember the model. and a sling pac safe.
Looking for a lighter one for everyday. too bad these Gura Gear does not make one smaller than 16L.
Backpack style is much better for balance, cause less stress on parts of the body.
Have fun picking the winner..
I have a ThinkTank backpack but kinda regret the one I bought. I have a small LowePro bag to just fit my camera with a lens and one extra. We moved so we downsized, otherwise I would be describing more than two. Doing more hiking , so a new bag would be sweet! Especially if people could ask me if I had a hippo on my back!
Hey David!
I have 2 bags, both Lowpro I think. I don’t pay much attention to brands unless I LOVE or HATE a product, and mine are just, meh. Anyway,
both are too small and frustrating to pack for any photo outings. I would love a more versatile bag that isn’t too heavy when multiple camera bodies and lenses is a must.
Really love the content you share and have enjoyed the online workshops I have taken. And your latest book….. awesome!
Cheers to 2025!
Kathy
For the past 12 years, or so, I’ve been using a Think Tank bag which is growing old. It’s not perfect and I’m still searching for the perfect bag. I am very interested to see if the GuraGear Kiboko 30L+ would be the perfect bag as you have found!
Hi, I am currently using whatever bag is around with dish towels as protection! A real one would be awesome!!
Anyway, I enjoy your writing- books and blogs. Thanks for your insight 🙂
Happy shooting!
Probably five bags. I usually use a LL Bean backpack when I travel or go out for the day. I try to travel light which means anticipating and making compromises on what I take.
The mere idea of having the perfect bag is the allure. After “extensive” research I have enjoyed LowePro, Domke, ThinkTank and Wandrd. Backpacks, rollers, sling and shoulder bags have all carried my gear. Yet, without exception, limitations and frustrations began to seep into the equation after a few outings. The search continues! My wife rolls her eyes knowing it is futile to try to dissuade me from what has to exist! The perfect bag! Is it the GuruGear 30L+? I sure would like to say yes!
I have two bags: a backpack and an everyday shoulder bag. I tend to bring the backpack for travel as it is the most protective and can hold other small items I may need while walking around and exploring. The everyday bag is primarily for local use, for local sights and street photography.
One thing a bag needs to be is comfortable. I find the backpack the best for that.
Neglecting the most simple camera cases one often has, once I got serious about my picture taking, I worked up slowly! I started with a LowPro fanny pack (Inverse 200AW) since I was doing lots of hiking. Eventually, I wanted to carry more and so got a Tamrac Corona 20 backpack, which I still use today for many purposes. I then felt I needed something to carry LOTS of gear and purchased an Tenba Shootout 32L backpack. I love it, although it IS heavy (6 lbs). It’s comfortable and fits lots of kit. But, when in an urban environment a backpack is not necessarily convenient and doesn’t look good (especially to my wife!), and so I bought a Tenba DNA 11 messenger bag! This has its place but somehow it was lost (fortunately, without anything important inside!) So, I replaced it with a Tenba DNA 16 messenger bag! This works well in an urban setting although it’s not as comfortable as a backpack. BUT, I’m now 81 years old and carrying the large Tenba 32L onto an airplane and walking through the airport, while still possible, is not so much fun! So I recently purchased a Think Tank Photo Airport Roller Derby Carry-On bag!! This has worked well so far and has been convenient for some volunteer gigs I get. Yet, we will see how well it works when I need to have it on the street. I may miss being able to sling it onto my back as I do with the nearly 6 pound Tenba. The GuraGear looks great!
I have a camera bag problem as well. BAS kind of like GAS I’ve never owned an Gura Gear it looks good and yes the color is nice, maybe some day when I need a new bag, that could be as early as tomorrow, I’ll get one. Love to win it
I currently have 5 Domke bags; 4 which were purchased in the 1980’s. I must have at least 6 more bags; varying sizes and styles. I do need a good bag to travel with. It’s a nightmare to get myself organized.
I don’t have a camera bag problem. I can stop any time I want to.
I have 4 camera bags – mostly use a nifty Tenba backpack for work trips that also holds 1 body and 2 lenses, up to a 70-200 f/2.8. The downside is that you can’t bring a ton of gear. I have a Think Tank which holds everything, but is heavy as a tank. A back-breaker. The other 2 bags are very small to bring one body with an extra lens for walking around town. The Gura Gear looks amazing!
I have 3 bags. One is a roller bag which is great for trips that require air travel, although I must admit those small puddle jumpers don’t usually accommodate it. I have a small bag that I can comfortably carry on back with the camera gear I need while hiking. The third bag currently is used for storing my excess gear . When I look for a bag it is important that it will be comfortable on my back and has a good belt, place for a water bottle ,and tripod.
I have about 4 camera bags. Probably more…
I most often use a regular backpack, not even a real camera bag, that has an interesting print and does not look like a camera bag, with a smaller bag inside it. I started using this when I switched to a smaller mirrorless camera. I like that it does not look like a camera bag or shout out to observers that I might be carrying a good camera.
It has just the right number of pockets for “stuff” – and I can put my jacket in there if necessary.
Thanks for the chance to win a new bag. I do love to win stuff!
Too many bags, none perfect… my assessment of my gear and the camera bag marketplace. The Kiboko bag you describe sounds almost too good to be true. But, I’ll take your word for the features and benefit and maybe one day I will be able to experience what sounds like perfection!
Yes, like many of us, I have too many bags. I donate the ones I no longer use to the animal shelter thrift store. Love that it helps shelter animals. Others I use for a specific trips that I take. However, I still can’t part with my old 1970 Nikon leather bag (it’s too heavy) with the metal plate in the bottom for screwing in the lenses. My favorite bags are my Lowepro Flipside and my Caden. The latter is good for a long day shoot. I pad the bottom and can carry 2 bodies and 3 big lenses. The pouches can hold miscellaneous items, cable release, cards, filters, etc. and my water bottle. A lighter weight tripod straps underneath the bag. I love it but would rather it had a different zipper configuration, 2 that open independently rather than one. For air travel I use my Lowepro. It fits in the overhead although sometimes the attendants fuss about it until I show them it fits. I configure it to carry 3 bodies with 3-4 lenses (macro, teles & wide) and all miscellaneous items including wallet, passport, meds, etc. Since I stuff it, I need to hand carry my heavier tripod. As I get older I look for what is practical, space configuration and mostly how well made it is. I also have a Ruggard that carries a 4th body with 2 lenses that my husband uses.
I managed to get my collection down to a dozen this New Year, but it’s still a Goldilocks situation. This bag is too small, this bag is too heavy, this bag is too stiff, this bag has no room for a storm jacket, this bag has no room for the 600mm lens, this one won’t fit under the airplane seat and none are just right. I even have a photographer’s vest with pockets for every imaginable device. I’d love to be able to donate my collection to the local charity shop in exchange for a GuraGear Kiboko. Thanks for the fun David.
At the moment, I use a small bag for short walks and a backpack for longer hikes, but that one is bulky and I have not yet mastered the perfect organisation of all the stuff that goes in additionally to the camera.
Also, there are other bags that are showing their age or didn’t work the way I thought they would…
After trying different kinds of bags, finding the perfect one proves to be difficult.
So, I’m still searching for the perfect bag…
I have only 2 camera bags, and one was free and not worth using. My main one is nice, but is small and packed full, and it can’t hold a tripod nor a laptop, so I’ll check out the one you’re recommending.
I have three bag, one is a roller . As I’ve aged, I’m in constant search for the Holy Grail of bags. I have an original Gura Gear Bataflae, but I can no longer wear it comfortably. Being a PT, I’m acutely aware, that our bodies can betray us, particularly as we age, so I downsized my kit and bought lighter gear. I’ve thought about the Kiboko as many of my trips include small, intra-country airlines with weight limits. I had to decide whether to save for a trip or buy another bag, and the trip won. So, for now, I’m hanging with the bags I have . Love your work and your ethical approach to photography.
Would love a new bag..I mean I only have 5 but none of them suit me. I have an old backpack style , a sling (cause everyone else was getting one) another backpack style that was free…but cumbersome and 2 old thrift store finds that I only use to store a lens or 2. So yea a nice bag would be great!! and I don’t blame you for wanting a new one for the colour…colour is important!!
I have 5 bags and two are Kiboko! One is 16+L and the other is 22+L. They have served me well for over 5 years thus far!
I have 7 bags, each one dear to me. Only use one regularly.
I don’t own a camera bag so my count is zero. Usually just use camera wraps around my equipment and put it in a normal backpack amongst layers of clothing.
Thinking maybe I should look into one at some point as lugging around cameras and lens in my everyday backpack can’t be wonderful for my back.
This bag looks great!
I have three bag, one is a roller . As I’ve aged, I’m in constant search for the Holy Grail of bags. I have an original Gura Gear Bataflae, but I can no longer wear it comfortably. Being a PT, I’m acutely aware, that our bodies can betray us, particularly as we age, so I downsized my kit and bought lighter gear. I’ve thought about the Kiboko as many of my trips include small, intra-country airlines with weight limits. I had to decide whether to save for a trip or buy another bag, and the trip won. So, for now, I’m hanging with the bags I have . Love your work and your ethical approach to photography.
I have purged my hoard of bags but still have four that I use from time to time. Having also just crossed onto the “other side” of 80, I am intrigued by the lightweight aspect of this bag. I now use hiking poles on my forays out with camera gear and only a backpack will do. I would love giving this one a run across the southwest this spring.
I have three bags by Think Tank; a shoulder bag, a backpack, and a small shoulder bag for binoculars. I’ve concluded there is no perfect bag and the only solution is a variety of bags for the type of shoot and equipment needed. I will say this GuraGear bag looks like an excellent all-around option! And I value your photographic insight and experience so even if I don’t win the bag I’ll check it out! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
I must have at least 10 bags in various spots of the house. And yet, I haven’t found that perfect bag yet… The quest continues…..
This offer is too good to pass up! I am constantly looking for the right bag, of course. I own two roller bags and nine various bags from sling to messenger to front clip to back pack to waist belt systems. None really works as a “go to” bag. So I am always changing bags. Now I get it that wilderness is not the same as street shoot. But come on…give me something I can stick with most of the time, regardless of lens size (canon gear) and travel mode. I’d love to try this bag out and end up divorcing most of the others without doubts. The price tag on this is serious, so I’m entering your drawing with hopes that 2025 will be the year of true love!
Really? Is there a bag that I will love? The best ones are the ones that I have tried to put together myself. I need the versatility of the bag to change for different kinds of shoots, travel and ease of handling. Could this be it? I would love to try it.
Thank you for your blog.
Happy New Year!!
I only have 3 camera bags, and they are all exceedingly old SLR bags I inherited with various cast-off equipment. I do have a nice ICU that I use in my normal person bags when I travel. I’ll confess that for backpacking, I for years have gotten away with just dropping my nice expensive camera in a normal daypack or hiking backpack. Its long past time I upgraded, especially now that I live steps away from world-class hiking trails. If it were easy to find models to try out in a store like REI, maybe I’d cough up the cash. But cheapness has thus far prevailed.
Probably five but only a couple get any significant use depending the planned activity.
I have three camera bags, but none is anywhere near as cool as the one I’m hoping to win!
Full disclosure-I used to work in a camera store… Restocking day would turn into a fun week for me, I would literally put on a bag and wear it for a couple of hours around the store to see how it felt over a period of time. And yes, I would usually put some equipment in it so that it would be a a true to life test!
I am for sure “a bag hoarder”, too!
I have 4 that are pretty perfect for different situations/shoots. And about 6 that are ALMOST-perfect. Still looking for The One.
[Sidenote- if anyone here needs a bag after the drawing, and is in the US (due to shipping fees) –
Maybe we can work something out! Hit me up, and let me know the general style you are looking for.]
Somehow my name was bypassed-
Kristin Hand
Handphoto@ymail.com
Until recently I have managed with just one ‘proper’ camera bag – a Lowepro Flipside Sport 20L AW which I purchased on getting my first digital SLR in 2011. I use this backpack for all my local camera club outings and being able to attach a tripod to the backpack is a great advantage. The only problem is that it isn’t large enough for both my main camera and my secondary backup camera with their respective lenses, filters and so on – I have to choose which body + lenses to take.
This year I also bought a Neewer Waterproof Shockproof Flexible Partition Camera Padded Bag which allows me to carry a small amount of camera gear in any backpack – this has proved useful for short trips.
The Gura Gear Kiboko looks like it would be the perfect upgrade for me!
I have 4 bags. All too expensive. I’m not happy with any of them. Maybe this bag will be the winner.
I don’t have a camera bag. I typically use one of my hiking backpacks. The Hippo sounds like it would be ideal.
I hate hurricanes. I lost 2 camera bags. My Nikon camera, though older and my large zoom lens. So I have 0 camera bags and am learning a mirrorless Fuji Xt-2. This bag sounds perfect!
I usually use Peak Design Bags because I love the “Smart Thinking” of their conception with many different pockets etc.
But I have realized that too many pockets could bring somme confusion and particularly I found that Peak Design bags are quite heavy for our real needs.
I’m down to 3 bags, but I mainly use a Kata 3n1-33. It’s one of the original Kata bags and has held up very well. But I’m intrigued by the Gura Gear, especially the two sided flap concept.
Happy New Year!
I’ve got around 8 camera bags. Small ones to take just a camera and a couple lenses on a hike. Bigger ones to take a bunch of stuff on a trip. My needs seem to change, and that seems to be part of the problem. But I want to have a light bag that I can reconfigure to carry a couple big lenses, or a small collection of primes, or anything in between, with one (maybe 2) bodies. I haven’t found the perfect bag, and I routinely swap the one I’m using for one in storage, and I occasionally add another to the collection because I haven’t found one that does everything.
At the moment, my inventory includes four. From small enough to hold a 70-200+ mirrorless body to all my lenses, filters, batteries, charger and cleaning system (tripod and water bottle on the outside). While I own 4 I’ve probably bought and returned another 4; so many choices and so many configurations! (and whenever I go smaller, thinking I won’t use a lens it’s always the lens I wish I had!)
I have several, and I don’t know if there is a perfect bag for all needs. Over the years I have accumulated a small roller suitcase, three backpack style, two waist style, a sling bag style and a couple of camera only cases. And then a couple of straps with holder systems. I tell my wife when I buy yet another new one that I am just buying “a purse” or a belt, not more camera stuff. And then hope she understands. 😉
OK, you hooked me. Although given the number of comments I might be better off buying a lottery ticket!
I only have eight camera bags, and only four are in regular use. My “big” bag for the last decade has been an f-Stop Loka. It’s been to Iceland three times and New Zealand once, as well as many other less exotic places. It carries what I need and fits in nearly all overhead compartments (including some of those dreaded regional jets). My only complaint is that it is a bit heavy even when empty.
I bought an f-Stop Guru bag as a smaller, lighter alternative, but my wife hijacked before I could use it and it has been her main bag for several years. More recently I bought a MindShift Backlight 18L, which accommodates my Nikon mirrorless stuff well. Last year, for a non-photocentric trip to Ireland, I bought a MIndShift 10L sling bag, which is great for when I want a camera and one extra lens.
I’ve admired the GuraGear bags used by others, and I’d welcome the chance to try something to replace the Loka.
Hi David,
there is always room for one more camera bag. I’ve tried a lot of them over the years, but currently, i own only about 10-12 camera bags, and 3 large cases for equipment. There is no chance, you could have enough of them. Of GuraGear i haven’t even heard of yet, but there are so many different manufacturers, that it’s impossible to keep track of all of them. But the GuraGear looks like a nice addition to the on-location bag style, with one significant setback to use it in the field: No possibility to attach a tripod at the centre of the bag, and not only on the side, which leaves every bag significantly one sided and with a very bad weight distribution, if you carry a large tripod.
So I’m not alone? 🙂
Are we counting ANY camera bag? Even the small single DSLR ones?
I’ve got a few. Three for travelling…two for street shooting…and, um, a few others that have been acquired in pursuit of “something that works”.
Hi David,
First congrats on this new affiliation. Nice to see the good guys do well.
So, I seem to be a bit of an exception among the over-500 responses (so far) that you have received. I skimmed them (and, in a fit of uber nerdiness did a Ctrl-f search on this page for the words “I have” which is how most people have told you how many bags they have). It seems that practically everybody out there has multiple camera bags. I would say the average among the responses I saw is three, and the biggest number I saw was 10! I’m really quite wide-eyed at it all.
While I have been a “serious” hobby photographer for about eight years, I don’t actually own a camer bag. Not one. It’s not that I haven’t thought about getting one, I have. But it always seems there’s something else taking precedence in the budget.
So, likely to the horror of any of the other entrants in this contest (and, probably to you horror as well) I have actually been using a regular, everyday backpack all these years. I have been blessed to not have any equipment damaged due to lugging my gear around in an unpadded, gawky backpack, but I know the roulette wheel is spinning every time I go out. I would be very happy (and everyone else would probably be very relieved, for me) to be the owner of a new Gura Gear bag when the contest ends.
Many thanks again for all your content, inspiration, and now, the opportunity to stop the roulette wheel. 🙂
If I publicly tell you how many bags I have, that’s only admitting to a problem that does not exist. But if you ever start a support group for storage hacks, sign me up. (This post is missing some images of your own packing.)
Hi David
I have 4 camera bags; far too many as my wife is concerned, but they all serve a different purpose.
The features I look for are ease of access whilst ensuring it’s not too easy for pickpockets, ability to store all my gear and find it easy to hand. A good level of padding and a rain cover are also essential.
Cheers
Paul
I have 2 1/2 – I haven’t got around to throwing my old bag out yet. I use one for storage and the other to haul my stuff around. The one I use most is a paramedic’s overnight bag – it’s not a backpack. So I’m looking to increase the herd to 3 1/2.
I have around 10 camera bags, but then I also have 15 cameras and counting. For me it’s a one way door for both bags and cameras….. one thinks one might have a problem.
I have camera bags, backpacks and two roller bags, but I don’t have the perfect camera bag! So I hope I win!!
Hi there
From the Western Cape, South Africa
Yeah – I know there’s very little chance you’d ship that sexy camera bag out this way but thought I’d chip in anyway.
I have three camera bags, but only use one, because I haven’t found the ‘perfect’ bag that I’d want to spend my money on!
I’ll have look and see if Gura Gear is available in these parts 🙂
All the best!
David. I have three camera bags. I did have four but my partner made me sell the biggest one saying I was now too old to be carrying all that weight at any time. My smallest bag carries a standard DLSR with a “regular” lens attached and space for a couple more smallish lenses. Fine for a day trip in town. A bigger bag does about the same but better and gives quick access to change lenses when needed . But no good really for any travel. The final one of curse is a backpack and will handle a long lens attached to a body but the spare body and lenses can not be attached. If the bag you promote will take both a long lens attached to a body and another regular lens already attached for quick”ish” action I am very interested.
I have camera 9 bags. Most are different sizes and have given away many more.
Hi David – congratulations on your gig! Always especially good to work with people you love!
I have a few bags, but I don’t feel too guilty about that; each was bought after a LOT of research, it was perfect for what I needed at the time, and some are well over twenty years old. 🙂
I really like the looks of this bag – and I followed up with several review videos to make sure it would be a good fit for me – and I think it will be! 🙂
(And such a relief! I’ve been working and reworking the bags I have, trying to make them into a system that can work for me, and I keep having to make so many compromises.)
I love the two front butterfly flaps for all the small/flat/fiddly things (and boarding passes!) and the second ones that can open up to two completely different, but still self-contained systems.
Also, I love all the colours. Black is clean and sleek and all that, but sometimes I would dearly love something that isn’t all black, all the time. I can totally understand why you would buy the same bag in different colours. :-))
Congratulations again on your new gig & thank you for this opportunity.
Hello David. I always enjoy reading your blog along with very few others these days. I found I was becoming overwhelmed by receiving too many emails I just had to cull them. I have two Lowe Pro bags One carries 3 camera bodies and lenses. The other carries my speed lights and extra lenses, I would like one to which I could attach a tripod for hiking. Good luck with your travels. Regards Ron
I own 6 camera bags, 3 shoulder bags, 2 backpacks and 1 sling bag. On the slhoulder bags, 1 that I don´t use already due to changing my necessities and the other 2 a smaller and a bigger one, depending on the exgigencies of the photography I wil be doing. On the backpacks one is for sports photography with 2 bodies and the other one that allows reaching equipment from both sides for general use. The sling is not already in use as my kit outgrown it, but no one wants it
Hi David. I have three camera bags and was a bit embarrassed about that but I now understand that I can add to this collection with no guilt needed. I have much cheaper bags than the Gura. The ones I have I use for different styles of photography trips as you say. I certainly would be over the moon to own a bag of this calibre. Thank you for this opportunity.
I always look forward to reading your blogs, which are always informational, interesting…and humorous! I have two small hand-carry camera bags and I find them cumbersome. Because I am older, I wonder if using a backpack type will be good, but I am always willing to try something out. Your definition and descriptions of the Gura Gear make it sound so enticing, I already want one and in all the colors! Regardless of who the lucky recipient of this bag is, I am already looking forward to your next blog on whatever you choose.
I can happily say I own 2 bags. First one my husband bought me when I began my photography journey over 6 years ago. The other is a smaller Lowepro bag, but doesn’t fit everything I need when I go out.
After 6 years officially in the photography commercial space, I can confidently say I own only 2 camera bags. The original one my husband bought me when I began, and it’s still my go to, because I can fit EVERYTHING I need in it. The newer bag I got can’t fit the extra stuff I want to carry like waterproof card and battery box; 2nd speedlight, diffuser etc. I am certainly keen to try a different one being mine is a little tattered from the coastal Aus life I lead.
Hi David,
Yeah I’m a bit of a bag bitch too!!
I have several camera bags from F-Stop, LowePro, Tenba, ONA, and Crumpler.
Have been looking at Shimoda backpacks lately though the GuraGear Kiboko looks very nice.
Would love to add it to my kit.
Cheers, Vic
Oh my! I do LOVE the Gura Gear bags. I bought a much older version on Ebay a few years back and like you fell in love. I would love to have another one for my other camera system. As it stands now, I have several Brevite bags which do the job, but cannot hold a candle to the Gura Gear bags. Yes, I too have a “gas” problem when it comes to photo gear… when I can afford it.
Hi David. Thanks for this opportunity. I have a few bags (3 or 4) that I use for my photo gear. All cheap ones. I’m still looking for the perfect bag and this Kiboko looks not far from perfection, but much too expensive for me. So I would be thrilled if I had the chance to win it
Hi everyone! I think I am in the minority here with only 2 bags, a Crumpler backpack for air travel and a Lowepro sling for more focused excursions.
David – to echo so many comments on here already, thank you so much for your non-technical, on-the-button, easy style of teaching. I have bought many of your books over the years here in South Africa, and they sit pride of place in my book shelf and on my iPad!
Hi David, I enjoyed reading your post regarding your camera bag addiction. It seems there are a lot of us out there with similar symptoms and I’m no exception. I have 5 bags, from a simple shoulder bag to a very large backpack. Some have worked well for a short time, but I prefer the ease of working out of the shoulder bag which fits one camera body and two lenses with pockets for batteries and spare cards. It is usually all I need even when traveling.
The idea of a well-organized large bag is intriguing, so I’ll throw my hat into the ring and see what happens. Happy trails…
WOW, co many comments! Everybody wants GuraGear Kiboko – me to. 🙂
I have 4 bags. MindShift Rotation gets most use (for hiking). Lowepro ProTactics is used as in cabinet storage of all my gear. Lowepro Whistler is overkill for me, so it collects dust.
Thank you, David, for helping us feel that we are not alone with our camera bag excesses. I too seem to have a one-way door for bags, but the good news is they’re not as expensive as cameras and lenses where my Gear Acquisition Syndrome has gotten me into trouble.
I have a number of Think Tank bags and just one Gura Gear Kiboko 30L but could use a second for those road trips where I’m carrying a good deal of gear (remember the GAS I mentioned). Each time we go out on a shoot we find some aspect of the bag we’re using that falls short and set out to find a bag that solves that issue only to encounter some new problem – you’re right – there is no perfect bag. Nonetheless, I now have small rollers, large rollers, small and large backpacks and a couple of slings. I love my Think Tank gear for its quality and features and I love the Kiboko for the same reason and its ability to store a good deal of gear,
Thanks again
I have 6 bags, each one from a different manufacturer and each one a different size. Each one can be used from just carrying a camera and cards, to a roller that carries everything.
None are perfect, is there a perfect bag out there? Backpacks are the best way to go, and if GuraGear Kiboko bags are your goto, then ill have to check them out
i do love a good looking bag as well as having the right functionality , so perhaps this may be my next purchase….unless i win one of course 😀
As a distant follower of your writings and column, I follow your wisdom and lessons. Being located in South Africa camera bags cost a fortune, still over the years I have aquired 3, not great but they do the job, whitch for me is keeping the gear safe. Do I dream of a perfect bag, LOL yes. Do I think being on the Southern tip of Africa would exclude me from “Winning” the perfect bag, probably.
I’m a baggict too. I’ve tried several and have at least 6 at the time of writing. Shimoda for wildlife, Peak Design for street and Wandrd for travel and client work generally.
Agree, there’s no such thing as a perfect bag for all occasions due to lenses and use context.
That said, if I could only use one I’d take the Wandrd 20l. It’s well designed and space utilisation is crazy.
Having the right bag for me matters as much as the camera gear and the footwear I use. The holy trinity of comfortable photography, you could call it!
As known, there is no perfect camera bag… I have two, a F-stop Kashmir 30L – Ultra Light for mountain hikes (not the most practical/adaptable “inside” but comfortable on a female back during longer hikes) and a GuraGear Kiboko 22L+ for (air) travelling (not the most comfortable on a lady’s back, the position of the straps should be adaptable to narrower backs).
I have 4 camera bags, but two of them get the most use. I have a big Campagnon leather and canvas bag I love, but it’s bulky and my more compact Campagnon Element bag holds just as much. For that reason, I tend to travel with the Element when flying. It also feels a bit more rugged, and the waist strap is nice for hiking. It somehow packs way more than you’d think and just this week my wife commented on how much stuff I managed to get inside of it while still slipping it under a plane seat. If traveling by car and not planning on hiking, I might still grab the canvas and leather version, but if I had to choose jsut one it’d for sure be the Campagnon Element.
I also have a Tenba sling that holds a couple bodies well, but it usually serves as my daily computer messenger bag with a coffee thermos and water bottle taking the place of the cameras. It’s a little bigger than a non-camera messenger bag, but I think it’s perfect and it’s held up great to years of daily use. And the oldest I still own is a small Lowepro backpack, but I’m not sure why I still have it.
I really like the back access zipper of the Campagnons, but the dual front entry zip of the Kiboko also looks like a really interesting set up.
I have 3 bags – the largest mainly stays in a cupboard as a store for my old second body and kit. Then I have a sling which holds a couple of lenses + body (but it’s very awkward to use!), and finally a compact bag that offers protection for body+zoom (24-105) when out and about. Thanks for the opportunity.
I resemble your profile, except that I haven’t found THE perfect bag yet. I have more bags than I am willing to admit to … and feel guilty about that. My favorite travel bag that fits everything is my clik backpack. I had to replace the plastic waist belt clips when one got broken. It’s been around the world with me … yet I still find it missing a little something … but it’s the best I’ve used so far.
I have 6 bags going back 50 years, only one that I use, an APE backpack that hold just about everything and fits the overhead storage compartment. I definitely need to edit some of the gear I carry (I’m a longtime believer that it’s better to have it and not need it that need it and not have it) it’s just too heavy now and I should spread out the gear to some auxiliary bags I guess.
Hey David,
Thanks for the opportunity!
I’ve recently sold a couple of bags that just didn’t fit the way I travel and photograph. However, my Lowepro Flipside Sports 20L (Galaxy Blue!) has been dependable for more than a decade and has held up while I sling it on and off, and hoist it in and out of flight overhead bins. I recently started looking for potential replacements as I fear its end is near, and they don’t make them anymore.
I think your Kiboko stockpiling makes sense in case that line is ever discontinued 🙂
Interestingly, I recently sat with a photographer in the Great Bear Rainforest who had the Kiboko and I was intrigued by the butterfly opening. After a chat about his bag, the Kiboko made it to my to-be-investigated shortlist, and here you are listing it and exactly my criteria for what makes a perfect bag! Light, strong, carry-on friendly, holds a laptop, and would hold my two mirrorless camera bodies, plus 100 macro, 24-105, 10-22, and 100-500 lenses.
Fingers crossed!
This article made me think about my camera bags and the reasons I purchased them – one met my needs for wilderness trips, another for trips to Europe, yet others for local/regional use. One of the first was a well-chosen gift from my wife (then girlfriend) that I only stopped using when my new camera wouldn’t fit. And then there is the one I inherited from my father! All told, I have at least 8 bags, with at least 4 in use depending on where I’m going.
Thanks for the article!
How many? Is this a trap? Did my wife put you up to this?
Ok, too many, but I really haven’t found the perfect bag. It needs to be comfortable, have easy access, have pockets for the important stuff and be configurable. Being able to hold a 600mm would be nice but so would a tack sharp 12-500 f 0.9
Thanks for the article and the contest.
Despite many bags over many years always happy to bag some more gear.
Bottom line is that there is no perfect bag just one best suited for the job in hand
I have an original and reliable Shimoda bag. Use it for everything from travel to ski touring. Looking for a daily/city bag. Thanks for the recommendation!
At least 5. Have to stop counting…
I have a 12-year-old one and it’s a Kiboko 22L+. I have been eyeing the 30L. I do travel with the bag and it has not let me down. Like the ability to hide the straps. For me I need a bag which will fit under the sit in front of me. Having a bag with the right bin dimensions matters not if the bins are full. Or if there is space not near you so you can’t keep an eye on your gear. I am sure this will not be the last Gura Gear Bag.
Hola David
I didn’t realize how many camera bags I own until you made me count them, to my surprise the number got to 8 and I remember given away 2.
They go from small ones just to wander around taking photos in the street, to big ones to take my gear to photo shoot trips, and from brand as Lowepro, Domke, and Kata, and no, I do not own a Gura Gear Camera Bag and I’ll really love to try it.
Depending on the kind and length of trip I might fit on my camera bags, either just photo equipment or -it could sound ridiculous- some times I manage to fit some clothes for a two to three days trip.
Gracias por compartir, bendiciones para ti y toda tu familia.
Abrazos desde Aguascalientes México
Fernando
Is there such a thing as a ‘perfect’ camera bag? I’m still looking. and in the meantime I have a bigger sized Mindshift backpack, but the pack itself, filled with all my gear is heavy but it’s my current go to when I need to pack everything for a dedicated phototrip OS. I also have a smaller back pack, but I’ve outgrown that one, and a really handy Peak Design sling bag which is great for packing a body + lens and filters, I can also attached my tripod so it’s great for local adventures!!
While I’m definitely not as bad as you David, I’d be very willing to add to my collection if you think this would be the one!!
Hello David, I have only one camera bag ; it is a shoulder bag and it is not very usefull. I would be more than happy to have this perfect Gura gear back pack 🤩
I have five bags, each very different size and design. I use each bag for a specific genre of photography. Sturdy backpack for landscape, Side bag in the street, quick-access backpack for action/sports. I am about to buy a backpack for landscape and this one would be the perfect fit.
Hi Dave-…do you really want a count?… can you ever have too many bags?… Really?
I came across Gura Gear several years ago but never ended up buying it. By all appearances it seems to be a great bag, for what ever reason, I never pursued it. Well any way- you have a lot of comments here to read. So I’ll be brief.
Thanks for all you do… articles, comments, humor- etc. Today’s article struck a familiar chord, with everybody, it sounds like.
Looking at the comments, you’re not the only one with extra stuff.
Thanks for the promotion!
Happy Shooting-
Tim
You can never have too many camera bags!
Just two…. A Shimoda 30L Explore V2, and a Wandrd PRVKE for the city. Both are great, but always room for one more!
I enjoy your newsletter. Thanks!
Sounds like a very interesting bag. I have a LowPro backpack type bag which my husband bought for me when I first started my photography journey about 20 years ago. It’s been with me to the Antarctic, Arctic, South America, North America, Canada, Iceland and Tonga plus and all over Australia. In between I have owned about about another 10 bags ( in the search for the perfect bag) but I’ve eventually given them all away to family and friends and stuck with the Trusty LowPro which is definitely showing its age with broken clips, stretched straps and stuck zippers.
I am now dealing with rheumatoid arthritis but am determined to persist with my photography. I need to modify how I do things and am in search for a camera bag that is kind to my back, shoulders and hands. this bag sounds like a possible answer.
1, 2, 3……5! 5 backpacks and shared between my wife and I. As you have so accurately mentioned, there is never a perfect backpack and I am still looking for one that fits my long lens alongside with the shorter zooms and backup bodies. The biggest I have is a 36L and putting the 600 in just takes up so much of the available space that organization for the rest of the gear is next to impossible. The dual compartment of the Kiboko seems like the ticket (actually I have scoured the website for months and drooled over the bag too much)!
Hi David, the perfect backpack, the Kiboko sure is. I’ve got two, the very original one from way back. Close to 5 years of owning it, the zippers started failing, contacted them and they sent me a new one, how good is that?
So I have the second generation Kiboko 30L. I also have the 18L City Commuter which I find very nice for walking around town or to carry my drone.
I have the f-stop Tilopa if I want something with more space to pack extras, like clothes and snacks and if I don’t need a long lens.
I then have a few others that I rarely used and I got those at courses and/or conferences.
I certainly would love the latest Kiboko as the one thing I miss in my version of the Kiboko, is that back then, there was not a notebook sleeve.
take care and Happy New Year
David, the funny thing is that I had 6 camera bags and my wife made me get rid of 3 of them. We are selling our house and decluttering. If I win, I’ll get rid of one of my bags. My sons are taking me to Ireland and Scotland later this year and this bag would be perfect.
Cheers
Claude
Hi David, I’m ashamed to admit that I have 8’ish camera bags (I suspect I have a few more squirrelled away in various closets around the house). My bags range from a small Wandrd hip bag to a roll-on Shimoda. This includes a few different sized Think Tank bags and a satchel sized Tenba. Recently, I appropriated my Portland Gear backpack to do double duty while visiting Caddo Lake.
I’m still looking for the perfect combination of portability and packability. Enough room to store 2 camera bodies, a 200 – 600 zoom, and several assorted lenses. Something that’s: lightweight, yet sturdy enough to protect the cameras and lenses; easy to reorganize depending on what I’m taking with me; protective from water and sand; and easy to carry. Oh, and room for a 14″ laptop. That doesn’t seem too much to ask, does it?
Thanks for your inspiration!
I own far too many bags 😅. Currently 7. The tan Kiboko looks like a great bag to make number 8!
Hello! I have three bags and my favorite of them is a backpack with a laptop sleeve. This bag sounds amazing! Thanks for all you do!
Hello David,
I understand your bag obsession. I currently have six camera bags – 2 different Think Tank roller bags, a smaller Lowepro backpack which I just bought before travelling to Tuscany because I wanted to go lighter, a sling, a shoulder bag, and a Peak Design which I should not have bought and am trying to sell. I “think” that’s all i have.
Just finished reading “Light, Space and Time.” Thanks for that.
I currently own 10 camera bags (3 backpacks and 7 shoulder/carry on). This addictive inventory includes: Lowepro, Tenba, ThinkTank, and MindShift.
I have six camera bags, just buying my most recent one from Think Tank a few weeks ago to carry my new Canon 200-800 with me on a month-long trip to Malaysia. The one before is a nice Shimoda that had a can of bear spray go off inside it and despite thorough washing and airing out, still carries a lingering odorous reminder. I’d love another option before I pick my “perfect” bag.
I have three. Use my small backpack the most but it doesn’t accommodate my tripod/monopod. I only use the lift out equipment storage unit on my large hiking bag. Don’t tend to use it on a hike as carrying too much gear and cumbersome (and overweight) for plane travel
I have three bags, but the very best is the Lowe brand backpack style I got a few years ago, thanks to my son Shea who got one first. The backpack is a game changer!
I have at least 5 camera bags. And you’re right there isn’t a perfect bag. It depends on what you’re shooting and how far from your vehicle you’re going to be. I try to keep gear to a minimum if hiking a distance. The Gura Gear equipment looks great!
Hi there. I am still looking for the perfect camera bag so thank you for this post! I own a single bag for now which is a classic Lowepro backpack. It is getting used up, and I dont like the way the tripod get attached to it.. so time for a new one. Regards
You can never have too many bags. 🙂
I have three myself. None of which I absolutely love. Maybe if I win this one it will be “the one”.
Colleen
Hi David,
My name is Ed and I have at least 4 bags, but only two go to bags. A Peak Design sling bag and an f-stop backpack that’s great for travel. In fact it’s been to Africa and China. I look for a simple bag for walkabouts and a larger bag for traveling with a lot of gear.
Thanks, Ed
I have three camera bags. A very old and small Lowpro that gets virtually no use, An old, relatively small, Kata Bag that can be either a backpack or sling. It works well for a single body and selection of lenses and is easy to work with without taking it off. Last, a Compagnon Element (30L) which in many ways seems comparable to the Gura Gear Kiboko v2. I’ve watched a video from Gura Gear going over all of the Kiboko’s features and I’m very impressed with the design (access through separate halves!) and attention to details. The Element can be expanded at the top to almost double the volume with what’s essentially a single large bag for non-camera “stuff.” The height of the bag is adjustable. The Element and Kiboko have different strengths and I believe would compliment each other.
I only have two camera bags at the moment, both backpacks. One is a smaller bag that I used when we trekked in Rwanda for the mountain gorillas. You don’t need much gear for that, and you want it to be as light as possible. My other one is huge, for taking everything along on Africa safaris. I really need one that is just the right size, and the 30L Gura Gear bag sounds perfect. I’ve had lots of shoulder-type bags that I got as freebies when I bought camera gear. I gave them all away to a camera club that helps young people get into photography. Backpacks are the only way to go.
I have a similar bag but it’s very heavy. I’m getting a lot older and a lighter bag would be especially nice. This bag has a way of carrying a tripod which would be especially nice to have.
I have two camera bags — they’re both great for taking out one body + lens, maybe a 2nd lens. Thanks for sharing what you love about this bag. It seems like a great one to take out a bit more if you need it!
only have one shoulder strap bag and a small messenger bag that only fits the actual camera with one lens. i certainly need a backpack style bag – and it would be great if you had done all the shopping for me! thanks.
THREE!! But I’m going to Africa(for the first time!!!) in a few weeks and sure could use this! Love your emails!
I have heard good things about the kiboko bags and like you size is a key consideration as I often travel internationally and am often taking my 600mm f4 lens with me. So your blog is interesting but can I justify adding another bag to my collection?
I have currently 4 bags, one – very old an dirty – used weekly when I shoot for the San Diego Maritime Museum.
And a Kiboko 3.0 L Without the laptop enclosure. Bought it before a trip to Costa Rico and the w/ laptop version was not available.
If I win the drawing i will gift the w/o bag to your 2nd place winner.
I used to use bags to store equipment when I was at home, and now I just grab the right size bag and load up the gear for the shoot de jour. But I’ve still got 9 bags. And frequently, I find that I need an extra bag if I’m doing external lighting.
I am impressed and daunted by the number of comments you have received. Congratulation. I, too, am a bag hoarder. I have tried many. I tried the fact expensive handmade, exotic material…bags that scream “steal me. I have used canvas bags that after a few years look sufficiently worn, are comfortable, but fail the protection goal unless I put padding in myself…less than satisfactory. I have a lowepro backpack that is great for travel. It holds everything! As long as I do not need to walk long distances or stand up straight under the weight (my fault, indeed. Dozens of bags and years later I still read all the bag ads carefully, visit my local photography store, and oogle what others are carrying. I definitely suffer from BAS…bag aquisition syndrome. Someday I will find the “perfect bag.
I currently have two camera bags, one a small bag with a shoulder strap, the other a backpack. I bought them both years ago, when I had a DSLR with only a couple of small lenses. Now I have a mirrorless setup with a total of four lenses, the largest a 100-400. Neither bag is adequate for my new system, but I haven’t had the time, money, or inclination to spend the necessary time investigating options. Nice to get this advice.
Thanks, David.w
I currently have two camera bags. With a recent upgrade to a new system, they aren’t quite big enough. I’d love to fit my new gear into a fancy new bag that works well and looks great! Thanks!
I am down to 4 bags that are each a different size. Two of my bags have only shoulder straps for use on short, one-purpose outings. For longer hikes/outings I have to have a decent waist belt which eliminates many bags. I have a Lowepro lumbar bag with an added should strap that works good for short hikes but for trips and longer hikes I like an old LowePro video bag. It carries what I need comfortably and I can easily access my camera by swinging the bag around on one shoulder.
I have four camera bags, but nothing I’m really thrilled with. (I’m convinced camera bags and tripods can breed in your gear storage area, LOL), Lowenpro is probably the best I have, but my Photocross 13 Mind shift is my daily use bag. The Hippo could be the answer to my photo dreams.
Still looking for a great bag Been thru half a dozen and even tried to make a couple myself out of hiking backpacks Totally know what you mean about having enough storage spaces so everything has its own place and always lives there. Maybe it comes from my time as a USAF aircraft electrician where EVERY single tool and item had a designed space to help make sure nothing was left in a wheel well or similar locations. A tool box – in effect what a camera bag is – should always help you know what is missing as much as know where things belong In any case, I’d love to try your favorite!
I too am always looking for that perfect camera bag. I currently own three, of various sizes. If only I could find one large enough for all the gear I often think I need, but light enough to carry without throwing my back out. I know it’s out there and possibly the one your promoting is the one!
Simple, sturdy, elegant, comfortable and functional. You do know I am speaking of the bag not you? How much more can one want in a bag? I want to win your giveaway and find out if it meets the billing!! Anything that handles your treks can handle mine.
I will confess, I am a camera bag whore. I have 9 that includes one Gura Gear 30L that I also love. It has been to Alaska and will be going to East Africa in September. It is awesome and I would love another one for sure.
Cheers
I am still looking for my one and only. Some too big, others too small. Like Goldielocks, I am looking for the one that is “just right”. I have been searching and have a collection of bags that mostly sit on the closet shelf. I find that I am either trying to stuff the small bag with too much gear or having too much space in the larger bag. The GuraGear bag may be “the one” I have been searching for.
I also have 7 bags! I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect bag for a long time. I haven’t found one that is perfect for everything that doesn’t weigh 70 lbs. when loaded. One reason is that I use two different camera systems, but that really only justifies two bags. I want something that is light weight with shoulder and waist straps that are comfortable enough to carry for hours. I have a third bag to carry my 180-600mm lens with a body attached. I want to have a water bottle easily accessible and carry a tripod too. I thought I would be taking a break from bag shopping. Now I will now be looking at this Gura bag. 😮
I am down to “only” five camera bags. Three of them are backpack style that never seem to be the right fit for the gear I plan on using and the other two fit just the camera with a 105mm macro lens. The Kiboko sounds like it might be the perfect solution for my needs
I sure hope I win your bag, the one you consider to be perfect because none of the 6 that I own are perfect! From an old fannypack-style that will carry just one extra lens (actually pretty useful), to the woman’s purse style that I bought so as not to scream camera bag (but it is heavy even when empty due to the material and all the pockets!), to the large wheeled backpack, no one of them is all purpose!
It’s great to read all of these comments as they confirm that I am not the CRAZIEST person on the planet when it comes to camera backpacks…… I have several camera backpacks, plus backpacks that I bought to CONVERT into camera backpacks,, which meant that I also purchased inserts and camera/lens “swattles” to roll them in. I have used everything depending on the situation……oh and on 1 trip while traveling with my son I had to ask him to carry my camera backpack for me because it was just too darn heavy. That very popular and expensive camera bag was immediately retired upon our return home.!
I am thrilled to hear that someone has found the ‘perfect’ bag for camera gear – one that is lightweight and compact enough to meet airline regulations and still have room for extra clothes, maybe a little bag of goodies, iPad or laptop. Is that even possible?
Bravo David!
I too am always looking for that perfect camera bag. I currently own three, of various sizes. If only I could find one large enough for all the gear I often think I need, but light enough to carry without throwing my back out. I know it’s out there and possibly the one your promoting is the one!
I have four camera bags, and I am still searching for the perfect bag.
I have at least a dozen camera bags ranging from vintage gadget bags to messenger bags to backpacks. That’s not counting my Pelican cases for use on regular water taxi trips. I like messenger bags for just walking around and have one at home and one at our off grid island cottage in Howe Sound, When in the field shooting birds my preference is a “utility” belt with a couple lens cases and pouch for batteries, etc. I use that in conjunction with a Cotton Carrier vest. I have one of each with one set at the cottage. I have a few backpacks of various sizes that get used mostly to store gear in my car or when on my ebike. I’ve yet to find the ideal (for me) backpack. We won’t discuss the tripod/monopod collection…
I have 5 camera bags that I use depending on camera size, # and size lens, whether I need my tripod and which tripod, lights, reflectors. Sometimes it takes 2 roller bags and a sling to do a wedding. Backpack for vacation. Hate the rolling backpack.
I have exactly one very old Tamrac messenger style that I cram into an old Adidas backpack because its easier to carry that way. It’s not pretty but it’s functional-ish. I’d love to own a nice proper bag for my gear!
Wow, so many comments already! And I only just got your email.
Like all photographers I have owned too many camera bags and I now don’t believe in the Perfect bag concept any more. The best one I had was made by PacSafe, great for travelling but it had to go when a sunscreen tube exploded in it one day on a 4WD trek and they didnt make that bag any more.
To me an ideal bag must be light, hold the camera gear I own AND have place for spare clothes, iPad and laptop when travelling. It must obey airline carry-on rules, be able to hold a tripod and a water bottle, and be a backpack of course. Ideally, there should also be a quick side access for a camera and lens so you don’t have to take the backpack off while hiking to access a telephoto (I usually have my R5 and wide angle lens on my chest with a Camstrap then).
Still waiting to find a bag that meets ALL those needs!
Cheers
Have you been looking in my closets? Have you seen camera bags/backpacks stacked on one another? I’ve got others, given them away, and still have three I don’t use. But I’d sure like to give this a try. So, I’m in for this giveaway.
Best to you, Dave. You inspire me and many others!
I’ve been looking for the perfect 30L bag! I have a 45 L Peak Design and a 9 L Wandrd Sling. I also love the new color! All my gear is black, so it would be such an awesome change! This year has been tough financially, so I’ve had to put gear purchases on hold! This would be an amazing gift! Thank you so much for the opportunity!
It is nice to know that I am not the only one who is on the constant search for the “perfect” bag. Taking a look around my jam-packed office, I discover that there are at least 7 camera bags of varying makes and models taking up space. My usual favourites are my 2 Lowepro Slingshot bags, one slightly larger than the other. I love that I can change lenses without taking the bag off, as one of my big fears is forgetting my gear somewhere if I put it down. One of my pet peeves about them is that there is no where to hold a water bottle. So irritating to have it clipped to either the bag or my camera strap and have it bouncing about. It would be great to check out the Gura Gear bags, and if I were to win one, that would be lovely. It is about the only way my husband will accept a new one into the house. 🙂 Thanks David, and Gura Gear!
Oh dear I have one large pack, two smaller backpacks, and a sling. Always looking for the right bag – I find it’s about access, weight and comfort. I am excited for you that you’ve found “the one”!😉
So I’ve been following you since forever it seems and own a number of books and classes but surprisingly enough I only own 3 small camera bags! That being said I would surely love another that might and I mean might hold all my gear! 🙂
I own 2 camera bags, well, 3 if I count a tiny bag that holds a Sony RX100, that attaches to the strap of my backpack for hiking. The other 2 are quite old (a Lowepro and a Crumpler) just used for storage at home None of them get used much; I don’t travel a lot these days, and I figure if a camera is in a bag, it’s not instantly available for taking photos. But this is not to say that my attitude would not change if I had a shiny new bag.
Thanks David. I “only” have 4 main camera bags, plus 4 (yes four) sling bags of various sizes and designs for when I only need a body and a (short) lens or two. But I have given quite a few away over the years! What is it about photographers and camera bags – perhaps, as you said, a bit like the search for the Holy Grail.
Thank you for the offer. I have one back pack, but it is heavy and hard to carry around. I also have 4 smaller bags for different purposes. I want to keep them all and I’d like a new back pack. The “hippo” bag just might be the one I’m looking for. Thanks for the description and opportunity for a new back pack. Also, I received your new book for Christmas and am reading it now! Happy New Year!
I have tried many different bags over the years. Note that I am an Olympus Pro and all of my gear is M4/3 so I don’t need some of the room of the bigger bags. The bags that have been the best for me are no longer made, the PacSafe Camera bag line. They are armoured, cut-proof, and very hard to steal. I’ve had people try to cut the strap in Rome, grab one from under my seat in an airport, try to unzip the pockets, none of that worked for the thiefs. They are also fairly light and fit in overheads or under the seat. Hard to find a replacement.
I travel a lot for work and photography and so I visit a camera shop in each place plus of course at the airport. As I wander around I see my “perfect” camera bad and of course I have to buy it. Over the years I have purchased about 15. I need one for a carry-on but then when I arrive in a place to photograph i need one to take one of my three Leicas and a Sony. The perfect camera case to me is one which can be used as a carry on but then be able to be broken down to carry around the city or forest. It must be waterproof and light.
I currently have six camera bags and a hard case. Five of the bags are backpacks of various sizes. I picked up a Lowepro a couple of years ago which has met my needs for the most part. However, I would love to give the Gura Gear Kiboko a chance to fulfill all of my needs. I actually did sell a backpack a few years ago, after realizing pretty quickly it wasn’t going to be a keeper. Love your approach to photography and life.
I have one packpack and a shoulder bag that I use to carry my gear. They both serve me well, but I have always felt that there must be a better system than either of the pieces I have. The backpack is very large and very heavy, while the shoulder bag is too small and I often feel I need something in the middle of the two. I would love to have the opportunity to use the Kiboka as it presents great volume at a much reduced weight to the backpack I now have. Thanks for the chance to win one!
I have 3 camera bags . A Kiboko 30L that does not have the laptop sleeve (which I miss). Second one is a Timbuk2 messenger bag with a camera insert. Third is an old small Lowepro that I rarely use.
I have bought, returned, sold and bought again… cuz my door is a two-way door. I currently use an older Peak Design backpack. It’s been great for my needs until I bought my latest lens, a Nikon 80-400. Now, there doesn’t seem to be any way to really make the backpack work the way I want it to.
I have five bags. One large Lowepro is out of service (many years ago I cut off the waist straps for a now unknown reason) and a small one which I use if I just need to take minimal kit. My main two are Gura ones (large and small) similar to the Kiboko but with a single compartment on the outside. I have found it difficult to find a camera bag that is comfortable when fully loaded and the Gura ones have come closest to this. The big problem is that people who design camera bags all seem to be men or assume that all photographers are male. I know there is a bag designed specifically to fit the female form but I haven’t yet found anyone who has this to get a comment on it. I have a fifth bag. I won it in a competition but have to confess that so far it hasn’t seen the light of day!
What a great article on camera bags, they’re a bit like tripods. Who in their right mind sells a bag or tripod that they don’t use, you gotta keep ’em. I have 4 large camera bags and a hard shell case that I either use daily, or swap around when I travel. I also have a sling bag for street shooting, another large camera bag that holds my instant printers and films, not to mention the 7 or 8 small camera bags that are only suitable for a single camera or lens and are used mainly to take a camera or lens to the repair shop. Most of them are purchased from op shops for $2 – $20. I just wish they’d make a lighter than air camera bag as all our carry on bags (for flights) have a 7kg (about 15 pounds) maximum weight.
I have exactly one camera backpack – a LowePro Fastpack that I’m still trying to finagle into The Perfect Bag. I have an ancient LowePro top loader that I used with my Canon 50D back in the day. It barely fits my Canon R5 & 24-105 lens.. but I make it work because it’s so handy on dawn patrol. I have a Pelican case that was indisposable during our years on Safari in our Land Rover Defender. (Anybody who has traveled more than 10 miles in a Defender knows a camera needs a LOT of protection from dust, moisture and rattletrap abuse!)
Bag hoarding isn’t really a problem, David. Don’t fret. STORAGE SPACE is the problem! 🙂 We winter wherever we want to, but usually in a small space – a flat, condo, cottage or cabin. We summer on our Wyoming/Colorado cattle ranch camps in a 23′ RV trailer. So I thank you for sharing your discovery of THE Perfect Bag!
Cheers – Beth
Lucky to have only two backpacks… big think tank and small old Lowe pro – depends on the need:) but I guess having money and, most importantly, space to keep them somewhere there would be more😅 ps. That small one could definitely be replaced already🙃
I have five camera bags, two of which I use the most when in the field. I have a very small one that only fits one body and my 24-105mm lens and my flash attachment. I typically use this when going to family functions where that is all I need to record the events of the day. I have an older boxy style that I use when traveling by car on a photo trip – it holds odds and ends of gear, an extra camera body, and my Lens Baby lenses. I have a smaller, lighter weight Lowepro backpack that I use for photography outings where I don’t need all my gear – street photography, hiking, etc. I have a larger Lowepro backpack that I really like – except it has all that padding and weight that you referenced that makes it harder for me to use as I age (73 with a not great back). It fits most of my gear and has nice compartments for extras, but the weight is a challenge. It’s heavy even without the camera gear! My most recent purchase is a Think Tank roller bag for air travel trips. I just can’t carry the backpack and a computer anymore. It has to go in the overhead so wouldn’t work on a smaller plane, so that’s a drawback. When I use the roller bag, I use the smaller Lowepro backpack for my computer, snacks, sweater, notebook, etc. On those trips, I use the Think Tank in the car, and use the Lowepro if we are hiking or walking any distance from the car to take the gear I need for that location. It’s a lot of bags, but they seem to work most of the time. Would like to get a bigger backpack camera bag that would hold most of my gear and not be so heavy. Will certainly look into the GuraGear.
I have one bag-a think tank. I’d love to have one more bag that would fit as carry on
Interesting post. I’ll have to check it out. I currently use the Peak Design Travel 45l bag. It’s great but it is heavy, the straps aren’t the most comfortable, and it may have more padding than you really need. But I like the versatility.
Presently I have 2 camera bags: a Peak Design Sling and a cheap, nameless backpack. I hope to do more traveling in the near future so this bag would be nice to have.
BTW, I’m almost finished reading “Light, Space and Time.” I think it’s your best book.
I’m constantly looking at backpack camera bags. I just can’t find the right one(s). My primary needs are light weight and ability to carry a small DSLR or mirroless camera, an extra lens or two, and other necessities. Of course I also want it to be comfortable and as small as possible. I’ve often wondered if there is anywhere/anyone who will build a camera bag to order and I could just pick the parts from a list.
Only looked at Gura Gear in the shop. As a landscape guy I need good straps, back opening, place for tripod, water and extra layers besides the camera gear. Would love to try the 30l+ for the laptop carry. Thanks for all you do.
I have3 backpack style, 2 sling style and several other purse types that I use for city wandering, none of them are perfect and as a shorter person 5’2″- a lot of the backpacks are just too big. I agree that the safari brown is a cool colour! I would be very happy having that in a 22″ for my next photo trip to Japan in March!!
Wow – I only have one Small red LowePro (and, admittedly, an old Street and Field backpack that did not quite deliver). I basically hate having to put the bag down to take gear out while I’m shooting, so usually I take out my 2 bodies and attach them to the straps with PeakDesign quick releases, and if I need a third lens I will carry it on a belt. Never heard of GuruGuru, maybe I should try it out if you give it to me? 🙂
Well, I have a couple of bags too: the Peak Design backpack, their messenger bag (10L), and their smaller camera sling bags (2L and 6L). I like that, I can attach the camera outside of their shoulder bag too, so easy to carry and quick to grab if I need it. However, that middle separation of the GuraGear bag looks interesting, would be nice to test it.
I have 3 go to Lowepros. But also gifted a Billingham, and two others which I seldom use. My ideal bag is a backpack, with room for 1 body with 24-70, and room for flash, a 70-200 telephoto and a wide. Also room for a book and a jacket. And a proper secure way to hold a small tripod. And a AW cover.
I may have more than 1 bag but shush, no telling the hubby! Lol. I’m always on the search for the perfect one that doesn’t hurt my arm/shoulders. My old favourite is a Domke about 27 years old. I took it with my film camera as we traveled around the world. It was my brick to carry. I’d never part why this baby as it’s got the sands of Egypt and India in all its cracks and folds but unfortunately doesn’t hold much. Thanks for sharing your love of gear!
I understand your bag problem, I have had several (3) that have grown with the equipment I got.
My last current bag (as well as the three used previously). They were a bit small to carry everything (2 DSLR bodies, 24-70 f2.8, 17-35 f2.8, 80-200 f2.8, 200-500 f5.6 105 f2.8, 85 f1.8, 50 f1.4,300 f4).
Unfortunately I do not have a Kiboko bag, but a Lowepro Flipside 500AW. It seems very efficient to me, according to the video I saw on the Guragear website. I think it would be really suitable with my equipment. I do forest, wildlife, landscape and macro photography. I really think it will be very useful to me in the future.
Sorry for my English, I use google translate
I’m a hobbyist photographer, and while I haven’t kept every bag I’ve had over the years, I don’t keep them because I don’t find that they don’t work well for me – at least to this point. I’m very interested in the GuraGear bag for the reasons you’ve cited as, interestingly enough, those are the reasons I haven’t kept any of the ones I’ve replaced. The one I have now is just not user friendly. So…..pick me! Pick me!
I have 6 bags in total including Billingham, Peak Design, Tenba and Nikon. The bag I use depends on the situation/event: travel vs street vs just out and about.
Loved the recommendation. I will definitely look at their line up because I haven’t found the perfect bag even though I own about a dozen.
I have shoulder problems and when I carry a side bag which is my preference, my fingers go white and numb. If I use a backpack it’s hard to get in and off without hurting my shoulder. That’s my sad story! So still looking. It shouldn’t be such a problem because I carry a micro 4/3s camera and lenses. But still looking.
Love your work and articles!!!
Jeri Abel
Hi David,
I’ve been using a Lowepro backpack for the past 8 years, and it has been my trusted companion through all my projects and professional work as a photojournalist. It has kept my gear safe and organized during countless assignments.
However, after years of intensive use, it’s clear that it’s time for an upgrade. The wear and tear are starting to show, and I’ve been looking for a bag that could replace it while meeting my needs for durability, functionality, and travel.
Your praise for the GuraGear Kiboko has definitely caught my attention. It seems like the perfect fit for what I need—lightweight yet durable, and able to carry a substantial amount of gear while staying within travel limits. I’d love the chance to try it out and see if it can become my next go-to camera bag!
Thanks for sharing your experience and the giveaway opportunity!
I have a couple of courier bags because i think they are cool and i can wear them cross body. But they offer only a little protection and there is no organization. I have one small travel bag that hold my ipad, phone, wallet and a mirrorless with 2 small lenses. Lastly 8 have one large one that is droopy and cumbersome to carry so i dont use much unless 8nam carrying my 150-600 and. couple of other lenses. I would love another REAL camera bag but when i price them, i would rather spend the money on other photo equipment
More bags than I will ever need! But I always want more! Big fan and always looking for the perfect bag! Thanks David!!
I have two, a messenger style and recently I received a Evoc backpack that is made for wearing while mountain biking, it’s big and heavy for my frame so I possibly need to get another.
I don’t use a camera bag any more after having tried two. One sits at home to hold some camera gear I don’t use and gathers dust. I gave the other away. The one I kept is a traditional shoulder square camera bag tis tiring to carry but good for storage.
The other was a small tear shaped backpack that had way too much padding and no real space.
Now I just use a camera wrap and put the camera into whatever backpack I would normally use. If I have an extra lens it is in a small lens sack and wrapped in another wrap.
Much lighter and I don’t scream out ‘camera gear here, rob me’. I use whatever bag I would otherwise use and that seems to work better.
I try to avoid carrying much more that one body (Nikon D7100) and one extra lens, and have an iPhone as my spare camera.
I guess if you are traveling for professional photography a better approach is needed.
in case anyone is interested, this is one wrap I’ve liked: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009R88F
Of course I’m going to explore this bag David reviewed since getting on an airplane is always a challenge so I’m interested in seeing if I can improve that experience.
Hi David, I, like you, have sought the holy grail of the ‘perfect’ camera bag over many years. I thought I had currently ‘rationalised’ to 2 LowePro back packs that work well – other than being too bulky for everyday light use when something less padded and bulky would suit – but then I remembered I had 2 shoulder bags as well…Maybe your recommended Gura Gear Kiboko ‘hippo’ is my answer to truly rationalise…
Regards
Tony H
PS thank you for your ongoing thread of thought provoking articles…
I have two bags, I don’t particularly like either one. One is so heavy that I’m miserable carrying it and the other is too small. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect bag. I’m heading to Africa in June and The Galapagos in April and need something that this grandma can navigate with and get my gear safely from place to place. Maybe I’ll win a bag and if I don’t maybe I’ll buy one and try it out.
Have 3 bags. I use 2 for wildlife and 1 for landscapes
I confess I’m down to 1 bag. After searching and searching for the perfect bag – a guy at a local camera store laughed when I told him that, but in a nice way. I thought I’d found bag nirvana when a now pretty well-known company crowd-funded what looked like the perfect one. I spent more than I otherwise would have and waited 9 mo. for it to arrive. Admittedly the black packaging was very cool but the bag is heavy, over-padded, stiff, uncomfortable and held so much less than promised. So I gave up. I’ve been planning to try to sell it. Now you’ve rekindled the fire and yes, I want a perfect bag! Enough but not too much padding.! Yes, fitting in a carry-on space is essential, as is comfort! And yes, it needs to hold enough stuff, including a jacket, but in an intelligent way. So yes, please save me from camera bag hell and pick me! Thank you DD and GG! <3
I have at least 8 different bags of varying types and sizes currently. I’ve sold and donated a few too. I have a lot of kit from analogue to digital so I need a large rucksack for my airshow kit to fit the zoom lens, but then find as a shorter person the straps aren’t quite right, bags are either too small or too big. I need space to carry all the other day to day bits and camera gear so I often just shove things into a crossbody regular bag. Not sure i’ll ever get the perfect bag but will keep trying, always good to hear about other options and get real opinions on how they are from people who use them too.
I have 6 camera bags of various types and sizes. Now I’m using a bag I got from Japan that is a tote bag and/or backpack. Its not meant to be a camera bag but I got camera inserts from Amazon to make it into a camera bag. It works for me now , but it still isn’t the “perfect” camera bag. I’m really still searching.
I have at least three, of which I mostly use a Lowepro. Would like a smaller bag also, to carry a camera body, a couple of lenses, water, and a jacket.
I first heard about GuraGear when I went on a safari in Tanzania with Andy Biggs many years ago. He was SO excited about the bags. I think he was about to receive his first shipment shortly after my trip. I have always dreamed of owning one of the GuraGear travel bags…
I have two very expensive bags that I almost never use, but when I move countries they’re essential. On a day-to-day basis I use a KEE (an Indonesian brand) bag for my Fujis, it’s a messenger bag and cost about $30 or a non-brand leather satchel for my Ricoh and bits and bobs that go with it. I love bags, if I had a permanent home, I would probably fill a room with them. But I have to keep my hoarding instincts at bay. Lol.
How many bags do I have?
Well, not counting the 7 or 8 bags sitting in 2 giant plastic storage bins in my storage locker (which also includes an attempt at Lowepro’s street and field belt/vest/pouch/case system which failed miserably at making anything handy or easy to get to, and excludes several bags I have already sold or given away), I have 4 or 5 here at home. I bounce back and forth between 2 or 3 of them, always returning to one that seems to fit what I need, and carries one FF DSLR body, my 3 main lenses (Nikon’s DSLR Holy Trinity), ND filters, teleconverters, macro rings, remote releases etc. reasonably comfortably. I also use a couple of the left over bags for storing “kits” for special purposes – a flash kit, a macro kit, and a micro kit. And a couple of others to carry less used gear to my storage locker to wait out fire season.
But like you, I have to have a back pack. A recent knee replacement, as well as degenerated vertebrae in my neck and upper back from carrying a laptop bag for the last 20 years of my career, have precluded shoulder bags and sling bags of any sort due to the wear and tear on my body, as well as the poor balance of the load. I have long ago dropped the run-and-gun style of photography in favour of a more contemplative approach that more fits my current style and interests – and a back pack certainly allows me slow down and “contemplate”.
However, recently, I added a 200-500mm long lens to my arsenal for wildlife, sports (grandkids), bird, and intimate landscape photography – and it has thrown my entire gear toting strategy into complete turmoil – nothing fits any more if I need to carry the whole shebang into the photogenic wilderness.
I am not looking forward to taking another random journey through bag-land again, searching for an ideal solution that just doesn’t exist. I just know that journey leads to only one destination – more bins of unused bags in my storage locker.
Given your strong recommendation as a nomadic photographer, I did my diligence on this particular bag (the Gura Gear “Hippo”) and while it looks like it might just fit the bill, we also know that the best laid battle plan seldom survives first contact with the enemy – maybe it will, maybe it won’t – but we won’t know until we actually try.
Anyway, thanks for putting this out there, giving me an opportunity to tell my story which seems all too familiar to all too many photographers, and giving me the opportunity to “buy a ticket” for the draw.
Your “hippo” bag sounds awesome, especially because you’ve kept it for such a long time.
I’ve got two bags that I use for separate cameras. The larger is stuffed and can work as a backpack or sling bag. The second is a sling-type and is much smaller, used for a micro 4/3rd camera with a few lenses.
I probably have 4-6 others that I’ve never used, acquired when I helped a neighbor sell her late husband’s gear.
I’m a portly guy and backpacks often don’t fit me well. But, I’d love to try a hippo on my back.
I have six camera bags ranging from a small Lowepro sling to a 37l Shimoda. In addition, four cubes that I can use with non-camera backpacks. This looks like a great bag and I love that it has the waist strap like all of my more recent bags!
Two bags, one Pelican…all full!
I currently have 2 bags… one medium size and one small one. I haven’t found the perfect bag yet! 😉
Hi David,
I love that your passion for photography extends to camera bags, a unique niche indeed!
I am still limping along with my old Blue ( Yes I know the colour is embarasingly out of fashion) Lowepro, which I have had since I purchased my Nikon D70… which dates me even further. It has served me well, but carries the fragrance of sweat, beer and wine … which may again be a bit telling regarding my adventures over the years.
My travel companions might appreciate an update in bags as much as I would 🙂
Cheers!
Dwight
I don’t have a guest ear bag and would love yo give it a try. Mostly what I use is a fly fishing vest to load my lenses in along with what ever else I think I’m going to need for a photo adventure, then hope I have what I need when I need it. Of course inevitably I will get where I going and find that I left something important at home, so then I just do what I can with what I did remember to bring.
I have a couple of camera bags. The perfect bag is light weight and holds the selection of lenses I want to take on a trip or photo walk. . . which is the problem I currently have. My current bag is not quite big enough. Thanks, David, for your insight into this passion of ours. It is always great to read what you have to say about how to improve, and how photography impacts our life.
I currently have 6 bags, including an old GuraGear Kiboko 22L that is showing signs of wear and tear and needs to be replaced.
Your giveaway would be timely!
All the best for 2025!
Oh dear. And I thought I’d managed to supress my bag purchasing desires for a while… I have six bags at the moment – a Shimoda for wildlife work, Billington for street and general travel, as well as a Tenba (on eBay), Manfrotto (in the post!), etc etc. Your bag is super cool and what a design. What I really need right now though (apart from a councillor and advice on how to get another bag through the door without alerting the wife) is why I shouldn’t get the 16L Guragear bag for travel and macro… Help!
I have only one camera bag. It’s a smallish LowePro sling bag more than ten years old. Small because I wanted a bag I’d be willing to carry, but big enough for camera, a couple lenses, etc. It has a lot of pockets & clips for stashing an incredible amount of stuff, like lunch. Astonishingly durable. I like the sling style because I can sort through all the pockets without taking it off. Perfect for quick out the door photo ops . Not ok for packing all my gear.
I have three camera backpacks, and a hiking backpack that I bought for photography. The last is my favorite. Mostly I look for confort while hikking, specially a good transfer of weight to the hips. I would love a backpack with rear access but probably not compatible with my first requirement.
I sometimes think my main purpose in life is to discover the perfect camera backpack. It needs to be able to carry the usual photography stuff (camera, lenses, tripod etc) along with too much outdoor survival stuff: Extra clothing, food, chocolate, water, first aid kit, maybe trekking poles, more chocolate… And also needs to be comfortable on long hikes in the mountains, while still fitting in an airplane overhead bin. I first tried a designed-for-purpose camera bag which worked for schlepping camera gear, but turned out to be not particularly comfortable or stable – fail. So I went through about a half dozen designed-for-hiking backpacks paired with various inserts. The latest iteration is an Osprey pack with a Wandrd camera cube. It is certainly comfortable and stable and holds everything, and for a while I thought I’d reached camera bag Nirvana, but after a few months of having to pull the entire cube out of the pack to change a lens or to get to my rain pants, I realized that my quest was not yet over. The Kibiko definitely has an unusual configuration that I’d be happy to test out on a few mountain forays. Assuming it’s the right color of course…
Hi David Happy New Year to you and Cynthia. I have two small bags for my photo gear. One is a small Lowepro Sling bag and the other is a Lowepro teardrop shoulder bag. These are usually adequate but when I want to go on a longer hike with more gear, lunch and a jacket or raincoat, they don’t cut it. The Gura Gear Kiboko 2.0 bag looks like the one for me.
Thanks and Happy shooting.
Hello! This bag sounds wonderful! I have 2 bags. One is a small LowePro backpack style from about 20 yr ago or more. It is small, it hold a basic amount and protects my gear, but I need more. my second bag I got off amazon. Beschol, I like it, it is light and holds my gear, but I feel it is not protecting as well as it should and it only water resistant. recently out on a very wet hike I came home to everything soaked through. So it is a good summer bag I guess. I am looking for a bag that does it all, but also affordable. I am quite short too (but strong).. so that’s always an issue.Love what you do here for everyone. I already listen to your podcasts and you’re a great writer. I love spreading your light. Thanks for the opportunity.
I see no problem at all with your love for camera bags and even offer no judgment for calling your favorite bag “sexy”!! I have 3 bags of different types and sizes, but they all fall short in some way. It sounds like the Hippo bag would suit my wildlife/birding field work perfectly. So I anxiously await Jan 15th!!
I have a few bags but really need one I can use when I fly & need to take my gear in one bag. I learned very quickly that there is not a perfect camera bag but this one looks like it really fills the bill for travel. I currently use a small Tamrac for travel & take a LowePro sling that folds up for outings where I need to carry a light jacket , water & other non-photography essentials. Would love to try this bag.
Hi David, I have a Lowe Pro sling bag that I used on our year-long around the world trip about 15 years ago. It’s served me well but I can see how a Kiboko backpack would be better suited for the kind of travelling I am hoping to do in the coming year. (Plus the sling seems to give me shoulder and neck issues.) We have a couple other camera bags including a Timbuktu but they never really fit what we needed. Thanks for sharing your review! I’d never heard of this brand before but I trust your research and recommendation.
I probably have six… many have just become bags for carrying everyday things. I am currently using a camera backpack.. which is my first and currently my favorite.. BUT.. it doesnt have enough configurability. It has some pockets and the typical velcro to make lens holders.. but not enough space and a lot of space wasted by just a pocket.. with no way to change the pocket.. so it all piles up in there..everything. SO accessibility, ability to configure a lot of pockets… ( I have too many specific lenses ) and an actual comfortable backpack. I am tempted to buy if I dont win.. thank you for pointing this one out
Like you David, I’m an unrepentant bag hoarder! I have been photographing for 40 years and over those decades I have acquired many bags: multiple Lowepro and Tamrac were early acquisitions but more recently I discovered and love Peak Designs products (3 so far) for my small and light kit configurations. Each one has met specific needs for a specific trip, my wife laughs at me and coined the phrase “another trip, another bag”! She’s not wrong… Almost all are still in my possession – and while I know exactly where they are I am preserving my mental health by not dragging them out to count them. Some things should remain unknown….
Needless to say, I’m still on the hunt for the perfect bag and would love to get to know GuraGear.
David, I hesitate to add my name to the already long list of people wanting in on the camera bag draw. Why? Because over the years I have owned more camera bags than I care to think about, all in the pursuit of the “perfect” bag. As you so rightly stated, the real question is “perfect for what?” I have recently been on the hunt for the perfect sling. I regret to say that after purchasing four different makes and models, the search continues. So, while it would be nice to add another bag to inventory, I would prefer to see this draw go to one of the number of “budding” photo enthusiasts on the list who is early in their quest for the perfect camera bag, which based on your endorsement, could be the GuraGear Kiboko. It would also be great if it served to nip in the bud for that person the compulsion which I and, judging by a scan of the comments, many others suffer.
Cheers, and happy 2025.
Seven bags including my latest purchase, the Nomatic Luma 18L, which is my fav. Very minimalist and very versatile.
Call me a curmudgeon, but I find the changeable Velcro dividers included with any brand as useless, and immediately toss them aside. I can never configure them to what I desire as functional, and they’re a pain to insert.
My hack for dividers? Go to a craft store or office supply big box store and purchase a sheet or two of corrugated plastic (yard sign material). Measure and cut to fit the depth of one’s bag then cut to lengths needed. Lastly, cut notches half the depth and interlock the pieces (think wine bottle box cardboard dividers). A bead of low temp hot glue will secure.
OK – you had me at the sleeve to carry the laptop. Also, it’s either this light weight bag or a sherpa…
I have one 22L GuraGear bag, that is great, but no room for laptop. 6 other bags including Really Right stuff roller which is really too heavy when loaded. Would love to have just one to deal with and that could ride through the airport on my roller bag.
Hi David, – I have 1 Think Tank Airport Navigator to carry the gear to location and in the car; 1 Think Tank Airport Advantage for longer trips, Also a poor back pack “Moose Style” by Mindshift (Think Tank).
BUT the Moose bag does not embody the Moose mindset, the Gura Gear seems to, which I should have bought first!
A bag is with YOU, so thick padding is not necessary. If padding is needed on the “FLY”, lens wrap or your underwear & shirtscan be used on the travel portion to the hotel, then just the bag can be used for field carry.
This was the original Moose concept, AND the flap open to reveal 1/2 of all the gear for quick access and storage. No thick walls, padding and lumpy!
Kiboko, a great choice for the field photographer AND savvy traveller.
I purchased two ThinkTank bags about 14 years ago and they’ve been fine… sort of. My smaller bag works, but it’s less than ideal. Inertia has kept me from finding a replacement, and I’m glad it has! I think you’re on to something with the 30L. I’m always carrying one Z8 set up for landscape shooting and my 2nd Z8 with a Z 100-400mm f2.8 ready for wildlife that appears from time to time. My problem has been the lack of ready availability of the long lens setup with my current bag. The 30L looks like a solution worth trying.
And by the way, you should someone about your bag fetish. It’s not healthy!🤪
Hi David, I have a small camera bag for my Nikon 5500 and Tamron lens. With our safari just around the corner and plans to up my game, I’ll need the perfect bag! sending positive energy with this message 🙌😄🙌. Thanks for the possibility!
I have ONE (1) a Lowepro that I bought in 2007 with my first DSLR (a Nikon D80), the camera has been replaced a couple of times, and now the lenses too (frm Nikon F to Z mount), but the bag still remains, and proved itself to be endurable. But … with the new 100-400 it is just a tad on the small side, so maybe I should start looking (or winning 😉
I have 6 bags of different sizes and uses. I received three of the bags either as a gift or a “free” accessory when I bought a camera. I really should get rid of 2 of the smaller bags.
I have four bags; two I use in the field ( LOWE Pro backpack and an over the shoulder Tamrac). The other two I use for airline travel (Thinktank Airport and a Pelican Case) . This often results in traveling with two bags, the over the shoulder bag which I pack in check in luggage and one of the airline bags which I carry on. After reviewing the GuraGear Kiboko, I was impressed that it just might be what I need to simplify my camera storage needs for travel/everyday use. Thank you for the opportunity participate in your give away. More importantly, thank you for your Bi-weekly insights and inspirational thoughts!
I have 14 total:
3 photo only backpacks, each a different size and 2 different brands
2 photo + day hike backpacks, both the same capacity but different pocket config.
1 roller
1 sling
4 shoulder, each a different size
1 briefcase with photo insert
Also a few lens cases for my bigger lenses
I got fir first interchangeable lens camera (a Nikon Photomic T in 1965 and have been collecting bags ever since. It has been abou a dozen ears since my last camera bah purchase, so a Kiboko 30L would be a great 15th bag.
My camera bag stash has recently been whittled down to two – and of course I’m searching for a new perfect bag. This looks to be it! Cheers
I have 7 bags so I’m somewhat as guilty as you are however mine are all different and a wide variety of sizes along with rollers and backpacks and sling bags so I don’t feel too bad about the quantity. I’ve hear the raves about this bag but the question remains……to convince the wife that I need another one. So the bottom line is yes i want to be in the drawing so I can see if your judgement is right on this one and the wife won’t complain. You’ve been pretty good on your courses but those weren’t equipment review based so we shall have to see…….Happy New Year David.
I might be the anomaly since I only have a few camera bags. I wanted a small backpack because I have major back issues and bought the Tenba 24L. It is a great bag which usually handles as much equipment as I can carry, however, I find it is often too small. I dont have enough room lighter non-gear items like a jacket. I have an old LowePro shoulder bag that works for storing gear and often comes along in my vehicle for gear to switch out as I need it. There are also a couple of old small bags that work for one camera body and smaller lens that I bought when starting out. They still come in handy if I dont need much equipment.
I have one backpack camera that I’ve had for 15+ years. I like it mostly because that it has room for non-camera gear and it has a laptop sleeve. It’s biggest drawback is the tripod storage is under a flap that covers the main camera gear storage compartment. If you need access to the main storage area and you have the tripod stored, you must first remove the tripod. It is very inconvenient. I have 3 shoulder bags – 1 of which I use frequently, the others not so much. I’ve been looking for a new bag since I recently acquired a new long telephoto lens.
Yes David, I might own more bags than lenses these days, My go to is my Domke as a day to day bag and I have a Thinktank that I used for travel. That being said, I am planning a big trip later this year and the Domke is too small, the Thinktank too big (I switched to mirrorless), so something a bit lighter would be perfect. I haven’t tried Guru Gear so even if I don’t win I’ll take a look at their line of travel bags. Like you I prefer a backpack style.
All the best to you in 2025
Michael
I love camera bags but can’t say that I’ve found the perfect one yet. I have two sling bags. At least three shoulder bags, which are mostly for storage, now. And a messenger bag—not used—and three backpack bags, in addition to cubes and other side carriers. My go to currently is a Think Tank backpack. But I’m definitely up for another go at The Perfect Bag!
I have two camera bags but always looking for another.
Hi David. I’ve been on the hunt for the elusive “perfect” camera bag for about 18 years. I think this may not exist but, there’s got to be one that can get you close. I’ve got 3 and 1 makeshift one; all for different purposes. A smaller shoulder bag worn crossbody for around town by Crumpler; Thinktank Airport International V3.0; Lowepro smaller backpack with rain cover, tripod holder on the centre back; awesome for hiking but no pockets for water bottles. I had to clip on carabiners to hold a water bottle or two. I truly dislike this as the bottles are always swinging around. Also, if I want to pack a rain jacket, sweater and some lunch; I can only bring a smaller camera set up. No room for the 100-400 lens. I bought a Tumi backpack that has a laptop sleeve and I modified it by making my own compressed foam dividers to protect my camera gear when placed near bottom of bag. The compartments are good for overall travel if only bringing a smaller camera set up but; it’s not waterproof and is heavy. Huge drawback I hadn’t thought about when I bought it.
This Kuboko bag sounds like a great option. Thanks for the opportunity to win it.
I have 10. I want one that’s light but sturdy. I like ones that are comfortable to wear, easy to put on and take off, and that I can lay on the ground to open up. I also need one that won’t make me topple over–I’m not quite 5 ft. tall. (I may just need to learn to pack what I have more efficiently so it isn’t top heavy.)
…4….oh yeah the drone camera bag….5….the GoPro…and the Mamiya….so 6. Oh yeah, and the old lowepro Canon dslr camera bag I can’t get rid of even if I sold all my canon gear because it survived being stolen by a bear, ripped and stomped for 5 or so minutes with no damage to the camera. (The bag on the other hand….).
I struggle mightily. One for travel, but I want a sling style bag when I get on location for street photography and I’ve bought 3 or those trying to find the right one.
At this point I’ve given up and just buy one for each specific need.
I use 5 different bags that I use regularly, but I’m always looking for the next “best” one!
The fact that you have 7 of them is encouraging.
Well, the only real camera bag I have is a used think tank, it is a beast but getting older and doesn’t fit under the seat in front of me. I have been looking for a good bag but haven’t found THE ONE, maybe this is it! Nice blog postings by the way. 🙂
As an amateur photographer I have a limited budget and a long wish list. I settled on a Lowepro sling bag. Although cumbersome at times, it general fits my needs. I have never found an easy way to also carry my tripod other than another thing slung over my shoulder. Typically I leave the tripod in the car. While inspired by your photography to so many interesting places, I mostly shoot local. I am planning a trip to various national parks in Utah with my son and grandson this summer. I think a back pack bag would be much easier to handle on long hikes. I want to easily bring my tripod along. The thought of owning a Gura Gear bag sounds great.
I have only one bag, which has served me well over many years. But it’s starting to wear and I have been looking for a replacement. Good to hear your thoughts and others on this blog to help guide me.
I have 3, a 45l which is too heavy when full of gear, a small backpack and a shoulder bag, both of which are too small. The 30l “hippo” sounds perfect.
I have 4 camera bags, only 3 of which are officially designated as camera bags. The fourth is a satchel type bag that I have used for years. Usually all four get used when I am on a photo trip, and I still must hand carry the tripod. Invariably I forget what I have packed in which bag. Often hilarity ensues because of that!
I’m currently trying to get down to 6 camera bags from 11. I’ve got 2 Wandrd (one for my Nikon Z9 and one that will only hold up to the Z8), a Peak Design, an Epiphanie, a Kelly Moore, and a Nomatic. None of them quite carry it all and most of them are too small for the monster-sized gear. I’m glad I’m not the only camera bag “hoarder” still searching for the one bag to rule them all.
Hey David – I think I have at least 8-9 bags not including the small satchel hah! Some for full expedition and some for light under seat. I just got the 18L city Gura gear for Bhutan trip thinking the 30L was too big for the small carry on requirement (but then I’m not taking 600/mm)
Do you find the small regional jets are ok with your 30L and more than 10kg for carry on?
David, like you, I must confess, I am camera bag hoarder. I have over 18 camera bags , including waist packs, hanging in my photo closet. I guess I am not alone .
I have never found a bag that does everything I need it to do. Peak Design, Think Tank, Lowe Pro, and Tamarac to name few. It is always a chore before I pack my gear before iI leave for a shoot. I need enough room for my tripod, a couple of camera bodies, 3-4 lenses (or more) for my shoot. and room for whatever accessories, shirt, and extra pair of pants ( I sometimes end up muddy…).
The Kiboko looks like it fits the bill! The fact that it is lightweight is a huge game changer. My other bags are heavy and have too many zippers. This one may be a definite go to for shoots that require me to bring a pack.
I am super excited you shared this and I may have to buy a birthday gift for myself this year.
Now I must go explore the colors of this exceptional camera bag!
I’ve tried many camera bags over the years but still haven’t found the “perfect bag”. It always seems to be a trade off of some kind. Maybe this one will come the closest. Happy shooting 😉 and New Year!
I have 6 camera bags, but could always use a better one! I like the idea of the split access on GuraGear. Hoping I win!
So I have 5 bags – 4 of which are Peak Design. I have a 6 L sling, a 13 L messenger bag, a 20 L backpack and a 30 L backpack. And an older low pro 15 L backpack that I no longer use. Up until last summer, I actually had six bags but one was stolen in St John’s with most of my lens and miscellaneous gear! It was a rolling case that I used to store all of my stuff. I kinda miss it, but I don’t think I will replace it. What I need now is something suitable for wilderness hiking and photography. The hippo sounds perfect!
What a prize! I have limited resources, so a limited supply of bags. I own, and use at different times for different purposes, a Think Tank Airport Essentials (I’ve never liked the big lid for the bag; everything is exposed when open); a Think Tank Vision 15 (too big for a purse, too small for much gear); and a LowePro Nova Sport (great for street photography or a family outing, but not much else). The GuraGear Kiboko 30L would answer a lot of frustrations for me.
Still love your posts, no matter what.
I thought I was the only one… I’m about 8.5 bags in and still looking. PD Messenger for my day to day (love the maglatch.) Lowepro backpack/roller for big days. Thought I got close to perfect with the Bevis Gear Top Shelf (designed by photographer in North Van!) it has an ingenious quick access design, but is just the wrong size for walk around gear and big shoot gear. I have definitely looked at Gura Gear and very interested that it fits the “perfect” bill for your work.
Thank you for the offer David, I own a small Tamarac which carries both my cameras, My Leica X2 and Leica D-lux 7.
I gracefully willl back out of your offer, good luck to who ever wins
I only have 2 camera bags that I use as I do not own that much gear yet. I have a messenger style bag and a backpack style bag and I switch them out depending on my need at the time. I would like to have a bag like this one day so I could carry more gear when needed. I like that this bag can be so useful for different types of trips.
I’m pretty sure I have 10 or more. I can’t throw them out because they all have memories!
Very nice image of the bag ^^ maybe I’ve bought mine too early? Although, as you say, one can never have enough of them. And since I’m owning three backpacks of the same kind for all sorts of hiking tours, maybe this will be another bag to start collecting? Mine hasn’t got that laptop bag yet. Cheers and see you soon!
Seven – with three permanently assigned to the basement closet as “storage for stuff I don’t use”!
The others get used as needed for whatever I’m shooting and how much I’m taking with me.
I’m currently (mostly) using a smallish Think Tank backpack. I am looking for something larger for upcoming trips that is airline compliant but still large enough for at least a couple cameras and several lens and all the necessary bits.
Thank you for the information on this brand. One I hadn’t heard of.
I’ve got 3 camera bags, two of which are on their last legs. I pretty much only use my Nanuk now .
My Pelican and Think Tank bags occasionally get pulled out for a mountain biking shoot, but they really should be put out to pasture.
I have one 26 l and one 40 l ThinkTank Mindshift bag. Both fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in a pinch if I don’t overload them. They usually weigh more than my checked bag. I was attracted to ThinkTank because of the opening under the harness which makes it more difficult for someone to steal my equipment. I started with the 26 l and bought the 40 when I acquired a 200-600 lens & because it was supposedly designed by an adventure photographer who said it was the perfect bag for long wilderness treks. It’s not, though: The hip belt slips too easily and the harness overall, while thick, isn’t ideal for hiking more than a couple of miles. I’d really like something with the harness of an Osprey pack but designed to get my kit in & out quickly. So far, I haven’t found it. I have a hard time finding hikers who are also photographers. I’ve found that photographers who are also hikers tend to recommend the brand for which they are ambassadors 😉.
HI David….I have four (4) camera bags now. One more would be nice. I rotate them 🙂 Please sign me up.
I am really enjoying your new book ” Light, Space & Time” Jo got it for me for Christmas. I’m using it and “The Heart of he Photograph” to prep for our trip to Patagonia in April. Lots of great usable information.
Thank You and say hi to Cynthia for us
Jim
I feel like a minimalist compared to most of you! I have 2 camera bags – one is an old Lowepro backpack and the other a Manfrotto satchel type bag. I use both depending on the situation – for shorter forays the satchel is much easier to access in terms of getting to lenses quickly, but the backpack is much better for hiking. Those Kiboko bags look enormous! If I had one of those it would give me a reason to get more gear to fill it…
Oh yes David…I have one of those big black tubs with the yellow lids in my closet stuffed with bags. Don’t know what it is about bags. Currently using a Mindshift backpack and Peak Design sling for lighter ventures. The Kiboko looks promising. I’ll bet half the posters couldn’t help themselves and ran right over to the GuraGear site 🙂
I have 5 guru gear bags which is crazy because they don’t break or rip.
Over the last few years, I have accumulated 6 backpacks and 2 shoulder bags from different brands. The following points are particularly important to me in a photography backpack:
– Good adaptability to the own body size for the best possible carrying comfort
– Good protection against rain, snow, sand and dirt
– Customizable camera compartment
– My 200-600mm telephoto lens from Sony must fit inside
– Sufficient space for clothing, accessories and food
My current backpack is an Action X30 from Shimoda and I’m actually very happy with it.
GuraGear is a brand that I haven’t heard of here in Germany or Europe. I would be very happy about the Kiboko and would be curious to see whether it can meet or even exceed my requirements.
Best wishes and a happy new year!
Chrischan
Hi David,
it´s always the same, photographers are always looking for the better or perfect camera bag. So do I but my additional problem is, that I like bags and sometimes I fall in love with a new one and I have to buy it. I looked in my house and found eight bags actually (is this all?) I use them, depending on what gear I try to carry and what the purpose of the day is. I don’t give them away if I don’t use them permanent as the bags are filled with the camera gear and accessories.
Your Kiboko bag looks pretty good and I shouldn´t look to often, because of the falling in love.
Thanks, all the best for 2025 and take care.
Hans
Hi David,
You’ve now given me a real problem,I was recently looking at the Gura Gear Kiboko 22L bag.(again!)
I have dreamed of owning one of these bags for years.Initially I saw a Steve Perry BCC you tube video demonstrating this bag a number of years ago.
I am proud of myself for only having four Lowepro bags(mostly hidden in my wardrobe!) My oldest favourite Lowepro bag is over 12 years plus I have one Nest bag that I took to Mynamar a few years ago and never used it since due to being very uncomfortable.
As an old engineer I don’t seem to be bothered about the colours. Its the design, zips, packs, ID for zips being open, lighter than other bags etc thats important for me.Due to a slight brain injury I regularly forget stuff on site whilst at the coast last year e.g. 10 of my Lee ND grads etc!
I just seem to regularly think about the brilliant 22L + camera pack, but then I ‘disparately need’ a 1.4 Extender for my 100-400 Lens.Then another fast SSD is required whilst travelling, somehow I never get around to buying that beautiful bag!
Then my unplanned recent purchase of your Image Story Videos(12% complete)- couldn’t resist.Its brilliant I am learning so much.
I wonder if I have a better chance of winning due to only needing a 22L bag!
Here’s hoping
Old Graham
I’m just a (old) boy looking at a bag, asking it to hold my kit safely on a plane and work for me when I get to my destination. It could be a fjord or an office tower, maybe in the studio. Currently using a LowePro backpack older than some of your followers and a couple of small bags for walking around.
Your enviable collection of bags requires no shame.
Wheels sound great until they are no longer usable on the ground, then they are a pain point.
Happy New Year!
I only have one camera bag and it no longer holds enough gear. Maybe this one would.
I have 6 camera bags and a backpack, which I rarely use. I prefer a lighter shoulder bag so that I can carry just enough equipment on my walks to keep the load lighter and for quick and easy access to the camera. My latest purchase was a Think Tank – Retrospective® 4 V2.0, which I wanted because the cover is not zippered, but has a flap that can be fastened by velcro. The zippers on my older bags broke or came undone, so I wanted a bag without zippers. I can fit my full-frame camera with a 28-200mm lens plus a 17-28mm lens. There’s a compartment for extras, as well. The only downside is that it’s not waterproof, but comes with a plastic cover, if needed.
I’ve got two main bags, both by Peak Design and both wonderfully constructed. But I’ve been searching a long term me for the one that will help me make better photos and I’m certain this is the one 🙂
Thanks David for setting this up and good luck to all!
I’m a bag whore. I’ve got 17 backpacks of varying sizes for various activities. I have a Patagonia rucksack that is almost 50 years old still under the name of Stone works. I’ve got over 29 hand bags, string bags for work out gear and I lost count of how many different l bags I’ve got. Ive got my medic bags for Ski Patrol, medical bags for the car and my bike. I’ve got a 3/4 lens camera with one extra lens so I don’t need a big camera bag but it doesn’t matter. I lust over them anyway🤣. As long as I don’t start acquiring body bags my spouse is ok with my bag obsession. Forgot about my dry bags for water sports.
The eternal problem. I’m still looking. Maybe this is it!
David,
I love you, but you are exhausting. Do not send me this ginormous bag. I have an iPhone 15 Pro Max that slips into my jeans pocket. My idea of an exotic photo trip involves a bathing suit and a credit card, barefoot at the Holiday Inn.
🤪
The pain is real! I just rationalized my hoarde down to 5, but in reality I only use 2 – a big one and a little one, they both “work” but aren’t perfect … I am still looking for the holy grail of bags, maybe this is it!
I have one camera bag. It has served me well but is now starting to show signs of wear. One of my main considerations in a bag at this time is weight. I need to have a bag that doesn’t weigh 10 pounds empty. However, it does still need to hold one body(Sony) and three lenses including a 70-200. I have a light weight tripod I need to carry on the outside. The bag should be of airplane travel size. Lastly the shoulder straps need to be comfortable and stay in place- a chest strap helps. Also a waist strap helps take the weight off my shoulders.
Thanks for the article! I have 5 bags, but I did manage to give away one recently.
I struggle with my travel bag when carrying 2 FX bodies, 200-500 lens, 24-120 lens, 12-24 lens, flash gun, binoculars and laptop. Helluva weight to lug through airports in a heavy, solid bag.
Would love to try the Kiboko!
Wow, looks like I am not the only one to comment! LOL. I have 5 bags of which I use an over the shoulder sling bag the most, another slightly larger bag for some gear for short trips and to carry a tripod, and another that is for longer trips to hold most of my stuff. One bag I won in a raffle years ago but never use, and two other smaller ones that just don’t do the job for me any more. Would love a Kiboko to actually use and to carry my tripod! Sign me up!
BTW, love your new book which I bought for my wife to give to me for Christmas and it is awesome. Disappointed that I didn’t get one from Rocky Nook – signed no less – for slightly less and in hardcover. Sigh.
Anyway, love your stuff, David; keep up the good work! Cheers, R.
Great piece. I have 8 bags and a swap them out like underwear. I’ve given up on finding the perfect bag, it doesn’t exist.
Cheers
My current camera bag is ok but recently acquired new, larger lens makes it less serviceable. I also have almost all of my old bags mostly to hold all my old gear.
I share your embarrassment! I have 5 camera bags of various sizes and shapes, and I do not love any of them. My 2 backpacks are a) too large, and b) too small. One is a flipside, so the zipper opening rests against my back. It sounded like a good design when I bought it from a photographer friend, but getting into this bag and accessing my gear feels like wrestling an alligator. Both backpacks are ugly and basic black, not at all sexy. The other 3 bags are not even worth describing- totally useless. I continue the search for the perfect bag- I’ve never heard of the Gura Gear Kiboko, but it just might be the ideal bag for me!
I’m using 3 right now: a small shoulder bag, a medium sized and a trolley type larger one. But I would welcome a GuraGear Kiboko 🙂
I have 2 which I use as such! One is a backpack but not a camera bag specifically, but currently works with the padding and enough compartments to hold my limited gear. It is on the heavy side though. My other bad is perfect in that everything I need squeeze into this nifty bag, and the cross body strap is extremely comfortable and everything within easy reach without having to take it off. But the cross body does put stress on the body unevenly… so still looking for the perfect bag!
I am still hunting. Have 8 bags for different purpose. Have and exhibition bag that can fit 600 f4 , but need something lighter.
Thanks
Whoa, And I thought I had a camera bag problem, owning 5 of various shapes and sizes. Sadly, I have yet to find the perfect bag to match for my needs, but am always hopeful. Thanks so much for the blog. Happy New Year, David.
Mike M.
I’m a total bag fanatic! I have multiple bags for every aspect of my life. A perfect bag is the closest thing to (organizational) heaven on Earth! I too have been looking for the elusive perfect camera bag, one that isn’t too big for me, is easy to access but super protective of my gear at the same time and facilitates my photographic process as opposed to stifling it. The GuraGear bags sound perfect.
Thank you David for being such an inspiration and never giving up! I think you are a stronger artist and more effective in your teaching now than ever!
I currently have five camera bags.
3 bags of various sizes for the dslr’s and a couple of bags for two smaller cameras that I use when traveling light.
I have on old heavy camera bag. Looking for a light weight bag that also is a backpack. It seems this may be the answer. I would love to try tThe Gura Gear “Hippo” on my next travel adventure to Rumania and Bulgaria.
I have two bags: a shoulder bag that’s not quite big enough and a backpack that’s too small. My quest for the perfect bag continues.
I have three bags, all of which are over 30 years old. Maybe it is time for a refresh.
Oh Lord do I have camera bags!!! On wheels, backpacks, small bags, large bags….. I have recently inherited old film cameras from my grandfather who is 100 and who is still busy in life. So I’ve been looking around for ANOTHER BAG to help hold the film camera and lenses plus my Canon’s R3 and R5 and lenses…. It never ends, but I wouldn’t have it any other way!!!!!!
Love your emails!! Cheers, Christina
I have 3 camera bags, each for a different purpose. My current favourite backpack is a Shimoda and I love it because the fit is tailored to women. But someday I may need a bag with more space!
It seems I am always looking for the “perfect bag”. Though I realize no one bag will do it all, I have high hopes for the Gura gear 30 I recently ordered. If it works as anticipated, I can potentially see getting a second one. Most importantly, it needs to carry a large telephoto and have good organization. I lost most vision in my right eye due to a rare form cancer resulting in the need to organize my gear knowing exactly where it is. Great organization and accessibility is key to my shooting and allows me to continue to do what I love. Can’t wait to get mine this week!
Love your inspiration and incredible work!
Hi, my name is Julian and it’s been two months since I had a new camera bag. Thanks Dave for enabling the weak of us who cannot resist new gear especially if it’s a gift. Cheers.
I love my kiboko but since I’m not taking my 600 f4 as much recently I’m looking for something that can fit better under a larger variety of airline seats than the kiboko. I want it to hold a mirrorless body with 24-240 a body with 100-500, a battery grip (can be detached) and maybe a 3rd boy and an extra lens if I’m greedy. I think the guragear city commuter could work but I’m hesitant to purchase without seeing one in person.
I now have only three bags of varying sizes., but none large enough to carry my kit on a serious trip. I’d love to be chosen to receive the Gura Gear bag
I have at least 4 camera bags – my big, heavy and aging “go to” that fits my 150-600 lens and will fit under most seats on a plane; a smaller one that will fit one camera body and two lenses, when I am not using my big lens and (at least) two or more even smaller ones that usually came with gear I purchased. (You might ask why I still have those sitting in my basement?) I also own three pelican cases of various sizes… The Gura Gear “hippo” sounds like it would be a perfect replacement!
I have two camera bags…one is too big and the other too small. I , like Goldilocks, am still searching for that camera bag that is “just right.”
Hi David
I have about 6 camera bags. The problem for me is I take 3 bags and a tripod when I hike in the woods. Since September 2024 I have had at least 20 physiotherapy sessions on my neck. I carry about 40 pounds of gear and it is not balanced properly on my body. I am in need of a good back pack that will handle all my camera gear and a few first aid items.
Thank you very much.
I only have 2 camera bags currently, but sure wish one of them had been the GuraGear Kiboko on my recent trip to Cuba. If I don’t win the one you are giving away, I’ll be buying one for sure before I do any more traveling. Thanks for the heads up on this one!
There’s a special place in limbo for us photographers. After we die, we’re sent to a room in the sky, a room that contains all the photography bags we’ve ever owned. And we’re kept in that room until we can convince the devil that we have a good plan for what we’re going to do with them. I currently own four bags – 2 Lowepro backpacks, one Wandrd sling, and one Langly backpack. One of the Lowepros, the largest and oldest, serves as my storage bag. The other two backpacks are used depending on the needs of the trip I’m about to take (tripod, water bottles, ND filters, etc.). The sling serves as my street photography bag. It holds one lens in addition to the one mounted on my camera. I also have a Peak Design backpack that can double as a combination travel and camera bag, if needed.
But… that room in limbo holds every other bag I’ve ever owned. At least three more Lowepros, a couple of Vanguards, a Think Tank, a Lowepro roll-on strolley, and an assortment of others that each served 99% of the functionality I required of them, but were sold or given away because of that all-important 1%, without which my existence as a photographer was/is meaningless. My need – and search for – that 100% camera bag continues, and will likely result in my adding several more bag carcasses to that collection. The only progress I’ve made in addressing my GAS, is in the actual reduction of my camera equipment. I moved from 2 bodies to 1, from DSLR to mirrorless, I got rid of my lighting, flash, and remote trigger kits that were used for the odd wedding, portrait, or food photography shoot, and of course, the gigantic carry-all bags that held them. My wife had warned me that I would be buried in one of them (possibly prematurely) if I didn’t do something about it. I’m going to have to come up with a plan to explain the presence of a Gura Gear in my closet, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. If you say you’ve found the perfect camera bag, and your opinion has remained unchanged for 15 years, there must be something to it.
Thanks for the read, David. As always, a great way to spend a Sunday morning while I sip my coffee. Looking forward to the next one. I wish you a happy and adventure-filled 2025.
Sid
I use 3 bags regularly. All three are of a different size. I, too, like backpacks but want some space for personal items like a jacket and water bottle. Hardest thing for me is getting a tripod attached and balanced. Too often the tripod straps loosen and the tripod then wobbles.
I am embarrassed to say that I only have 4 bags. Please give a poor deprived boy a chance at the perfect bag.
I have a smallish decent camera bag.
Having a large larger one that could accommodate more gear would be beneficial for certain trips.
Thanks for all the information!
How many bags do I have? Hmm. I was shocked to count 10, including 2 I’ve bought in the last 6 months, one a backpack and my first roller. My current favorite is the Mindshift Firstlight 30L, but because I have been having back pain when carrying my gear I bought the roller. We’ll see how that works out.
Hi David,
Happy New Year! I have really been enjoying your blog updates.
I currently have 6 camera bags for varying purposes, 3 of which are from Think Tank. I’m still searching for the ultimate travel bag for my photo trips….
Thanks!
I’ve got one camerabag. One of the zippers doesn’t work anymore and it doesn’t fit all my gear. I’m in need of a new one which is light as I want to carry my flash gear also. It would be amazing to win, but I’m checking out the Kiboko anyway 🙂
David, I share your pain and shame. I have several old bags still usable but just hanging about since I bought the GG Bataflae 10 years ago or whenever. Love it for all the reasons you state. Lusting after the Kiboko with the laptop compartment but can’t justify the purchase when the Bat is still going strong. Hence would really like to get one for free.
I have the original Kiboko 30L Camera Backpack and it’s a great pack. The only thing I would like to do is upgrade to the newer pack with the laptop sleeve for travel convenience.
My go-to bag for the last several years has been the Peak Design Everyday Backpack (30L). As my kit has gotten smaller over the years (mostly a Fuji XT-5 and a few prime lenses), my need for larger bags has diminished and so when I travel with the PD bag, only about half of it is filled with camera gear. The rest is my laptop, various cords and chargers, my iPad, glasses etc. It’s been a very sturdy and reliable bag and should have many more years left in it.
I have two bags: one is a backpack and the other is a smaller backpack. The smaller is for a limited kit when I’m hiking and know I won’t need every lens! The big backpack sure can carry a lot of stuff. And, I won’t weigh it….
I only have six camera bags. Like most everyone else I’m always on the hunt for the perfect camera bag. It’s a bit like tilting at windmills.
I only have one and it is a backpack. My camera bag has to be a back pack. I am typically a travel photographer, so having a bit more room to add items that I want to carry on a plane as opposed to in my checked bag, is important. This bag looks great and I will certainly check out their options (if I don’t win one!)
Thanks David. Appreciate site your words of wisdom with what you do!
As with most people here I have more bags than women have purses. Maybe deep inside we feel the need to pair our bag with the outfit we are wearing too!
On the Gura Gear front I have a 16L, 22L, and a fifteen year old 30L that is still going strong. I appreciate that these bags are lighter than average for their size, well made, and have enough compartments. These can swallow up my 300GM, 400GM, 600GM, etc.
But I am also a Think Tank bag junky. On this front I have several roller bags that have been good for moving a bulk of equipment and then selecting what I need on site. I do also like their “Mind Shift”, a smaller bag I can rotate to the front of me to access gear when it is not easy to lay it down such as at the beach or in the mud.
Also add in various studio lighting cases for location studio strobes, light stands, and light modifiers.
I have 8-10 camera bags. ( if I’m not sure, and I don’t count; it’s not a problem, right?!?
I think one like this guys Gear Kiboko would be a perfect addiction! ( I meant addition…)
Count me in for the drawing!
😊
Hello David
Thank you for the great piece! Reading an article by you is a great way to start my day!
I have a Lowe-Pro sling bag and it’s been great but getting old and I’d to replace it.
Good luck to all…. someone will be very lucky to win such a fabulous bag. ……. great colour too 😊
Hi! I just heard of and bought a Guru bag but it’s messenger style. I don’t really see the backpack style. I may have to add to my growing collection as well! I like a bag that can hold a laptop if needed, sweatshirt or rain coat and water bottle! Tripod! Dear Santa…is it too late?
This bag looks amazing. I travel almost every week so I can see the allure here. That being said I only have one bag.🙈 It’s definitely old, and beat up, and to be honest it doesn’t fit the majority of my lenses so I’m just incredibly particular about how I shoot. I guess I’ve been putting off the upgrade. This GuraGear Kiboko may just be the soulmate for me!
David, I have 12 (findable) bags, plus a few more buried somewhere in the house. These have been “accumulated” over 60+ years and have vastly improved during that time. These cover a range of capacities from small camera carry-arounds to medium size messengers and backpacks. As you noted, “perfect” depends on the needed gear, the usage environment, and the photographer’s personal preferences. None of my bags are perfect, but a few come close some of the time. The notion of “good enough” comes to mind…
I’ve got 3…but recently got rid of one. I took the insides out and it fits inside a roller bag/carryon, so that’s been helpful. But you’re right…it’s a constant battle. Thanks for sharing your process! Going to check out the website now. ❤️
I have way too many camera bags and I’m still on the search for that “perfect” camera bag! I’m reading every word of your blog to see if this one might be the one! It can’t be too heavy for my aging body!
This bag looks great! For the amount of gear I need to bring, this looks like it can consolidate 2 of them
I currently own the original Kiboko 30L Camera Backpack and it’s a great pack. The only thing I would like to do is upgrade to the current model with the laptop sleeve for more convenience during travel.
Hi David, I’m following you since several years and love your approach to photography a lot. When it comes to camera bags I have to admit that I own about at least five or seven bags, but all for different purposes. I love backpacks but up to now I always preferred sling bags because of their accessibility.
But when carrying a 600 mm lens or something similar a sling bag has no advantage compared to an ordinary backpack.
So, I would love to be the winner of one of your loved backpacks.
Have a good time and enjoy your shootings in this year.
Greetings from good old Germany
Michael
Happy New Year from QB! (You were featured at our last Oceanside Photography club meeting last month!) I now watch you regularly on YouTube and my husband (non-photographer) looks forward to your segments as well.
ANYWAYS! I’ve been using a small (very small) backpack for everyday packing around my camera. My husband finally took me out to buy a proper camera backpack last year. It’s not perfect – no place for a tripod! And I’m struggling to find places for all my gear and accessories still. So a pack that is closer to perfect for me AND means hippo is now on my wish list. Husband is also my person to usually carry my gear, so something that looks good is a bonus! Cheers!
I have a LowePro bag that I have used to travel overseas and throughout the U.S., documenting mission work and youth camps as a priority. My problem with the bag is simple: I’m outgrowing it due to adding new lenses and gadgets for my work as a pastor! It would be a beneficial addition to my ministry because I am not compensated for my camera gear. On the mentor side of photography life, I have purchased your books and read your weekly Contact Sheet. I have learned many things from you, and my mistakes beginning in the early ’80s with film on a K-1000!
In my cupboard I can see six, four of which are like those Russian stacking dolls and I am scared to open them for fear of how many will birth out of each belly. The fifth I can see has all the surplus velcro straps that I kid myself will come in handy at some point and finally my well travelled Lowepro 550 that just fits my 14kg of gear for plane travel. It’s far from ideal out in the field but any time I’ve tried out a same sized bag, I can’t squash it all in. When I tried the Lowepro 650, it was longer than my back so had to return it before I did myself an injury! Thanks for the recommendation and for the chance to win a freebie
Great Bag, I have mine for well over ten years and it is still serviceable. I tried to replace it with several other models, but if I travel by air it is still the one.
Ha! I have short ones, tall ones, fat ones, skinny ones, cheap ones, expensive ones, rolling ones, backpacks, messenger bags, and shoulder bags. I have all the bags. I have a closet full of camera bags, none of which are perfect. I can absolutely and totally relate to this post. I bought a new one about 6 months ago, and don’t tell anyone, but I hate it. On paper it looked good. I thought if I paid more, it would work well. But it doesn’t. I hadn’t heard of GuraGear though, so it is now on my wish list. Thanks for a great laugh. I would love nothing more than a sexy camera bag that I don’t hate!
I have one camera bag/backpack, which i purchased after much dithering. It’s large, heavy and weatherproof, great for hiking but awkward if i’m travelling in urban spaces. So i make do with a purse and and protect my gear with lens wraps. Some airlines are now calling out my 35L camera backpack as too large for carry-on. A lighter and tidier option would be very welcome.
Crumpler are the worst IMO because they look as though they should be great but clearly not designed by a photographer. I NEED the Kiboko because I can put my anorak and sandwiches in one side without affecting my camera kit on the other side AND it stores my tripod on the oitside so I dont need to carry the darned thing.
Hmm, how many camera bags? I’m not sure. I know there’s an old Lowe Pro in the attic that I tried to sell. Then there’s a newer Lowe Pro that I still like. It’s small but great for quick travel. Then there’s the fStop messenger style case, and their insert to turn other bags into a camera case. So 4? That’s assuming I don’t count the pouches for backpacking that have accumulated🤣
Like you, I’m always looking for the “right” case for the combo of shooting plus activity. Thanks for adding this case to my “must check out” list!
Since I have been through many bags in the last 54 years, with several new ones boxed unused because they are lacking in some specification, I KNOW I have the perfect camera – my Kiboko 22L–but your article title caught me because I keep an open mind for new designs ( and I have more room on my shelf-ha!). I want the Kiboko 18L but I can’t really justify it yet, as my Mindshift 18L reverse opening, zipper against my back is more secure in crowded pickpocket situations. Which reminds me-I kinda already have that size covered with my Kiboko City Commuter 18L+!
I have a LowePro bag that I have used to travel overseas and throughout the U.S., documenting mission work and youth camps as a first priority. My problem with the bag is simple: I’m outgrowing it due to adding new lenses and gadgets for my work as a pastor! It would be a beneficial addition to my ministry because I am not compensated for my camera gear. On the mentor side of photography life, I have purchased your books and read your weekly Contact Sheet. I have learned many things from you, and my mistakes beginning in the early ’80s with film on a K-1000!
Wow! This is incredibly generous! And I wish I had known about this last week. I’m on my way to Tahiti to swim with the sharks and manta rays and hopefully get some good underwater photos. For this trip the only photo bag I have that works is my think tank messenger bag. Needless to say I left a bunch of photo stuff at home. But regardless this will be a memorable trip. Last year my daughter and I had planned this trip.she was a master scuba diver and always joked about my fear of sharks. But shortly after we planned this trip she was killed. So my husband and I are making this trip in her honor. And I am going to conquer my fear of sharks …for her.
I have only 2 bags, both Think Tank. One is the standard backpack which I like very much. The other is a roller bag for international trips. I have a rather unique situation in that I have a spinal issue and can no longer carry the 20-lb backpack. As you say the roller bag cannot go on rough terrain so I have been using a small hiking day pack, not ideal because there is no padding
I own five camera bags – two rolling think tank, two backpacks, one crossbody for street photography. They all have a different purpose. And the airlines keep moving the goalpost for what fits on a large plane versus a regional jet. Therefore, as a female that weighs 110 pounds, and is hoping to go on a safari, I could use a bag that could hold some clothing and tripod and a very long lens which I was gifted at Christmas! ImA photography safari is definitely in my future and I could use this bag!
I chuckled as I read this post. I have five camera bags (Tenbo, Lowepro (2), ThinkTank, and Canon, and have gotten rid of at least five additional bags over the years. I don’t think there is a perfect camera bag! Will take a look at Gura Gear!
Heh. I currently have ten bags, but two are “backups” for one that I’ve used heavily and is no longer made.
In defense of having so many bags, several are specialty bags that are “mission-specific”. For example, I have a “dryzone” waterproof bag, not just water-resistant, that I seldomly use, but when I need it, it’s at hand. I have a couple of smaller bags for walking about in the daytime with a very limited set of gear, and a lower “come and rob me” street profile.
For larger and longer travel, I’ve taken the Lowepro CompuTrekker AW internationally, and it was used for hiking all over the canyons and ascents of Petra successfully (but with perhaps an excessive amount of gear for the task).
“One Size Fits All” clothing has never worked for me, and it seems that I have yet to find the “perfect bag”. It’s an interesting quest, to be sure.
Thank you for your wonderful letters David..Inspirational ! I have never heard of these wonderful camera bags down here in New Zealand they sound amazing and also light I have two little camera bags and one is starting to fall to bits which is a worry. So would love to go in the draw to win one.
Have a wonderful ,happy and healthy New Year
,
I have three (Single strap) LowePro bags, each one getting larger and larger as I got more equipment. But the last one was fine for the first half hour, and then it started to become very painful — too much stuff! Then I got an AirFlow backpack, which lets me carry all of my lenses and extra stuff. But when I travel, it also carries the essential stuff in case my baggage is lost. That did happen on my last trip, and I was without essentials for four days. This airflow is good but not perfect. I found some of their design choices to be missing. I wrote them about it, but they never acknowledged my email.
I have three one is for transporting gear from place to place. It is luggage. It’s the bigger bag of the three. I also have a small backpack for hiking. I like to travel very light. It can hold another body with a lens, and a couple of other lenses. I usually only carry one other body with lens, something different from what I am holding in my hands. If I’m holding a telephoto, it’s a wide angle.
I also have a smallish courier style bag. It carried guitar strings and picks, a guitar toolkit, soft cloth… it has changed identity. It seems fine with it.
I love travel bags, not just camera bags. I currently have 2 bags (both ThinkTank) – they work great but always on the hunt for good ones. I also have a Pelican hard case which fits in most overhead bins.
Would love to add another one to my collection. If I don’t win then I have added it to my list for future purchases.
I only own 1 real camera bag. It’s a cheap Amazon bag. I’ve mostly multipurposed hiking day packs. Cheers!
I’ve got 2 large camera bags, plus a small shoulder bag…and a couple inserts that I can put into a purse or other backpack. Oh, and does my drone case count, too? 😬😄 Of course still on the quest for the perfect bag, so I’d love to check one of these out!
As of this writing I own only two camera bags. One is my backpack, which can get quite heavy when fully packed. The other is a shoulder sling type, good for carrying my camera and one or two lenses, along with the small accessories (spare battery, wipes, etc.). I agree that there is no perfect camera bag, but one can still dream, right?
I am 78-years old, and I now have five camera bags. One of them is a 50 liter monster backpack, and the others are smaller, sling-type bags. The monster, when loaded with two camera bodies, five lenses, and other “necessary” paraphernalia, weighs 45 pounds. As I continue to get older, the monster gets more difficult to handle. I cannot lift it into plane overhead luggage compartments, and I can barely lift it and put it on my back. God help me if I should ever fall with it! The Gura Gear 30 liter bag sounds like it’s exactly what I need. It it’s durable enough I might even request that it be buried with me!
I’ve got 3 camera backpacks, but none of them are quite perfect! I’d love to try this one out – who knows, ot might just be the one.
I’ve got one. It was my first bag. It’s time for a new one. This looks like a great bag! I’d love to upgrade 🙂
I have three bags, a Gura Gear, a vanguard and a Think tank. Need something that can carry all my wildlife lenses. The Gura Gear is perfect, but wish it had a laptop bag
David,
I don’t have any camera bags 🙁 Why you ask?
I’ve been searching for the perfect bag and get overwhelmed with all the choices. I was also hoping Santa would bring me one this year – I think he got overwhelmed too.
I am a newbie photographer so maybe don’t have as much gear as others but my gear is growing , 2 cameras now, 4 lenses , a full sized tripod & a mini one (Santa had a hard time deciding on tripods so brought 2 – he left a note saying this was an easier choice than picking out a camera gear bag).
It really is time I got a bag. Up til
Now I would just take one lens with one camera and put it in my small un padded MEC day pack wrapped in my fleece jacket.
Hoping to travel this fall or spring & do some wildlife/ bird photography – my preferred photo subjects- I will need to bite the bullet and get a ‘proper’ if not ‘perfect’ camera bag.
I really hope I win the one you are so generously giving away 🤞🤞🤞
Santa does as well as he knows it will be on my wish list again next year.
But even if I don’t win the give away You have given me food for thought- on why you use the bag / bags that you do – & for that I am Thankful.😊
Hi David,
WOW!… nothing quite like a Freebie to pump up the comment thread…. I remember about 20 years ago walking into the camera store because my fanny pack camera bag was waaaaaay to small. As I talked with the sales person they informed me I was describing the need for 4-5 bags and I told him that I had budget for only 1. I ended up buying the largest bag available at the time (they were only 2-3 manufacturers in 2005) I still have that bag and I can ‘almost’ fits all my stuff in it, but it does not meet airline code… I also have a small back-back, the only benefit is it is small, but not very efficient, and of course a small bag that holds just 1 smallish camera for those formal occasions, like visiting grandchildren… So… I would love a new bag for travel and hiking… PLEASE and I won’t call you all sorts of hoarder names… I promise!
I have 6 bags of my own in the cupboards after buying my latest new one. I’m still hunting for the perfect bag like everyone else. I too struggle with the velcro dividers which never quite seem to fit my gear. My latest, a Shimoda, has lots of storage but then that makes it challenging to remember which pocket has what where.
Ah, David. the pursuit for the perfect camera bag is ongoing. I have a light one, a roller one, a small one, a medium one, and a workhorse one. But not a “sexy” one! Sigh.
I currently have 4 bags. That doesn’t count the one I gave my husband ( with my hand me down camera). A friend gave me a Lowepro AW450, which fit all my gear but was unbelievably heavy. I bought a Think Tank Glass Limo for my 200-500 but it was so long it kept hitting me on the back of my head. Not useful. I finally decided I wanted to go lighter and my one requirement was the bag must hold my 200-500 beast. I currently use a Think Tank Mindshift Backlight Sprint which holds the beast but I wish it was a bit bigger. The Gura Gear bag sounds amazing and might finally tick all the boxes for me.
I have a 12-year old Kiboko 22L+ bag, and it’s a bit lonely. It’s been to 10 countries, and has always passed Carry-on restrictions, because flight attendants have only weighed it once. It has faithfully carried two full size pro bodies, 200-600mm lens, 70-200mm, 16-35mm, 15mm, 17-inch laptop, two 5TB hard drives, 12 batteries, chargers, adaptors, CF card case, notepad, lens cleaners, Rocket Blaster, cough drops, and tissues. It has carried loads topping 40 pounds without so much as a minor quibble. The zippers are strong, and don’t get caught on the fabric. I can always quickly spot and retrieve my gear inside. It does, however, have a two-inch scratch on one outside pocket from a Range Rover with some rough metal in Kenya. it wears its scar gracefully. It has whispered to me that it would love a companion, especially that beautiful forest green color.
I have 5 bags and, honestly, not one of them suites my needs! I think I’ve just about given up on camera bags because I’m generally disappointed. They always tend to be way too big or way too small.
I’m 78-years old, and I need a lighter, more compact bag. I have five camera bags now. My favorite is a 50 liter monster, and the others are smaller, sling-type bags. The monster bag, with two camera bodies, five lenses, and other “necessary” paraphernalia, weighs 45 pounds. I cannot lift it into plan overhead baggage slots, and as I continue to age it is getting more difficult to lift and put on my back. The 30 liter Gura Gear sounds like exactly what I need. If it’s durable enough I’ll request that it be buried with me!
Currently I own 7 (8 if you include the counterfeit I purchased thinking it was a good deal) bags and 3 camera cubes. Comfort and accessibility are the top two things I look for. Capacity and customization come a close second. I try to buy bags for specific purposes, rather than a do-it-all.
So far, nothing beats my old Manfrotto bag. It’s a backloader with top access (which I use all the time) and side access (which I never use). It holds two (non-gripped) bodies, 500/5.6, 100-400 and 70-200, or two of those and two shorter lenses like 24-70 or 24-120. It has a laptop sleeve, and it’s relatively light and comfortable. But it lacks a water bottle pocket, and (strange for a Manfrotto bag!) the tripod attachment is somewhat basic and not very secure – although I’ve actually never had a problem with it. I’ve used the bag for 8-10 years now and in that time I’ve tried maybe 4-5 other bags (Wandrd, LowePro, Thinktank, Crumpler, F-stop…) and they all have their use but none can match the Manfrotto for capacity and ease of use. If only they made an updated version – it’s beginning to show signs of wear and tear. I dread the day it breaks…
I do wholeheartedly agree with your comments about bags being over designed. Especially the modern fad of camera inserts. They never seem to work well, add bulk and weight, access always seems complicated and fussy. I don’t want to fight with my bag; I want it to be nice and easy and carry my gear without requiring extensive study of all the ‘clever’ features. Who needs a power bank inside a camera bag? And why do bags have space for 2 or 3 SD cards when I need to carry ~5 CFExpress cards? Just give me a space for pouches with batteries, cards, and all the other gear we carry!
I am down to two bags! I guess I should be kicked out of the club, I gave my Manfrotto sling backpack to my son’s girlfriend when she took over my (whoops, make that her) Nikon D7000 and its lenses and paraphernalia. I have a ThinkTank Mindshift BackLight 18L, which serves me well for day trips where I drive to a location and hike some trails, and a small ThinkTank sling that is just good for one body, one small/moderate sized lens, and related odds and sods, which works when I travel someplace where I need all I bring to fit into the hotel room safe. But neither of these is going to cut it when I go on an excursion this year for which I need to add some serious telephoto lenses, and I have already being scouting the market for a new larger bag that will still be accepted as carry-on. This Gura Gear bag looks like it ticks all the boxes. Thanks for the opportunity, David!
I have three bags – Peak Designs Everyday back pack; Peak Designs Everyday sling and an old LowePro sling. Still looking for the perfect bag. I do like the layout and compartments on the Kiboko.
What a fab post 😍 I love that you live your bags. I have 4 that I use regularly- a small one that takes just a camera and lens ands the mare minimum for when I’m on a walk with the family and I know it will be grab shit time 😂 I have a heavy duty waterproof bag that takes a body and 2 small lenses. My retiree bag has seen me well but is not waterproof anymore major negative. My latest acquisition ticks all the boxes but the zipper arrangement drives me nuts 😂 important – laptop space, fits a body and a couple of smaller lenses . Extra spaces and pockets for filters and batteries etc. Space for extras if I’m o the plant like a book, wallet and passport. Waterproof and a sensible and easy way to add a tripod and water bottles. I’d love to be considered for the bag but I see rather a lot of other comments 😂 enjoy your bags x
Perfect camera bag ? Why not you are perfect too ,David ! Thanks for sharing yourself to the world.
Kay
I have no camera bags! I wrap all my gear up in clothing and it’s a terrible approach! I’d look for quality zippers, a nice material, and good organization. The glass needs a house!
I have nearly ten bags and I’m still looking for the right one! These bags look very promising. I have to balance my desire to carry a number of lenses with the reality that I can only manage just so much weight. The backpack balance is a major factor for weight distribution and ability to carry for the better part of a day.
I have no camera bags! I wrap all my gear up in clothing and it’s a terrible approach! I’d look for quality zippers, a nice material, and good organization.
A photographer never has too many camera bags! I have at least 8, just because a gave some away before my last move. I have mostly Think Tanks, so I’m exited to try Gura Gear. Thank you for doing this giveaway!
The perfect camera bag. As elusive a creature as can be imagined. No one has ever photographed it, but I’d certainly like to win one.
I have 7 camera bags, 3 of which came with digital cameras I bought. None of the camera bags that came with the cameras satisfied me, so I spent a lot of time figuring out what I needed. I found a great holster for a mirrorless APS-C camera I have, but it doesn’t fit the full frame mirrorless camera I bought a few years later. I bought a different type of holster for that one, but I’m not completely satisfied with it. My husband bought me a sling bag for the full frame camera this past Christmas, and I’m pretty happy with that one—it will fit my camera and a couple of lenses but not much more. I have one medium format film camera that needed a case, so I found one that fit that and the 2 lenses I bought for it. What I’m missing now is a backpack like the one you’re giving away—so I can take all my lenses with the full frame camera for longer photo excursions. I’m hoping mentioning all the camera bags I have doesn’t disqualify me from this giveaway!
Got only one bag. Would love to win this one and start my collection just like yours 😂.
I’ve been in search of the perfect camera bag for decades. Over the years, I’ve owned 10+ camera bags. Not sure how much money I’ve spent on them — a lot — and have given away half of them because I never used them. The biggest issue for me is how to carry a Canon RF 600mm prime lens along with all my other gear in one bag that will pass as a carry-on bag on airplanes. I’ve been told the Guru Gear Kiboko 30L+ is perfect, but have been hesitant because of my past experience with similar promises. David, your blog post is super helpful. Thanks for sharing!
I don’t have enough fingers and toes. I like to use a hard case when traveling on a plane and then change to a soft sided bag when I get to my destination. Heading to Africa for my 10th time, but still looking for the perfect bag.
Got only one bag! Would love to win this one and start my collection just like you 😂
I had a Lowepro Trekker (I think) which was supposed to do everything as it had a suitcase design but with backpack straps and a separate waterproof case. It was awful to wear on my back, and I never did travel with the Pelican-style case into which it packed.
I then bought a GG Bataflae (which should already tell you how long I’ve had it — lol) which goes everywhere. It holds everything, is comfortable to wear, and has its own little rain jacket just in case. Gura Gear makes thoughtful, great quality equipment!
I’ve tried many camera bags over the years and never found the perfect one. Have tried expensive to cheap and either too bulky or inaccessible when traveling.
Seven bags can never be a crime as long as you as using them 🙂
Would love to win the giveaway but also like the advice.
Nicola
I use a GuraGear 22L for travel along with at least 4 different Think Tank shoulder bags for organizing different kits. My previously favorite LowePro back pack was stolen when my truck was ransacked. Keeping an eye on the GuraGear site for a blue Kiboku 30L +.
I have several bags and am still looking for the perfect bag. Maybe this is it. Thanks much.
David, amusing article but I’ve heard only good things about the Kiboko. I have 2 photo bags currently but was actually looking for a different one to take on some international travel I have planned. I actually looked at this one pretty seriously but haven’t bought anything yet. Be great to try it out…
Happy New Year!
I only have 5, even one with a built-in-stool! I usually use a “non-camera bag” bag though, because it’s lighter and doesn’t draw attention. How cheap can you be🥴
Nice bag, and I’d love to see how it matches up to the rest of my bag family. However there’s one thing that I think would knock everything else out of the park if a manufacturer can come up with a solution for, and that’s the tripod dock on the side that unbalances the load and puts pressure on one shoulder that tranfers down through the hips and lower back. I’m no designer and not offering a solution, simply commenting on my experiences trekking around with my gear on my back.
The perfect camera bag (sigh)….I have setting around 6 (which doesn’t count the ones that have either broken—bad bag..bad!—or the ones I’ve gifted to unsuspecting friends). This, of course, pales in comparison to my search for the perfect purse, but that’s another story. Trial and error has determined that we agree on the backpack thing; I apologize to my expensive rollerboard and that all leather ONA bag that definitely had ‘the look’ but weighs a ton, every time I shove them aside in the closet. I can’t believe that the past two international trips (granted NOT strictly photography ones) I actually threw my gear into a North Face backpack and crossed my fingers that that would work. Nothing broke.
Hi David,
I have 2 camera bags, one for the event, one when i’m traveling. Like you said, the size is very important to me. I like when they are light.
I have three camera bags, a Thinktank roller, A Peak design satchel and a Shimoda backpack. I would love a lightweight backpack to hold my new 800 6.3.
I’m on my first camera bag, which I bought a year or so ago. It’s a MindShift Backlight 26L. Works well for me so far, but would be interested to try something more advanced.
Hi David,
I have 2 camera bags, one for the event, one when i’m traveling. Like you said, the size is very important to me.
The I possible has happened and I’ve trimmed from four or five down to two camera bags, a 3L hipbelt inwear on my bike and a 50L f-stop tilopa I wish was more like a 30L bag.
I also recently downsized my gear, so I have way too much space for my small kit.
I technically only have one bag but also have a couple of pelican cases, which have their place as well. My bag is a Domke shoulder bag, which I love but isn’t something you want to take on a long hike, and finding a backpack that ticks all the boxes is difficult but this one looks pretty solid. Thanks for the opportunity.
I have a dozen camera bags of varying sizes which I use according to the job I am doing. The smallest just takes a camera body fitted with a 10-300 zoom lens and I use this on family outings. I can choose from my collection the bag which fit the gear needed for the day. All the bags are shoulder bags so I would like to try a back pack.
I just watched the video, what an amazing versatile bag! It would look great in my current collection of 4, I just gave one to my granddaughter, so down to 4. I like the fact that it doesn’t really look like a camera bag, is so adjustable and light weight which has become very important as I get older. Since I live on the west coast keeping my gear dry is so important and this bag looks like it would fit the bill!!
The perfect bag? Does it exist? I have numerous camera bags. One has been repurposed for another sport. One holds all sorts of miscellaneous items. One, a MindShift, is terrific but seldom gets used. I often find myself putting my camera and favorite walk around lens in a padded compartment that then goes into a lightweight nylon backpack. It’s protected, accessible, but hardly the ideal situation!
PS- When you have time between trips, I’d love to have you on the podcast again!
David! I feel your passion for the perfect camera bag and looks like you found one! Thank you for sharing as I hadn’t heard of Guru Gear Kiboko 30L before.
I have two camera bags from Think Tank. I
hope to have Kiboko as my final camera bag. I’m so glad they added a lap top sleeve as that is essential. Thanks for sharing your sweet find. I appreciate your e-newsletter and passion for all things photography!
My wife probably thinks I have one or two camera bags to match my 1 or 2 cameras 😁. I’m also looking for a perfect bag mainly to handle a 600mm lens I recently purchased. My main 2 bags are Mindshift but then I have about 3-4 more that get used when I want to be smaller and lighter.
So I’m up to 7 camera bags at the moment plus, a couple of small shoulder bags that are enough for street photography. I prefer in backpacks to have a separate compartment for waterproofs, snacks etc and plenty of pockets for batteries and other odds and ends. As to any of them being perfect, I’m still looking for that one.
I also embarrassed at how many camera bags I have (LowePro, Mindshift, Tenba, Domke), but haven’t yet found the perfect one. So here’s hoping 🙂
My wife continues to ask how many bags I have. I think there is 5 she knows about. I always tell her it depends on what I am shooting when I choose the bag.
I have 3 camera bags I look for a bag to make it easy for me to find what I want and prefer a backpack since it leave my hands free and is easier to carry. This bag looks to be perfect for me.
I have a few different bags I use to carry my camera and equipment. None of them are true camera bags so I’ve always had to improvise how I arrange them for carry on or trekking. Have this opportunity to win a true camera bag would make my travel g and trekking life more enjoyable. Thank you David for the wonderful work you do and for being so open to Shari g with your followers.
Hi David—
I have several bags: A ThinkTank Street Walker, a Tenba10L sling, a ThinkTank Speedfreak, a tiny little Tamron, a ThinkTank Digital Holster, a Cube X5 Sling, a ThinkTank Storyteller, and a Peak Design Everyday 6L Sling. That’s eight bags. I use the Tenba Sling and the Peak Design Everyday Sling the most. I use the Street Walker when I travel someplace where I’ll need a lot of lenses, but if I’m being fair here, I don’t often travel with a lot of lenses. My travel kit for air travel is simple and fits in the Tenba along with a Kindle and snacks, so while I don’t really need the bag you are offering for air travel, it does look sweet and it probably doesn’t weigh a ton like the Street Walker, and it is a sexy beast that would be nice to have in the luggage arsenal for travel and locally for field hikes when I’m lugging around more gear plus water bottles, snacks, a notepad, spare socks, gloves, and snowshoe pole tips (one never knows), bird seed, a first aid kit, and a tripod.
I’ve been trying for years to find the perfect bag. Never can seem to get everything right in one bag.
My first camera bag was a WW2 surplus gas mask bag, which I still have. I have owned a series of Lowepro bags and holsters over the years. I think I have four at home and my sons have the rest of them. My current working bag is a Mindshift Backlight 18. It’s great for the camera stuff but not for the rest of the things I want to carry when day hiking, such as lunch, snacks and extra clothing. I am still looking for the perfect bag, if it exists.
I have 5 camera bags, none of them perfect. I am constantly searching for that unicorn… I need one that is big enough that I can have all my gear with me, but not so big that I can’t carry it.
THanks Dave,
I have two bags, one a Tenba that I have had for more than ten years (20L+/-) and a recently purchsaed ThinkTank 13L.
Hmmm…. I have 5 or 6 old style rectangular box bags, quite cumbersome. Got them at auctions — actually bought used cameras and/or lenses, and the bags were “given” with the gear. Useful for carrying anything but photo equipment (they make OK doodads boxes for the car if you don’t mind the bulk). And I own an excellent backpack from Peak Design that has everything I need, for photography or other uses. Could be a little bit bigger though… 🙂
I have the 16L+ and love it. It’s an excellent backpack for when I’m going to be hiking for most of the day and want my mirrorless camera and my 100-400 and 24-105. I can carry those, filters, batteries, water, and emergency gear and not feel like I have the weight of the world on my back. The 30L would be good for packing all the gear and traveling with it.
I have 2 camera bags which is a miracle considering how many suitcases and hand bags i own. Ive got a Thinktank shoulder bag that also straps round the waist for city photography – 1 body 2 lenses, and a Kata Bug 105 no longer made that i use for photography trips, quite a lot of padding but it takes it all 2 bodies, wide angle, 24-105, 100-500 and my 300m, + laptop. comes in at about 15kg. Its a back pack but genius strap allows it to be put on wheels so thats how i cart it through airports and everywhere until we get to destination and then dump the wheels.
Am very interested in theGura gear bag so thx for the opportunity to win one, meanwhile will investigate their site
That’s an outstanding bag. Seven seems excessive. Unless you are colour coordinating with your outfits. Then, pfft, obviously. 😉
Sahara = sexy.
There is no perfect camera bag; therefore, you have to have a selection from which to choose. What I have ranges in size from backpack to smaller shoulder strap bags, all from different manufactures. Soft cases of various sizes: Kata, Ape Case, Ruggard and Lowepro. Hard cases: A converted Samsonite suitcase, a smaller nameless case, and the ultimate hard case, a Honda Odyssey van – boy, can I cart around a lot of gear with that. Some bags I purchased. Others were a Christmas present, or donation from wherever (usually a disgruntled fellow photographer). No matter how carefully you choose the bag to use, once you are at the location, there always seems to be something lacking, or worse, too much to lug around. Solution, hire someone at minimum wage to lug the equipment around and let them gripe about it, or an even bigger hassle, get a pack mule. I’ll take my chance with the odds of winning, usually slim to none. If David recommends the GuraGear bag, it must be good. May the winner rejoice.
I have the predecessor to the Kiboko and agree that it is the ideal bag for a safari. But after trips that involved both hiking and photography, I wanted a bag that could also carry a rain jacket plus water bottles. I settled on the f-Stop Guru, with its separate camera modules, which are accessed with the bag on its outside, meaning that the back stays (mostly) clean, and have room at the top for a lightweight fleece or similar. The modules that fit the Guru will fit a camera (not full frame) with a medium lens attached and a shorter telephoto. The Guru and the Gura Gear are both comfortable backpacks. My two other go-two bags are Gura Gear’s Chobe, both the larger and the smaller, using their inserts for camera, lens, related equipment, and other travel necessities. They are over the shoulder bags so have easier access than a backpack. I’ve used these most frequently on recent trips, which have involved less hiking. Four different bags, for at least three different conditions.
Me? A bag hoarder? Never! Well, maybe…. I have a backpack, a combo roller/backpack, a few shoulder bags, two laptop cases, and a big roller for my underwater stuff. All ThinkTank. I think (!) it might be time to branch out and see other…. Bags.
For me I’m uptight to 5 bags, but lately it’s my sling bag that I use the most. Back in my younger days while traveling in areas where a camera bag shouted “steal me, expensive equipment inside” I used a modified diaper bag. Really, who is going to steal a diaper bag.
My house also seems to have a one way door for camera bags.
I have had several bags over the years I have pasted them onto fellow photographers that are starting out and need a bag.
I’m still searching for the perfect bag. Right now using a lowepro it’s ok still need a bag that you can place your filters in a area that is easy to get to without emptying your bag, Bslanced and weather resistant
This style appears it might do the job perfectly.
Thank you for sharing and writing a great article
Lowepro, Mindshift, Tenba, Sundog, Mental Baggage
My current main bag is a LowePro ProTactic with molle loops on the outside. It is very handy for carrying layers of clothing as you shed them between 0-dark:30 and midday. I had a watertight LowePro for years but I finally wore it out. It did keep everything dry even in torrential downpours and the wet vegetation of the Pacific NW. I also have a Mindshift bag that carries just a lens and has a daybed compartment for stuff for those hikes where photography isn’t a priority (birding, scouting) but I still want a camera just in case. The Tenba never quite worked for me and is now used for gear storage at home. The Sundog is a fanny pack. Never really worked for me as it was too small.
And of course I have the mental baggage where I carry the memories of the incredible shots I missed, muffed, or should have shot differently.
I have the original bag my camera came with and a very cool backpack with a million (small exaggeration) lens pockets, that has never had a lens in it and a wee bit of dust on it. Being a neat freak and loving to be organized i have dreamed of a bag I could travel with and not look like a gear head. This might just fit the bill.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi
Love reading your articles. I currently have 3 camera bags (1 hard and 2 soft) and I don’t like either but I didn’t choose them. Only one is a backpack but it isn’t adjustable and poorly designed. I’m going on my first dedicated foreign wildlife trip to Costa Rica in December 2025 and actively looking for a bag. I have a choice of 2 in mind. One of which is the Gura Gear Kiboko. I would love to see one ‘in the flesh’ but that is difficult in the UK. It would be nice if an affiliated supplier went to the Photography Show in Excel London so I can see it. As for winning a free one, well that would be brilliant!!
Unfortunately, I have to admit I’m a bit of a hoarder—I own six camera bags! There’s the two XXL Lowepro bags, including a roller bag, and the trusty Lowepro Mini Trekker AW, which I use 90% of the time (and it’s well-worn from all the adventures). Then there’s the Tenba Slingbag, the stylish ONA shoulder bag, and a classic shoulder bag. I’m considering replacing the Mini Trekker AW, though, and I’m tempted to give GuraGear a try!
I think I have 4 bags. The one I use most isn’t a camera bag, it is a large waist pack which a friend gave me. I sold my largest camera bag because it felt as if I would fall over and be stuck like a turtle on my back when I put it on.
Alrighty! I have three current bags, all variations within the LowePro ProTactic line (2023/24 versions), plus several legacy bags. I use each for the specific need and the amount of gear I am attempting to haul. I find them well designed for practical use and very comfortable, balanced and cushioned where needed. Plus they are inexpensive (relative to the cost of photography generally, that is). That said, they are heavy. Nor do I think I could haul a 600mm in one (hmmm never thought about that …). Would love to try a GuraGear.
I’m in the still searching for the perfect bag camp. I have too many bags to count and I’ve gotten rid of more. It’s like being goldilocks. I’ve got bags that are too small, bags that are too big, bags that are too soft, bags that are too hard, and so on. Currently I have a roller bag because my back and shoulder can’t do a backpack. And an old backpack I haven’t given away cuz it is supposed to be perfect and a nanuk hand case that I use everywhere and is covered with travel stickers so that one is never going to be given away. And 2 shoulder bags when I think it’s going to be a quick trip….you get the idea!
Alrighty! I have three current bags, all variations within the LowePro ProTactic system (2023/24 versions), plus several legacy bags. I use each for the specific need and the amount of gear I am attempting to haul. I find them well designed for practical use with appropriate side pockets and bands for accessory utility bags and water bottle holders. They are very comfortable, balanced and cushioned where needed. Plus they are inexpensive on sale at B&H (relative to the cost of photography generally, that is, and the cost of Gura Gear in particular). That said, they are heavy, probably because of the seemingly indestructible tactical material and cushioning. Nor do I think I could haul a 600mm in one (hmmm never thought about that …). Would love to try a Gura Gear!
I have had several bags over the years I have pasted them onto fellow photographers that are starting out and need a bag.
I’m still searching for the perfect bag. Right now using a lowepro it’s ok still need a bag that you can place your filters in a area that is easy to get to without emptying your bag,
This style appears it might do the job perfectly.
Thank you for sharing and writing a great article
I’ve got 5, and the two I used most are shoulder bags, which no longer work as well due to a pointy bit of bone from a broken collarbone so a new backpack-style bag would be great 🙂
I have three – an old satchel, a think tank crossbody, and a lowepro backpack. Honestly the Lowepro sees the most use, but mostly because I get overwhelmed by choices trying to find something new.
It’s a club; you have to have at least 10 bags to be a member!
Good timing on a post for a camera bag! I just purchased the 200-600 and am scouring the internet looking at the best options to carry it, especially on long hiking days as my Timbuk2 won’t cut it. I have considered some alpine packs where the lens would go inside the space designed for an oxygen bottle, chest carry systems, or just continuing to use my daypack that I’ve MacGgyvered into a camera bag. I’d never heard of Gura Gear prior to today, but it does seem like it’s a significantly better option than what I am currently considering. I can’t believe you own SEVEN!
All the best, thanks for teaching me yet another lesson today.
I have 3 bags, one small, one medium, one large. I use the small and medium for most outings but also have a bit of a bag problem, as I covet new ones even though mine work for most of what I need. I’m always game to try and find something better!
I guess I have eight bags, currently; from a small point-and-shoot holder up to a backpack. But none of them are terribly well suited for significant travel. And seeing as I am traveling to Egypt in May for 12 days, a bag like this would be ideal.
Hi David
I currently have 9 bags. Some are now used for storage and 3 are for different needs/uses.
I have 3. Researched before purchase. Mistake was choosing price over the “ideal” bag. As is said you get what you pay for!
Like many, or is it most photographers, I have been searching for what I would like to see in the perfect camera bag. My present camera bag comes close, but it is also bulky, and that causes me a great deal of concern every time my travel involves an airport. Gura Gear seems to have the perfect solution for me, and I would love to cross paths with a “Hippo”!
I recently donated a few gently if at all used camera bags to charity and I still have too many. It seems to be a universal issue among photographers. Still, wouldn’t mind trying out a new backpack.
I believe this is a clever ploy for me to publicly declare how many camera bags I have hidden away. Heck, my wife may read this someday! Nope. No self incrimination!
How many do I have? What has been necessary. Oh, I could use one more…..
Only about 3 bags of any size (not counting 2 compact bags suitable for only single compact cameras). From your description, this bag sounds great. Looking at their website, it is unlikely that I will be spending much there as I am retired and now on a fixed income.
Ah! My kryptonite! Funny enough, I have too many camera bags, but I also have gotten really good at having too many camera bags. I’ve at least gotten to the place where I can store them well, and have bags of all conceivable sizes. So at least that makes it easier to pick the bag of the day. But it would be great to have one that is adaptable and light weight like this one seems to be. Thanks for the chance.
For several years, a medium-sized Tamrac over-the-shoulder-bag, held all my gear both at home and when shootingweddings, portraait sessions, etc. Eventually, I outgrew it. I still own (use) everything I have purchased since selling that bag. I periodically buy a new bag. The current arsenal: a general purpose no-name sling bag that I used for walking around and for travel for years It fits some personal stuff and one camera/one lens or another lens or two without stuff (after us9ing it for years, it turned out not be be waterproof after all); a little case from Target for whatever point-and-shoot I’m pointing-and shooting with; a little Samurai over-the-shoulder bag that fits one of my main cameras with one lens; a Lowepro Commercial AW that holds most (relatively) of my gear at home and was replaced with a Lowepro Flipside 500 AW that I now use to hold whatever I need when I travel (by car) and when I need carry more gear hiking, a ThinkTank something for light travel; and finally, a Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip 15L that fits under an airline seat (when I’m not sure I can carry on a carry on, which now seems like most of the time…what’s up with that?!). So, yes, I enjoyed your post and have already looked at the website for Gura Gear and that bag that I hope to win from you. It looks perfect! (It’s a new year, let’s be optimistic.)
I have about 10 camera bags of varying sizes and materials accumulated over the years. Most are small and I use them to carry one camera with a lens when I am doing local work. My best bag is a now discontinued Lowepro Whistler BP350 AW, which is a backpack designed to hold one camera with a fairly long lens and has compartments for other lenses and equipment. I am always in the market for more bags and have recently been looking for a backpack set up to hold two cameras with zoom lenses in the range of 24 to 70 and a few primes.
Man I have too many camera bags because finding the right one is difficult!
Well, if you don’t count the single camera/lens “cases” I’m at 10 at the moment and “feel you pain” – I’m always looking and buying new ones as I can. My issue – not being a professional – is that when I travel I want to take a lot – but then only take out what I need when I go out for the day. This is especially true if I’m on vacation! This leads me to an interesting dilemma for me. So I usually pack a larger bag and then “somehow” take a smaller one – often my MIndShift sling bag – which is my personal favorite now for “lite” needs – body and 1-3 lenses/”stuff” – folded as flat as I can in my suitcase for day to day usage. As you say, everything is dependent on what I’m doing, so the switch happens more in cities and I carry the larger one, with everything, if I’m out doing landscapes. p.s. I currently am using Olympus m4/3 gear and that affords even more bag flexibility with bags and contents – helps with airplanes too as I will only carry my bag on too!
I really had forgotten how many camera bags I have. I counted six. Wow why do I need that many? I guess we are always searching for the perfect bag so we keep buying hoping to find just the right one. As I am aging, I am looking for light weight for both the field and airlines. This Kiboko looks interesting. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Wow! Your passion for the Gura Gear bag is impressive! I have three bags a Lowe that I use mainly for storage and plane transportation; a sling bag that accompanies me on nearly every wildlife shoot that I go on, because its easy to carry and swap lenses as needed; and Timbuktu for street work. None of them ideal, but then again what is?
Hi, I have one ‘adapted’ backpack that I use most of the time, especially when I am traveling, it has a zip round bottom pocket, which I made a lightly padded pouch to fit in it, it is big enough for my camera body, a lens up to 200mm, and various small camera related items, like batteries. The upper pocket can hold a couple of lens or a change of clothes and the other bit and bob that a lady needs to carry. My other camera bag is a cross the body bag, which I also made myself on a design of a Billingham. I would l love a ‘proper’ camera bag, but when I look hubby keeps asking why I need a new one when I have two ‘perfectly adequate’ bags that work! I prefer a backpack as I have a chronic neck problem and a backpack distributes the weight more evenly for me.
Hi David
Camera bags in active use: Think Tank Streetwalker, Think Tank Glass Taxi, two Think Tank Holsters.
Camera bags for storage of my ton of films cameras and miscellaneous: Three Nikon leather FB-11s, five other Nikon bags (some canvas, some leather); one Nat Geo knapsack.
My one camera bag story: I like to shoot the spring breakup of the ice on the Ottawa River. One gloomy freezing day in March the ice flow I was on very quietly dis-connected itself from the land and began to drift out into the current. Very disconcerting so I shoved the camera in my Think tank Streetwalker and shoved my tripod into the water to see how deep it was: up top my neck. Not here that the water was full of chunks of ice of all sizes and I was about 30 feet from shore. Anyway I tried to hold the bag over my head (it was heavy with gear) and the tripod in the other and jumped in the river. However I stumbled and everything – including my head and camera bag – went underwater for a few seconds. Made it ashore in a few moments, checked the bag and there was no kidding two drops of water in it. That is a good bag. Anyway walked two klicks back to my car, drove home – my wife was not home thank God – and stood in a hot shower for a very long time. Somehow I ‘forgot’ to tell my wife about this incident for two years. Have a good new year David.
I love a good bag…of any style, for any purpose. Camera bags are no exception in my closet. I seem to be in constant search for the best me-match camera bag. To be fully transparent, my upper body is weak. Heavy doors tend to be an issue and quite comical for the passerby. (I am working on improving arm and back strength.)In the meantime I keep a weather-eye out for THAT ideal camera bag. One that can hold the essentials (I am not a clutter and pack everything person); my 600mm lens is my constant companion. It’s my absolute fav. I am super excited to hear about the Kiboko. Which, by the way, is a VERY COOL name. Just rolls off the tongue and makes me smile. So, thanks for this opportunity for any one of us to be chosen to receive this gift. Btw, Happy New Year…may it be a great one!
Oh my! I am glad I’m not the only one. I have 7 bags and no two alike. It depends on my mood and what adventure I’m headed to. I love this bag you are sharing. To safely store my tripod as not to accidentally knock someone out while heaving it up to the over head. I don’t see anything wrong with your back hoarding dilemma.
I have 4 of various sizes. My main bag for my National Park trips is a WNDRD I bought off a Kickstarter campaign years ago. Lots of pockets and compartments and holds all my gear. My other bags are smaller (1 Lowepro and 2 Tamrac) and I still use them occasionally depending on what I’m shooting when I don’t have to bring my entire rig. My ideal bag would be little longer (I’m 6’3″) so that the waist belt would actually hit me at the waist (instead of across my stomach) and shoulder straps that are comfortable and don’t dig in. I’d love to have a Gura Gear on my long NP hikes up and down challenging terrain.
I only have one, a roller bag, which accommodates all my OM-1 mirrorless gear and is great for airline and car travel. When I arrive at my destination, I carry two bodies, a travel tripod and three lenses on me using a SpiderHolster and BlackRapid strap combo. My ScottEVest with its cavernous pockets carries gloves, windbreaker and incidentals. However, I’m pretty new to adventure travel and have been thinking I might need an alternative solution , so your love affair with the “hippo” has me intrigued. I’ve avoided backpacks so far because I have spinal issues, but if the harness system effectively shifts the weight to my hips, it might be “the one”. Thank you, David, I enjoy your blog!
I had a combined roller/back pack that was great for carryon but it did get a bit heavy and then an airline broke the pulling handle. That was the closest to perfect I got. I have 3 or 4 about the house but mostly use a padded bag inset that I can put in a carryon or a small rucksac, depending on what I am doing. The hippo sounds way superior as well as fun and funky! Thank you for sharing the details – and for the chance of winning one.
I am mostly a landscape photographer but also photograph rodeos and sports. Fout camera bags, depending upon how far I’m going, what lenses I need, and what the weather’s like. I have an older Tamrac Expedition 5 bag– nylon, good padding and plenty of pockets, that is small and good for a kit of Sony A7RIV, Sigma 14-24 DG DN, Sony 24-70 GMII, and Sony 70-200 . I can stuff a Sony 20mm f 1.8 or 35,, f1.4 in there as well. It’s getting tattered and the zipper has its good days and bad days (more bad than good) nowadays) IT’s my go-to bag and I use two bungie cords for security when I take it out on the trail (or no trail. A also have an ancient large Tamrac bag that houses my Wista 4×5 view camera and lenses, loupe and other stuff (film cartridges, etc. . It’s a canvas-type fabric, and doesn’t get out much, but is suitable for storage because I’m not giving up my Wista until they pry it from my cold, dead fingers. I have two bright orange f-Stoppers bags. They are relativly weather-proof and rugged. My husband and occasional Sherpa refers to the larger fStopper (Sukha Expedition) as the “haybale.” It carries most of my Sony kit (Three bodies, 7-8 lenses) in one bag (Suka Expedition) along with tripod, and other gear, and lets me stuff a bit of food, water filter, small shelter and sleeping bag in the front and side pockets. The smaller fStopper (ANJA) is a good day-pack carrying two bodies, five to six Sony lenses, accessories, lightweight carbon fiber tripod and some g=food and water bottle that includes a water filter for refils. So there’s small, medium and large bags, depending on need.
I have 3 camera bags. One messanger bag and two backpacks. The two backpacks vary in pockets and padded areas.
OK this is embarrassing, but despite having a clean out last year of several bags which had somehow taken up long-term residency in various closets, I think I still have a problem with camera bags….Yes I know it is an impossible search, but I am still looking for THE ONE. Maybe this will be the one that ends my search. The Gura Gear bags look great. If I don’t win the giveaway I think I might be making use of your discount code. Thanks David!
I’m thinking about starting a group called “Camera Bag Hoarders Anonymous”. Hi, my name is Steve and I’m a camera bag hoarder. It started so innocently one day while perusing the B&H catalog.
I have 5 camera bags. (I’ve given away multiple other ones that simply did not work for me.) My favorite camera backpack was a no name one that cost about $20. After using for about 15 years, it simply fell apart. Biggest issue for me is that many bags are simply too big and heavy for a small frame person. When I know I’m parking near my shoot, the bag stays in the trunk. Travel has lead to a small padded container in a non-camera backpack so that I am less conspicuous to thieves. Also, they are a lot cheaper and can typically hold personal items like purse and jacket. And finally…I am cheap and don’t want to spend hundreds on something I know a less expensive version will fill the basic need.
I have at least 4 plus a couple of small ones that just about hold the camera and one lens.
An Airport Traveler by Think Tank – holds the laptop as well but a little on the heavy side and bulky
A large Retrospective messenger type bag from Think Tank – large and I don’t find the shoulder strap method a good way to carry a lot of gear at the side of your body
A Manfrotto backpack – very light and almost right in every way takes my laptop on travels further from home but is just too small to accommodate all my gear, a mirrorless body and spare, plus for or five lenses, filters etc. no room for the 100-400 lens!
A Crumpler camouflage shoulder bag – great for days out when I just need one camera and a couple of lenses, or even one mirrorless camera with my 100-400 lens attached, large enough to pack in a couple of filters and other odds and ends in zip pockets.
I agree that a backpack is essential! I have a beat-up LowePro that has worked for years, but the abuse I’ve thrown at it is starting to show. The mesh water bottle holder is torn up and I’m afraid to put my keys in it for fear of losing them. The chest clip broke when I stepped on it a few years ago. And it’s a tight squeeze to get my 70-200 and 35 prime into it. But it’s been a workhorse and I’m gonna have a tough time replacing it. Thanks for the opportunity to win a new one!
I own one Lowepro bag that I have had for at least five years now. I like it but need additional compartments to hold my gear. I also want one that is easy to carry onto various locations particularly in harsh weather. Would love a new one.
Hi David,
Happy New Year!🥳
I enjoyed meeting you recently and discovering how the wit and charm of your writing translates into “real life”. Now, camera bags. I own 5 even after recently getting rid of several! I don’t know how many I’ve bought, both new and second hand, in the last decade or so. I want something with lots of storage that’s easy to get into. I’ve had expensive-at least for me-and Amazon specials and continue to search! I’m on my way to look at GuraGear. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and passion.
Before I retired as a photojournalist. My bags numbered over15. I was always in search of the perfect bag. I had several backpacks (ThinkTank, Tenba, Peak, and a Moose Peterson). I also had Domkeand Oberwerth bags for my day to day work. I even used a Newswear Chestvest for sports. My wife would always say I had too many bags (yes, I probably did) but each one I’d buy had a specialized purpose. Now that I’m retired, we travel and despite having a camera bag garage sale, I’m still in search of a good bag!
I have one bag, not the best one.
Why can’t bags be like tripods, buy once, cry once. I have at least 5 full size, a myriad of mid and small size. I should sell some.
I have tried 4 different camera bags but still haven’t found the perfect bag! I’m looking for a light weight bag that is comfortable for traveling as well as hiking around with camera gear. This Guru Gear sounds like it could be the perfect fit!
Oh dear Lord. I just counted my bags. 6. Why? I’ve yet to find the perfect one. My fav is a larger Think Tank. That’s mostly when I’m flying to a location or workshop as I need ALL my stuff. I have a smaller one for kicking around on my home territory. But. And a big but. Neither amaze me. Neither fit exactly what I need but do a decent enough job. I’d love to try a sexy AND utilitarian bag tho. Maybe it will be perfect and I can stop the quest. Like you, I want as light as possible yet able to fit my gear. Thanks for the blog post and the opportunity to try one of these for free….if I’m lucky 😉
I have a few camera bags but I am always on the search for the best one for travel. Thanks for posting this and for the giveaway. I’ll definitely check this one out. I love the color too!
David,
Thanks for sending these newsletters almost every Sunday. It’s just a breath of fresh air considering we are so spoiled these days with a plethora, of newsletters, podcasts, Youtube videos, articles, books etc… I have listened to all 80 episodes of the Beautiful Anarchy and 80 episodes of Craft and Vision – I am yearning for 80 more of you new podcast 🙂 You have had so many new beginnings, why not one more time? I understand I may be a bit selfish considering it’s free podcasting and you have so much in your plate, but it’s not my fault if you are exceptional at it. It’s not only your podcasts that are a delight to the ears and photographers’ hearts, your interviews are fantastic as well. My favorites have been the ones with Martin Bailey and Frederick Van Johnson. I believe my first introduction to you was a TWIP Episode with Frederick in April 2014, et on a fait Du Chemin since – LOL. It’s a bit disconcerting I finally reach out with this camera bag post, however the admiration is sincere.
I have more camera bags than my wife has shoes or purses. I bought four last year alone in search of the ” Holy Grail”. They are either too small, too big, not comfortable, too heavy, not practical, not easy to get gears in or out of, et j’en passe. Just like tripods, the perfect camera bag is an illusion. However there are a few camera bags that seem to tick a lot of the boxes. Of course there are different camera bags for different occasions, for example a suitable bag for street photography will differ from wildlife.
Lately I have been looking for a bag I can carry 2 full frame bodies, a holy trinity and a 200-600mm. I have been looking at the Kiboko for many reasons like weight, space, butterfly compartment, removable waist belt etc…
I have seven bags of various sizes and am relieved to hear that other people have this problem ! Had never heard of Gura Gear, but it sounds like exactly what I need.
I have 4 bags, none of which I really like. The one I dislike the least (and consequently use most) is too small to carry everything I want to take with me.
So David, have your other bags that have cobwebs on them found their way down to the local Goodwill?…I know when I kick the bucket and my wife is cleaning out my stuff and sees all my bags she will probably mutter, “WTF”? Not to pick on the women here (yes, I know I am stereotyping) but it’s probably not a lot different than women who own copious amounts of purses.
I would love a backpack camera bag! I have three bags but they are all pretty small – they can only hold 1-2 bodies and 1-2 lenses. Great for minimalist day trips, but not so great for when I travel and want to take everything with me.
I used to be rough on my gear and just toss everything into a hiking backpack. But now, I am in the early stages of a camera bag collection! I have one bag that works well for city exploring but now I would like another for hiking and more rugged travel 🙂
I have 6 bags but am in search for a *perfect* number 7. 🙂
Right now, I’m looking for a backpack that will let me carry a small spotting scope, my iPhone, a small tripod for digiscoping and my iPhone digiscoping gear. Yes, I realize I could do camera instead, but this is a challenge as I want to do more birding/ travelling.. I am trying to go more minimalist.
I have 2 official camera bags, a large Lowepro and a midsize flimsy Lowepro bag which I rarely use. Like you, each type of outing requires a slightly different bag…and therefore over the years I create the bag with the lens I will use by organizing various size tote bags n larger purses that fit the occasion.
You have peaked my curiosity to further learn about the Gura Gear products. I am hoping within the next 18 months to do a safari and would like to take along this ‘hippo’ !! BTW Great color choice!
You’ve hit a nerve David. The list of comments is huge! I own two camera bags, I bought a dirt cheap bag when I first bought my full gear setup and more recently, a small Lowepro for local travel. I resorted to a DIY mod of a regular 20L Osprey backpack last October for a trip to England; a carry on only trip. Being a retired, one-handed southpaw with oldguyitis means light weight bags only. Cheers & Happy New Year.
I only have 3, which have been acquired through my years (50+) of photography experiences, each suiting the current state of the moment. From just beginning (small) to current state (larger), as my disposable income increased.
Air travel is the biggest challenge now, and your article descriptions are spot on.
I look forward to another year of your emails 🙂 🙂
I currently using PeakDesign Backpack Zip and recently purchase their newlinee Outdoor sling 7L, honestly as much as I like both of the backpack, there are some features lacking that requires me to spend more in order to make the backpack or sling feel “complete”. Im constantly looking for a new options for camera backpack and honestly, I would love to try this camera bag to fit most of my equipment in protective manner and at the same time maintain the lifestyle look of it.
Great bag. I was an early adapter of Gura Gear bags. I got my first 15 years ago and when it wore out (after 50 or so international trips) got another. Good to hear that they finally added a way to carry a computer.
I own four now and am looking to get of some of them because I never use them. It’s hard to find the right one!
I have a Lowepro bag as well as several smaller toploader bags that I use when I’m out and about. Still looking for the one that will solve all my problems. There is a slight possibility that this will not happen 🙂 But hey, I’m open minded !
Happy New year !
Currently I only have 3 or maybe 4 camera bags/backpacks but am always swapping out for what I think is better. That is a habit I am trying to get under control, but so far, no luck. What I would like is a light, waterproof, back pack that gets lighter the more gear I load! Unfortunately, even these don’t meet that spec 😂.
I’ve been looking for the perfect bag for my husband. Thanks for the solution. Now my only problem is how to convince him to let go of all the others
I’ve got one dedicated camera bag, and a day pack that I use with an insert. The weight and size for travel are a huge issue for me and I find myself becoming increasingly minimalist in packing over the years. On my last trip, I left the dedicated camera bag at home and used an insert with a lightweight Osprey pack and while not perfect, it worked well. And it saved me around half a kilo, which matters on safari with small plane transfers.
I have about a dozen bags. I have somewhat settled on Lowe Pro but these bags look wonderful. May give them a try.
Also wanted to let you know that I very much enjoyed your talk in Calgary last month.
I was given a Gura gear bag and I just love it- I never would have thought it would be my favorite but it is my go-to bag for big lenses.
I thought the article was funny. Why write about camera bags. But then start to look at the camera bag pictures and wonder if it is the one.
David, you definitely have me beat on number of bags. I have just 2. Both back packs. Totally agree with you that it is the way to go. Specially if you are hiking along trails.
Thx for bringing a smile to my face today.
Oh, let me count the days and ways: a bag for a drone, a bag for serious hikes, a bag for short light hikes, and small bags to keep cameras and lenses more secure in the backseat of vehicles…but then there is always room for one more!
I have one ‘proper’ camera bag – large messenger style, and big enough to hold my camera, 28-200mm Tamron, 95 mm f1.4 Sigma, 100-400 and 2 x converter and my 50 mm f1.8, and my 17-28 mm f2.8 Tamron. Oh and loads of supporting kit such as batteries and cards and …
But it’s actually too big for daily use, and I never use all my different lenses on a photo shoot / trip. So I also have a medium size leather hold-all (being thrown away until I grabbed it); big enough for the camera and a couple of my not-the-largest lenses. And also I have the 3-legged thing Wrapz to protect my kit, and so sometimes just use a small backpack.
I can totally identify with your lust for camera bags! And I identify with Paul Friday’s comment above.
I have carried a LowPro fanny style camera bag for over 25years. It fit my cameras even as they changed over each decade. It has 2 side pockets for batteries, memory cards and or phone, glasses etc. It packed in the bottom of my carryon perfectly. I’d wrap my longer lens and extra camera body in velcro wraps in the suitcase. I used a simple nylon backpack on safari for the longer lens camera, hat, jacket etc. I have 2 other bags. Confession – never used them. They just didn’t work well as my fanny style LowPro. My new Nikon Z8 won’t fit the old bag – what to do?! (don’t worry it will go on a shel “just in case” I need it in the future.) I like the look of your Kiboko bag (and of course the name too). Thanks for this review David!
This is telling me that this is a duplicate comment. It isn’t. I’ve tried and used many different camera bags over the decades. This one looks like a Keeper.
Ok David, you got my attention enough to leave a comment! Ha!
I probably update my camera bag once every few years. I currently have three backpacks and three schedules plus one waist pack. I’ve had other satchels and backpacks and still don’t have one that I go to all the time. I, like you, find them to be too heavy and too bulky. maybe this one will do the trick!?!
Thanks, David!
I’ve tried and used many different camera bags over the decades. This one looks like a Keeper.
Like all photographers, I’m a camera bag junkie too. I currently have eight of them. And, I just sold one and gave another away to a friend. So it used to be 10 camera bags. Most of mine are Think Tank bags (backpacks and shoulder bags). But contemplating selling some of those off in order to fund a Gura Gear Kiboko. So, winning one would be great.
I had the version 1 of the 22 and 30 L Kiboko bags. I now have version 2 of the 16 and 22L Kiboko and also the Chobe 16. The zippers on version 2 Kiboko bags are much improved. Great Bags!
I have 5 different bags of different sizes and configurations. I’m not sure that there is a single “perfect bag,” but would live to try this one out. With Kind Regards – Gregg
‘
I sit here at my desk with two camera backpacks on my left and ten more on my right. Each side has a full-sized tripod with its legs spread among the bags. Several of my bags each contain the right kit for one specific place where I go to shoot birds. A few just store random pieces of equipment. One small backpack, I believe, is empty – waiting to be filled with the “right stuff” for a (somewhat rare) trip to shoot a subject without feathers.
Your description of the size and capacity of the GuraGear Kiboko 30L, along with its durability and some of its well-thought-out features, makes me think it’s time to look into one more backpack.
I am embarrassed to admit that I have only one camera bag. It is the first and only one I’ve ever had. Seeing this one though, I could be talked into a quickly divorce.
As to your hoarding habit, I have the same problem with books. I am 76 years old and have around 2500 books. I’ll need to live to at 200 years old to get them all read.
Cheers
I have been on the hunt for a great camera bag for years. I’m up to 5 bags and struggle with all of them. It’s very frustrating accessing my different lens so I usually don’t bother and miss a great shot.
The Gura Gear could be a game changer for my adventures.
My name is Stephanie, and I am a bag hoarder! Haven’t ever found the perfect bag but I have had my eye on a Gura Gear bag for years. I could sure use one!
Happy New Year and Happy Shooting!
Stephanie
I don’t have a camera bag. I do have multiple different day packs. When I’m shooting, I’m usually hiking. For safety, I need to carry water, food, extra clothing and a first aid kit along with my camera gear. I’d love to have a functional bag where everything has it’s place but one that isn’t too heavy and bulky.
I have three bags, each a different size. My favorite one is a backpack design, but it is bulkier than it should be for the size. I want to be able to load all of the equipment that I need for a particular trip or photo shoot, and have the gear easily accessible.
I own three. But I only really like one,
Is the perfect bag a myth?
I keep hoping and searching for it. I would love the opportunity to try the GuraGear.
I think I have four camera bags… or is it five? The one I use most often is the (now discontinued) Think Tank Glass Taxi, which will take my D750 body, a big telephoto lens and three other lenses. But it won’t take the body attached to one of the lenses, and there’s minimal space for accessories.
I also have a large-ish LowePro backpack-style bag but it’s very bulky and uncomfortable.
I’d love to own the Gura Gear 30L 🙂
You’re completely right, Kiboko’s are perfect. I’ve moved cross country with them and take them on most of my adventures and professional gigs when I need to bring everything. Best bags ever! That said, I’d love another one!
Ha, I loved reading about your camera bag fetish; that put a smile on my face! I have two bags – one is the one I use all the time, but it’s really too small for all my gear now. It works because I carry my camera around my neck for a wildlife shoot and everything else is in the backpack. The other bag is big but much too heavy (I bought it 2nd hand from someone in my photography club), so I keep all my excess gear in it and only travel with it in the car on a road trip. So I’d love a new backpack that could hold everything and yet not be too heavy!
Anyway, thank you for so generously doing this, David – I appreciate you, and Happy New Year!
I confess I’m down ti four camera bags. I got roped into peak camera bags but in all honesty they’re not designed for big women and the insides are very tight especially the pockets.
I kinda gave up on finding the perfect backpack so all of them are shoulder bags and at my age with arthritis in my shoulders none of them are working. So yeah I’m interested in the perfect backpack.
Good luck ti the winner I’ve enjoyed your books and articles along the years but at 71 I’ve been most inspired by your recovery stories. It gave me hope when my own health issues hit me like a hurricane outta of the blue. Honestly I have just added getting stepped on my elephants to my bucket list lol
I’ve got 5 camera bags. 4 of them are Tenba (apparently I like their stuff) and a Peak. The Peak is probably my favorite when I need to carry on a trip. I have one larger Tenba and 3 variety of smaller shoulder packs.
The guy who said he has four bags? Please! My office is a disaster area with about 20 bags (some of them just lens or accessories bags for the RV), but many with a camera and lens ready to go! This includes 3 with film kits, my Canon EOS-3 (last made in 2003), my Fujica GW690 II (dubbed the “Texas Leica” for its 6X9 format), and my tiny 30 year old Olympus XA3, all in their own bags. My go-to bag is often my Mindshift Ultralight 16L, for exactly the reasons you mention in the article, minimal padding, minimum weight! On the e-bike when RVing I rock the ThinkTank Ultra Access 10 slingbag that carries the A7R5 with 24-105, plus a wider-angle lens. 24 is never wide enough, am I right? Oh yeah, and don’t forget the camping knife and pepper spray, need room in the GuraGear for that!
My wife made me put about 10 other bags in the cedar closet downstairs, so you can actually walk around now! Yeah, Pepcid AC doesn’t cure my GAS! 😉 I would LOVE a little extra space, GuraGear folks! BTW, thanks for your “improve your photo business” talk at Out of Chicago a few years ago, it was great!
You’ve got me beat, I only have 4. I’ve got one gigantic one that now sits on the shelf most of the time; it holds a lot but is too clumsy for daily use. On the other end of the spectrum, I have a shoulder bag that I use the most for a walkaround outing. And like you, I like a compact and efficient bag.
Love your newsletters, keep up the good work.
Rich
I had to laugh when I read this article David. I probably have more than 20 camera bags of all different sizes. The part I really had a laugh about was the one-way door where they come in and never seem to leave. I also think when you store them together, they may multiply on their own. Lol. I currently use three consistently. A sling bag, which will hold the body in a couple of lenses, a Messenger bag which will hold two bodies and about four lenses, and then a rolling backpack style. I agreed with your comment about a non-roller backpack, probably being the best but I gave my two favorites to my wife and my youngest son and I haven’t replaced it yet. This bag would be a nice addition. Thanks for posting about it.
Enjoy your posts very much! Always a different perspective that helps. I have a rolling bag that isn’t great at all but it does the job. I have another backpack… basic run of the mill. This camera bag looks fantastic. Keep the information coming!
I have three camera bags, but two of them are identical aside from a broken zipper on the one, which prompted the buying of the second one. The third bag was a gift and I used it for a while, but it doesn’t carry a laptop, which is essential for me. Ope, I actually have a fourth, which was given to me along with my first DSLR way back when. It is tiny.
I’m pretty sure the “perfect” camera bag is like “perfect weather”, it all depends on what you are planning to do! I have 3 bags and admit none are perfect. I trust David on all things photographic and should obviously trust you on camera bags. The Gura Gear bag does sound very good, maybe perfect, especially the light weight. Thanks for sharing this and your thoughts and experiences.
10 bags and counting. Sony stuff in one, canon in another. One lens and a body in another and so on. Too many.
Too many camera bags. Not found the perfect bag yet. Some are too small, some too heavy, some not practical. Looking forward to make the GuraGear Kiboko my favorite bag as well and test it on my next trip.
Where is the symbol for infinity … I have two ThinkTank backpacks that are my quick-grab kits. One is for lenses and bodies, the other is a simple lighting kit. They can be tossed in the back of the car but they aren’t great to work out of. I have … several Domke and ThinkTank should bags for different purposes, as well as the belt system from ThinkTank for the really long days.
I have tried very hard to sell off many of my un or underused bags and limit what I buy, but I did add a small Wotancraft 3.5 liter bag to the collection this year. It is wonderfully light and the latching system is fantastic.
I have purchased several bags over the years. My favourite is made by Peak Design Everyday Messenger 13L which has lots of capacity and has hips straps for hiking. My other bags are a Canon mini messenger bag for light duty, but I do find it too small for most occasions. I also purchased a Case Logic backpack to carry the bulk of my equipment, however I find it very heavy and although access is good, I have not used it for quite some time.
The GuraGear bag looks great to replace the latter bag and would really appreciate it!
I own only 2 camera bags, but I still haven’t found the “perfect” one. It seems from your post GuraGear is a good candidate 🙂
It is difficult for me to find a bag that has all the following points checked out:
* Comfortable to wear (especially for long hikes).
* Big enough tripod holder.
* Good compartments organization.
* Ease of customizability with velcro dividers (in on of the bags I have, velcro dividers never stick perfectly).
* Good isolation (from rain, sand..).
I appreciate your candor and honesty always! It reminds me to be same … even if it’s over a camera bag. I have 4 camera bags with different purposes in mind. None of them satisfy my needs. None of them live up to what they promise. While they keep my equipment safe, the function always falls short.
I’ve brought myself down to one camera bag but could really use a new, bigger, badder, sexier one. I may be down to only one bag so please disregard the 5 tote bins of gear. 😬
Would love the opportunity to try out a new bag and hopefully actually fit all my gear!
Hi David, I am 74, German retiree, and traveling a lot with my camera. Since I am shooting with lenses ranging from 21 to 75 millimeters, I only need a small bag — still I owe about 10 bags, and sometimes a tilt/shift lens or a tripod have to come along, and larger bags are needed. But as you say, it is primarily the love for nice (sexy) bags which makes me buy yet another one. Domke F2 is my oldest, and the Filson Harvey Magnum bag my coolest.
Btw, just saw the sales figures of “Die Seele der Kamera”: Even after 6 years, it is the best selling photography book in Germany!
Too heavy. Too small. Too something. That is why I have (or had) so many bags. Hopefully, I will find a bag that will work for the traveling I hope to do as well as those photo trips around home. I would love to give GuraGear a try.
I have 8 camera bags/backpacks and I’m still searching for the perfect backpack. It’s so frustrating. I don’t want to have to miss a photo just because my camera backpack is not organized properly or because it doesn’t fit.
I have only one actual camera backpack, but four other camera bags that seemed perfect at the time… until they weren’t. The backpack is sadly past its best, with the detachable pocket bits more detached than they should be, and some of the zips not working. I love the look of this one!
Happy New Year!
I have three camera bags. One is specific for when I travel to visit the kids and want to have the camera along. You are right about the color of your bag, it takes the cake.
I’ve not heard of this brand before. Shame on you for putting temptation before me. It might now be your responsibility to save me from that temptation.
Enjoy your posts and photos keep up the great work!
Thank you for the honest information about owning 7 camera bags . I’m looking for a camera bag that is airline friendly and can carry gear safely without being too heavy for trekking.
Funny you should send this post now as I have been feeling restless about my bags and have been scrolling websites to pass the idle time over the holidays.
I’ve had way too many backpacks over the years including several from Think Tank and a a couple from Shimoda. I agree with you that you need different bags depending on what you’re shooting and as I have invested in longer lenses I need a way to comfortably carry them.
To me the biggest consideration is the ease of getting the camera in and out of the bag as sometimes with all the padding I feel like I need a crowbar to get the camera out of the bag. A close second is comfort on my back as I travel through airports followed closely by then need to carry it on to smaller planes.
I’ve checked out the website and I am impressed like the others who have responded.
Congratulations in advance to the winner.
You know I would put this to good use – in exactly one month :)!
Haha, can definitely relate to the neverending search for the perfect camera bag Would love to continue the search with a new Kiboko. Either way, thanks David. I’ve learned so much from you over the years and you continue to be an inspiration!
Love reading your posts and this review! Please enter me in the drawing.
You hit the nail on the head about needing to fit the overhead bins so the airline can’t say let’s dump your really expensive camera gear into the plane cargo hold, and see if we can bounce it there! So like this bag my current bag is 30L as well. I probably have about 10 camera bags and they are like lenses, you bring the right sized one for the outing!
I should have pointed out that some are ‘permanent’ bags, like the one for my infrared camera – that kit stays in its own bag all the time as a go bag. I have small sling bags for the street, a hard case with wheels when a smooth surface is expected, and small bags that can and will get dirty in caves, etc.
I have one bag. Yup. You read that correctly. It is a messenger bag that I have had for a very long time. It doesn’t really work for travel unfortunately— so I have been known to pad my camera body and lenses and carry them in my backpack. Not the best idea, right? Traveling in the future and am looking for a suitable bag.
I have four camera bags. The 2 larger ones are Lowepro well-made, but the backpack’s opening cover does not stay open – very frustrating.
The two small bags are for those small shoots where I only need my Nikon and a spare lens. – ideal as it’s light and not bulky.
It’s funny that when you buy a new camera bag all your kit fits, then a new lens arrives, and the bag is too small!
The GuraGear Kiboko 30L looks like an amazing bag which i would love to own
David, True confessions time here – 5 camera bags. Some are actual back packs, some sling, and some fanny pack. Still don’t find or feel any of them are even approaching ‘perfect’ for my wants. If it is a back pack, then the two most important features are 1) a hip strap that carries the weight well, and 2) an approach to open that gives quick access but also minimizes dirt getting on the bag or onto the gear.
I have four camera bags. The 2 larger ones are Lowepro well-made, but the backpack’s opening cover does not stay open – very frustrating.
The two small bags are for those small shoots where I only need my Nikon and a spare lens. – ideal as it’s light and not bulky.
It’s funny that when you buy a new camera bag all your kit fits, then a new lens arrives, and the bag is too small!
The GuraGear Kiboko 30L looks like an amazing bag which i would love to own
I have a dozen camera bags. 3 Domke’s
For a DSLR, a rangefinder kit and a film 35mm. I have a roller bag and 2 think tank backpacks. A bag for my 645’s and 3 bags of Mamiya 120 gear….don’t ask.2 bags with point and shoot digital. Bewildering, but I love the cameras so the bags are grandfathered into the collection.
I also have way too many camera bags, probably around 8, but I stopped counting.
When I started in photography, I collected a few smaller bags where you could fit that particular camera with its lens. It took me two or three gear changes to understand, this would not scale. I then had a sling and realised they are not for me, so I moved on to rucksacks. From those I have a few with different sizes to fit gear and travel stuff, since for me they must fit in the same bag, and as you mentioned, I am still looking for the perfect bag.
Geez, I have far too many bags. And yes, none of them satisfy my camera bag needs. I do prefer backpacks, and now you introduce yet another bag that has piqued my curiosity. Grrrrr. 🙄
Well, it’s simple: i’m looking for a camera bag that’s a bit like a Tardis — bigger on the inside.
Happy New Year.
I love my current bag. I have had it so long, the color (on the outside) has changed due to UV exposure. The side pocket for the water bottle is stretched out and my insulated bottles fall out regularly (and sometimes get dented). The main down side is that my long lens (Sony 200-600) doesn’t fit so I have to carry 2 bags when I take the whole kit. One bag would be so much simpler. I agree, despite loving my bag, that it isn’t perfect. I am ready to give a new bag a try (especially endorsed by someone that uses it and loves it).
I have a LowePro I love that I can access by removing it from one shoulder to get at either side, but it’s heavy, and I’m 60. And I’m opening up to change this year. It’s my mantra. Love your books and your classes. May the most needy shoulders win!
Marylynne
Glad to see i am not the only one with a bag fetish — I have a manfrotto as well as a peak – but still too heavy and the peak is a tad too large – i also carry a patagonia light bag which i can have on the seat on the vehicle especially on safari to protect from dust – As i age the weight of carrying all this stuff becomes a burden and i wonder about just staying with the iphone – tri-pod yet another story
Bags I will confess to owning – 4
Bags I actually own – …errr
Bags I have ‘owned’ – in my mind – 5623 (approximately)
Like everyone else, I used to have a plethora of camera bags. But I used to have a wonderful full-frame camera and an array of heavy glass and legs to go with it. Time took its toll, and the struggle to haul it all around became too much. So I’ve downsized and the array of glass and legs I carry sometimes with my iPhone don’t require much more than a 6L Peak Design Everyday Sling. I miss all the pixels, but my mobility is more important than the kit to my photography. So why would I want perfect 30L camera backpack? Most of my favorite people are still hauling a to. Of gear around, and I’d love to make someone else happy.
5 store bought and I even made one. All have their niche, a couple are showing their age, and none are perfect. And one is even 40 years old. And for my scuba cameras I just use a plastic grocery box.
I hate shopping for bags because, I have never been in a store that has a good selection, and without carrying too much gear, how would I check for suitability?
I can’t count how many bags we have as we are traveling right now. However, for the two of us we have one bag and three cross body satchel types – and it’s only an overnight trip. At home I have three more satchels and a bag, my husband has two bags and a couple more satchels and then there is the closet where all the ones we don’t use are stashed. There must be at least 5-10 in there. This blog got me thinking about who can we donate those to in the area.
I have tried countless camera bags and lens bags. For a backpack, it must fit within carryon size and it must fit a 500mm f/4 lens. I have tried a lot of brands but I have always gone back to lowepro. Their padding is overkill for the most part but their larger backpacks can carry longer lenses along with enough great to suit my needs. I prefer smaller over-the-shoulder bags for street photography. I always appreciate camera bag reviews, they are a necessity, but as a photographer, I enjoy them as odd as that sounds. They are a necessity but an enjoyable part of the hobby.
I don’t have a suitable camera bag at all. Have been using a simple backpack which doesn’t work that well. Can’t even attach my tripod…So I would really love to win this great camera bag!
I use just the one! A Manfrotto 20l. But I’ve been through a few others…)
I have four bags, two in regular use. The first was a shoulder bag for my newly acquired Canon EOS 1000FN (yes it was that long ago). The second is a medium sized inexpensive back-pack. My third is a small Think Tank shoulder bag which takes two Sony APS-C cameras with lenes attached. The last one was given to me and is a not-quite-big-enough-for-a-200-600 backpack, although otherwise pretty good (falls down on weight due to excessive protection though). Hence the Kiboko would be a perfect addition to my collection.
As I have only been seriously making pictures for a few years, I have only two camera bags. Bag one is an over the shoulder sling style by LowePro. It really worked for me while I was learning and until my gear got heavier. I still use it when I want to take a single camera on a day trip. As my gear got heavier I needed a bigger and more substantial bag. I ended up opting for a Peak Design 20l backpack. I really like it, but I am getting to the point where it’s not robust or waterproof enough for some of the landscape work I enjoy … your post sounds like the ideal opportunity to look at something new, thank-you.
I have several bags but not the one you are using. Mine is the right size but a bit heavy, so your offer is readily accepted.
This bag sounds perfect _ I researched it after reading your email- I have about 5 or 6 bags and my favourite at the moment is the Peak design, however this one looks more versatile and has more room for extras, like lunch water bottle and rain jacket etc. I love the way you can open up individual sides and lots of compartments for lenses and the bonus being it will take a large telephoto lens too! I would love to own one.
I have had at least 8 bags over the years, and most of them are still crammed in to a closet and fall out every time I open the door. I thought I’d bought the ultimate bag when I got an f-Stop bag last year, but I’m underwhelmed. It’s stiff and awkward and so it molders in the closet while I use my hiking backpack and a PD cube when we travel. Sigh. I’ve heard many good things about GuraGear, and would love to try one out!
Hi David,
My question isn’t about the bag that you organize gear for travel but how you store/organize gear at home. I have 2 bags, a Tamron backpack that was a gift from a friend and that I used to store & haul gear (by putting it in a regular roller bag) but never “wore”. I then bought a ThinkTank roller bag since I wore the other roller out wheel wise. Now I have a “mess” of some gear stored in one bag and some in another so I’m never sure where anything is any more. Tips on home storage greatly appreciated…maybe another post??? 😉
Thanks!
Now I have to go down to the storage room and count bags. It’s going to be embarrassing…and the count is eleven. Different bags for different needs, for sure, but I probably use only about half of them. I’ve had my eye on a Kiboko bag for years but never pulled the trigger so maybe this is my lucky chance. 🙂
I have four bags, 2 larger ones and 2 smaller. I haven’t found a ‘perfect’ bag. Different trips seems to call for different bags based on the subject, so I can see the need to have more than one bag. Maybe the bag is perfect for that trip, and another bag is perfect for a different trip.
Hi!
I have 1 real camera bag and 1 camera rucksack and both are too small now to carry my cameras and stuff in one… ,I hace been looking for bigger one …, and in the meantime I have used blue ikea bags f.ex🤭
Have a photoful new year ahead!
Oh my – I have at least 10 bags, or maybe it’s 12…or 15…LOL! I’m not even sure as I’ve lost count. I’ve got small bags, medium bags, large bags. I’ve got shoulder bags, backpacks, and whatever other style might exist. I have black bags, brown bags, green bags. And then I have non-camera bags that I carry cameras in. I quite like some, I hate some. Have I found the “perfect bag”? – well not yet…lol!
Anyway, I’d love to have and try the GuraGear Kiboko… It sounds like a very cool bag and believe it or not I haven’t yet tried a GuruGear bag… 😊
I have 3.camera bags, not in love with any of them, so i guess im still searching for “that” bag. . I have a backpack bag that i don’t like, it’s too small and i can never fit my water/jacket/ snacks in there properly. This bag search has a Seinfeld-esque feel to it …” she eats her peas one at a time!!”….somehow there is always some issue and my camera bags are never quite right. I am somewhat comforted to hear that I’m not alone on this quest. Maybe your favourite bag will be the one??!!
I’ve tried many bags over the years and have always been interested in these bags.
I David, I have only 2 bags for now. The one you show us seems to be great and I am looking for one like this.
I wish you a happy new year!
I have just two camera bags. One about in the size of the Kiboko 22L and one small for just a missorless camera with a replacement battery. Thus the Kiboko 30L would a perfect supplement for my shootings.
I have had a Gura Gear Kiboka gor almost 3 years now and absolutely love it. I would love to have one if their smaller ones in a different color!
Well, count me in on one of those bags. I don’t actually have a camera bag. I have done the bulk of my landscape photography while backcountry canoeing. I have always been so paranoid about having my camera soaked or trashed that I’ve always carried it in a Pelican case. But my month long canoe trips are coming to an end due to me and my wife getting too old to be hauling a canoe around on heads on those mile long portages and, more sadly, because so much of the areas of Northwestern Ontario and Northeastern Manitoba that have been our paddling grounds, has been and continues to be burned to the rock that there are less and less places to paddle. So, now we’ve made a hard right and are investing in a truck and drop-in camper. This August and September we are planning our first trip through Labrador and Newfoundland. Hoo ha!! And guess who needs “the perfect camera bag”? Me!! So, please, let the camera gods choose you to choose me. I’ll be in touch, by the way, I want to pick your brain as we plan this trip.
I love my Shimoda bag, but I only have one. This bag looks like it could be a contender.
This post made me smile and then laugh – my most popular blog post to date is the one about GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) and in this post I made the confession about how many camera bags I have – way tooooo many and I’m also a GuraGear fan – I only have four of them (all black because they hadn’t started doing amazing colours when I was purchasing – rethinking my needs now!) and I keep trying to convince myself that I don’t need another in a different colour, but I mean if I love it then why the heck not?!?
Thanks for sharing and helping me feel more comfortable about my camera bag obsession.
Pam
I have two dedicated camera bags (one for Nikon kit (Think Tank)and the other for my mirrorless kit (Lowepro)) plus a leather bag which holds another camera body (Nikon) and two lenses (80-400 and 200-500). The leather bag is considered my hubby’s carryon when flying. I look for durability, size, weight and it must be a backpack. Not outlandishly expensive is also a consideration.
There’s no such thing as too many camera bags.
Yes indeed! My side hobby is camera bag collecting. I currently have 2 backpack bags, that neither serve their purpose well but they get their fare share of use and abuse on planes, trains and automobiles.
I have 2 smaller carry bags for those occasional light day trips and they have even accompanied me on the occasional golf trip allowing me to enjoy 2 fun hobbies.
Over the years as bags get worn they reluctantly find their way out of the house.
But still searching for the elusive “ideal” camera bag.
Like you, I have too many bags… last count five. Currently using Lowenpro, which works well. I agree that less padding would allow lighter weight, or more camera gear to be packed. Thanks for your blog.
Hi, I used to own a Kiboko bag and loved it. But due to conditions beyond my control I had to sell it. Would love to have a new one. Awesome bag.
Would love to win this new Camera Bag.
Please keep getting the word out about Photography.
Thank you.
You love bags, for me it’s tripods. I have four. Each has its role but the tripod I love the most is by Three Legged Thing and I love it most for landscape photography.
Since I bought the tripod I’ve been looking for a camera bag onto which I can attach Winston (that’s the tripod’s name) – without success. At the moment I have three bags but mainly use one by Tenba. Great for my three other tripods so I just soldier on with that on my back and the tripod in my hand. Ho hum, the sacrifices we make for our art.
I have 6 or 7 bags. I use a small timbuktu for my fuji xt3, 35mm, and 23mm. But, always on the lookout for the next great bag! I also have an xt5 with a 150-600mm, and a gfx 50s. I don’t have a great bag solution for carrying multiple bodies and lenses.
We’ve all looked for the perfect camera bag. I have so many bags, but I have not found the perfect one yet. I have bags from Lowepro, Thinktank, Kata, and more. I’ve tried slings, messengers, backpacks, rollers… still not sure what the best route is. The worst part is trying to figure out how to put the Velcro dividers in a way that works. 😛
Way too many!! 9 !
Happy new year wishes!, dear David!
Well then, there are camera bags and bags I carry cameras in. I have one dedicated camera rucksack – a Lowepro. I have three other bags that I bought to carry cameras in. These are shoulder bags and one doubles-up as a general carry-all. Then there are two or three other bags that I throw cameras in when I’m just around town. What I need is enough separation to find what I need and just enough protection to keep them dry, free of sand and unchipped.
I’ve been searching for that pot of gold (camera bag) for many years. Currently have 3 bags (Lowepro, Timbuktu, and a roller bag), the others have been donated to Goodwill.
Would love to give GuraGear a go!
Happy New Year.
Surprisingly, I only have 3 (very different sized) camera bags. I’ve had others, but have donated them after outgrowing them. Still on the hunt for the “perfect” camera bag. The Gura Gear “hippo” sounds like perfection has actually been achieved!
I have 5 bags. One is on rollers which I do appreciate at times, but struggling to lift it into the over head bin is a different story. I hold my breath and hope that a kind, tall, strong person will offer to help me! I’d love to try the Guru”hippo” !
I have 5 bags. One is on rollers which I do appreciate at times, but struggling to lift it into the over head bin is a different story. I hold my breath and hope that a kind, tall, strong person will offer to help me! I’d love to try the Guru”hippo” !