Just thinking about packing for a trip starts to make my back hurt. Sure, I have the usual clothes bag – and I never travel anywhere without my laptop. That’s just the start. I’ve been known to pack for a week into the woods with a half dozen cameras as well. It might seem like a little overkill – but what if I don’t have the right lens, or I’m not prepared to capture a time lapse of the sun rising? How am I going to capture the new recipe I’m trying?
I’ve gotten by for the past few years with an antiquated camera duffle bag. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you that the bag on its own weighs in at over 10 pounds. It slings from my shoulder, and I’m convinced that I now permanently walk with a lean. Something had to give.
Enter the Shootout Backpack 24L from Tenba. A lightweight (4 pound) and rugged backpack that’s designed to haul not only my camera equipment – but my laptop as well. I know what you’re thinking – hauling around a full camera set on my back, sounds really comfortable. The Tenba Shootout features some of the slickest padding and support that I’ve ever seen in a bag. Not only does the pack feature perfectly placed padding, but it’s vented in all the right places and the straps are covered in moisture wicking lycra – preventing my back from turning into a sweaty mess.
I can’t help myself, but to sing the praises of this pack. The Tenba is built from nylon fabrics, a more durable and tear-resistant material than a traditional polyester. In the past 3 weeks, this bag has accompanied me on 3 separate trips that involved airline travel. I usually hold my breath walking down the jet way with my camera equipment. Will it fit in the overhead? Is there anyway I’ll be able to squeeze it under the seat in front of me? I’ve gotten in more than one heated debate with a flight attendant – there’s no way I’m going to hand over my cameras to a luggage handler. On each flight, the Tenba Shootout Backpack fit perfectly in the overhead compartment.
We hiked the prairies of South Dakota, a ranch in Oklahoma – and passed through TSA in Dallas with no incident. The attention to detail in this bag is phenomenal. The pulls on the main zipper compartments are robust, and are accented with sturdy wire pulls. I’ve had many zippers blow out because of heavy use, and although this is the start of our relationship – I have a feeling that the Tenba is built to last.
A few additional features that deserve to be called out include the quick access side door, which provides access to the main compartment. This makes grabbing an additional lens or accessory a breeze.
I love the tripod carrier that unzips from the base of the bag. When I’m packing for a field shoot, I sometimes struggle with the value of the tripod. Is it worth hauling? Where am I going to put it? The Tenba makes bringing a tripod a no-brainer.
To wrap it up, I’m in love with this Tenba backpack. It’s moving into rotation as my go-to bag for camera travel. Be sure to check out the Tenba website. In addition to the Shootout Backpack, they’re making a full line of camera bags that are sure to meet the demanding needs of a traveling photographer.
