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(More customer reviews)I spent quite a bit of time looking for the right backpack for my new Canon 40D and lenses. I wanted to use this backpack as (1) a daypack for wildflower photography mountain hikes of 7-12 miles, and (2) a travel pack (airplane carryon and storage case during extended car trips) for my camera, lenses and laptop.
I needed room for a few lenses (17-55 f2.8, 60 mm f2.8 macro, 85 mm f1.8). I will add a telephoto, but I won't be going for one of the monster zooms. My computer is a 15" Lenovo T60p.
I visited several stores to try out different laptop/camera combination packs. I was looking for comfort, ease of use, and capacity for my specific gear. For hiking, I wanted room for more than just the camera and laptop. But I also did not want a pack that was too heavy, or uncomfortable to carry.
The Kata DR-467 is just perfect for my needs. It holds all my gear easily (including the lenses listed above, as well as a 430EX flash, chargers for both the laptop and camera, and a small external USB hard drive). There is still plenty of room for a jacket and lunch on a hike. The shoulder straps are padded and quite comfortable. The waist belt is minimal, not enough to support the pack weight, but it will keep the pack from swaying. The sternum strap is adjustable and fit me well. The included raincover is a nice touch, as are the several accessory pockets. The bottom compartment for camera gear pulls out for easy access. The padded insert is removable, allowing me to use it in another pack, if I wanted to, or to use the DR-467 as a larger capacity daypack when I'm not carrying camera gear.
The Kata DR-467 strikes a good balance between protectiveness and weight. It's got decent padding for the laptop and camera, but it's still only 3.2 lbs. It seems very well made.
I tried two packs that are heavier and more protective. The Kata R-103 GDC Rucksack is a bit heavier, has more padding and room for more gear, but isn't nearly as comfortable. On my 5'11 frame, the sternum strap on the R-103 felt like a choker collar, and could not be adjusted low enough. The weight in the R-103 pulled back uncomfortably away from my shoulders. It's a great pack in terms of padding, and extremely well made, but uncomfortable to actually carry. It's not specifically designed for extra non-camera stuff, although you can carry a few things besides your camera and lenses if you toss out some of the dividers.
The other pack that I seriously considered was the Tenba Shootout Backpack, Medium, in Black/Olive. This pack has the best waist belt/suspension system of any of the packs. The Shootout comes in three different sizes. I tried the Medium, but my 15" Lenovo laptop would not fit. That left me with only the Large as an option, which weighs over 9 lbs, empty! It's extremely comfortable, of course, but I wasn't willing to carry a pack that was over 9 lbs before I put any gear in it.
Several other packs didn't hold my laptop, or just weren't at all comfortable. There were three decent choices that I haven't yet mentioned. The Tamrac Adventure 9 Photo/Computer Backpack (Grey/Black), held my camera gear and laptop, with some room for hiking stuff. But the construction quality and comfort just didn't match the Kata or Tenba packs. It seemed a little flimsy. The Think Tank Airport Antidote, Small Airline Carry On Photo Backpack impressed me as an airplane carryon. It's very well designed for that purpose. But it's terrible as a backpack to carry any distance. I thought the Lowepro CompuRover AW Camera Bag (Black) might be a good choice, but I couldn't find one to try out.
In the end, the Kata DR-467 was the best pack for my needs, regardless of price. It happened to be the least expensive as well, but clearly is better made than many other packs that cost a good bit more. I'm very happy.
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Kata KT DR-467 Digital Rucksack (Black)The Digital Rucksack KT DR-467is part of the new Digital Photo Series (DPS) by Kata. DPS combines a number of technologies to create a lightweight, ergonomic and highly protective line of carrying solutions with sleek and stylish profiles. Based on experience with professional photographers from all over the world Kata has developed DPS as the solution for anyone who demands a photo carrying case, backpack or pouch to perform at the highest levels in any environment. The DR-467 Digital Rucksack features a unique TST RIB structural protection for two D/SLR with mounted lens, 3-4 lenses, flash etc. + personal gear and a laptop. By removing the padded bottom camera insert you can easily convert this rucksack from a camera bag to a daypack when not shooting. The main compartment holds a D/SLR in top grip position while the modular dividers system will separate, organize and protect lenses, flashes and other accessories to suit your particular needs. The dedicated padded laptop compartment will hold and protect up to a 17" laptop. The large top compartment will hold personal gear or additional equipment, and the internal pockets and mp3 player pouch will allow you to organize your personal effects as efficiently as your photographic gear. Ample external pockets allow quick zippered access to supplies and a water bottle/ tripod support pocket pulls out from a side pocket. Included rain cover folds neatly away into an integrated pocket and can be hung out to dry on the small buckle next to the handle, or tucked away for storage in one of the pockets. When carrying, a chest belt and balancing waist strap are available for ultimate comfort, and the rucksack is also compatible with the Kata Insertrolley if wheel along transportation is needed.
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