SECURITY: The bag opens to your back, so it's nearly impossible to open it quickly for an intruder. A quick flip of the bag off your bag gives you immediate access -- via amazingly sturdy zippers and zip pulls -- to the guts of the bag and your equipment. Once the bag is open, you still have another layer of security with a plastic overlay that also zips shut to protect your gear. Essentially, the bag consists of a shell with a padded "womb" to hold your gear.

INTERIOR FUNCTIONALITY: The womb of the bag, as I refer to it above, is headquarters for all the gear you can carry. About 10-12 padded, fleecy dividers come with the bag. They're in various sizes that allow maximum flexibility to make the interior suit your needs. I carry one Canon 50D body with Canon battery grip attached, 28-135 mm lens, 17-55 mm lens, 50 mm lens, Canon Speedlite 430 or 580 EX II flash unit, and accompanying card reader, USB cables, instruction manuals, and more. You get the point. T

The bag also has a stand alone, but beautifully modular accessory case. It's a great way to keep all the little geegaws together and easily available.

Finally, the interior includes a really nice, maybe even overpadded laptop case that holds my Toshiba Tecra 8 computer perfectly. It has exterior flat pockets and at least one zippable section and a pen holder. I will say some of these features, when all are being fully used, can make it hard to shut the bag.

CONSTRUCTION: This bag is perfectly suited for being dropped on the sidewalk, field, or rocks while you spend your attention setting up your gear and making sure you get the shot you came for. For site shoots, you can just open it up and work all day from the bag. Your gear should never have a problem being shocked or damaged while in the bag properly. Here I also say this is the kind of exterior material that will only look better after some rugged use. The shoulder straps and back are plushly padded and, combined with the buckling system, chest buckle, and removable waist belt, is all-day comfortable. (I am a pretty big guy so may carry more gear more comfortably than smaller users).

The bag also features two things critical for me: excellent water RESISTANCE and a perfect fit, when fully loaded, into the big of a commercial jet's airline overhead compartment. Without the laptop section, it also fits perfectly into the overhead of a smaller jet like the Canadair Regional Jet so popular in the US these days.

EXTERIOR POCKETS: I want just one exterior pocket with ample space and compartments to put keys, memory cards, airline boarding passes, etc. The two small slot pockets on the side of the bag are surprisingly deep, but practically useless given their place on the periphery of the bag. You can't easily access them, and they get nearly impenetrable for my hands (size XL golf glove) when the gear is packed and the bag zipped.

INTERIOR: One could easily argue that this bag is overbuilt on the interior, and that the bag could carry more if there wasn't so much redundant padding (bag shell AND womb are thick with soft flannel). I also think the bright orange material in the gray version of the bag could attract the very type of person the exterior's subtlety is designed to fool.

PRICE: You gotta either love Crumpler enough to pay their premium, or really need the security their bag offers. I fit both parts of the bill, and honestly, it is a very small premium when you compare the functionality with competitors.

This bag is for serious gearheads who are willing to pay a premium for cool functionality inside, and rather unassuming looks on the exterior. The bag's greatest strengths include security, customizable interior, and quality construction. It lacks, however, enough easily-accessed external pockets to store airline tix, bottled drinks, and small things you need quick access to.

Similar Products Used:

Tamrac, LowePro.