Lowepro Mini Trekker Classic

I am generally quite happy with this bag. It can hold my Canon equipment I use for my general and travel photography: 30D with 17-55mm f/2.8 IS attached and 40D with 70-200mm f/4L IS attached and a 12-24mm Tokina f/4. I also carry a 550EX and a 270EX flash along with an Eneloop battery charger with eight AA batteries. I carry two extra camera batteries plus charger, extra flash cards and wallets, several filters, along with a pair of Optech Rain Sleeves and an Optech Dual Harness. I probably pack some additional small items that I forgot to mention.

This gear fits in the Mini-Trekker although I needed to slightly modify a pair of dividers making them into one longer divider.

I have not used the tripod carrier since I ship my small travel tripod in my checked on suitcase. However, I am probably a minority in that I don't use the backpack for shooting but, only for carrying the equipment to and from the airplane. I carry my cameras when shooting on the Optech Dual Harness and the accessories in my photo vest.

Price was very good as is the quality of manufacture. The Mini Trekker is light in weight. I hefted the Mini Trekker along with several bags of comparable size from other manufacturers at my local Calumet Camera store. The Mini Trekker was the lightest of the bunch that I tested. This is important when flying on carriers like China Airlines that have a low (5 kg. or 11 pounds) carry-on weight restriction for economy class carry-on luggage. The Mini-Trekker fills my equipment needs for a travel backpack and I will be using it on a trip to China in April 2110.

I wish that the carry straps - especially the bulky waist strap - were either removable or able to be slipped back into the pack. There are some backpacks from other manufacturers with this capability. I actually seldom carry the Mini Trekker on my back. I will piggy-back it on my rolling check-in suitcase before checking in and then just carry it by the top strap after I have checked in. No problem since I keep the total weight under the 11 pound restriction.

Several other camera cases, mostly from Lowepro, including backpack, over the shoulder and rolling models..

I have not experienced a need for interface with customer service since there has been nothing wrong with the backpack.

I received this bag recently at a very good price on eBay. I had been searching this one out for a while, and got quite a deal! This bag holds just about everything an amateur can carry . . . here is a list of what I have packed in:
Two Konica SLRs
Nikon 300mm f/4.5 ED-IF
Hexanon 200mm f/3.5
Hexanon 100mm f/2.8
Hexanon 85mm f/2.8
Hexanon 40mm f/1.8
Hexanon 35mm f/2.8
Vivitar 24mm f/2.8
Kiron 2x Teleconverter
And this is just the main compartment. This holds everything from a moderately wide angle lens to a moderately long telephoto, none of which are cheaply built or very small. The weight of 8 lenses and two bodies in the bag, along with some filters, film, etc. is well supported on the heavy duty shoulder straps. I have still been carrying a Bogen 3021 tripod w/ 3047 head separately, but have had no problems when I clipped it in.

I think that from my limited experience this bag is very capable and worth at least twice of what I paid, and possibly three times!! Either way, it can be found for $100 or less anywhere you look (that isn't a retail shop ~ $139). Good purchase for me, hope you enjoy it as much!!

Durable build, reliable name, plenty of room!

None so far...

Shoulder bags and other small backpacks.

No need...

this is for the Mini Trekker AW holy moly. alrighty... lowepro says that the bag holds a surprising amount of gear and they arent kidding. i had been looking on ebay for a week or so for a decent deal on a camera bag and i had read reviews that this bag was on the small side and all that, so in addition to looking for this bag, i was looking at photo trekkers and other larger bags too. i figured i would try to find a good deal on each of two bags, the mini trekker and a larger one, and decide which bag i preferred and then just put the other one back on ebay. okay, enough with the prelude, all i needed was the mini trekker. in the main compartment i can fit everything i need for traveling, and more than i need for each time i get out of the car to wander around. i suppose i will be kind of general with the cameras i have in there. i only have manual focus primes and the longest are normal lenses so thats probably part of the reason i feel like i have so much space. okay, my bag contains: medium format slr with 50/4 lens attached mf 80/2.8 lens 35mm slr with 17mm lens attached 50mm 1.4 lens 35mm slr with 50mm lens attached a tiny, half frame camera around ten rolls of film room to spare! and thats just the main compartment, i have a few accessories in the inside zippered pockets that dont get much use but are good to have just in case like a cable shutter release and lens cap and such. film could fit in there too though, although it might be a little tight. in the front zippered pocket i have a polaroid sx-70 with some film, and a small tripod, which extends to about three feet tall, so nothing too great. then, in the front velcro pocket, i have about fifteen rolls of film and thats about all that can fit in there. so, i definitely did not need anything larger. this bag is perfect for me and after a month it still makes me smile to think about it. oh, additionally, i had hesitations on getting this bag because of what other tall people had said, like its waist straps are like belly straps on tall people and such. the bag has well padded straps and a well padded back and i think its size will keep it from getting so heavy that waist straps would be necessary.

very well built, very rigid, fits a lot of equipment. the size is similar to typical bookbags so it doesnt attract a ton of attention as a photo bookbag or some enormous backpack, and isnt too huge for just carting around wherever youd like. feels very comfortable. well padded inside and out for comfort.

its been excellent so far

over the shoulder bags not designed for carrying cameras, and bookbags not designed for carrying cameras... not that similar at all

havent needed it and doubt i will

Spend almost a month traveling with this backpack and came away loving it. Just the right size, easy to load & unload. Fits airline overheads...great equipment. Wore it in airports for those long marches between terminals and felt my gear was safe and protected. I uses a PackSafe (expandable wire cage) to secure the pack and equipment to when I was out of my hotel room. This pack is also easy to open for airport inspection.

Strong, comfortable, give you the feeling of having your equipment in a safe environment

They call it mini-...but you can really load it up. My first backpacking trip with it was a disaster...two camera bodies with lenses and a tripod is too much for this Texan

Domke

None needed

I bought this pack to use on family vacations and it works very well (especially when I get the kids to carry it). The padding and adjustability is great and the comfort is good. I easily pack two bodies, flash, four lenses (including 70-200) film, mini tripod, and other stuff.

quality, strength, comfort

elastic strap for tripod and zipper pulls (both easily fixed with utility cord)

not needed