Lowepro Dryzone 100

Great bag, Heavy but that is what you get for protection and a stucturual frame. It carries the weight well though. I demoed one from a local rep before I bought. Loaded it up with lots of gear D3, 12-24mm, 24-70mm, 70-200mm, 60 macro, 50mm 1.4, 2x teleconverter, 2 SB800's, maps/books and accessories and 2 liters of water. About 50+ lbs or so and it carried it well. Make sure if you get a used one to remeber to adjust the backplate with is attached with velcro to your individual hieght. It is not obvious and some people miss it. They then complain that the pack is too short for taller people.

I do reccomend the addition of two slip lock lens cases to allw easy access to lenses when not in adverse conditions.

I added a 4s and a 5s so I have full access to my zooms. If I need to cross a creek or rain is on its way I put them back in and zip up.

Think about it, if your hiking around exposing your 5,000-10,000 dollars gear to water or dust even $270 retail is cheap.

Other than the obvious protection it offers, it has a nice frame that supports the pack well.

I found the straps and harness to be much more ergonomical than other packs of this size. Usually you have to get a real big pack to get the support this one offers.

The mesh pockets make it easy to carry water or maps that a partner can get to without taking the pack off.

Tripod is in the middle where it should be, Tripods on the side can though off your balance and often get snagged in trail brush. Just my own opinion on that one.

Tougher than hell construction even by lowepro standards.

Inner pod zips up so you don't have to use the heavy watertight zipper unless needed.

Slip locs on belt and shoulder harness make accessablity more reasonable.

Heavy and difficult to access, but that what you get for this level of protection and durablity. Really though ever decent sized photo backpack I have had needed to be removed to get stuff out.

You must keep the zipper clean and lubricated or it can leak and will wear out faster if it is dirty.

Only use the tizip when you need it. The more you use it the faster it will wear out and this zipper needs to work 100% all the time when necassary.

Mini trekker, natue trekker

No problems, beat the heck out of all my lowepro gear and it all of it is still going 15+ years later

If you need to keep photo equipment dry if the bag falls into the water, and you need to carry it on your back and not in your hand (a la the Pelican case solution), there are only two alternatives - the LowePro DZ100 and DZ200. I initially purchased the DZ100 but after lugging my EOS-1v, 24-70 f/2.8L and 70-200 f/2.8L around all afternoon I found the padding on the straps woefully inadequate (way too thin). So I exchanged it for the DZ200 and found the straps better (but I think they could be a tad thicker).

Watertight if zippered correctly and it reportedly floats. I know several pro photogs who trust the DZ200 to carry a Canon 1Ds body and 300 mm f/2.8 IS L when they're on a boat. Easy to spot yellow in case it falls in the water, or I fall off a boat with it on (neither has happened yet, knock on wood). Consider it an inexpensive and essential insurance policy if you take expensive pro camera on boats on a regular basis.

Straps on DZ100 are way too thin to carry pro 35mm equipment around all day. As other reviewers have noted, back flap doesn't open up all the way to the ground when vertical (this is the tradeoff for the watertight zipper).

There is no similar product available from any other manufacturer at the present time.

Not needed yet.

This bag is well built, and is highly recommended for those that shoot near or in water or in extreme conditions on a regular basis. I would not recommend this bag for general use if you are just looking for something to prevent gear from getting wet in periodic rain showers.

- Well built, waterproof bag - Lots of room - Lots of inner compartments - Adjustable harness system guarantees comfort

- Zipper on dry bag does not go all the way down to the bottom of the bag. - Lubricant used on dry bag zipper tends to get on hands when opening back, and then get on equipment if you're not careful. - Tripod mount only on back of bag and not side like Trekker series. If you put anything in the back inner pouch (like a fleece), the tripod is too far from your back to be comfortable (e.g. weight is shifted too far back).

Never used a completely waterproof bag. Have used Photo Trekker AW and Orion AW otherwise.

N/A - Never used.