I bought the black and tan version of this backpack about 3 years ago. I have taken this bag to Japan twice, and to various places in the US. It seemed to be a good compromise between a camera bag and a backpack. I need to be able to carry both my camera gear and other things.
Pros:
-The camera part of the bag has enough room for my DSLR, extra lens or two, and flash.
-The thing that holds the tripod is nice.
-The mesh pockets on the sides are great for holding bottles and a small towel.
-Waterproof. I forgot the bag had the all weather cover, and was walking around Kyoto in the rain, with an umbrella. The bag still got really wet, but kept my stuff dry
-Its discreet. Unless you have your camera gear out, people don't know you are carrying around expensive (maybe) gear.
-Well made.
Cons:
-There arent enough small pockets. There is one in the top compartment, but no slots for pens or anything. So all my memory card cases, batteries, pens, and other assorted little things are all in that one compartment, and I have to dig through them to get what I need. There are two small, oddly shaped pockets on the outside. I use them for a small can of compressed air, dust brush, flashlight, and a few other things.
-They say you can take out the padding and the partition that seperates the top part and bottom part (camera stuff goes in the bottom)if you want to use it as a normal backpack. Great concept, but the partition is only held in place with velcro. The problem is when the top is crammed with stuff, it starts pushing the partition down. The partition has never come out, but it bothers me. Also the velcro doesnt go all the way around, so small things could fall down into the camera compartment.
-Because of the way this bag holds the camera gear, the best way to access the camera stuff is to take it off and put it down on the ground. This can be difficult if you are sight seeing and there are a lot of people around, or if its wet and/or muddy (although the bag kept my stuff dry during the rain). You can hold it and open the bottom part, but it is awkward. Either way is slow. I have to admit though, that I can't think of a better solution for a backpack like this.
-I wish the waist belt was detachable. I never use it, so it is just in the way.
I am not totally satisfied with this bag, but when I was shopping for a camera backpack I couldnt find anything better. My biggest complaint it the lack of small pockets. I gave this backpack 3 stars, I would give it 3 1/2, but that is not an option.
I bought an original Rover Light several years back after trying almost every small photo backpack on the market, and my Rover is still in service after heavy use. This pack only holds a small number of lenses, so look at the larger Trekker series if you want more room and features. The redesigned Rover AW II has an all-weather cover, a gift from the gods when the weather changes unexpectedly. The tripod holder works great for smaller tripods, though you may feel some "rotation" backwards with a full pack and a larger tripod. The Rovers are perfectly designed for day photo outings, as the top part of the pack is separated from the lower and can tote lunch, jacket and similar items in addition to photo gear. I give the Rovers top marks for design, durability, and value in small packs.
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I ordered this pack after first checking it out at a local store, which was asking an outrageous price for it. None of the other dealers in town had one, so I ordered one from Ritz. It arrived in two days. It was all black instead of grey trimmed, but thats what the one I saw was too. I used to be a backbacking equipment buyer for an outfitting store, so I have a lot of experiance assessing packs. I also do a lot ot photography. This pack is well designed and well constructed. It holds myCanon Rebel XT body, with mounted 24-70 2.8L lens, wrapped in a Zing neoprene cover, along with a 430 flash, a 28-200 lens, a short lens, charger, accessories including a hood and flash diffuser, and still has room in the camera section for an additional body. The tripod carrier works well and there's room to spare in the upper pack section. I'm 6'2", 200lbs, and both the hipbelt and shoulderharness fit. This was a good choice. The hipbelt alone can carry most of the weight.
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Don't have any prior bags to compare with, but I looked at many other Lowepro (and other brands) bags online and just liked the layout and size of this one the most. Sling models seemed like they would be too awkward to open and not enough support. I Like that the Rover remains relatively obscure as a backpack and not something holding expensive equipment. Just enough room in top compartment for some other stuff if your on the trail and need to carry other things. Only slight negative is that they designed this backpack to allow for flexible arrangements, and you need to be careful not to place small items in the top compartment, because they may fall out from the adjustable base when you open the bag (luckily for me, the first time I realized this, the item just landed in the lower compartment (was a small cap for the thread on the top of my tripod's ballhead)).
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Solidly built, perfectly comfortable size with enough room for my EOS 20D with standard 17-85mm zoom, telephoto, fixed 50 mm lens, flash, accessories including filters, holders, bounce devices, CF cards. Waterproof material. The tripod setup is a bit difficult, but when you figure it out, it works. I keep the zipper to the lower bag open, carry my camera with a strap, and just lift the back and tripod if I need something in the main compartment. Also room for extra layers, etc. Perfect for a day trip.
Love this bag :) Looks just like the picture and works great! Love this bag :) Looks just like the picture and works great!
