Best Hiking Camera Bags for Adventure Photographers
It’s crazy to see how the hiking camera bag has evolved over the past few years. A lot of brands have popped up to tackle this segment, and to be honest, there is not one bag to rule them all simply because everyone hikes and explores differently. Are you out backpacking in the Sierra Nevada for a few days? There is a bag here for you. What about hitting your local trail for an afternoon and want to pack light? There is a bag for you. What about a 10 mile day hike in Zion? There is also a bag for you. These bags are the best of the best in the hiking camera backpack division. Below is a list of the best hiking camera bags for photographers.
Wandrd Fernweh
Wandrd is best known for their travel backpacks, specifically the PRVKE series, and decided to tackle the more action/adventure type with the Wandrd Fernweh (pronounced ‘FJERN-VAY’). It has a 6 point adjustment system: torso straps, load adjusters at top of bag and side of waistbelt, shoulder strap adjustment, sternum strap adjustment, as well as an adjustment at the front of waistbelt, AND two frame size options (small/medium and medium/large) making it very customizable to your body shape. There are also technically four options to access the inside of the bag, two of which specifically access your camera gear (through the side and back), unless you purchase a ‘Pro’ cube, then you can also access gear from the top. Confused? Hang in there. To access your camera gear from the back, it unzips from the bottom which can be sort of awkward if you have the bag hitched around your waist, but some photographers I know prefer this.
I LOVE Wandrd’s camera cubes. I use them for storing my gear in my office, and these cubes are very well-padded and integrate perfectly with the Fernweh. Wandrd is offering eight different size and depth cube options based on what you carry, some of which even allow a third point of gear access from the top of the bag. ‘Plush’ is always something they have done well, and that padding translates over to their shoulder straps and back panel, all of which are also super breathable.
A unique feature to the Wandrd Fernweh is the removable interior bucket liner. For people looking for a place to store a wet jacket or muddy boots within your bag, this is your solution. Personally for me, it comes off as more of a nuisance when trying to access gear from the front panel and gets in the way, but hey, it’s removable, so no problem there! I do like the system on the Atlas Athlete better (scroll down for that review), where it’s a ‘shaped’ pocket that folds neatly away when not in use, but granted, Atlas’s interior pocket system is not waterproof. But in Wandrd’s defense, their setup is truly modular and almost every aspect of this bag is removable and adjustable to your liking.
Wandrd thought of almost everything when it comes to this bag, which may be its downfall. I almost feel like there are too many options, too many zippers, too many pockets, too many loops (you get my point) and I wish some of the concepts in this bag had been simplified a bit. Regardless, this bag is a beast, and if you’re looking for an ultra modular system where your camera gear and dusty climbing shoes can live together harmony, this is almost the best adventure camera backpack.
Shimoda Action X
While it appears the Wandrd Fernweh is the most customizable camera backpack based on body shape, that award actually goes to the Shimoda Action X, the more adventurous brother of the Shimoda Explore. The Shimoda series backpacks have five (yes, FIVE) different interchangeable shoulder straps based on body-type (and extra brownie points goes to them for having women-specific shoulder straps). Shimoda also took a different approach from the Fernweh and Atlas Athlete, where instead of having two packs of the same volume (roughly) with two different frame sizes, they built three packs with three different volumes, and focus on the torso adjustment feature which gives you a small, medium and large vertical adjustment option on all bags (and even XL and XXL on the larger bags). The Shimoda Action X comes in 30L, 50L and 70L, the 50L weighing almost a full pound lighter than the Wandrd Fernweh 50L equivalent. The Shimoda Action X is also unique among all the bags listed on this page in that it’s the only backpack with a roll top, adding an additional 7 litres of storage.
There are two points of camera gear access, from the side and back. The back access is a bit different from the other bags on this list, where it opens like a book horizontally vs. vertically. In regards to the core units that hold the gear, they’re fairly thin. While I doubt it will actually cause gear to break, I would have liked to have seen more padding like in the Fernweh or the Atlas Athlete below (which probably has the best camera storage system out of all the bags seen here). The frame of this bag is also not removable which would have been a nice feature to have, but personally I don’t think it makes or breaks this backpack.
The Action X to me feels like a more controlled Fernweh. The pocket placement is a little more thoughtful (or maybe not overthought?) and the additions of a designated water bottle holder (which adds to the water bladder holder) as well as a helmet holder (which can also hold just about anything else) which takes this bag to the next level and truly feels like a great upgrade to the Shimoda Explore. The Shimoda Action X takes the cake as one of the best outdoor camera bags.
Lowepro Whistler BP 450 AW II
The Lowepro Whistler BP 450 AW II (lawdy that is quite the title) is available in a 350 and 450 size. If you’re looking to carry extra hiking gear I would probably opt for the 450. The entire interior of the bag is devoted to your camera gear and has a large ICU that can be completely removed and used as a non-camera pack if you wish. Lowepro has a unique approach to the dividers, where some of them double as mini pockets, making it a great place to stash cords for hard drives, microphones, etc. There is a simple top pocket that I absolutely love as well. It’s a great grab and go spot where you can throw extra batteries or snacks, a light jacket, etc. In the non-BP version of this pack, it serves as an additional spot for your camera if you’re looking for quick access to your gear, but since this has a removable core unit, the only access to your camera in through the back. In regards to the back access, it opens two-fold, so you can simply open the top half if you want to grab something quickly, or unzip it all the way to have full access to your gear. There are also multiple attachment points on this pack, where you can attach anything from skis to ice picks, and tripods of course!
The shoulder straps aren’t incredibly thick, but they do have adjustable risers to help with weight. The waistbelt is also not removable which is a bummer, but it’s fairly comfortable and has a lot of different pockets and spaces to store small things such as SD cards, chapstick, and the like. The waistbelt though is large and, in general, big, so if you’re looking to use this as a day pack as well and don’t want that belt getting in the way, I would probably look elsewhere. This bag is very heavy at 7.3 lbs (granted, this is with the core unit included) which may be a deal-breaker for some with significantly lighter bags on this list
Another nice feature that the Whistler has is a designated wet gear pocket. Basically, the very front zip of the pack has a waterproof backing so you can shove a wet jacket in there and it won’t touch any of your camera gear, complete with a drain. This is also a great place to store a water bladder, and that pocket also expands if you need to really load it up.
I like the simplicity of this bag. There is no learning curve in regards to functionality and it’s very straightforward by design. This bag missed the mark due to the lack of a removable waistbelt, only one camera access point in the back, thin handles, as well as the general weight of the bag. Regardless, this is a GREAT rugged bag that is extremely durable with thick zipper pulls and is ready for anything on the trail and should fit almost any adventure photographers needs.
Atlas Athlete
I like the Atlas Athlete because it’s a nice middle-ground between a hefty overnighter and light daypack. Weighing in at 4 lbs and holding 40L (Atlas also has the Adventure which holds 50L), it comes in two colorways, black and gray/yellow. It lacks the torso adjustment features of the Fernweh and Action X but takes a different approach by having multiple frame sizes available (medium, medium/large, and large) based on torso height. It also has one of my favorite internal features that is unique to Atlas bags only, and that’s the ‘Origami Camera Core’. The Atlas Athlete doesn’t use removable core units/camera cubes, the storage is built-in and sewn right into the bag. Whether this is a pro or con is up to you, I always preferred having camera cubes BUT the way Atlas has built the camera storage, especially with the adjustable camera core pocket, I’m starting to lean towards Atlas’s system. Another great feature that is unique to this bag is the camera dividers, they are very padded and quite literally mold to your gear. Once you have everything set up the way you like, within 24 hours the dividers form to your lenses and camera, providing extra protection so they don’t move around as much as you’re hiking.
There are lots of simple, easy grab pockets, and there is a cinch top that fully expands the bag if you want to stuff a jacket in there or any additional gear. Nothing feels like a black hole here, pocket placement is thoughtful and are made out of a stretchy material which is great for the tripod holder on the side, and also makes taking objects out of these pockets a lot easier to do. I like the way this bag is organized with three different compartments, one at the very top for smaller items, a second at the cinch top that can serve as a place to put shoes, a jacket, etc, and the third for your camera gear, all neatly separated from each other.
The top grab handle on the bag is thin and small, and if you have this thing loaded up (which, you probably will) it’s pretty uncomfortable to grab. I also wish the back panel of the pack was a little thicker and allowed for more airflow. Super nitpicky, I know, but this bag is so good in almost every other aspect so I have to find something to be mad about. The one fatal flaw to this bag is the lack of multiple access points for your camera gear. If this bag had side access, it would absolutely be the best bag on this list. But since the only way to access your gear is through the back panel, that for me personally, is a dealbreaker.
If you don’t care for having additional access points to your camera gear, then pick up this bag!
MindShift Gear Backlight 36L
Mindshift is the sister company of Think Tank which is most known for its urban style camera bags. This bag comes in a 26L and 36L option, and also two colors, charcoal and woodland green. The straps and back panel on this bag are SUPER cushioned and thick, and on that aspect is probably the most comfortable at first of all the bags listed here. One thing this bag lacks is customization based on body type. There are no shoulder weight strap adjustments that the rest of the bags on this list have, and it also doesn’t have a removable waist strap.
Like the Atlas Athlete, the camera core is built-in to the bag, but the core itself takes up the entire length of the bag and is fairly deep, making it easy to cram a ton of gear. That being said, the only way to access your camera gear is by unzipping the back panel. The back panel opens from the bottom, and Mindshift added an elastic cord at the bottom flap where if you were to open your bag standing up using the waistbelt, you can wrap the cord around your neck which helps keep the back panel flap open. There is no side or top access capability which I thought was a bit of a bummer.
The bag itself is split into two, the back is strictly for camera gear but the front is for everything else. This is a nice idea when you have a dirty jacket that you need to shove in there and you want to keep it away from your gear. Because pockets like these have a tendency to be a bit of a black hole, Mindshift tried to fix this by adding individual pockets and sleeves within this large pocket for your phone, laptop, credit cards, etc all in one place on the inside of the bag.
On the outside of the bag you have two thin shallow pockets in the front that aren’t easy to access and feel like an afterthought. There are a lot of latch points to hang whatever you need wherever you want which is nice. This bag also has two cinch pockets on either side of the bag, which you can use to stuff a tripod in there or even a water bottle. If you don’t want to use one of those cinch pockets for your tripod, there is a designated tripod ‘cup’ that pops out of the bottom of the bag so you can strap your tripod to the front center if you wish.
If you’re looking for a straightforward and relatively easy to use backpack, the Backlight may be the bag for you. But with so many other more thoughtful options at a similar price point, I personally would pass.
f-stop Tilopa
f-Stop has been dominating the adventure camera bag market for a few years, and the Tilopa is one of their most popular models. It holds 50L and comes in three colors, black, khaki and orange. This bag actually comes with the most colorway options out of all the bags on this list. f-stop was thoughtful in regards to weight distribution. On one side of the bag they have a slot to put a water bladder and on the other you can place your tripod (in all honesty you can pretty much strap your tripod anywhere on this thing) or additional water, etc. There is also a metal frame which drops the weight of the bag onto the hip belt. It also has two side vertical pockets for water bottles, small tripods, folding trekking poles, etc and a ‘Gatekeeper’ system, where you can tie down almost anything to your bag, from skis to tripods in almost any location.
The Tilopa has heavily padded and adjustable load shoulder straps, but does not have any torso adjustment system like the Fernweh or Action X. Still, the bag is very comfortable and well-padded, though may not suit shorter adventurers (in which case you may want to explore a smaller bag, such as the 30L Lotus).
You can open up the top of your bag and take out the ICU which is fully removable (they have a handle sewn in) and the ICU also serves as a sort of platform, creating an additional compartment at the top of your bag. You can go with less camera gear and more hiking gear, and vice versa based on what sized ICU you have, so it’s customizable in what works for you personally. f-stop has the most core unit options available out of all the bag companies on this list (ten for the Tilopa, though other bag sizes that f-stop offers may fit more or less). For myself, I tend to carry less camera gear (one body and two lenses) so if I were to purchase this bag, I would choose a smaller core unit which would open up the rest of the bag for storage.
Due to the way f-stop has designed their ICU units, there is no side access to your gear. It also has a thin lift handle reminiscent of the Atlas and Lowepro, though that’s a very small complaint. Another downfall, is that the waist strap is not removable. I like the Tilopa and all the color options, and if you like the idea of a hefty removable core unit and don’t mind the lack of side access and a non-removable waist strap, then this is the bag for you! Otherwise, I would consider the Shimoda Action X.