# One month euro trip



## OmarSV11 (Mar 26, 2013)

Hello fellow Canonists, late this year Im going in a backpacking trip with some friends. We are doing several capitals of europe and we want to take as much pictures as we can. But the great question is what pack serves the purpose of holding all the clothes and necessity items, and a small photo kit (1 body, 1 nifty-fifty, 1 speedlight). I hear suggestions or DIY conversions of normal high capacity backpacks.

I've been looking 60 to 90 litre capacity backpacks, but there are none that can hold safely camera equipment.

Thanks in advance


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## interpilot (Mar 26, 2013)

Do you really want to always lug the complete backpack around? I think you'd be better off just stuffing a separate daypack/camerabag into it.. wouldn't want to carry the big backback around everywhere, once you've found a ho(s)tel to stay.


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## sturdiva (Mar 26, 2013)

Check out the packs from f-stop (http://fstopgear.com/product/mountain/satori-exp). They are modular, allowing you to carry both camera equipment and other things (clothes, water, etc...) in the same pack. I took one (the loka model) on a 2 week trek through Peru, worked great.


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## Leejo (Mar 26, 2013)

I don't think you will find one larger than at f-stop specially designed for carrying camera equipment.
The price will add up though by the time you add the internal dividing compartments.

I'd consider getting a padded walkaround/sling bag that fits your gear and a little space left over for other key items - and putting that in a standard backpack.
Then you can also carry the smaller bag separately for those occasions when you can leave your larger pack somewhere, even only temporarily.

Alternatively you could just get the padded compartments from a modular concept system such as f-stop that are designed around padded cases to go into other backpacks, if you are only interested in the padding.

I'd also look at getting the appropriate strap fittings to allow you to hang your camera from your rucksack - e.g. in front of your chest for when you are travelling at a leisurely pace with the chance still to shoot. I think f-stop also has one.


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## Chewngum (Mar 26, 2013)

I did six months in Europe a year ago. I used a Kathmandu hiking bag for almost everything (second biggest one they had) which was about 80L I think. I also had a lowepro bag (a fastpack maybe) that doubled as my day bag. My kit originally was a 5d, 24-105L, sigma 12-24 and a 50 1.8 and this pack served me well. I hiked over 800km with the kathmandu bag and over 200km with the combination of both. I treated my gear pretty well but honestly the better recommendation I can make is to get travel insurance. I had >$3000 in gear stolen from my hostel in Barcelona while I was in the kitchen and insurance paid me enough to buy a replacement kit while still over there.


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## kubelik (Mar 26, 2013)

I agree with interpilot: keep your main hiking bag to carry all your stuff in, and then bring a separate, much smaller daybag for your camera in case you ever want to just bring your camera and not the rest of your stuff. frankly, if you're a really dedicated shooter, you might not even need the daybag if the camera is truly at your fingertips 100% of the time. just depends on how much of the focus is on hiking, and how much is on photography. when I went to Ecuador I realized I really only needed a bag to bring swap lenses as there was nearly zero time without camera in hand.

I'm not sure what sort of superhuman M4X is, but I have no idea how he managed to do a trip with a duffel bag. a duffel bag even full of clothes becomes a pain in the butt to haul around because of the way it's carried around your neck and shoulders. and it's not a strength thing. I've done 3-day hikes with 50+ lbs of gear on my back, and I'd rather do it again than carry a duffel bag continuously for 3 hours.


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## alexanderferdinand (Mar 28, 2013)

Definitely take a smaller daypack for walking around.
Choose your style (shoulder= bit faster; backpack= more comfortable)
Recommended Lowepor and Thinktank- they have many sizes, one should fit.


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## Hillsilly (Mar 28, 2013)

If you're only taking one camera and one lens why would you even need to put it in a bag? Surely, you'd take it as carry on luggage on a flight. When doing the "backpacking" bit, if the camera is awkward to carry (or you don't invest in one of those chest carrying strap things - cotton carrier comes to mind, but I know there are plenty of others), just wrap it up among some clothes to provide some padding. As long as you've got some space in there and everything isn't crammed in, you should be fine. Most cameras are pretty tough - but then I do live on the edge a bit. When walking around town sightseeing, just have your camera on a strap over your shoulder. No need for it to be in a bag and its much easier to take photos. And bags get annoying very quickly. Travelling light - great decision by the way.


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