Lowepro CompuTrekker AW Camera Backpack (Black) | Computrekker AW vs Tamrac Expedition 7

Lowepro CompuTrekker AW Camera Backpack (Black) | Magnifecent backpack for combi photo/laptop, l Iove it

camera & photo:

Lowepro CompuTrekk...

	Lowepro CompuTrekker AW Camera Backpack (Black) Lowepro Lowepro average customer review:based on 27 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

A great new backpack designed specifically for digital photographers on the go. The new CompuTrekker AW is the perfect travel companion for photojournalists and location photographers who need a compact way to safely store and transport digital cameras, accessories and a notebook computer. The backpack's reinforced construction, shock-absorbing closed-cell foam padding and tough, water-resistant outer fabric protects its contents from moisture and sudden impacts while offering photographers balanced comfort and hands-free access to their equipment.

Computrekker AW vs Tamrac Expedition 7

I have the LowePro Computrekker AW (not the Plus model) and the Tamrac Expedition 7. Both are excellent bags, but there are important differences.

Fully loaded the Computrekker holds a Nikon D300, 70-200 or 300 f/4, 24-70, 12-24, 70-300, filter stacks, extension tubes, 1.4 and 1.7 teleconverters, SB-800, and a HP DV2000 laptop. The Computrekker has a large exterior pockets with capacity for accessories like the SB-800, a Wimberley Sidekick, and room for more. The laptop pocket is moderately large and located against your back, providing plenty of protection. The laptop pocket is better for a thin laptop - the limit is my 1 1/2 inch thick Dell. Interior pockets can be configured to your specific gear. Padding is adequate, but the bag is not over-padded. I am able to fit this entire bag in most overhead compartments, but occasionally I have to remove the laptop.

I find the Tamrac Expedition 7 to be a bit heavy and bulky in comparison to the Computrekker. The Expedition 7 is a couple of inches deeper, so it will hold several lenses like the 24-70 vertically. That lets me carry both the 70-200 and the 300 f/4 lenses, as well as everything outlined above. The added depth increases the capacity significantly. The laptop pocket is okay, but smaller than the Computrekker. That pocket is also the only one big enough for your flash and a Sidekick, so with a laptop those items would need to be attached to the outside of the bag or put inside the pack with lenses. The Expedition has a bit more padding, but it is most noticeable on the waiste strap and on your back. The extra padding adds a lot of weight and bulk. Of course, you can use the MAS system to add external pouches but that also brings added bulk. The padding and ventilation against your back is a little nicer than the Computrekker - but at the expense of more weight and bulk. The small wing pockets for batteries and memory cards are not very function - and in my opinion just silly.

The Computrekker is my choice of a good, light weight bag. As noted by others, it is easy to overpack. The Expedition has better padding, but it is at the cost of added weight and bulk.

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Magnifecent backpack for combi photo/laptop, l Iove it

I was looking for a backpack that could hold my camera gear and a laptop.
I had minitrekker before which was for me the perfect backpack.
This now is the best mix, same backpack now with a laptop compartment.
Slightly thicker (4cm).
So, yes this is a good product.

Peter

Great solid bag but pretty expensive

Great bag very solid bag I am pretty sure it will keep the camera protected in worst conditions but still I would consider a cheaper bag before buying this. There is a pretty good canon bag out there I am pretty sure it will fit any other camera as well. Laptop compartment is way too tight practically useless if you have a standard 15'' laptop.

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Lowepro Computrekker AW backpack

I am quite satisfied with the CompuTrekker. I purchased it because I wanted a more compact and rugged carry-on for both my laptop and my SLR with extra lenses, and the product does this very well. I packed my camera, two extra lenses, a small camcorder, charging units for both plus a few small accessories. My laptop also fit, but I was a bit concerned that it was a bit tight. However it worked well.

My only complaint is that strapping on a small, compact tripod onto the outside seemed cumbersome, and in the end I left the tripod at home. I will experiment some more with ways to secure it with the somewhat confusing elastic cords, and if I can do that, I will revise my rating.

Bottom line is that I am quite satisfied that the pack does what it is supposed to do, even if adding the tripod is a bit problematic.

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Great to carry it all, but could have been designed better

I purchased this bag because I travel a lot internationally and I usually need to carry my laptop, but want to carry my SLR as well. In the past, I have carried my laptop in a backpack and the SLR separately in a Lowepro bag. This worked, but I was always nervous about having the camera separate, especially when I arrived in foreign cities at night and it felt obvious that I was carrying an expensive camera. Plus, I was worried that some day, one of the airlines would notice the two bags and forbid me from carrying both the laptop bag and the camera bag onto the plane. To overcome this, I tried putting both the camera bag and the laptop into a large backpack, but if it looks big, the airlines will notice and twice last year I was asked to take things out of my backpack (Istanbul airport and Milan airport, both on Lufthansa).

This bag by Lowepro seemed a good alternative. I also tried the larger, Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW Camera Backpack, but that bag seemed way too large to get away with carrying it onto the plane.

I can fit my Dell Inspiron 1500 15 inch laptop and my Canon 40D with the 100-400 lens and the 28-135 lens. I could get a third lens in as well. I was also carrying other electronics such as hard drives, power cords, GPS, palm, etc and all fit snuggly into the adjustable compartments in the bag. The laptop fits really tight into the bag, much snugger than I would like. I would say that my size laptop is the absolute maximum size that will fit into this bag.

Computers and SLRs and all the supporting cables, drives, etc add weight quickly and once the bag is fully loaded, it is really heavy. If the airline ever weighed my bag, I am certain that I would be well over the limit for carryon bags. However, that is my over packing and you don't need to fill up the bag just because you can a lot into it.

The bag is comfortable to wear for a short time, but if you have a lot in it including a laptop, it sits really poorly on your tail bone which gets painful after a while. Other backpacks that I own have additional padding at the bottom of the bag to avoid such problems. I am surprised that Lowepro did not do a better job at adding padding where it was needed and adding channels to allow for airflow along you back. However, without the laptop, the bag is really comfortable. The handle at the top of the bag is placed so that the bag is balanced when you carry it. However, this means that the handle is not convenient for hanging the bag. A second handle or loop would have been nice just for hanging the bag.

The first time that I used the bag, I loaded it up and then put my reading materials in the very front pouch. This expanded the bag so much that it would not fit into the bins on the Lufthansa, Airbus 330-300 on which I was flying. I had to take my laptop out in order to get the bag into the overhead bin. For the next flight, I packed less in the bag, but still had to take the laptop out. The problem is not the size of the bin, but the lip of the bin which does not allow the bag to be pushed in if there is something long and hard at the back of the bag such as a laptop. Something to consider.

Overall, I bought the bag to carry it all and it works really well for this purpose. Everything fit snuggly and all of my equipment arrived safely. I think that Lowepro could have done a better job with the design of the bag, however. Plus the inconvenience of needed to remove my laptop means that I will keep looking for other bags.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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