My boyfriend and I are serious photographers, and I am looking for a pack I can use while on backpacking photography trips. I used by Osprey Talon 44 this past weekend while shooting on just an overnight car camping trip, and I found it very difficult to access my photography gear (a professional Canon 1D series DSLR and 2-3 lenses) from the top of the pack while shooting. All of the photo backpacks I have owned in the past are panel loaders (as well as incredibly uncomfortable with poorly designed harnesses and suspension), which makes accessing gear much faster and easier. For backpacking photo trips, I think a panel loader would be indespensible, because it would allow me to access my photo gear without removing clothes and other items packed on top (it would not make any sense at all to pack the heavy camera equipment at the top of the pack). With the bulky camera gear, I find that having an internal frame is preferable to a frameless pack, as lenses poking you in the back are pretty uncomfortable.
Therefore, I'm looking for recommendations for packs that fit the follows specs:
– Panel Loading
– Internal frame
– Lightweight
– Capable of comfortably carrying loads up to 40lbs
– Durable fabric (like dyneema gridstop) and construction
– Way to externally attach and carry a tripod with ballhead
Any suggestions?
