3. The Photo Trekker AW (Series II)

	Lowepro Photo Trekker AW II

Series II Updates

The series II Trekkers came out in 2003 and have seen a lot of engineering improvements and addressed most of the shortcomings that I (and others) found in the earlier series. The old style may still be available, so be sure which series you buy: the first series was excellent, but the Series II is clearly superior. You can check the Lowepro Web site for details.

First, the old cranky zippers have been replaced with quiet-gliding and water-resistant YKK zippers (no protective flaps to get in the way). And the clinky metal zipper pulls are replaced by cloth and soft plastic to minimize human noises that could alert wildlife. By the way it's easy to see if the YKK zippers are closed, since there's no more flap to hide an open zipper: no surprises picking up an open pack!

The harness is now fantastic, making this an easy carry even with heavy contents. The strap adjustment for the shoulder harness is gone, replaced by a semi-rigid torso plate behind the back pad. A special Pack Jack tool is stowed in the back to separate the velcro during adjustment. (Remove and store it at home after you're happy with the harness setting... why carry the weight?) The back pad is even better contoured including lumbar support, and the massive hip belt -- which supports most of the weight -- is unbelievably comfortable.

	Remove Unneeded Items, Save Weight

A single top-loading lid pocket (which I find convenient) replaces the two side-loading pockets of the original lid. The top and side handles are non-slip rubber for comfort when hand carrying (but I'd use the shoulder harness if you must carry it that far). Exterior surfaces use less (but still some) of the flat black material, which can absorb summer sunlight and heat up the pack. In fact, the only thing the Lowepro engineers don't seem to have addressed is the weight: it's quite a heavy pack even empty. While it hasn't been a problem for me so far, surely the design could be improved in this area... but at what cost?

Photo Trekker compared to Nature Trekker

Both packs are very similar and both qualify as carry-aboard luggage (most airlines). The Photo Trekker is somewhat bigger in each dimension, so it holds more -- enough that the pack can become extremely heavy. The additional height inside the main compartment makes an easier fit for a pro body, a body with vertical grip or power winder, or a wider diameter lens. There is a second handle on the side for carrying the pack "suitcase style".

But the most important difference to me is the longer length of the Photo Trekker: the harness system is long enough for my back, unlike the Nature Trekker. With this pack, I can properly carry the weight mostly on the hip belt, while the shoulder straps keep the top against my shoulders for better balance and stability. The weight carries easier, and shoulder/back fatigue is avoided.

My Typical Photo Trekker Load

Living with the Photo Trekker AW II

For photography travel or general-purpose local use, I carry the items shown on the left in my Photo Trekker: a pro body, two medium-large lenses, two smaller lenses, two teleconverters, extension tube set, two large flashes with bouncer and extender, flash remote transmitter, remote timer, GPS, cell phone, some other odds and ends, and -- oof -- can all this equipment get heavy! And that's without even a tripod. My friend Cezary carries a Canon 500mm f/4 IS lens inside his Photo Trekker, along with plenty of other gear I'm sure. He's a fit young man, and I'd wager many photographers wouldn't want to hoist his full pack no matter how well it manages the weight. And to think that Lowepro makes two even larger Trekker backpacks!

I've owned this pack for about a year at the time of writing, and have essentially zero complaints. When it's fully loaded (which is most of the time), it feels distinctly heavy to pick up. But once the pack is belted on, the weight becomes quite comfortable, stable and balanced. Lowepro includes a day pack which can be strapped onto the back or carried separately; I use it for my monstrous laptop computer (not for hiking!). There's also a side shoulder strap (luggage style) that I've never used -- even that simple accessory seems over-the-top engineered (good!). Overall, this backpack is an amazing accomplishment of design, and if Lowepro creates a Series III I can't imagine what will be significantly improved.

Alternatives to Photo Backpacks

Some situations call for camera cases other than a photo backpack, and there are myriad alternatives. Personally I use the backpack for nearly all photography missions. But if I'm just carrying an SLR camera with one lens attached, I'll use my small Canon shoulder bag (which can be configured as a belt pack). It's large enough to squeeze in a flash if needed. Or, for my smallest setup (semi-pro body and compact lens), I'll just use a holster case that has belt-on or shoulder strap options.

For potentially wet situations, or when shipping my equipment to/from destinations, I use one or two large Pelican cases. The Pelicans are waterproof when closed, making them perfect for kayaking or carrying through rain. When shipping, I first pack the plastic Pelican cases inside plain cardboard boxes, so the gear is well protected and the bland packages don't attract unwanted attention in transit (as ATA flight cases might). Most airlines won't accept photo equipment as checked luggage, but I recently checked my strobes in their Pelican case and had no problems.

	Pelican 1600 as a Camera Case

My Pelican 1600s came with the pick 'n' place foam inserts which I tediously set up to handle my "typical" complement of gear. One houses two camera bodies, two large hot-shoe flashes, and four lenses. The other houses two large monolights plus all the paraphernalia: cables, reflectors, barn doors, and spare bulbs. But you can also order Pelicans -- at higher cost -- with Velcro padded dividers. That would be a much better solution for two reasons: (1) you can rearrange for different contents (I cannot), and (2) the dividers would be more durable for sustained use (many cycles of item removal and replacement). After only a few months of use, I find many pick 'n' place foam chunks breaking loose where I intended to leave them in place. And tiny bits of foam shed onto the equipment, so I wrap line the equipment holes with plastic bags. Maybe the foam bits aren't a problem, but digital SLR owners tend to become paranoid about dust potentially getting on the sensor.

Finally, I should point out that Pelican cases can't take the heat -- but neither should most camera equipment (especially film and batteries). The tough outer case is thermoplastic, meaning it softens and melts at high temperatures. If you lock it in a car trunk on a hot day, you may find it has warped. Maybe it'll still function as a case, but even slight warping can misalign the O-ring seal and ruin the waterproofing. Heat damage is not covered by the warranty, naturally.

Conclusion

I want to stress again that each photographer needs to find equipment, including camera cases, that works for them. Quite likely, different cases will be best for different situations. But for most missions the Lowepro Photo Trekker II is perfect for me, and it has performed flawlessly. It's definitely not right for everyone because you may have more or less equipment to carry. And if you're not relatively fit and strong, the Photo Trekker might be too big (and heavy) a pack. In that case, I can definitely recommend the Nature Trekker as a somewhat smaller and lighter pack with excellent performance.