Techonaut 30 as camera bag

[bartleby]

Hi folks, I just want to add my take on converting a TB bag into a camera bag. I recently discovered that the Techonaut 30 is ideally suited for my purposes. I was looking for a camera bag that can hold my DSLR and some lenses with some additional stuff like a water bottle, extra clothes, etc. So I looked for a respective camera insert and found the F-Stop ICU Medium Shallow which fits ideally into the T30. I put my rain jacket and the water bottle in the end pocket and a sweater above the insert in the main compartment.



As you can see the insert is quite big and really very well made in terms of stability and pads. I use a Nikon D800 with a 35mm lens attached to it. The big one is a 70-200mm zoom lens and the two smaller ones are a 20mm and a 50mm. There is still space for accessoires such as batteries, filters, etc. The nice thing is that this insert also works with a flap so that it pairs nicely with the flap of the T30. Thanks to the large front opening access is really easy and quick.




I took the T30 as my carry on for my flight to the US and had a Daylight Backpack as my personal item.




I also took the T30 on a wonderful hike in the White Mountains NH, along Franconia Ridge. I didn't use the hip belt but it carried really nicely despite the weight. Here are some impressions:

[G42]

Gorgeous pictures bartleby !

Really cool use of the T30 for serious photog stuff!
I always think of the Aeronauts and Techonauts as 'luggage', but 30L is 30L and your use of the T30 with that insert wouldn't be nearly as ideal in a SN30 which would've been my first thought for a bag... There's always another way to look at something 🙂

[bartleby]

Thanks G42, I was thinking along the same lines considering Aeronauts and Techonauts as "luggage". But then I had to come up with a solution of how I could bring my camera gear safely to the US and - knowing I would go for some hikes - which camera backpack I could use. And now I am really wondering why it took me so long to find an answer especially since the front opening makes the access to the Techonauts really so convenient. And that's the problem with most other backpacks: you can only access the main compartment from the top which makes it really hard to access cameras and lenses quickly.

[Cooner]

Wow, what a great adaptation of a bag! (And some great photos.) :)

I'm curious, it looks like that internal camera case has a "lid" that closes to keep everything contained even within the T30 … Does that close via zipper? velcro? nothing? etc.

[Chicagoan]

Man, however convenient or not it is to haul in all that camera gear, you certainly made it worth it!

That's some mighty fine picture taking.

My biggest gripe with camera bags is when they build the organization in, because a lot of that hook-and-loop ("Velcro") stuff just wears out over time.

But if you can pop that organizer in and out, well, that's pretty darn ideal.

I think this is a perfect case study to show just how flexible Tom Bihn bags are when they don't presume to permanently sew in all their organization, turning them into a one trick pony.

Great share, bartleby! I've never been out to the Whites but your photos make me feel like I have. And it that...Ursa? It's such a damn chameleon of a fabric I can't quite ever tell (ironic, given the amount of it I have floating around here at home).

[bartleby]

Thanks Cooner, yes the lid of the insert is fixed on one side and has a zipper going around the other sides so it can be securely closed on its own. I only use this zipper when I don`t need quick access to the camera, as the lid of the T30 closes tightly enough to make sure nothing falls out.

Thanks Chicagoan, I totally agree that many camera bags can only be used as such and you never have the right one. This summer I was on vacation in the Italian Alps hiking every day on really steep trails. As most camera backpacks aren't suited for alpine hiking I had to find something else. Ended up with a technical backpack with a padded hip belt to offload the weight and a ventilated backpanel that also has a front opening where this insert would fit and that allowed me to bring my camera gear.
You should definitely try the Whites one day (you'll find some inspiration here)!
And yes, it is Ursa, great color for outdoor purposes!