Night Flight Road Trip Camera Bag

[Meglet]

I finally had time to move my camera gear into my new NFTD today, and it looks like it will be everything I wanted in a Road Trip Camera Bag (ie, a bag that sits on the seat and is well organized and easy to work out of.)

First, the super important part everyone wants to know: the Tenba Toolbox 8 insert fits perfectly in the middle section and can be arranged to hold a mirrorless camera kit. Bonus organization: a Tenba BYOB 7 insert fits perfectly in an end pocket to add a little extra organization:


Fully loaded, the NFRTCB easily holds my Canon mirrorless camera, three additional lenses, my GorillaPod 3K Pro and 3LT ballhead, and a myriad of organizer pouches:


Closer view of the center section, with the tripod and utility cloth removed from the top layer. The insert has a couple elastic loops useful for pens and a lens brush:


The right end pocket, where I have my “small useful bits” such as filters, flash cards, and spare batteries sorted into pouches. I used the BYOB 7 insert to separate these so it’s easier to access the pouches I need without getting tangled up. The Q-kit on the left end has the screw-on “macro” lenses for my phone. Yes, that is a bit of Canary peeking out behind the AirTag, the clear organizer pouch is perfect for spare batteries:


The left end pocket, which is the “just in case” gear: Marigold 3DOC with rain cover, towel, and paper towels, Aubergine organizer pouch with PlatyPod flat tripod bits, and Ghost Whale with a couple pieces of flannel fabric:


Fully loaded, zipper pulls and Absolute Strap added, just waiting for the next road trip!

[G42]

Super cool packout Meglet ! I know you said it's a NFRTCB but did you try walking around with it for a bit? How did it feel and how well is the new version of the built-in foam supporting things?

And a random thought - if you have it on the front passenger seat for instance, you can probably seat belt it through the luggage pass through strap - safety first! :)

[Meglet]

G42 it is definitely getting seat-belted into the front seat! The low, flat profile should make it a lot less prone to tipping forward and falling off the seat than previous bags, but the seat belt will ensure that doesn't happen.

It's OK for short carries, the road trips I have coming up have spots with a 5-10 minute walk from the car to the scenic point, and that will be do-able. I wouldn't want to haul it on anything more than about 30 minutes, but that's also just partly due to my shoulder issues in general and not a fault with the bag.

As for the foam. . . . I'll admit I had to go back and poke at it a little bit to even find where it's located. The bag holds its shape and structure well, which is good. But I wouldn't rely on the built-in foam for any sort of protection from any impacts, and in fact I will likely add an extra piece of foam below the camera insert in the main section for extra protection.

[G42]

As for the foam. . . . I'll admit I had to go back and poke at it a little bit to even find where it's located. The bag holds its shape and structure well, which is good. But I wouldn't rely on the built-in foam for any sort of protection from any impacts, and in fact I will likely add an extra piece of foam below the camera insert in the main section for extra protection.

Yeah, I think it's mostly for shaping/structure vs cushioning, just like with the Cambiata.

[bartleby]

Great post Meglet ! Makes me wondering whether I should be getting a NFTD! I am currently using the Techonaut 30 for my gear but I am always looking for something more compact. Furthermore, a shoulder bag is often more convenient...

[Meglet]

Great post Meglet ! Makes me wondering whether I should be getting a NFTD! I am currently using the Techonaut 30 for my gear but I am always looking for something more compact. Furthermore, a shoulder bag is often more convenient...

I find shoulder bags so much easier to work out of. Unfortunately I can't carry shoulder bags very far due to neck injuries, so I have to use a backpack for anything longer than about 20-30 minutes. The NFRTCB is perfect for my car trips, though, and also a great way to store everything at home because I don't usually take every single piece of kit with me on my regular walks or short excursions.

[Meglet]

Yesterday I had a chance to take a road trip with my new NFRTCB, and it was awesome. I mostly just grabbed the camera and car keys when stepping away, but at one point I did haul the whole NFTD with me on a (flat, easy) hiking trail for about a mile out and back. I wouldn't want to carry it much longer than that with this load, but it definitely worked OK.

Pictured here with my Little Swift (snacks, water bottle transport, sunglasses case, etc) and UV PCSB (rain jacket). I did try belting it into the front seat via the luggage pass-through, but that just made a huge mess. The low, flat profile keeps it nice and stable, though, so it doesn't move even when idiots come to a dead stop when attempting to merge onto a freeway.