Case Logic SLR & Computer Backpack

Company	:	Case Logic
Price	:	RM 380
Rating	:

Looking for the perfect SLR/Laptop backpack isn't easy. I had the trendy Crumpler but I found it difficult to get quick access to my gear. Other brands tend to be in boring black.

I was close to settling for a Lowepro when I unexpectedly saw the Case Logic backpack at a computer bag shop. I was immediately taken with the rugged looks and the little orange touches.

The backpack is tough and is made of sturdy, weather-proof material. It's dimensions are 18" x 12.5" x 10.25". It has a hard, impact-resistant base which protects your stuff from the hard ground and from toppling over.

The top handle seems flimsy but having used it for some time, it's definitely strong. The shoulder straps also seem a little on the thin side but having carried around my laptop and SLR gear, they're very comfortable. There are 2 little zippered pockets on the straps but strangely these are too small for a mobile phone (as I initially thought it was what they were for). Still you can use them for keys and coins.

The backpack consists of 5 main compartments:

• camera
• lenses & accessories
• side sections/pockets (2)
• laptop

The camera compartment allows you to keep your SLR facing down with your lens slotted through a detachable hole. But I personally prefer to store my Canon 400D facing up. It may be a bit tight for cameras with long lenses to fit into this compartment.

The bottom half of the bag is the extremely well-padded and compartmentalised section for your lenses and other accessories. The removable shelves and flexible walls make it very easy to customise the interior to suit your needs. The default arrangement consists of 2 columns with 3 compartments each. In other words you can fit 6 lenses inside. However, as I don't have 6 lenses, I use some of the compartments for a lens blower and other things. Sometimes I would remove one column to fit an external flash and the charger and cables for my laptop.

On each side of the bag are 2 straps which can be used to fasten a small tripod or umbrella. There are also mesh pockets. When unzipped, the sides open to reveal a somewhat spacious compartment consisting of 3 mesh pockets - perfect for memory cards, batteries, card readers, cables and other accessories.

The laptop section is at the back, between the camera compartments and the shoulder straps. Even though it doesn't contain a laptop sleeve, it's very well-padded. It can fit a 15.4" laptop.

I really like this backpack. It looks good, it's tough and it has plenty of compartments for your SLR gear and laptop. It is truly an ideal bag for the on-the-go photographer.

The true test of a good backpack is how comfortable it feels being carried for long periods of time. As I mentioned earlier, even though the shoulder straps look as if they could do with a bit more padding, the bag is very comfortable for me - no tired or sore shoulders after a little bit of traveling.

Lastly, just to set your mind at ease as to how durable Case Logic bags are, Case Logic is owned and operated by Thule, the world leader in sports utility transportation - yes, those tough aerodynamic roof boxes you see on top of MPV's.