f-stop Mountain Series Lotus Backpack (Anthracite/Matte Black, 32L)

I chose this bag after months of research and visiting the local shop to put hands on the limited selection (this was not available locally) for a few reasons: Very limited options in this capacity of mixed purpose pack. This mixed purpose is another requirement high on my list. A dedicated camera only bag does not lend well to my use case of day hiking to a location and needing weather gear, food, a place for layers, water, and a camera. I can say after several uses in the Arizona desert mountains this pack appears to be a good choice. Perfect volume, camera is easily accessible (over looked this for years), holds a 3 liter water bladder, and room for a jacket and rain wear. The material of the shell appears adequate if handled responsibly, and at this price, who wouldn't? The heavy duty material on the bottom of the pack is welcome, as well. All though, in the cold it feels wet, and with the bladder in the internal compartment it is a cause for alarm. At 6' 3 this pack is a bit short on my back, but so far so good. Despite the thin shoulder and waist straps I have no complaints about comfort. The back padding is channeled well, but with cold weather layers they do not breath. The pack has not been shifting on my back over rugged terrain. Pros: Good volume of mixed use Material and construction External attachment points Cons: Rain cover extra (?) Water bladder could be separated better (the extra sleeve doesn't appear to offer much seperation) Little short for tall people Conclusion: This pack feels a bit overpriced and requires additional spend (the up-charges for the extra's really sting) for what you get. That being said, I find no better alternative in this segment. What it does right it does very well.

So far best travel backpack I've owned! It's waterproof and I have zero worries taking it on trips abroad. Love the peace of mind of knowing no one can steal my camera gear! Must get!

I bought this bad just before a two-week trip where I spend at least 4 hours per day walking and biking with Fujifilm X gear usually involving two bodies, a 4 smallish zooms/primes and the 100-400mm. For the most part, better than anything I've had so far. Good size for all-day adventure photog outings but not too big to wear on a 2-hour local hike. During road/ferry travel I had all my fuji lenses and bodies, a bunch of chargers/batteries, two laptops (work and play), a travel tripod, supplies like sunscreen/sunglasses case/hand sanitizer, lunch and a water bottle and it all (technically) fit. The access points all work very well, just throw the bag down on any surface and have a clean table to work on for lens changes, etc. through the back panel, or access accessories from the top without it tipping over. I came from a PD Everyday pack after dropping a new 16-80mm out of the side zipper onto a paved parking lot. .800 in 1 second (you will eventually do that with that pack). With a medium ICU, you can access the area above the ICU from the back panel or the top compartment, which is handy. I bought the slope ICU and actually would have been better off with the medium shallow. I thought the side pockets instead of normal water bottle sleeves would be a problem, but they turned out to be great for 32 oz Nalgene bottles. They fit with the zippers closed and keep the bottles out of the sun (cooler). The bag seems very solidly constructed without being over-engineered and heavy. Not all good: 1: the shoulder and waist straps are OK but could be more padded. After about 3 hours fully loaded I was feeling the weight, and this isn't a huge pack. A thick, detachable waist strap would be much more useful. Also those D rings on the shoulder straps are exactly where I need to have my PD capture clip, which makes mounting it a little weird. 2: There's no sack or anything in the top compartment to keep smaller items from falling down around the ICU. This got more than a little annoying. They need to make an accessory tub with a size complementary to the ICU (or expandable), and attachment points in the bag, so you can make the top compartment truly separate. 3: For a bag where EVERYTHING is an optional add-on, non-removable ice-axe attachment points? Really? How many buyers are really going to ice climb? These kept getting in the way and catching on things (branches, etc.). Make them detachable and sell separately. Better yet, include a complementary rain cover instead! That's point 4: Include a free rain cover. Everyone else does. 5: The waist strap should have a zippered pocket for small gear. Finally 6: the rain flap over the main top compartment zipper doesn't stay over the zipper. It just rides up like when your mouth is so dry that your upper lip sticks above your teeth. And yet it still gets in the way of zipper operation. Don't get me wrong though, I'm happy with the bag! I doubt a truly perfect bag exists, and I've spent way too much time on Youtube already trying to find it. I'd rather just use this bag and be at peace.

I've been putting off getting a new backpack for some time but finally decided, since it was long overdue, that I had to do it. I had been skeptical of buying one without getting to try it on but after reading the reviews decided to jump in. I really love this pack. It's the right size for me, volume wise & the fit is great. Really like that it can carry a hydration bladder for those longer days, plus all the extra layers needed for changeable weather. Build is very solid & I look forward to many years of use. If your in the market, I'd highly recommend this pack.

Love it: the backpack is large enough to hold my heavy Medium (Mamiya RZ67) or Large Format (Linhof Master Technika) cameras, three lenses, light meter, multiple large filters, loupe, darkcloth, phone, keys, notepad, water bottle, etc, with plenty of room for a sweater and other gear. I like that the internal aluminum frame is sewed-in and padded, and not exposed like in other backpacks. But I would not put a laptop inside the sleeve for fear it would crack when I put the backpack down and all the gear puts weight on the laptop. All materials, seems, and zippers are top notch. Color (aloe/drab) is exactly as pictured. Even includes a nice sleeve. I was surprised how big the backpack actually is. My other backpack this one replaces has 25 liters and I thought adding 6 extra liters wouldn't make a big difference. In reality, it feels it has twice the room for gear. But even when fully loaded, it feels less heavy than my previous backpack when I adjust all the straps properly. Be aware that this is a more technical backpack intended for longer nature hikes (which is what I will be using it for). I wouldn't use it for a stroll through the city because of all the hanging straps and loops. And just to be clear: a back-loading backpack is a must! I had a front-loading backpack before and when you put the backpack down to unload your hear, in moist grass, dirt or mud, you get all the water and dirt on the back of your backpack, and from there on the back of your cloths and car seats, and you get wet and cold. Not so with a back-loading backpack. Tip: instead of the (expensive) f-stop camera ICU insert, you can buy a large unbranded camera insert on or Amazon that is the same size and quality as the large f-stop ICU at 1/3 the cost. And kudos to : despite these challenging times, I received the backpack within 24 hours. This morning it was still in , and a few hours later it was delivered to my home in Washington, DC, at no extra shipping fees. P.S: f-stop, if you read this, please add a side handle on your backpacks in the future.