It is easy to scoff at “hoarders” and famous people like Imelda Marcos and her infamous shoe collection. But, I probably purchase way more camera bags than it is necessary, but just the tiniest inconvenience sends me out searching for the next Holy Grail of camera bags. Obviously, the type of shooting I am doing predicates the bag for convenience and the amount of gear required. For road trips, I might have several types of bags on my front right floorboard and seat for quick access.
My most recent quest was to find a good international travel bag. Despite having insurance, I am not going to check a bag with my actual camera(s) and lens. I might pack a tripod and any supplemental lighting in a suitcase but I need to be able to carry-on my camera bag and also have access to it before, during and after the flight.
The camera bag I have used most recently for travel and when I need to pack a lot of glass was my Mindshift Backlight 26L. Really a well-thought-out bag and well-made. BUT. The inner sleeve intended for a laptop would at best only accommodate a tablet or 13″ laptop. I have learned the hard way if I am going to post-process images during a trip, I need my Alienware 15. The result has required me to carry a laptop messenger bag along with the camera bag for carry-on luggage. That is too much for me, boarding and off-boarding a plane.
Six months ago, I ordered the Vanguard Havana backpack with the assumed skepticism. Vanguard does not have the name-brand recognition like LowePro but it was a larger replacement for my Lowe-Pro 22. Wow….So impressed with the Vanguard pack. It has been my go-to pack. So, for an upcoming international trip, I wanted to forego the laptop bag and discovered how my Alienware 15 would fit nicely in this bag. BUT. I knew I will be packing some bigger lenses and needed something a tad bigger.
Below are my frank comments about each bag. With the exception of the new Vanguard bag, the other bags have been used and abused and my comments are based on experience. I don’t have any Google clicks or paid for ads, this is just for other photographers on the same quest for the perfect bag. I hope this helps but I don’t doubt there will be more bags to come!
I recently sold a ton of my Sony 4/3’s gear to a local guy on Craigslist and unbeknownst to him, I gave him this bag. I mean, a good wife is hard to find, right? Why not share? 
I have been shooting for $$ since 2000 opening my shop with a Nikon D1. I am primarily interested in shooting adventure lifestyle and travel with a host of my day-to-day clients being within the industrial sector. Many of my editorial stock photos have been published in all major news outlets, with my primary focus is distributing my images on a client-by-client basis to ensure their branding is unique and compelling.
