Lowepro Classified 160 AW vs ThinkTank Urban Disguise 30

[ebp]

Hi

I'm currently looking for a bag that will fit all of my gear, which is:

-Sony Alpha 100
-18-70mm kit lens
-75-300mm lens
-flash
-gorillapod

And possibly a 50mm prime lens in the future.

I have looked at the Lowepro Classified 160 AW and ThinkTank Urban Disguise 30, but i can't really decide which one is the best for me. Which one do you think will best cover my needs?

Also will the ThinkTank Shoulder fit the classified 160?

[RichardTaylor]

I have the UD 30.

It is too small to meet your needs.

The UD40 (and I have one also) will meet your lens & flash needs needs.
I don't have a gorillapod to check.

The carrying harness is a "stop gap" solution at best. You are better off with a proper back pack if need be.

I havn't used a Classified 160

[Sime]

You could fit that gear in a 30 with some shuffling. What about a small Retrospective?

Retrospective? 10 (Black) Shoulder Bag - Think Tank

[ebp]

It seems like a nice bag but i dont like the idea of having to open the flap before i can get to my gear.

[RichardTaylor]

The retrospective appeals to me if you want a "working" bag as it probably makes your gear a lot easier to get at. I find that the Urban Disguise is great for carrying your gear, taking a camera out out and shooting. However If you are working with two bodies it is a lot easier to work with a bag that is a lot more "open" and not constricted by a centre closing zip.

[Sime]

Well, feel free to ask any questions as I contract to Think Tank Photo.

I won't, however, recommend any bag tTP or otherwise, that I don't have / have tried.

:-)

[This is me this morning!]

[ebp]

Originally Posted by RichardTaylor

I have the UD 30.

It is too small to meet your needs.

The UD40 (and I have one also) will meet your lens & flash needs needs.
I don't have a gorillapod to check.

The carrying harness is a "stop gap" solution at best. You are better off with a proper back pack if need be.

I havn't used a Classified 160

The reason why i want to get a carrying harness is because i'm afraid that a shoulder bag will give me neck pain over extended use. I have also looked at the Lowepro Slingshot 202 aw, which seems like a nice bag but i'm afraid that my gear wont be as accesible.

[RichardTaylor]

I have the harness however I don't use it at all.

I agree with you about the neck/shoulder pain. I have found that any bag where most of the weight is on one shoulder, and that includes sling bags (I owned a Lowepro Slingshot at one time) will cause your neck to ache after a while especially if it is fairly heavy.
Except when actually travelling etc I always have my camera in my hand ready for shooting so that lightens the load a bit.

Have you considered a Lowero Fastpack? (I own a Fastpack 200). It is comfortable and gear is very easy to access. It is my travel bag for those vacations where carry on baggage may be limited.