Peter McKinnon & Nomatic Camera Bag 3-Month Review
- National Geographic Photo Basics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Great Photography
- Photography: The Definitive Visual History
- Read This if You Want to Take Great Photographs
If you're a photography gear head like me, you've probably heard about the Camera Pack from Peter McKinnon and Nomatic.
Spoiler alert...this thing is absolutely incredible from top to bottom, inside and out!
I've had my pack for about three months now, and wanted to give an update on how its held up, what I like about the bag, and what I'm not quite sold on yet.
In the video above, I give my complete review. Check it out to see this bag in action!
Below, I've hit the highlights of what I discuss in the video...it's just a quick summary of what I think are the most important things this bag has to offer.
It's Two Bags in One
The Camera Pack is really two bags in one.
That's because there's a day pack built into the larger pack, which is about as ingenious as it gets.
You can pack a small kit in the day pack and head out for an adventure with everything you need while leaving the larger pack at home or in the hotel room.
It's a system that's perfectly designed for photographers that are traveling, that way you can customize your bag to your needs for each specific day or location. Nice!
Recommended Photography Books
It's Incredibly Comfortable
As I explain in my video, you won't believe how comfortable this bag is.
I crammed it full of gear - way more than I needed - and hiked up a mountain to see if the Nomatic folks were right when they said it was a supremely comfortable bag.
I have to say...they were right!
I had three camera bodies with extra batteries for each, multiple lenses, two large tripods, a drone with four batteries, filters...you get the point.
The measure of a bag's comfort is found when you load it for bear with gear, and the Nomatic Camera Pack definitely passes the test!
Organization Has Never Been So Easy
I've been accused on more than one occasion of not being all that organized.
But the way this bag is designed makes it impossible for me to not have my gear neat and tidy.
There are tons of compartments to store gear and there are movable dividers so you can adjust how the gear compartment is arranged based on your specific needs. In that regard, it's a modular system that can adapt...just what you want when you have different gear needs for different occasions.
There's large side access pockets and a huge clam-shell opening to access all your gear inside, so not only is your stuff well-organized, but it's also easy to access.
Learn More:
Build Quality is Second-to-None
I'm a bit of a gear snob, so when I pick up a new camera bag, I look very closely at the construction. After all, I want something that will stand up to use and abuse for years to come.
So far, the Nomatic pack is firing on all cylinders...
It's got a water-resistant exterior that performed beautifully on my winter trip to Lake Tahoe.
Not only that, but the exterior held up nicely to being set down on rocks and in mud. My gear was safe and sound and perfectly dry despite the adverse conditions, and the exterior shell came away unscathed.
The EVA foam panels on the back of the bag help keep you dry too - they wick away moisture so you aren't a sweaty hog when you arrive to your destination.
I also appreciate all the handles all over the bag. Sometimes you need to grab and go, so having handles that are easy to access makes it much easier to get out the door.
The one caveat with the construction is this - it's so pretty that you feel bad getting it dirty!
Nomatic Camera Pack Review
In my review video, I dive into the interior compartment of the camera in depth. Be sure to check that out to see just how functional this bag has been for me.
I've really enjoyed using this bag the last three months, and I can't help but give it as close to a 100 percent as it gets!
Sure, it weighs a ton (six pounds), but despite all that weight, it's incredibly comfortable.
Other than its weight, the only other nitpicky thing I can even think of is that the included filter holder only accommodates circular filters. Since I use square filters, the filter holder doesn't help me out.
But, that's a very minor detail, especially when you consider all the excellent features this bag has to offer.
I'll have another long-term review in a few months, but at this point, I have to say that this is one of the best camera bags I've ever tested!
