Why the RPT P3 Camera Backpack from Photobackpacker Totally Changed my Perception of a What a Backpack Could Be
I apologize for sounding arrogant, but “it’s good to be the king.” Well, I’m not the king of anything, but I’m glad many of the companies in the photography industry occasionally treat me as royalty when they send me a piece of their equipment to examine and test.
Of course, some impress me more than others and I’ve written about them in articles that have been uploaded to the site since the founding of PhotographyTalk. I do try to be selective. However, when I find a product where value, quality and innovation all come together in way that really matters I want to add my voice to its praise and provide you with an honest review. That is the case with the RPT P3 Camera Backpack from Photobackpacker.
I’ve tested and tried many backpacks and virtually all of them are good to excellent products. What distinguishes Photobackpacker from its competition, however, is that it has developed its backpack from the perspective of carrying the kind of load we photographers carry, and not just as a place to put your photography gear when you hike.
The RPT P3 pack is for the photographer who is hauling a full kit into the field – in other words, this is a good sized pack (3600 ci). The clever people at Photobackpacker stepped outside the world of photography and examined the packs serious backpackers and mountaineers use, and why. What Photobackpacker discovered is that the first virtue of a backpack is its ability to make the load on your back feel lighter than it actually is. Dedicated adventurers, who are not necessarily photographers, choose backpacks with technical suspension systems, which is what is required if you plan tocomfortably carry a heavy load.
The magic behind a technical suspension system is ability to transfer the weight of the pack to the muscles in your legs. This achieves an effect known as “felt-weight” reduction. Photobackpacker has taken this fundamental concept of backpack design and enhanced it with lightweight, but durable, materials, top-notch quality and innovative features. All of this work and effort led to the RPT P3 Camera Backpack becoming the only photography backpack in the world with a premium technical suspension system. And not just any technical suspension, one that is award-winning!
To accomplish this, the people at Photobackpacker partnered with Granite Gear, one of the most respected names in technical backpacks. Through this alliance, they were licensed to use the Granite Gear AirCurrent suspension in the P3 backpack. This proven technical suspension carries the distinction of being awarded both the Outdoor Product of the Year and Backpacker Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in 2011.
Camera backpacks found in camera stores are one-size-fits-all packs with no interchangeable belts or shoulder straps and few, if any, torso length adjustments. What truly grabbed my attention and appreciation was that Photobackpacker is willing to forego the camera store sales channel to bring this great fitting pack to photographers. That tells me something – they are dedicated to delivering on their promise of outstanding fit rather than simply focusing on sales. With 8 belts, 3 shoulder straps, short and long torso packs and 10 torso length settings, there are 240 possible fit configurations to create the camera backpack you have been searching for. Whether you are a woman who it 5’3” or someone who is 6’3” Photobackpacker stands alone in its commitment to giving you fit and comfort.
The customization doesn’t stop with fitting the backpack to the photographer. Photobackpacker offers a broad array of protective cases for nearly every kind of camera system and shooting style. From the customary partitioned case to individual cases up to and including those for 8x10 view camera, the interior of the P3 pack can be customized to fit your gear with lightweight world class protection.
Ordering the P3 pack couldn’t be simpler. I chose the belt and shoulder straps based on waist and chest measurement. I provided them with a torso length measurement and chose one of their camera system protective cases. The pack was configured, set up to my needs and shipped same day. What amazed me even more is the price of that pack was actually less than other comparably sized camera backpacks.
I can’t honestly say I’ve fully tested the qualities of the RPT P3 Camera Backpack from Photobackpacker by hiking into the mountains or desert of Southern California - but the “out-of-box” experience with fit and comfort has blown me away. The first opportunity I have I plan to leave the cellphone and email behind for some “me” time and to clear my head…and I’ll be very happy that Photobackpacker will be my companion.
Photos copyright www.photobackpacker.com
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