Hiking with a camera

For years, I've tried to find that perfect bag that allowed me to hike, ski and even mountain bike with my camera.  This is obviously much easier with a pocket size point and shoot camera. But I've moved up to a super zoom camera and currently use the Canon Power Shot SX40.  These cameras are super versatile and pack a powerful lens in such a small size but but it’s not pocket-able. I've tried padded cases, lumbar packs and even the strap that came with the camera but I was never satisfied with the ease of use.  A strap around the neck is probably the fastest but it is just not comfortable, A padded pouch that also attached to the belt was secure but getting the camera in and out of the bag is a pain.

Enter the sling strap.

My first choice is the Utility Sling Strap by OP/TECH USA. It has the convenience of the traditional neck strap without the discomfort.  I found that I could walk and hike just fine with the camera at my side without any modifications.

The strap has  super comfortable neoprene padding for the shoulder and convenient attachments for any camera.  But it’s not just the strap I like. It is the beginning of a system that I’ve modified to carry my camera in the most convenient and secure way yet.

And then the bag

I like the light weight sling for highly active camera carrying but when I when I'm carrying a bit more stuff,  I love the Mountain Smith  Lumbar Packs for hiking around.  I love that they easily convert from a very comfortable lumbar pack to a simple side satchel bag by simply tucking the waist-belt into the  sleeves in the back padding. The shoulder strap can then be used to carry it on a shoulder.

Getting things in and out is super easy in either configuration as it can simply slide in front of you at waist level for easy access.

Finally the Cube

I use the Tour  nearly everyday as my go to gear bag for binoculars, camera and basic emergency gear as I’m out walking the trails or looking for local wildlife.

What makes this bag  even better is the Mountain Smith Cube insert.  It give the bag an extra amount of padding and also give the bag some rigidity for sliding optics in and out.    

Note: I used Amazon affiliate links in pointing to these products.  Because it never hurts to try :)