f-stop Tilopa DuraDiamond (m116 + m231 + m923-69), green

Product Information

I have never had any issues with having to gate check the bag (If you are unfortunate enough to find someone being difficult at the gate, you can always remove the ICU and just check the empty shell of the bag). It also has several adjustment points for added comfort, multiple access points for loading and unloading, and just the right amount of pockets for storage without being overwhelmed and having to forget where you put things. I use the little pocket on the front to carry a rain cover, although the bag is weather resistant, if you’re caught out in a heavy shower, it’s always good to put a rain cover on to give you added protection.

I believe this bag should include four Gatekeepers, with additional pairs available for those that want to go nuts and start attaching stuff all over the place. The main gripe is that the foam dividers are nothing more than a rectangle foam box shoved into a well defined pack. The logical question to ask then is whether or not the clumsy camera access is enough to warrant disregarding the bag’s stellar comfort levels.They are so well integrated that I forgot about one of them and was cursing all weekend when I could have sworn that I had lost an important cable. Now, for all of you that have traveled with your gear know, some flights snag you and make you check a bag if the flight is packed. Welded seams in key locations combined with DuraDiamondTM fabric and weather resistant zippers provide even better protection from the elements. When it comes to getting to your location to shoot that image, carry your glass and your gear in the best bag. On the sides of the pack there are expandable side zipper pockets for longer items like a water bottle or an extra pair of pants.

The 2nd trip, it was over packed and they were making a lot of the passengers check their larger bags. The bag is made of the 330D double ripstop Nylon gives the material a different look but it is still quite pleasing to the eye. I am not affiliated with F-Stop and this bag was not a freebie, I bought this bag with my own money and genuinely believe its a great product! The Tilopa comes complete with expandable side pockets, allowing for even more storage than it already has!This can be frightening for anyone that has their gear in a bag that the airline wants to toss down a bag shoot and into the mix of bags that may or may not be there when you land.

Essentially, Would I advise that others look elsewhere for a photography daypack based on the Tilopa’s poor ergonomics? Whether it was the little kid in me that thought trying this bag would get me to be get out and do something more adventurous that would require a hardcore rugged backpack like the F-Stop Tilopa, or just that it looked like a cool ass bag to test out, I said yes. As a tall-ish person (5’ 11”), I’ve had some camera bags that don’t come all the way down my back, which I find annoying and awkward. I have four f-Stop backpacks but the 50litre Tilopa, which sits in the middle of the range of Mountain Series backpacks has long been my favourite.I have been using f-Stop bags for several years now and am a big fan of their modular system (more on that in a moment).