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MADE Products CA-2001-BLK Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag (Black) |
I own several lenses alongside my current camera body, a Canon EOS 5D. At first glance, the Seattle Sling is very chunky. It's a rectangular mammoth, looking quite a bit larger than the Lowepro...
I figured because of this that there would be quite a bit of room inside the case, but I was disappointed to see there's much, much less room than the Slingshot...
The design is interesting, as inside the case there's a "waterproof" bag and the slots for your equipment inside the bag. Think Ziploc with magnets at the top instead of a "real" seal. This is bizarre, as the magnets, while convenient, don't properly seal the bag, so I really don't think your camera would survive a drop in the water. In the case of extreme rain, the camera would probably be fine, but I'd argue that the Lowepro is even better in this respect since it has a waterproof cover that comes out and covers the entire OUTER case, i.e. no water gets in. With the Slingshot, water can get in the outer part but technically gets stopped when it reaches the inner magnetically sealed bag where your equipment is stored.
There's technically room for 4 lenses and one camera body with a lens attached, but in reality there's not much chance of this happening unless you have a relatively small SLR and small lenses along with it. My 5D with the 24-105 Canon lens stick up considerably with the lens face down in the bag, leaving the body of the camera quite exposed at the top to being bashed around, certainly more than the Lowepro.
Another problem with this bag is there's only a little place to put accessories, and, ironically, this part is definitely NOT water protected. I noticed some rain had got in while out this past week, and my filter covers were a little moist. The sides of this accessory holder are protected by a MESH cover, with holes in it! HOLES? Holes + rain = BAD! This little holder seems more of an afterthought than anything else...
Overall, I'm disappointed with the case. I think the build quality is quite nice, but it really is a chunky case. As soon as you put the case on your shoulder you're well aware you've got a material brick on your back. It's not at all subtle, and it's nowhere near as easy to get your equipment out as the manufacturer would have you believe. It feels like digging in a bag. Couple that with not being able to hold very much, and you have to wonder why.
So while not an awful bag by any means, you're much better off with the Lowepro. It has more compartments and space, isn't quite as chunky-monkey in its appearance, and is considerably less expensive.
**EDIT**
I forgot to mention, this bag has the most obnoxious velcro cover EVER that you have to pull apart to get into the case. If you're in the forest and need to switch lenses to get a picture of that deer 200 feet away, forget it! You try and open the bag and you'll scare the entire forest away. And the forest next to that forest.
pros:
- Making this bag waterproof was clearly their main goal.
- There is a lot of padding in this bag. The bag is padded, and there is a padded insert inside the plastic bag.
- It's designed to be able to easily access the contents of the bag while wearing it. That might be obvious to people who are used to this sort of sling bag, but I am used to camera backpacks, and the difficulty accessing my gear while holding the bag was my biggest dislike of my camera backpack.
- Seems very well made, but I have not had this bag long enough to see how well it really holds up.
- Straps for holding a tripod
Cons:
- Theres no smaller pockets. I love little pockets to help me organize my stuff. This bag has none, except for some little mesh pockets you can get to by opening the top of the bag. But they are very small and dont have any kind of closure on them, so I dont know if I would trust them enough to keep anything important in them. There are places on the outside of the bag where you could probably strap smaller pouches, (like maybe the Lowepro slip lock cases?) though I have not tried it. I don't know what they were thinking by leaving out smaller pockets, but I want them.
- It doesn't hold very much considering the overall size. But that is the price you pay for having a bag that is so well padded.
Overall I am impressed; the bag seems to be very well thought out, so I am somewhat baffled by the lack of side pockets. This seems to be sort of a specialty bag. I would say if you know you are going to be outdoors a lot where it will rain or someplace where you know you will be getting wet this bag would be a good choice. If you are just looking for an everyday sort of camera bag, this one might be overkill.
They all fit nice and snug, safe and secure within the six heavily padded compartments inside of this bag. I feel confident that I could fling this bag against a brick or concrete wall many times, or drop it from a 10 story building and sustain no damage to the electronics inside. I'm so glad I have a place to keep all of these little items nice and neat, instead of them laying around like they used to before I got this bag.
The waterproof heavy plastic bag that envelopes the compartments is sturdy and should do a good job of keeping out water for temporary tasks, although it isn't made for prolonged submersion (but I think it could hold out pretty long).
The bag looks nice, is high quality and sturdily constructed, and well padded. I find the strap is a bit awkward and inflexible, though, allowing only the option of carrying it over one shoulder instead of having a hand grip to carry it horizontally. I wish they had put a handle on top of the bag but then I guess for the true purpose for which this bag is intended, the hand;e is in the right place. The straps included for holding a tripod on the exterior are also well made.
All in all, this is a high-quality product that provides excellent protection for an SLR camera. Or, as you read for what I did, a variety of sensitive electronic gadgets. The main hesitation I would have with this bag is the price - it is pretty expensive, hence 4 instead of 5 stars in my rating. But then carrying bags in general are pretty expensive. This one at least is well made and heavily padded, as well as made for keeping the contents waterproof.
Pluses:
1. Thick water resistant interior (waterproof for most boating and rain purposes). Unmatched for kayaks and canoes, as it can be carried on one's back while paddling. Best protection for any boat that might overturn.
2. For hikers--outstanding rain protection and also transports tripod.
3. Easy to strap on and remove.
4. Padded for extra protection.
Minuses:
1. Bulky due to padding and water protection.
2. Less comfortable than hip pack. But a hip pack doesn't carry the tripod well, and may not be as water resistant.
If you want a single bag for many outdoor conditions, this is for you!
This would have been the perfect bag while hiking The Narrows in Zion National Park. The only difficulty is the lack of spontaneity. The bag is somewhat cumbersome with several buckles and some very strong, very noisy Velcro. It could be enough of a hassle to make one decide that the current shot really isn't worth the trouble.
My Nikon D300 fits easily between the removable, very well padded partitions with additional room for a wide-angle or an even longer lens. The tripod holder is a nice add, but the tripod must be removed to get into the bag. Also note that the bag fits vertically across ones back, not horizontally as in the photo, so the tripod is actually in the upright position and not as balanced as it appears in the photo.
It is possible to get to the camera by unfastening the one small anchor strap and spinning the pack around to the front. All the contents are accessible but, again, only by going through several buckles and strong Velcro. It's a trade-off -- a secure water-proof environment or easy accessibility. You probably can't have them both.
As a regular bag, it's fine. There's a heavy plastic orange bag inside that provides the water protection. This can be removed. The bag itself is very bulky and protects its contents well. This bulk adds weight, though, and it may be overkill for a regular day of shooting.
For my trip to Kenya next month during their short rainy season, I'm undecided whether to take this bag for its protection or my non water-proof bag for its convenience.
On a different note, the plastic has an unpleasant smell and I don't think it will air out.
So definitely this bag is not useful for say professional wedding and event photographers like myself. But it may appeal to nature photographers who shoot in challenging weather conditions where camera gear protection is needed. It's solidly built with lots of padding.
But my professional advice for anyone ordering this bag from Amazon is to keep the receipt because it might not fit your needs. For a similar price, I have seen better bags, even though this one does provide insular protection that is not a standard with most camera bags on the market.
The simple pinch clasps that assemble the bag and straps make cleaning a breeze ( I accidentally sat mine down in some mud). The exterior material is durable and should last for many years. The stitching is tight and reliable. The interior bag is made of a plastic type material and has a bright red color. Easy to see inside a closet if you put it away for the winer. Overall, this camera bag is a good investment for the outdoor photographer.
My old bags had a nasty habit of swinging along with my momentum when I put the strap on my shoulder but not this bag. The strap is from 3" to 4" wide and is very padded so when you put it on you won't feel like it's going to saw off your shoulder.
It also features another strap located on the lower right corner of the bag that acts as a stabilizer keeping it nice and motionless. It actually looks a lot like a vehicular seatbelt in the way that it's designed.
There are no pockets on the outside but it's not an issue since the inside of the bag has plenty of room for your camera and its accessories. I'm talking about a 10" deep, 13 1/2" long space with a padded divider for all your lenses, film, filters, etc. The divider itself has been placed inside a bright red bag used to keep your equipment safe from dirt, dust, sand, and water and it has instructions printed on the outside for your convenience.
The entire camera bag is really like two bags in one with padding provided from the outer bag and small particulate protection provided from the inner bag.
The coolest part I found was that when you need to get your camera out of the bag, you don't even have to take it off. If you unhook the stabilizing strap I mention earlier, the bag can then be swung around in front of you securely (meaning you won't have to worry about it swinging back around at all) and opened up pretty easily. It's like it turns you into one of those vendors at sports games selling beer and hotdogs from a tray in front of their chests. With this function, the camera bag's bulk makes perfect sense. It seems to me like Made Products thought of almost everything when they designed this bag.
For everything that I like about it, I have two small beefs with this camera bag. While the design is good, the color of the inner bag should have been changed to match the rest of the bag. This is a super red color that almost hurts the eyes. The other beef I had deals with some straps on the outside of the bag. They are supposed to be used to carry a tripod for your camera but when I strapped mine in, the bag kept slipping backwards. I would recommend using this feature if you have a lightweight or smaller tripod.
Overall though I think this camera bag is well worth the price.
Keep in mind, however, that this is a large bag, about the size of a backpack, which is meant for large, professional camera equipment. This isn't meant for a small digital camera. For something like that, you'd be better off with a pelican case.
First: I like the look and the basic design of the bag. The velcro for the top flap is really heavy duty. It is a good substitute for zippers IF you are using the orange bag inside of the case. The orange protection bag can be pulled out and the insert with the dividers can be reinserted without the water resistant bag. There is space for memory cards and filters just above where the top lid attaches to the case, but no where else. The backpack-type strap is unique and I liked it, although it took some getting used to. The interior space is surprisingly small considering the size of the bag. However, I don't believe that this was designed to be an "all-purpose" camera bag (as are most Tenbas and Lowe Pros). This was made for transporting equipment (photo or otherwise) into really wet environments. So that's what I tested it for.
I used the orange "bag" for all of the water tests. I stuffed the interior dividers with colored paper (I was not up for risking my own photo gear) that turns really dark when exposed to the slightest bit of moisture. Next, I took it outside and took out my garden hose and my trusty eight-way spray nozzle.
I started with the "mist" setting and held the nozzle just two feet from the bag and sprayed all around it for about 20 minutes. If you have ever been close to a great falls you have an idea of what I was testing for. The bag wipes off surprisingly well. The paper was completely dry. Success #1.
Second I used a setting that would simulate a pretty good rain storm. Since I have been caught in these many times with my own camera bag in the past (including in the rain forest of Peru and a down-pour in a South Florida that I thought would never end) I felt that one hour was just about the right amount of time. I noticed some water inside of the case itself but not inside of the orange bag. It was still dry inside. Success #2.
Now, I wouldn't have subjected the bag to this last test if it were not for the photo on the on the tag that showed the bag being submerged in water. I wanted to see how well the Camera Armor bag protected gear from an accidental fall into water. This has happened to me several times in my life and I have ended up damaging a Hassleblad, two Leicas and ruining a favorite view camera lens. Time for a dip in the pool!
I stood near the edge of the four foot deep part of a community swimming pool and imagined that I had a brand new Canon 50D (yet to be released at this time) and about $5000 in lenses in the bag. I "lost" my balance, fell into the water and immediately raised the bag out of the pool as quickly as I would have if it had been for real. Wow! No paper inside of the bag was even a little bit wet. However, if I had memory cards in the space that I think they were meant to be they would have been subjected to a drowning unless they were in their own little plastic cases. Success #3!
I took out the colored paper and stuck white paper inside it now. I took it to a dry field and almost covered it with dirt and sand. Again, the interior of the bag had dirt in it, but not the protective orange bag. Success #4. I was tired and gave up in any further torture.
This is a GREAT bag for what it is designed for and worth the cost. But I have to be honest and say that this model should not be considered a "Pro" bag. There just isn't enough room for even enough gear for a day trip. Also, it is hard to get in and out of when using the orange bag. Where I think that this bag fits in is as a way for adventurists to carry a modest amount of sensitive gear and protect it from getting wet or dirty. I could put a digital SLR with a zoom attached, a flash, a GPS and radio or two. Until it is available in a larger model I would suggest the pro gets an external cover for his/her existing case. If you think that you and your bag might get submerged carry your equipment in a Pelican case.
I give the Camera Armor 5 stars for water resistance and 3 for being a well thought-out camera bag, so 4 stars in all.
Pelican 1450 Case w/Foam (Black)
Pelican 1620 Watertight Hard Case with Dividers & Wheels - Black
Unlike the Case Logic bag, this bag is not easy to get your camera in and out of quickly. This bag is more for transporting. I think this would be a good bag for traveling. I'm not sure, but it may be small enough to qualify as the "extra" carry on you can take on a plane in addition to one piece of carry on luggage. If so, and you have a lot of camera equipment, this would be a big help, especially since they charge for checked bags now.
Another thing about this bag is that I think it would be better marketed as protection from "the elements" than just water (this product is not submersible, by the way). The emphasis is on waterproof, but in reality it would be good protection from dust and maybe protect in cold and heat, as well. It might be a good place for long term storage.
Since there are a lot of detailed descriptions of this bag and its positive and negative attributes let me just add some info that I did not see here yet.
I took this on a Southwest Airlines flight this past weekend. The bag would not fit under the aisle seat without more pushing than I would be comfortable with considering I had my SLR in it. It would fit under the middle seat and was ok under the window seat. It is large enough to count as your "bag" with the way that the airlines are cracking down on what you carry on. The fact that it is very well padded makes it a little less stressful to put it in the overhead bin, but be sure someone does not come along and shove a hard suitcase against it.
It is nice in that it does not scream "I am carrying lots of expensive camera equipment" But it does not have 2 rubber "camera armor" badges on it. This is something my Canon camera backpack also has plastered on the back. I wish that companies would not put these logos on the outside, since I really don't want to indicate what I have in my bag.
It was not a problem putting it through the scanner, although the TSA did look at the little magnetic clasp once it went through the x-ray machine one of the four times I went through security. And they did not want me showing them how to open it so I had to talk them through.
It's a bit hard to carry with a purse because if you are female and more than a little endowed the smaller strap part of the backpack ends up acting a little like an unintended underwire bra.
The waterproof case is removable. In fact I took it out when I went down to the beach to shoot and put it inside another case.
Also when I got home I tested it by putting a towel in it, putting it in the shower for 2 minutes and then taking it out. The towel was perfectly dry. So I would feel confident this would protect my camera in really wet weather.
Will keep your stuff dry! The interior red-orange bag is a "dry bag", similar to other "dry bag" products used by kayakers, rafters, etc. It's heavy-duty rubber bag that secures by a magnetic strip, then rolling it multiple times and securing. This is proven technology for keeping stuff dry - at least from rainstorms and quick drop-and-retrieve from the water. Water could seep in if immersed for any length of time, however.
Will keep your stuff in one piece. The interior of the "dry bag" is a fabric covered foam box, with adjustable dividers. This box and the dividers are very dense foam. The exterior of the bag contains yet another layer of padding on all sides.
Very wearable. You wear this bag on your back, like a backpack, but the strap crosses over your chest, with an additional strap coming up the other side. This design feels more secure than a standard backpack, and also leaves your shoulders freer for paddling, climbing, etc. The main strap is very well padded, and both straps are quite adjustable. I'm only 5'2", and it adjusted down to my size just fine.
Appears quite durable. The outer fabrics are a very high denier fabric (like on some so-called "bulletproof" soft luggage) and a rubberized fabric. They seems like they'll hold up very well. The straps and buckles are high quality. The stitching is tight and secure.
CONS:
It is bulky compared to the capacity. Exterior is approx 15x9x9, interior is approx 11x8x6. Especially for a small person, the overall size is a little overwhelming.
No quick access to gear. The bag is ingeniously designed to transition from your back to your front, for access to your gear without removing from your back. However, undoing the buckles and unrolling the dry bag takes some time. You will miss shots.
No alternate carrying method. The straps are very well designed for backpack style wearing, but it would be nice to have an additional handle for casual carrying as well.
The short: Works as advertised, has been made for kayak usage.
The material of the bag is very durable and definitely water proof. The inside of the bag contains a standard padded compartment that holds my D40 with 28-105mm lens as well as a 300mm zoom.
The padded compartment sits inside a waterproof bag similar to the "Sealline Baja Dry Bag". I have some experience with those from water rafting and some extreme wet hiking trips. It is not 100% water proof since it uses magnets to quickly close the bag which then needs to be rolled up three times (instead of zip lock), but it does hold up well to quick drenching.
Since I did not have time to get out with a kayak, I decided to dump it in my pond loaded down with rocks and flip it upside over and push it down simulating a Kayak roll over. After pushing it down, rolling it over three times, I dragged it out of the water. Water ran out of the bag through the special designed holes on the bottom. With throbbing heart I opened it up, and... the content was still dry (3 stars for this one).
The 4th star goes to the great thinking of the sling type of holder. It is fairly comfortable carrying it, especially in the awkward position of a Kayak. The way the bag is worn makes the rectangular shape very manageable. When the bag is full with the equipment, the weight does get distributed across the chest area.
Now the other star I award to the fact that in a kayak, I don't always have much space available. It actually takes me less then 15 seconds to unsling the bag, get my Digital SLR out and take a picture. As a bonus it also floats, so you can keep it next to your Kayak.
As a final note, if the entire bag gets wet, it can be easily and completely disassembled for quick drying/cleaning.
First the compromises:
1. It's a bit of a pain to get things in and out of the case. You undo a velcro flap, and then have to unfold the inner water-tight bag.
2. It's not as accommodating of accessories as it might be. I can fit my Canon 1ds and a 100-400 flash inside the bag, but not much else. There aren't the usual pockets, etc. for all the other accessories. (Yes, you can fit a small tripod.) If you're using a more normal-sized SLR, you'll find room inside for a body+lens, a reasonable telephoto, and a strobe.
3. It is only comfortably carried as a backpack. There isn't a good way to carry it by hand (i.e. no comfortable handle).
And what I really like:
1. The magnetic clasp on the inner water-tight bag is ingenious. No zippers or other things that will fail in the field.
2. There's one shoulder strap that fits like a seatbelt strap (diagonally across the chest) with another smaller strap that wraps around and connects to the main strap. It's reasonably comfortable, and saves the weight and bulk of a second main shoulder strap.
3. I was frankly surprised a bag of this size and protection could hold my 1ds and a big L lens.
4. Between the water-tight bag and the "inner wall / outer wall" construction, it's obvious that my camera is VERY well protected.
Bottom line: I will use this bag whenever I take my camera into a harsh environment. The bag is well constructed, feels good, and should be considered by outdoor photographers.
FWIW: If you don't need the same level of protection, I'd suggest looking at a more traditional camera backpack. This isn't a knock against the MADE backpack -- just a suggestion that you carefully consider the tradeoff between convenience, carrying capacity and protection.
The outside is a well-padded mildly flexible case with a comfortable adjustable shoulder and waist strap for carrying. There is a Velcro flap with two buckles that can hold a tripod securely on the outside. I can fit my Sunpak 9002DX Tripod.
When opening the bag, the cover has a thick wide Velcro patch. Just inside the flap there is room for other gear (I place my small Sunpak Tabletop Tripod in there). Inside the outer bag are three mesh panels where I store my memory cards and batteries.
Inside the main bag is a separate red thick plastic bag for your sensitive photography gear. It has a center buckle and two side buckles that unlock. The bag has a thick seal. It then unrolls into a deep waterproof bag with soft foam liners at the bottom that separate into three compartments. The padding is very sturdy yet soft. I can easily fit my Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera Kit and Lenses very easily. Once stored, you roll the red bag up three times over, seal the opening and buckle the three plastic buckles to secure it.
The bag itself is amazingly well made of quality materials and there are no zippers. Everything is Velcro and buckles. The entire bag system can be taken apart - the outer bag, the inner red waterproof bag and the soft foam liner compartments. I can rest assured that the bag can bounce and be slightly knocked about with out worry of damage to my equipment. In fact, I am no longer afraid that my gear could suddenly be tossed overboard when sailing as the bag floats (No, I have NOT tried that, but I assure you; it floats). It weighs a few pounds not counting your gear, but the protection from the elements is the most important feature. Its also a very smart looking bag. Considering how much all my equipment is worth, this bag is a great bargain and a real comfort.
Pros: BIG, sturdy (the straps, bag, and strap connectors are all very substantial), waterproof, easy to use (access, item insert/removal, etc.)
Cons: BIG, heavy
Last thought: I wouldn't consider opening the inner orange bag while exposed to the reason to have the bag: water! But once out of the rain/fog/waterfall, I am confident the stuff inside will come out dry.
Keep in mind that this bag is designed to be carried like a messenger bag (i.e. on a slant). It becomes really awkward when you strap your tripod to the bag and then sling it over your shoulder. The weight of the tripod doesn't feel evenly distributed and gave me the impression that it was going to slide out.
Where this bag shines is its ability to almost guarantee that you could literally throw your camera off the side of a ship into the ocean and you'd have nothing to worry about. The waterproof portion of the bag is heavy-duty in every aspect, although I wish the actual storage size of the space was larger.
If you're a serious outdoor person and expect to be in the water a lot, then you might want this bag. If you're a casual hiker this is not the bag for you as it is too expensive for a general purpose carrying case. This bag is designed to fit the bill for a specific purpose (waterproof case) and it appears to do that quite well.
Also, the bag is too small to accomodate some of the larger telephoto lenses like my Canon 100-400L and my 70-200L so if you have a DSLR, you're going to be stuck with wide angle and portrait lenses only.
UPDATED - 28Oct08:
I finally figured out how to use the strap thanks to one of the other reviews. It was raining steadily this past weekend and I wanted to take my Nikon D300 with 70-200mm lens to an outdoor event in case the weather cleared enough to snap a few photos. As I previously mentioned, this bag is not large -- the camera and lens completely filled the compartment with nooks left for teleconverter, battery, spare memory card, etc. I also found that it was impossible to adjust the strap to keep the bag from poking me in the center of my lower back. I think if the bag had been made with the upper strap attached at the top of the bag, this might not have been the case. On the plus side, the bag kept its contents bone dry.
Overall, I'd say if you've got thousands of dollars of equipment laying around which you need to carry with you, often, then this is the case for you. VERY well padded, I'd say about half its size is probably padding. I'm sure you could drop it 5 or 6 feet and practically nothing will happen to your equipment. Inside, it has 5 compartments, all padded individually. Around the case are a few extra compartments for your other essentials, like a tripod, as pictured.
But, if you just have an SLR or whatever camera with one lens that you hardly use, do yourself a favor and skip this. Unless you've invested thousands into your equipment this is something you can do without.
Thus I approached this product with some excitement.
First the pros:
- No zippers---the velcro enclosures mean longer life and none of those untimely snags when busting out your gear.
- The waterproof enclosure is very simple---just roll the top of it down over itself three times and secure with the clips. There are useful pictorial directions printed on the top of the enclosure
- Access to gear is fast - 20 seconds and I had it out the first time I tried
Now the cons:
- There's not a lot of room inside the enclosure itself. A couple of lenses, flash, and camera body is about all you'll get in here
- There is very little space for other accessories such as memory cards, filters, cleaning supplies, batteries, etc---you will probably need to hang onto that photographer's vest in order to squirrel these away for easy access on a shoot
- The sling design is a bit awkward---since it goes over one shoulder, it rests to one side of your back. With tripod attached, you won't be able to carry anything else on your back, although your right arm does remain free
- The material on the underside of the sling may cause chafing over time
Other than that, I'd consider it a useful way to travel light when on a walkabout. Just make sure your wife carries your lunch.
It seems designed for the rigors of wilderness photography, hiking over rough terrain, in heavy rainstorms, but it also works for an ordinary road trip with side-trip adventures, or for sailing.
This is an unusually comfortable camera bag. The nicely padded shoulder strap runs diagonally, and there is another strap which can optionally be attached to make it very secure, when wearing this backpack-style. The bag can also be worn in the front, although it does look bulky. The padding on the shoulder strap is better than I've seen on any camera bag or backpack or messenger bag. The straps are fully adjustable, and probably large enough for anyone under, say, 350 pounds, maybe more.
There is mesh-covered extra padding and mesh-covered flexible ribbing on the one side which would be flat against one's back when wearing this in backpack-style mode. It seems designed not to feel sticky and uncomfortable on one's back -- a nice feature when walking a lot on a very hot humid day (just think about the sweating).
It is designed so that even when wearing it on the back, it is easy to swing it around to one's front side, for easy access to one's camera. Unlike a backback, you don't need to take it off when you want to get something out of the bag.
The bag has 3 NESTED COMPONENTS which work together to protect one's camera:
(1) there is the thickly-padded outer bag which closes with hook-and-loop closures (similar to Velcro TM).
Nested inside of that, there is a
(2) waterproof bag made of thick orange-colored plastic -- it has a texture that reminds me of duct tape, except much thicker and not sticky. The closure seems to have hidden magnetic strips. The directions printed on the bag say to roll the top edge over 3 times after closing it, and then fasten the orange straps to specific points on the outer bag, which is another feature to prevent the waterproof plastic bag layer from opening.
Inside the plastic bag, there is a
(3) soft box-shaped container made of cushion materials. Quality cushioning! I tried pinching the sides of the container; the cushioning was so strong and resilient that I could not fully compress it between my fingers. It is much better than the cheap type of foam that will mash down if there is any weight put on it. The cushioning is covered soft synthetic fabric on the inside of the box; and with nylon, or what appears to be nylon, on the outer side of the box.
Within this boxy thing are 4 partition pieces made of the same cushion stuff. The partitioning pieces are attached with hook-and-loop fasteners (similar to Velcro TM), which will cling to any part of the synthetic fabric which lines the box, or can be attached to another partition piece, for further subdividing the space. Thus the partition pieces can be rearranged to suit your needs, or even removed.
The interior dimensions of the cushion box are about 12 inches x 5 inches x 8 inches high, when the walls are held straight. However, the sides are soft and somewhat flexible, allowing it to accommodate somewhat larger equipment. The other components of this camera bag are also soft-sided, BTW. Thus, the cushion box can bulge at the sides, to approximately 14 inches x 9 inches, in a curved shape, with an oval-shaped opening. The bottom seems to have a thin layer of something rigid (plastic I'm guessing) layered in the cushioning, to keep the bottom in a flat rectangular shape; thus there is a limit to the flexibility.
Now, back to the outer-most component. The outer bag has loops for attaching more equipment, such as a tripod. Under the lid of the outer bag, there are small mesh pockets.
Although the bag is waterproof, the tag says "not designed for submersion". This may not be a bag to wear while snorkeling or scuba diving. I haven't worn it in a rainstorm yet -- I just recently got it -- but it looks able to keep the contents dry even in a heavy rain, or if splashed while in a boat.
This is not a dainty petite bag. Due to all the padding and layers, the outer dimensions of this camera bag are about 9.25 x 8 x 13.75 inches, excluding the straps. However, it is lightweight.
By the way, the nested components can be removed, if you unfasten them. I did that when I first got this, for the purpose of examining it closely. Under ordinary use, I don't forsee a need for removing the nested components.
In summary, this is a great camera bag.
While the well-padded sling that goes diagonally across the back of the bag can be hung over your left shoulder so that the bag loosely rests on your left shoulder blade, it is designed to be primarily worn by slipping both your head and left arm through the sling so that the sling comes over your right shoulder, goes diagonally down the front of your body, and connects to the bag behind the left side of your abdomen. Once the bag is slung onto your back, a smaller strap coming from the bottom-right of your abdomen clasps onto the sling in the front at chest level.
One main advantage of this sling design is that you can conveniently access the bag's contents by unclasping the smaller strap and rotating the sling clockwise around your neck to bring the bag from behind your left side until it rests on your abdomen. With the bag slung in front of you, you can now open up the main flap that is fastened using a large Velcro strip, and you can proceed to change cameras, lenses, flash cards, batteries, or access other supplies. I have made changes to my camera before while still slowly walking with the backpack slung on my abdomen as the top-facing part of the bag can be used as a platform to rest the camera body upon.
However, some people, notably women, may not like how the sling strap and second smaller strap tighten diagonally across the chest area. So this configuration will not be comfortable for everyone, especially since a fully-loaded sling backpack can pull on the chest with its front diagonal straps.
The following review compares the Seattle Sling with the Lowepro Slingshot 200 All Weather Backpack (Black). Lowepro's Slingshot 300 is a roomier version of the Slingshot 200 and will carry a larger camera with a larger telephoto zoom lens attached. The Slingshot 200 is comparable to the Seattle Sling in size and appearance, and thus both camera backpacks are competing products.
Both the Seattle Sling and the Slingshot 200 have high build quality, with great stitching and flush seams. Both backpacks offer the same amount of padding protection.
Both the Seattle Sling and the Slingshot 200 have a similar size for the main compartment. They will both hold either one larger full-frame DSLR or two smaller DSLRs. Inside both backpacks, I can carry both my Canon EOS 30D with a small zoom lens and EOS 40D with the 70-200mm f/4L attached. The maximum total allowable length of the camera body and attached lens for both backpacks is right at 10 inches. With the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L lens attached to the 40D, it becomes hard to close the Velcro flap, and most 300mm and larger lens will likely not fit when attached to the camera.
Both the Seattle Sling and the Slingshot 200 have similar sling designs, with the sling going from your right shoulder down to the lower left side of your abdomen. It would have been nice to have the option to reverse the direction of the sling, for example by having the sling removable and reversible via buckle clasps, but neither backpack has that option.
The Slingshot 200's sling, however, does have a buckle clasp on the bottom that lets me quickly unsling the bag without having to pull the sling up over my head. This seemingly minor convenience feature becomes quite useful if I am wearing a wide-rim safari/hiking hat or even a baseball cap with a wide bill. With the Seattle Sling's non-detachable sling, taking off the backpack means pulling the sling up over my head and possibly moving or knocking my hat/cap off. This might seem like a trivial nitpick until you keep bumping your hat/cap every time you pull the sling up over your head to take off the backpack. Slingshot 200 wins this comparison.
The Slingshot 200 has stiffer compartment dividers while the Seattle Sling has softer compartment dividers. Both backpacks use Velcro to hold the compartment dividers in their place. The compartment dividers inside the Slingshot 200 are covered with nylon, while the dividers inside the Seattle Sling are covered with a very soft plush fabric that reminds me of the fabric used to line some jewelry and necklace boxes. While the Seattle Sling's dividers are softer to the touch, I personally prefer the stiffer foam that is used in the Slingshot 200's dividers making its dividers slightly less prone to flexing due to the weight of the camera gear compared with the softer dividers used in the Seattle Sling. Slingshot 200 wins this comparison.
The Slingshot 200 has far more storage pockets than the Seattle Sling. The Seattle Sling only has 3 pockets made of elastic webbing. When the top flap is fully opened, a V-shaped trough opens up next to these 3 elastic webbing pockets that implies one can also store items inside this trough. But I would never keep items here since it is not a self-contained area and things would fall out of there too easily. The 3 small pockets made of elastic webbing can hold flash cards, film, and batteries. But with the tops of the pockets being unsecured, I was afraid that thin items such as CF cards would fall out of them, so I attached two small squares of Velcro to act as closures in each of these 3 pockets. On the inside wall of the main compartment, the Seattle Sling does have a large flat Velcroed compartment that is occupied by a 9x13 inch section of foam insert. I suppose that one could store large flat items like owner's manuals inside this area, but it is not a good place to store batteries, flash cards, and supplies; the pocket is too wide, deep, and narrow, and retrieving small items would require fishing around with one's hands. By comparison, the Slingshot 200 has Velcroed, webbed, and zippered pockets in various sizes: a webbed pocket in the main compartment that also holds a soft LCD screen protector cover fabric; a Velcroed pocket on the inside of the cover flap that holds flash cards, film, or batteries; an outside zippered compartment that is roomy enough to hold an entire point-and-shoot camera; and an even larger half-circle zippered compartment that can hold another lens, manuals, air blower, supplies, and manuals. The extra half-circle storage compartment on the Slingshot 200 makes its total length 2 inches longer than the Seattle Sling, but having two externally accessible compartments without needing to open up the main compartment is a huge plus for me. I do also own a Domke PhoTOGS photographer vest with 18 pockets on it, but there are plenty of times when I do not wear that vest and so I miss having external pockets on the Seattle Sling. Slingshot 200 wins big in this comparison.
The Seattle Sling has more external loop straps than the Slingshot 200. The Slingshot 200 has 3 external loop straps through which you can insert a monopod or smaller tripod. The Seattle Sling has 4 pairs of loop straps as well as an external flap secured with two buckle clasps that can hold a larger tripod than the Slingshot 200. Seattle Sling wins this comparison.
The Slingshot 200 is less obtrusive than the Seattle Sling, and this is a good thing for two reasons. The exterior of both backpacks are black nylon. The Slingshot 200 has a small "Lowepro" logo on the top of the backpack and another logo on the padded sling. The Seattle Sling has a bold "Protection In Action / Camera Armor" red logo facing outward and a "Camera Armor" logo on the padded sling. There are some situations, like walking in urban areas and foreign countries, when I do not want to advertise that I am carrying a camera. Unless you recognize the "Lowepro" logo as a maker of camera bags, I could just as well be carrying clothing as I schlep from hostel to hostel. I tried pulling the red "Protection In Action / Camera Armor" logo off of my bag, but could not. The far more obtrusive aspect of the Seattle Sling is that the large 3x13 inch Velcro that closes the main flap makes a loud abrasive sound when you pull it apart to access the main compartment. This presents problems if you are, for instance, in a quiet room not wanting to attract too much attention, or if you suddenly bump into some nearby wildlife out in the woods and you did not have your camera out already. In contrast, I have quickly unzipped my Slingshot 200 while making only a slight low-pitched unzipping sound. Slingshot 200 wins this comparison.
As an aside, on the Seattle Sling, the 3x13 inch "loop" side of the Velcro is fitted on a wrinkly piece of flexing nylon. At times, the "hook" side of the Velcro on the closing flap aligns more evenly with the "loop" side if I first use one hand to stretch out the Velcro "loop" flap. This big section of Velcro would fit together more naturally if the "loop" flap was made far stiffer so that it always landed consistently underneath the Velcro "hook" flap.
The ventilated ribbed back of the Seattle Sling is a bit more comfortable under hot sweaty conditions compared with the non-ribbed back of the Slingshot 200. This is only an issue in hot climates, but I do like the ribbed back on the Seattle Sling better. But in climates not as hot, the Slingshot 200 does have comfortable soft back.
The Seattle Sling is more waterproof than the Slingshot 200. The main foam compartment of the Seattle Sling fits inside a durable red vinyl bag (which has a strong petrochemical plastic odor to it). Two pairs of magnets at the top lip of the bag provide the initial closure, and then you roll/fold the top lip three times before tightly securing both ends of the bag to buckle clasps on both ends of the backpack. While this is water-resistant, it is not really totally waterproof or watertight. When closed up this way, the Seattle Sling's contents would probably survive kayaking or whitewater rafting through class 5 rivers or possibly even having the entire bag dropped in six feet of water and quickly pulled up again. But if the Seattle Sling fell off of a boat or sea kayak and was not retrieved until someone later fetched it from the ocean floor wearing scuba gear, the contents would likely be wet.
In comparison, the "All Weather" aspect of the Slingshot 200 consists of a waterproof cover that normally stays concealed inside a Velcro-secured pocket along the back padding of the backpack. To use it, you pull it out of its storage pocket and the waterproof cover is lined with an elastic band to wrap the cover around the entire front of the backpack, like the way that a fitted sheet fits on a mattress. This cover will not protect under whitewater conditions or if the backpack was quickly submersed in water. But the Slingshot 200's cover is fully effective when exposed to torrential rains. Last September, I was in Beijing visiting the Forbidden City when it rained heavily all morning and into the afternoon. I wore a hooded rain jacket with the camera tucked underneath it, and I had the Slingshot 200 with its All Weather cover protecting the backpack's contents. (The photographs from that gray day were not as contrasty, but did have an interesting misty atmosphere and mood to them.) Seattle Sling wins this comparison of water resistance and repeated prolonged exposure to water.
The Seattle Sling advertises that it provides "quick access to your gear". However, with all buckle clasps closed and the vinyl bag fully rolled up, I found that the Slingshot 200 was a quicker to fully open than the Seattle Sling. Furthermore, the Slingshot 200 was much quicker to fully close than the Seattle Sling. The Seattle Sling's vinyl bag can be removed from the backpack so that you just have the foam compartment inside. But then you are left with two half-circle holes at the top and bottom of the backpack and a Velcro-closed top flap with openings along the sides that are large enough for both dust and moisture to enter. Slingshot 200 wins here for both ease-of-access and speed-of-access.
The Seattle Sling costs about 50% more than the Slingshot 200. Slingshot 200 wins considerably on the basis of price.
In summary, the Seattle Sling mainly has advantages over the Slingshot 200 in applications involving lots of water: river/lake/sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, canoeing and boating, hiking and camping in rain forests and very wet areas. Thus, it is no surprise that Made Products is located in Seattle, where all such situations can apply. My next international adventure is almost four weeks in Africa later this year, with a combination of urban and safari outings. I plan to only take my Lowepro Slingshot for this trip because I do like it better. But if your main intent is to carry SLR cameras over lakes, oceans, and rivers, this is the best camera bag ever made for this. 4 stars for Seattle Sling and 5 stars for Slingshot 200.
One more note... Amazon's "Product Description" is a bit misleading; at the time of writing this review, it says: "We shield while you shoot! Camera Armor is a line of rugged, custom fit SLR digital camera cases engineered to provide maximum protection from impact and abrasion while allowing full access to all features of the camera. The four-part system includes Body Armor, Lens Armor, LCD Shield, and Lens Cap Leash. ..." If you browse over to cameraarmor.us, you will see that "Camera Armor" is actually their line of protective cases for DSLRs, even though the Seattle Sling backpack also has the "Camera Armor" text on its logo.
The innermost piece is a removable box composed of soft felt padding. The box contains four dividers that are held in place by velcro. You can move the dividers around to fit your gear. Most camera bags have this feature.
Next is a heavily plasticized bag that closes with a folding flap. This bit seems very waterproof. You can remove this if you like. It secures to the outer part of the bag with three webbing/buckle bits.
Finally, the outer bag. It is padded. It secures with velcro. Lots of velcro. Noisy velcro. No webbing/buckles are used to secure the lid.
The outer bag has a large flap to hold a tripod. It secures with two webbing/buckle bits. There is room for a fairly large tripod here.
The bag has a clever system for slinging onto your shoulder. It features a large padded strap that goes across your chest, and a small strap. It took me a while to figure it out. I like to put it on like this:
1. Unfasten the small strap.
2. Sling the large strap across my chest.
3. Fasten the small strap.
There is a maneuver that should be used to access your gear. While you are hiking through the woods, the bag is on your back, like a mountaineering pack, in a vertical configuration. You can
1. Unfasten the small strap.
2. Loosen (lengthen) the large strap. Do it now, while the buckle is easy to reach.
3. Slide the bag around to your stomach. It is now in a horizontal position, and you can look down on the opening flap of the bag.
At this point, both your hands are free to open the bag. This involves
1. Open the velcro flap. This is loud, so forget about sneaking up on wildlife here. Conveniently, the flap opens away from your body, revealing a large opening that faces straight up. Your gear won't fall out.
2. Unfasten the three webbing/buckle bits that secure the waterproof bag.
3. Unroll the waterproof bag. You are now looking straight down at your gear, nestled in the padded dividers of the bag.
The above maneuver can be safely done while standing knee deep in a sea of mud. You don't remove the bag from your torso.
Everything I see on this bag seems to be well thought out, well built, very nice! There is an outside panel that rests on your back when you are carrying the bag. This panel has padding and ventilation like a soft mountaineering pack. There are several loops of webbing on the outside of the bag for lashing on gear. All of the webbing/buckle bits are large and strong.
The only reservation I have regarding this product is that the user should determine that he really needs this level of protection. It is obvious to me that the bag offers superb protection against shock and penetration, dust and dirt. I believe that the bag offers superb protection against water and mud, although I have not tested this! However, this bag is somewhat large and heavy. In fact, I would estimate that the outside of the bag occupies somewhere between two and three times as much volume as the amount of gear that can be stowed inside. Finally, there are no outside pockets to this bag that would allow rapid access to small items.
All of the disadvantages listed in the previous paragraph are a direct result of the high level of protection that this bag offers. These are not design flaws, these are what you get. If you need a lot of protection, this bag rocks.
The exterior: the black shell of the sides and bottom is a thick, sturdy material with an appealing diamond-pattern (which is difficult to see in the pictures). This material allows for both protection of the items within and easy-cleaning of the bag itself. The back of the case has raised, padded areas covered in a tightly fit mesh (the tight fit is welcome compared to other products I have used which are loosely covered and begin to catch on clothing and tear easily). This allows a measure of comfort and breathe-ability. The shoulder strap has the same mesh covering the inside (very nice) and is padded (but padded enough, in my opinion, since I found the bag a little painful).
The interior: the interior is protected by extra wide strips of Velcro which must be pealed-away to gain access. Nice! Moreover, once the Velcro has been opened, a strap provides extra security! The orange protective bag rolls-down multiple times and then straps to the side of the bag to insure that no moisture enters. A magnetic strip at the bag's top also assures a quick, no-fuss closure. Inside, five compartments allow for a camera and multiple accessories. The compartments themselves have a very soft coating of fabric that will prevent any scratches to valuable equipment. Obviously, there can be no spontaneity with this level of protection, but I am willing to make that compromise. (And, yes, the plastic protective-lining does have a potent smell ... but, again, I just factor that into the whole "plastic can smell weird" category.)
No detail had been overlooked in the construction of this product. Period. I had no problem with moisture whatsoever and will not hesitate to carry my more expensive equipment in it.
My only criticism is that it is a little cumbersome and weighty. HOWEVER, I am a petite 5'6, 113 pounds ... so, please, take this into account. Still, I found that I could never really forget the burden of this pack ... and, for me, this was a bit of a deterrent. However, stronger folks may have a much easier time with this product!
If you are seeking a bag to end your worries, this is it. No doubt. And if you can handle the bulk and the heft, this product is a dream come true.
When I handled the bag for the first time, I was impressed with its weight and feel. It had that "heavy duty" look and feel about it. The seams appeared to be strong and tight and I didn't notice any loose threads that might indicate poor construction.
The bag has no zippers. Instead it relies on clips and receivers along with heavy duty velcro to close the bag. It uses a roll-up and clip down plastic inner liner with a magnetic seal to keep moisture out. The interior has padding around the perimeter. The unit has adjustable padded dividers to customize the bag for your equipment.
The strap system is well padded and comfortable. With a full lead: Canon Gl-2, extra batteries, mini-DV tape cases, 2-lenses, and a Gorillapod, I had to get a little creative in arranging the contents, but the bag hung well and was not overloaded.
This is a good product. As with any completely contained waterproof bag, there is not a ton of room for a-lot of junk, but there's plenty of room for the necessities you'll need in wet environments. I think "Made" products got it right, straight out of the gate.
I was disappointed by the bag for a number of reasons, the first of which being that this bag is as clumsy and awkward as most other camera bags I've used, if not more so. The product advertisement claims "quick acess to your gear", with which I wholeheartedly disagree. No zippers perhaps, but you have to unclip, unvelcro and unroll so many things that it may in fact take you longer to get your stuff out of this bag than an ordinary one. Also, the inner water-proof bag clips in and around the outer bag, so removing it from the satchel is a chore in itself.
My second complaint is that the micro-velcro does not perform well when wet. It still grips, but is considerably weak. This could lead to greater water submersion, although with the waterproof inner chamber that's pretty negligible.
I walked around with the bag full of my heaviest equipment for a bit and found that my shoulder got a bit tired after a while from the pressure. The padding along the backside of the bag and the strap are adequate for light to medium loads, but if you use a heavy non-digital SLR, plus equipment like large tripod, etc, you may feel a heavy bit of strain. I also did not care for the strap position, which was not easily reversible. This means I have to stop what I'm doing, sling the bag completely around my shoulder and then fumble with all the clips to do my shooting. Definitely frustrating.
Despite its drawbacks, the Seattle Sling Waterproof Bag does have some really good things going for it. Firstly, it's really cool looking and hi-tech. There is a lot of space for extra equipment and lenses without being too bulky. Some extra little spaces have also been woven into the design which can come in handy. It has a exterior clip roll for attaching a tripod-very handy. It's extremely WATER RESISTANT, which almost negates how hard it is to get in and out of it, but could mean life or death for your camera on a trip involving large amounts of water.
Is it worth the price? Ultimately it depends on your dexterity in undoing clips, unrolling bags, latches, hooks, etc and how often you think you'll be exposed to heavy water such as torrential rains, river rafting, sailing, etc.
Firstly, I am a whitewater kayaker and I enjoy bringing my camera wherever I can. Normally I take my Canon PowerShot point and shoot camera; with the prescribed waterproof case it's very secure in the water. I also own a Nikon D80 and would love to take it along for better pictures but always worry about securing it.
The thing this case offers is safe portability: the case is padded, securely waterproofed, and the backpack straps unique design actually fits nicely (even for a woman).
The thing this case doesn't offer is size: it's large. I can't blame the designers however, because designing a smaller bag means leaving behind accessories. Yet carrying the bag and gear on your back feels much like carrying a child in a papoose; not ideal if you're whitewater kayaking and tend to flip in current, but ideal if you're paddling calmer waters or in an open boat.
Ultimately this camera bag calls to protect your gear during rough elements, but I found that simply removing the dry bag from the main compartment and shoving it into the back of my boat worked just as well! Why hadn't I thought of this before? The extra removable padding inside the dry bag definitely helps, too!
Bottom line: a dry bag would cost much less, but the backpack feature is a cool idea though not always useful. Given that I'll probably use both I recommend this product, but only for what it's intended for - rugged outdoor use. Choose something else if you're intent is to use this as padded camera bag.
It has expansion straps to hold bulky items such as a mono or tripod and the inside has plenty of space for camera, lenses and accessories. It easily holds my CANON SLR with three lenses and accessories.
It also has a transparent window for ID or business cards. One thing it lacks, though, is a small zipper pocket to hold extras such as keys, film (yes i still use film), batteries, etc.
Otherwise is this an excellent camera case, it is roomy, comfortable and good for carrying your gear.
First impression: This will be a useful bag to have when I go out into difficult conditions, but it is not for everyday use.
I've got three concerns that keep me from giving this bag five stars. One problem is that there's no way to open the bag quietly. The main section is held closed by a large, wide Velcro strip. It's very secure, and combined with the inside straps and the magnetic closure of the red protective bag inside, I'm confident that my camera bodies and lenses will be very well protected. But Velcro is loud, and if you find yourself in a position where you want your camera quickly and quietly... well, you'll have it quickly. I may make a workaround with a strap to get around this problem.
The second problem will only be appreciated by some women. The bag has two straps which hold it on your back. The main shoulder strap, which is well padded, rests on the right shoulder and crosses in front of the chest to attach to the bag at the left waist. A second strap with a clasp attaches to the main strap at mid-chest height, and runs across to the bag at the right side. Large chested women may find these straps a bit uncomfortable. For me, the second strap is very uncomfortable no matter how I adjust it.
It takes only a second to unclasp the second strap and swing the bag around the wearer's front, with the opening at the top. From there, you tear open the Velcro, undo the inside strap and the two side straps holding the red bag closed, and unroll the red bag and pull the magnetic bag top open. It sounds complicated, but it's a very simple procedure that takes me about 15 seconds. It's much faster and more secure than my backpack.
I've arranged the dividers so that the bag comfortably holds a Pentax K10D, a K20D (two DSLRs weighing 3-5 pounds each with a small lens,) plus a long lens and a 135mm prime lens. It's a tight fit but all items are easily accessible.
That leads me to the third problem. There are really no other storage pockets. There's a wedge shaped storage section which opens completely when the top flap opens. I can't imagine storing items there, with no way to secure anything when the bag is open.
Next to the body of the bag, inside that wedge shaped section, there are three slim storage pockets. They would be a good place to store a driver's license or business cards, but they will not work for large, bulky items. I usually carry things like filters, lens cleaners, spare batteries, and so on, and I'm not sure where I'll put them in this bag. I may have to attach a small pouch to the strap or carry a fanny pack.
I'd love to have ten minutes to work with the folks who designed this bag. It really is a good design, but problems which could be easy to fix will make it difficult to use.
First of all its expensive but nothing compared to the cost of what it is protecting!! If you own as much camera equipment as I do you know exactly what I am talking about.
PROS: This camera bag was mainly designed for one purpose-PROTECTION.
The case is very sturdy and well made. Should hold up to most
abuse and extremes.
The bag is very comfortable even when fully loaded with camera
and lenses.
The bright orange water tight bag will show up about anywhere.
Note: I have not tested is water tightness and hope not too!
Cons: The bag is a bit large but mainly due to all the needed padding.
Just enough room for the camera and about four lenses and no more.
Wish the strap converted over to be used as just on the shoulder
and not like a backpack. This to me was the major drawback.
Expensive but is very good at protecting your investment.
Conclusion: This is a great bag for anyone that depends on your photo
equipment and demands protection from the elements. It is great if
your on an outdoor shoot or hiking in the woods. Overall a nice
bag!
Actual size of the removable caddy that holds your gear is 11" x 5" x 8" with padded walls 3/4" thick. 4 velcro separators you can move around. Certainly not enough space for more than one DSLR and a couple of short zooms and a flash.
To be fully water resistant (I can't say water PROOF)you need to use the inner vinyl pouch with magnetic closure installed over the inner caddy.. this then rolls down inside and is secured with quick latch buckles which protrude through holds in the bottom of the case. Rain protection only, not sealed for dunking in the lake etc. Vinyl bag is made removable so You COULD use the bag without the waterproof bag.
Outside top closure is by velcro only, the straps do not hold it closed at all. Lots of Heavy duty velcro used, 12 inches by 3 inches of it, but would be nice option to cinch it for extended use in backpack mode since it rides on end rather than with gear towards the ground. Also note, without the waterproof vinyl bag inside, the top ends of the bag where the "lid" closes are open and any small items could fall out when slung around onto your back.
Area where you can wrap a tripod in has strap and buckles, this could have just extended for use over the top flap as well.
Waterproof covering on outside of bag is a vinyl as well, I fear from the feel that it might be easy to snag given it has soft material behind it. Then it would leak.. Only use over time will tell if this can happen, so will report back here if it does.
MADE Company description and retail price indicated a bag that was tougher than most in my opinion, I don't get that feeling with it in hand.
I hope I'm wrong, and if I am, I will gladly return to tell you I was wrong
And I hope the smell of the inner waterproof vinyl does not transfer to my gear. You know the smell of a three ring kids pool? 8-)
Note also, as of this date the Amazon "Product description" is not for this bag, but for other items that MADE Products make called camera Armor/lens armor/battery armor. Don't expect to keep camera in the bag and still shoot as it might lead someone to believe. I hope they change it soon.
Update 9/08/2008
Hey, just found a well hidden 5x9 outside pocket, small slit opening of 2.5 inches and no fastener... it's found at the attached end of the small strap and covers the area behind the top padding touching your back. Of any use? Don't know, but it's there.
Also, have my first snags and start of wear spots on the bottom and bottom corners from use already, I think this should have been a bit tougher and harder material over the soft padding. Spots not open to the inside yet, but looks like it will get there soon.
If you've ever tramped around in the hinterlands of Washington, Oregon or California, you'll instantly understand the beauty of this bag. Same is true if you're on the other side of the continent in the mountains of New Hampshire. In fact, any place where you and nature's elements - sand, water, rocks, dirt - come together, the Seattle Sling will be a very welcome companion.
The manufacturer, Made Products, earned its reputation with Camera Armor, an encompassing silcone cover for many professional and prosumer DSLRs, like the Nikon D80.
The first thing you'll notice about the Seattle Sling are the orange tabs that come out from under the top into snap clips. When you open the bag, you'll see that the orange tabs are just the hint of a sealed seam sturdy Velcro-sealed vinyl-like pouch that completely surrounds the padded compartment that holds your camera, lenses and accessories. This bag closes with a roll-over and fold-over cover to form a very water-resistant, if not truly waterproof, barrier. The top of the case then folds over the waterproof bag and seals with enough Velcro to carpet a small room. It is very secure. I'm not about to load it with my cameras and drop them into nearby Lake Michigan to test it out. But it sure looks like it would protect my gear for at least long enough for me to retrieve it . . . if I can.
In an area with sudden rainstorms like the Northwest, the Seattle Sling is a welcome addition. The outdoor photographer anywhere will appreciate this bag in snow, early morning dew, nearby surf and sand. It's really a terriffic idea.
The storage compartment will comfortably hold a DSLR with a long zoom, an additional lens or two and an external flash unit. A smallish side pouch with web pockets can hold filters, extra batteries, flash cards, a manual (!). remote release, but not too much more.
There are four loops on the outside of the case that might be used to hold longish objects, like perhaps a QuikPod DSLR Handheld Convertible Tripod.
The front side has a flap and buckle arrangement which will securely hold a fairly hefty tripod.
The outer bag is made of some kind of man made material with padding between the layers.
Every aspect of the bag exhibits very good design and excellent manufacturing processes. It really a nice piece of design and very well made.
It has an over-the-shoulder carrying strap. Hand Made Products' attention to detail is evident in the small security strap that wraps under your arm to secure the main strap and keep shifting to a minimum. If you've even been trying to get down a steep slope and had a bag shift on your shoulder, you'll know how much a security strap like this is great to have. Its inclusion also demonstrates Hand Made's design prowess and attention to detail.
Overall, I think it is more comfortable than a backpack.
With a full kit of camera, accessories and tripod, the bag is suprisingly well balanced slung across the back. There is additional padding to ease the pressure on your back.
Is this bag perfect? No. There is, alas, no such thing as a perfect bag.
But the Seattle Sling has fewer drawbacks than many other camera bags.
The biggest problem lies in its biggest strength: the waterproof envelope. Unfolding it is a kind of slow process, not burdensomely slow, but slow enough to make rapid changing of lenses impossible. Thus, this is not the bag to use when you're shooting sports or any other event where you want to be able to change lenses in a flash.
The Seattle Sling is somewhat on the small side and not suited for those who feel the need to carry a half-dozen or more lenses, multiple external flashes and the like. But the Seattle Sling is not designed for those people - it is designed for people going into places where there may be water, sand, dust, mud and all those other things dangerous to cameras.
It will carry what you need for a trek in the woods, a photo walk down the shore, a day of shooting flowers without breaking your back in a very secure weather and environment proof bag.
All in all, the Seattle Sling is a very well designed bag for its purpose and I suspect many photographers will immediately see its place in their kit.
Jerry
This bag is very sturdily constructed, but a bit blocky-looking. It wears well on the back in a sling-style, but also has a small loop on the side for carrying (although this loop is rather small and unpadded, so it you probably wouldn't want to carry it often or long with this loop). What is unique is that it features a waterproof bag interior which closes shut via magnets and a series of folds, and inside the waterproof bag is the gear compartment.
The interior gear compartment are like what you'd find in any photo gear bag - six padded compartments with removable/adjustable wall sections. It holds one larger DSLR camera (such as a Canon 5d) or two smaller ones (like the Canon Rebel), along with a small number of lenses and other accessories. You won't be able to fit a huge lens (like a 400mm) but the typical zooms and primes will nestle in well. You can also remove the waterproof bag if you want, and just use the gear compartment.
The bag is not too big on pockets - there are some small pocket slots in the flap of the bag, but they don't hold much. There is an outside flap/buckle arrangement that easily totes a good-sized tripod, and a few other stretchy straps around the outside through which you could tote cylindrical objects, like maybe a water bottle.
The appeal of this bag is mainly in its shock-absorbing and waterproof features, and it scores well on both points, with lots of hefty padding and a many-layered design that keeps your equipment far removed from immediate harm. The "Quick Access" the product description boasts of refers to the sling-style of the pack, which does allow you, with one buckle release, to swing the whole pack from your back to your front for easier access, without having to take the bag off completely and put it down somewhere. However, given the other protective features of the bag, actually getting to your gear is anything but quick: you have to pull up a flap that is heavily dosed with strong Velcro, unbuckle three buckles (sides and top), unfold the 3-fold enclosure of the waterproof bag, open the bag (pull the magnets apart) and maneuver the excess bag out of the way before you can see and reach inside. For some people this may be worth it for "ultimate protection," but I suspect for everyone it might at least be a little annoying.
My take on the bag is that it lives up to its claims (besides the "quick access") of ultimate protection of your photography gear from the elements. But to me the waterproofing and layers of security seem like overkill unless you routinly take your bag somewhere where it could end up submerged (i.e., if you took it kayaking). For typical issues, like getting caught in a downpour, most quality bags have an AW cover that protects your gear just as well, and have the benefit of more convenient access.
If you spend a lot of time on the water, this bag may be worth a look. However, I found the cumbersome access to be a drawback, and the storage not as flexible as other high-end bags I use for my gear. Unless you have very special needs, a more conventional (and convenient) design may be a better choice.