ShimodaDesigns Explore v2 30 Backpack Photo Starter Kit (Army Green)

I’ve used this as a camera bag for several long, international trips and it still looks nearly new. There is so much to like about this bag: there are several useful pockets for organization and the inside is a beautiful teal color which makes black camera gear easy to find in dark environments. The inside camera cube and the dividers are the perfect balance of firm, protective structure while still being space-saving and thin. The inside cube has a zipper cover/lid which will seal the cube if you need to take it out of the backpack for a flight. The backpack’s exterior material has been weather and scratch resistant for me, but it still looks modern and luxurious. The leather accents on the zipper pulls are a nice addition. The 35L bag is the perfect size for traveling. It’s large enough to carry one or two bodies, 3-4 lenses and a drone or action cameras while still leaving some room for a few delicate souvenirs. However, the bag is small enough to avoid overpacking or carry-on issues. Being a backpack helps, but I’ve never been asked to check this bag even when flights say they’re not accepting more carry-ons - this includes flights in Europe and Asia with more strict rules. My only issue with the bag is the weight. In a perfect world it would be a bit lighter, but I guess that’s the trade off for having this much padding and protection. I did make two changes to the bag. I bought the full-sized internal cube because I had more gear, and I bought the shoulder straps for women. Mind you, I’m a man. Not a tough one, but I don’t have a bosom. I bought the lady’s straps because they’re thinner and they make the bag easier to carry in the heat. The only thing you lose is the phone pocket, but I find the straps to be easier to manage and less ugly. Those two additions make the bag rather expensive, but it’s the one camera bag I haven’t wanted to replace - no matter how many bag videos I watch on YouTube.

This is one awesome rucksack!The features are incredible, including thoughtful bits like security pocket, cover for the camera cube, additional pouches from the side pockets, two-way access at the top, side AND rear access for camera kit...the list goes on.I found my precious camera well protected in heavy rain.The shoulder and waist strap system would rival a mainstream rucksack manufacturer like Osprey. It's very comfortable and infinitely adjustable.There are clips and pockets and straps everywhere so there is always a place for your kit.I carry a Nikon Z6ii with wide, ultra -wide and 70-200mm lens. Along with filter rings and filters, tripod, charger, spares etc. It's more than big enough to take a days selection of gear into the wilderness, and still leave space for your raincoat, lunch and two bottles (using the side pockets pouches).Makes for a great daysack even if you're not carrying camera gear, if a little boxy!The camera cube comes with a cover with handle, making it easy to transfer gear and store it dust-free.Very, very well made high quality kit!

Loved mostly everything about this bag, except it was un-usable for me. I shoot with an admittedly chunky Z8 and wanted to try out Shimoda for the simple fact that they are very comparable to F-Stop bags which I love and have plenty of, but Shimoda has a laptop sleeve, and is different than my Wandrd PRVKE bags (best bags ever so far IMO, if you use the V1 cube and V2 shell).Unfortunately the fact that the camera cube has a frame on the open-face side of the cube (which adds to rigidity and makes a solid cube) means that the quick access door is limited to the height of the cube and there is NO flexibility here. It simply will not fit the plus-sized Z8 without a lot of fussing around to get it out of the door. It just wasn't quite deep enough and that frame would catch on the Peak Design plate. I never even left the house with it as it was immediately frustrating so I don't think there is any "wear in" period I missed. Maybe I could go up to the 35+, but I didn't want to go bigger since I have 2 PRVKE bags, and I couldn't find confirmation that the 35's had bigger cubes. Sadly I think the Urban Explore Series is also the same size, so I guess Shimoda just isn't for me... right now.If you have a smaller kit, or really any Sony (lets be honest, everything is tailored to Sony/Apple these days in regards to sizes) then you will likely love these bags. There isn't anything bad to say about the materials, the build quality, or the longevity of these bags. My only gripe is that it doesn't fit for MY needs, so I can't honestly rate it 5 stars.

Got the bag last week, haven't yet gone to any trips with it yet. But I'm loving this bag! I got the 30L with medium mirrorless core unit. I also bought the small DSLR core unit as suggested in one of the videos by Shimoda on Youtube - this gives me a lot for customizability options as opposed to getting a large mirrorless core unit. 30L is the perfect size for me - 35L would have been too big. Another thing, the front pocket can fit a packing cube containing clothes for a 2/3 days trip. It's all a bit snug, but I like it. In the core unit combos, I can fit my Sony A7Riii with Tamron 35-150mm f2-2.8 attached, Sony 24mm f1.4GM, Sigma 85mm f1.4 Art, Tamron 150-500mm, DJI Air 2S with Smart Controller and place for an additional lens (I'm still deciding which ultrawide zoom to buy, my previous Sigma 14-24mm f2.8 Art became faulty). The backpack is very comfortable.My previous camera backpack was Manfrotto 3N1-35 (and National Geographic Rucksack before that which I lost), which didn't see much use - the Shimoda is on another level. I also have the PD Sling 10L (version 1) and PGYTECH 6L Sling for different purposes and Sterkmann 30L travel backpack (not photography-oriented) which I love. Honestly, the Shimoda is by far the most sophisticated backpack I've ever had.I'm really excited about my next trip even more because I'll be using this amazing backpack.