Clik Elite Obscura, Rugged Photo Backpack with Breathable Padded Waist Belt, Blue

2012-06-06T21:00:00

I bought this a while back when I still had a Canon Rebel XSi. It is a wonderful backpack for hiking, biking, or doing anything outdoors with your camera. However, I was very disappointed when I upgraded to a 7D. The easy access compartment on the side simply won't fit the camera body well at all. I would still have given this bag 5 stars because of its feature set, but I decided to downgrade my rating because of the fact that on the company's website and product brochure it lists the bag as one that should accommodate a 5D II (almost exactly the same size as the 7D), and I bought this bag with the intention of eventually upgrading to a 7D or 5D MkII. As an example of what I love and hate about this bag: I took my daughter to seaworld yesterday and used this bag to carry my 7D, my canon 17-55mm f/2.8 IS, sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6, and a canon 35mm f/1.4, along with some extra clothes in the main compartment in case we got wet, and a 3 liter camelbak water bladder which probably saved me $15 worth of drinks and a whole lot of time. I even made use of the rain fly to keep everything dry when we went to see shamu. All of these features are what makes this bag amazing--you can't find it in another bag. However, it was such a pain to stuff my camera into the side compartment and the pry it out because of how tight it is, that i ended up wearing my camera around my neck the whole time, which defeats the purpose of a bag like this. Of note, the easy access side compartment gets even tighter when you have a full water pack pressing on the compartment from behind. I know because I took everything out of the backpack because I was so frustrated, and there was still a visible bulge into the camera compartment seen from the rear, where the water bag was sitting. This bag is great for those of you with anything in the rebel line, but not if you are shooting with a larger body like a 5D or 7D, or even a 60D. I just wish clik elite made this compartment 1 cm wider in diameter and then it would be perfect. Length of the compartment is not a problem at all. I often use my canon with the 17-55mm f/2.8 attached and the hood forward, and lengthwise it will fit. I wouldn't buy a bigger clik elite bag because of how expensive they get, and frankly, this one is just the right size for daytrips. Anything bigger would be too big in my opinion. Sorry, but I have no nikon equipment so I'm unable to comment on which nikons fit or don't fit in this bag.

Jeremy L.

2012-04-11T21:00:00

I like to photograph many of my family's excursions. I've used this bag while skiing, hiking national parks, and mountain biking. It has been great for all of them. I've had the bag since about Spring 2011. I typically carry a Camelbak water bladder in the available pouch. For camera gear I carry a Cannon T3i, 300mm zoom, a mid-size zoom, 50mm, and 18-55mm lens. All fit comfortably in the bag. I am able to fit into the side pouch the camera while using the 300mm zoom with the lens shield attached. The pouch is wide enough so that nothing has to be broken down. But, note that I'm talking about a zoom lens (vs prime) which does compress. I also often attach a carbon fiber tripod to the exterior using the bag's strap system. There is a top pocket for carrying batteries, memory, snacks, etc. Yes, all that gets heavy, but the bag's shoulder and waist straps do a great job of keeping the load comfortable. My only other comment is a pro and con. For such a large backpack, it is not designed to hold much other than camera gear and remain functional. There is a reasonably sized cavity in the bag that is tempting for placing extra gear. But, there is a drawback. The cavity could hold a laptop or a bagged lunch, but the object will be loose inside and may interfer with the side pouch's telescoping functionality. This bag goes on lots of family trips. Stuffing extra stuff in it not a problem. However, the gear needs to be removed before use. For an active photographer where day use is the priority, this is a very good choice. When used as designed it is the perfect choice.

CHRISTOPHER G.

2011-11-04T21:00:00

I didn't realize this one does not fit a pro camera so I ended up returning it and bought the CLIK CONTREJOUR 35 instead. Not my original budget.

Angels L.