Anyone have any experience with Crumpler bags? I'm looking for a versatile bag that can carry an M6 with lens and school books, or my complete set up with M6, flash, couple of lenses, Minilux, accessories and film. I'm thinking about the Domke 803, but then I saw the Crumpler the other day. Any ideas on this line, or other recommendations for a good versatile bag?

-- Luke Dunlap (luked@mail.utexas.edu), June 06, 2002

Answers

I've seen the Crumpler in the local camera store, after I got my Courierware stealth camera bag. http://www.courierwareusa.com/ I liked things about the Crumpler, but I think I still prefer the Courier. The Crumpler has the padding in the bag, but the Courier's is totally removable, which I do like. The Crumpler has a strange terrycloth fabric in it that I like the texture of, but it looks like a catcher of stuff--both dirt and sharp stuff, and I don't know about keeping it clean. Nice bag, though. I don't think it would be a mistake.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), June 06, 2002.

Here are my suggestions:

Inexpensive, adequate: Lowepro Orion Trekker (go to B&H's website, type in LOOTBY in the search box)

Expensive but perfect for your use: Lowepro Stealth AW Backpack (type in LOSAWB in their search box).

A Domke satchel (or any shoulder bag) will be a PITA carrying books around a large campus, but another option is a small shoulder bag fit into a regular student daypack like an Eddie Bauer or the like.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), June 06, 2002.

Luke, just recently got a Super Weeny Crumpler bag - just couldn't resist - the design was too nice...

The padded insert is fully removable. With the insert it holds a full M6 combo. With the insert taken out (in a snap) it holds books (up to DIN A4 - letter size). It's a nice versatile bag. The LowePro Reporter bags might be a bit more shooter friendly, though (rain cover, top zipper...), but less uncospicious and versatile, may-be. Cheers.

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), June 07, 2002.

I have used a crumpler for about a month. I would say, on this price level, this is the one and only one camera bag which does not look like a camera bag. And this is my priority requirement. I don't like to approach my shooting target with a journalist or private investigator look.

The bag in fact is quite good and young-looking. It has strong padding (the bottom padding can be removed!), partition removable.

One minor issue, is that the belt is attached to the bag in a fixed way that you can only carry it across the body. One more, the belt is not soft enough.

-- cchokl (cchokl@netvigator.com), June 07, 2002.

If I were you I would go with a Domke 803. The one thing I could not live with on the Crumpler of the same size is the noise. I never thought noise bag could be a bag problem, but rip that velcro flap open in a quiet room and ALL eyes will look at you. Maybe Crumpler do some stealthy quiet models, but I couldn't find one.

-- Steve Barnett (barnet@globalnet.co.uk), June 07, 2002.

I love my cumpler bag. Holds my camera tight, is super-super padded, and doesn't scream camera. They are sweet sweet stuff. I can't speak for the domke 803 in terms of quality. But it sure looks like a camera bag.

-Ramy

-- Ramy (rsadek@NOSPAM.usc.edu.edu), June 07, 2002.

I've found the Crumplers a bit too noisy with the thick Velcro straps. The bag is hardly stealthy in physical appearance as well -- coming in bright, trendy colors. I've got a Domke 803. Pretty quiet, although the metal buckle giggles when walking.

-- Alan Soon (alansoon@mac.com), June 07, 2002.

Crumpler bags are very well made using the best materials, though I didnt get one because they dont seem very dust proof. Perhaps some kind of internal zip closure would be good.

-- Karl Yik (karl.yik@dk.com), June 07, 2002.

i go with alan! the velcro on the crumpler bags are as noisy as they get! much nicer with the domke, which closes with a hook and ring.

if you look at the crumpler webpage, the bags look really nice, so i went to a crumpler shop in berlin, who have their whole range. in reality i didn't like them that much. they are too thick for my taste (the slimness of the domke is great!), the velcro is too loud, they sport weird color combinations (nothing really muted), though they seem to protect the gear much better than the domkes.

one word to the courierware bag: when i bought it i really liked it, but i grew sick of it, because it is just too heavy (especially the padding!), it doesn't have pockets for small things that you can close with a zipper, the velcro of the divider is pretty bad, and with the non-attachable divider you end up with a mess of pockets and foamy bits which you have to sort out every time you open the bag, because they all have collapsed. the adjustment of the strap is stupid and the shoulderpad is not slip-secure. and the price is pretty stiff! if the guys at courrierware put a bit more development into that bag, they could have a winner!

i tried out many bags in my life, a few lowe, domke, leica (came free with my camera, the worst design ever. perfect to keep your collectors camera in a safe, but don't try to use it!), courierware, and many more. what i use now:

for the big equipment: domke f3-x with the 803 attached (it took me a while to understand what the buckle on the side of the 803 were for)

for the smaller gear: domke 803

for daily use with m6+35+90: eastpack shoulder bag with the non-used lens in a leather pouch

hiking: berghaus freeflow rucksack. no padding at all, but a very good back system and good back ventilation. cheap and nice looking too!

one thing: ugly as it gets, but really helpfull: the domke shoulder pad.

choosing the right bag is very difficult. it's about style AND usability. some bags seem to be nice in the shop, but they fail in the field. most are terribly ugly. some like the billinghams, i never liked the way they open and they look too much english country style for me. but they are supposed to handle very well.

invest some money. you spend thousands on camera and lenses, so give them a nice place to sleep.

-- stefan randlkofer (geesbert@yahoo.com), June 07, 2002.

I like the Domke 803. It looks cool, it's non-obtrusive, the fabric is sturdy and nice and the strap is great. With the middle foam divider it's perfetc for a Leica plus two to four lenses (wrapped in Domke padded wraps.) Two things though: it's not padded, not even the bottom, so you have to be careful not to bang it around too much. I learned it the hard way, when I did lightly bang it on my car door and it made a tiny dent on the bottom plate of my brand new M7 :-( Also it's neither dust nor rain proofed. I guess there's no perfect photo bag. There's always something that you won't like. Always.

-- Olivier (olreiche@videotron.ca), June 07, 2002.

I bought a Crumpler last year when I got my M6. It seemed like the perfect bag for M photography. However, in practical use, I found the bag entirely too stiff, and a bit noisy as well with the bountiful amount of Velcro. I wound up taking the bottom padding out and cutting some of the Velcro from the inside of the bag hoping to make it more flexible, but decreasing the number of pockets. It's okay, but I prefer a Domke satchel or Billingham which are quickly broken in. I once had a pair of Timberland boots that lasted about 10 years; but it took about 5 years to break them in they were so stiff. Maybe Crumpler bags are like that; maybe it takes a long time to break them in.

-- Dennis (couvilaw@aol.com), June 07, 2002.

If you're interested in Crumpler and their courier-bag style, you owe it to yourself to look at both Timbuk2 and Courierware.

-- Skip Williams (skipwilliams@pobox.com), June 07, 2002.

I've often thought (and mentioned in these threads) that extra padding isn't really that important if you're expecting to hold your bag close to you all the time. If you expect it to be handled by baggage handlers, hard shell with padding is the only way to go. But to me, the purpose of a bag is to "communicate" to you that you're about to bang up your equipment. Like a hard hat in a construction or industrial area: those hats will protect you from hitting your head largely b/c they stick up high enough that you learn to avoid obstacles.

In the same way, a bag should help you avoid obstacles, and thus avoid banging up your camera.

I opted for one of those now ubiquitous shoulder bags- a.k.a., field or travel bags. Big enough for a large paperback, or a CD player and several discs, personal items, etc. Mine is from Manhattan Portage, is in black ballistic nylon, and holds a body with the 35 cron, 90/2.8, a few rolls of film. With room for a cell phone and wallet, PDA. It doesn't look like a camera bag; it won't protect it from being mishandled. But it's versatile and just enough of what I need w/o feeling totally encumbered. Good for bopping around the city. And quiet (velcro free). It's more of a bag that I use to carry my camera in, rather than a camera bag.

-- Tse-Sung (tsesung@yahoo.com), June 07, 2002.

I looked at them, the seem sturdy and with nice padding, but 1) the colors aren't exactly suttle (may attract attention) 2) the shoulder strap is to stiff and large/broad 3) it seems to be a one purpose bag only, at least I can throw some other things in my lowepro stealth reporter bag and use it a bit more alround if I want to. 4) timbuk2 makes better messenger bags, but not very well suited for photoequipment 5) yes, velcroe is loud on the crumpler

cheers,

-- pat (modlabs@yahoo.com), June 07, 2002.

Crumplers are too loud...? Geez - never thought of that being a potential issue for anybody. Well, if you want to play secret agent, why don't you just cover the velcro then and go with the snap locks that come along, too?

-- Lutz Konermann (lutz@konermann.net), June 09, 2002.