Lowepro Passport Backpack Review

My quest to uncover the perfect camera backpack brings me to the . This pack initially caught my eye because it reminded me of the old Jansport backpack that I used for years from middle school to college. That old back was very to the point. It carried everything I needed when I went out for the day and it was durable enough to last for years. The Passport Backpack seemed to embody the same essence with the additional specificity for carrying camera equipment. For someone who is on the go in an urban area the Passport Backpack is the perfect companion that will carry your photography essentials while giving you a discrete minimalist style.

Quick Specs

Storage

Main Compartment

The Passport Backpack has one main compartment that opens up completely. It is simply a big, open space for you to store your personal items, knick knacks, and really whatever that will fit. Included with the backpack is a padded camera insert that is designed to fit in the bottom portion of the pack. Inside the insert a couple of velcro dividers keep camera contents organized.

For a day trip I packed a , , and charger into the camera insert. I noticed that my  camera couldn’t fit into the camera insert when I had a larger lens attached to it. I instead stored the camera attached with a on top of the camera insert in the backpack and gave it a bit more cushion using a hoodie jacket. The camera insert is a nice addition because it’s removable and therefore gives you the option of emptying the backpack completely and using the camera insert with another backpack or luggage.

Laptop Compartment

I’m 100% sure that this backpack was designed with a small laptop or tablet in mind. Anything exceeding 13’’ will not fit.

Pockets

In total the Lowepro Passport Backpack has four pockets: a zippered front pocket, another small zippered pocket inside the main compartment, and two side pockets.

The front pocket features a keychain hook and a few smaller pockets/dividers. It’s a convenient spot for storing items that you’d frequently need easy access to. Personally I would be wary of storing my wallet or anything of high importance in there. A simple pocket can be inviting to pickpocketers.

Both sides of the backpack feature a deep side pocket. Lowepro markets these as pockets for water bottles, but I have also noticed that they will fit a small tripod or in my case a as well. The pockets are secured together using elastic bands. They’ll strap your things in securely, however time will tell how long the stretchiness of the elastic will last.

Inside of the main compartment is a small mesh pocket, which I use to store more crucial items such as memory cards and extra batteries.

Final Thoughts

Overall at $40.00 the Lowepro Passport Backpack is a city slick backpack that will allow you to discreetly carry your camera gear and personal items around. It’s a simple, black backpack that just blends into the background and doesn’t call attention to itself. This backpack is for those that aren’t looking for fancy bells and bells or to carry extensive equipment. The Passport Backpack is for someone who running out of their home for the day, needs to carry a camera plus a lens or two, a jacket –keys –wallet –etc., and then return home by the end of the day.If there’s any area that has room for improvement it would be in the amount of padding used in the camera insert. Since the Passport Backpack was tailored for those who are constantly on the go designers kept the pack relatively light weight. A lighter backpack is easier on the shoulders, but I am more than willing to sacrifice some weight in exchange for heftier padding to protect my camera. The padding on the insert is a bit slender (especially when compared to an iPhone 6s Plus in the photo below.) Granted I’m not planning to toss this backpack filled with photo equipment on the ground any time soon, but in the event that Murphy’s Law occurs I’d prefer to have some insurance.

What I Liked:

• Simplicity
• Travel friendly size
• Price point

What I Didn’t Liked:

• Lack of substantial padding

Who Would Like This:

• Minimalist
• Students/Photography Enthusiast

Who Wouldn’t Like This:

• People needing to carry extensive equipment

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The  featured in this post was provided by B&H Photo.

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