Find the perfect gift for everyoneTamrac Adventure 9 Camera/Computer Backpack (Red/Black)
Manufacturer: Part number: 5549
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Great for day hikes or vacationers who can't leave the SLR at home, the Adventure 9 combines a serious camera backpack on bottom with a small daypack compartment in the top.
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CNET editors' review
Tamrac Adventure 9 Camera/Computer Backpack (Red/Black) price range: $129.54 - $169.99
- Reviewed by: Philip Ryan
- Reviewed on: 05/14/2007
The good: Solid, yet lightweight construction; plenty of padding; comfortable, easy-to-adjust harness; water-resistant zipper on laptop compartment; big enough for pro lenses; accommodates up to 17-inch laptops.
The bad: The textured grip on the handle is slightly uncomfortable when the pack is loaded with heavy gear; there is no convenient place for a cell phone.
The bottom line: Great for day hikes or vacationers who can't leave the SLR at home, the Adventure 9 combines a serious camera backpack on bottom with a small daypack compartment in the top.
All too often, camera bags, especially backpacks, end up being geared toward professionals, with enough room for a battalion of lenses and every accessory you could ever imagine. That's great if you are a pro, but most of us need to bring along some noncamera items on our outings, and don't want to have to haul more than one bag to do so. That's why Tamrac created the Adventure series of backpacks, which do double duty as camera bags and small daypacks, thanks to separate compartments on bottom and top, respectively.
Largest among the series is the Adventure 9, which can accommodate professional SLR bodies with vertical grips and large pro lenses, such as Canon's nice, big EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM. The daypack portion isn't huge--measuring 11x8.75x6.5 inches--but you'd be surprised at what you can fit into it. Plus, a padded sleeve built into the back of the bag holds laptops with screens as large as 17 inches, though the somewhat thick Dell we tried was a tight fit. A removable pouch, large enough for a laptop power supply or similar-size items, also comes with the bag.
As you can usually expect from Tamrac, there is a great attention to detail in this seemingly simple backpack. For example, the bottom portion has three clips on the outside that can keep the compartment from flopping open if the zippers somehow come undone. But, they also come in handy if you only want to open the compartment half way. Since the company's patented Memory and Battery Management System finds its home inside the bottom compartment cover, Tamrac included the two small side clips for the compartment so you can easily access your batteries and memory cards without having to completely open the bottom hatch. Depending on how you choose to configure the padded dividers inside that compartment, this can also make quick lens changes a lot smoother, especially if you wear the backpack on your front as many pro photographers do: to rest your arms on the pack to help steady your shots.
To help keep the forces of nature at bay, Tamrac uses weather-resistant fabric and includes extra large flaps over the zippers on the front, and a weather-resistant, rubberized zipper for the laptop compartment. A couple of times, we had some trouble with those large flaps getting caught in the zippers, but they never caused any damage and were fairly easy to untangle. If you find yourself having trouble, you should really flip them back when accessing either compartment. However, we were happy to have them there when running out to the car in the rain, and just as happy when we reached into the bag to find our camera gear safe and dry.
Tamrac has been steadily improving its backpack straps in the last couple of years. The harness system on the Adventure 9 is well-padded, though not very bulky, and the straps can be adjusted from both the top and bottom, to help you keep the pack high on your back and positioned better over your center of gravity. An unpadded waist belt and a chest strap are also on hand, and with everything securely fastened, the pack becomes a lot more comfortable to wear. I packed the Adventure 9 completely full of gear, and while I wouldn't have wanted to carry it around by the handle (especially because the webbed grip left an unpleasant imprint on my fingers), it wasn't unpleasant to carry once I got it on my back.
There's not much to complain about with the Adventure 9. The main thing that stands out after using it is that there are no small compartments on the outside for a cell phone or music player. Tamrac's Strap Accessory System lets you add small pouches to the backpack's straps, but we'd have liked them to include one here, as they did the removable pouch. Also, we were impressed with the versatility of the padded inserts included on a Kata bag we recently reviewed. While Tamrac (and almost all other camera bag makers) covers its inserts with a synthetic fabric, Kata covers theirs with soft fabric that its Velcro can stick to, so you can create more versatile configurations. It might be nice to see more bag makers move to this model. To Tamrac's credit, all the interior walls of the camera compartment are covered in Velcro, so you are still afforded a lot of flexibility in configuring it to suit your camera.
If you've got a digital SLR, especially a larger one, and need a combo backpack that can haul a lot of gear, the Adventure 9 should suit your needs. If it seems like it's too much pack for you, Tamrac also makes some smaller versions, such as the Adventure 7 and Adventure 6, which hold a little less but don't have a spot for your laptop. Since I always want to bring every electronic device I own with me wherever I go, I'll stick with the larger version.
User reviews
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A great traveling companion
by eslkerry on February 10, 2008
Pros: separate section for cameras and personal items
Cons: cell phone pocket on exterior
Summary: I actually have a smaller version of the Adventure series. I think it is an 8, but they do come in different sizes.
I used it on a recent trip ...Summary: I actually have a smaller version of the Adventure series. I think it is an 8, but they do come in different sizes.
I used it on a recent trip to Hawaii, and will use it in Mexico soon. I carry a fairly bulky digital camera, its accompanying battery packs, charging and usb cords, the instruction book, lens cleaners, and a compact point and shoot with the same extras. They pretty much fit in the bottom section of the pack and the padding keeps them protected well enough to even strap the pack to the front of an ATV and not cause me any worry.
The top section held my large girly wallet, my prescriptions for travel, printed data for 6 people for airlines, for 4 resort check ins (think business size envelopes for each - that's how I organize it), and 3 paperback novels and 4 protein bars. Bottled water (frozen) usually fit in the side pockets. So you can see that even in the smaller version, there is plenty of room for stuff. I use this top part in place of a small backpack purse that I usually carry. I also threw the pack in the washing machine after the ATV ride through Kauai's red dirt countryside, and it was great. I chose the 8 because the 9 was pretty big for recreational use for a woman of my size (5'4") and after that trip, several relatives went out and bought one for themselves.
It does just exactly what I wanted it to! BTW I was going to buy it online, but something told me to go look in a store first to see which size to get and I am really glad I did. Ended up buying in store and paying just a little more, because the sales person went out of his way to get out ALL the sizes and help me decide.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Function and Form
by getdrty on December 18, 2006
Pros: Comfortable, Adjustable inner sleves, passthru pocket
Cons: Tight fit for 17' notebooks
Summary: The Tamrac Adventure 9 Backpack is a perfect fit for the day trip photographer or the long haul traveller who wants to take a the essential gear with them. The ...
Summary: The Tamrac Adventure 9 Backpack is a perfect fit for the day trip photographer or the long haul traveller who wants to take a the essential gear with them. The bag comfortablely holds your dslr body, a flash, filters, several lens, charger spare batteries, and hordes of other gear. The camera area is also fully adjustable for whatever configuration that you are looking for. This area of the bag also sports a couple of handy pockets inside that are perfect for small batteries or extra flash cards, and has a zippered area for usb or firewire cables. Inside the main pouch of the bag, there is a removeable zip pouch that is great for cellphones, wallets etc. The main compartment also has a handy passthru bottom into the main camera area, which is especially convenient if you have a large zoom lens that you'd like to take along for the trip. This bag has a handy side pocket that fits a 17" notebook, however it is a very snug fit for a machine that large, but fits a 15.4" beautifully. The padded adjustable straps have been well designed for those who will be wearing this bag for some time. The bottom of the bag has a couple of strap slots in case you want to take your tripod with you as well. Be forewarned though, the bottom straps are not included with the bag so you'll have to make a trip out to you local sporting goods store to get a pair, but well worth the trip. Who knows what sort of shots you'll get along the way.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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My everyday, everywhere, backpack.
by jcrews1438 on February 12, 2008
Pros: Room for plenty of equipment and a snack.
Cons: No place to attach extra pockets except the shoulder straps
Summary: I carry everything for an average day of shooting; lenses, flashes, camera, etc.
There is are attachment points on the bottom for straps to tie something to the bottom. However, ...Summary: I carry everything for an average day of shooting; lenses, flashes, camera, etc.
There is are attachment points on the bottom for straps to tie something to the bottom. However, attaching another pocket is not practical, since they left off the slots for this. Otherwise, I am very happy with this pack. -
"Ouch!" said my camera in this backpack
by buddy4444 on February 12, 2008
Pros: Overall design makes sense and should be great, except for one showstopper problem
Cons: My camera with a reasonably short lens was too high and the backpack's height sizing could not be changed
Summary: My mass-market Canon camera, with a short lens, was too tall so whatever is packed in the top of this backpack "weighs" right on the camera and lens.
Tried working ...Summary: My mass-market Canon camera, with a short lens, was too tall so whatever is packed in the top of this backpack "weighs" right on the camera and lens.
Tried working with Tamrac Customer Service but this serious problem could not be fixed. Support told me the same height size is used in all the Tamrac Adventure backpacks (mine was smaller than this "model #9") but I couldn't verify that.
I took this backpack on one trip then put it away in a closet -- forever.
Ouch!
Specifications
- Manufacturer:
- Part number: 5549
- Description: The Adventure 9 is a modern backpack designed for the SLR photographer with a pro digital or film SLR with a grip and 5" lens attached, several additional lenses, a flash, accessories and a laptop. The completely foam-padded lower compartment protects photo equipment, while the large top compartment holds a light jacket, lunch or other necessary items. Inside the top, a Pop-Off Pocket keeps AC adaptors and laptop cords organized. A separate, completely foam-padded compartment provides quick access to a laptop without disturbing photo gear. Double zipper pulls provide quick access to photo gear while a weather flap and quick-release buckle provide security and weather protection. Inside the main compartment, foam pillars support the camera with lens attached, ready for action, while adjustable, foam-padded dividers protect other equipment. Tamrac's Memory & Battery Management System uses red flags to identify available memory cards and batteries from ones that are used up. A Windowpane-Mesh pocket organizes filters, cables and other accessories. Two mesh side pockets provide quick access to accessories and water bottles. The comfortable, foam-padded backpack harness with sternum strap is contoured to distribute the weight of the camera gear across the shoulders. The harness also features Tamrac's Strap Accessory System attachment points for customizing this pack. Two lash tabs on the bottom allow a tripod to be carried (requires accessory straps).
General
- Width 13 in
- Depth 11 in
- Height 20.1 in
- Weight 4.2 lbs
Carrying Case
- Type Backpack
- Recommended Use For camera and notebook
- Additional Compartments Lens, Flash, Filters, Notebook
- Features Padded, Zippered, Windowpane-Mesh, Pop-Off film pockets, Strap Accessory System
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.tamrac.com/
- Address:
9240 Jordan Avenue, Chatsworth, CA 91311 - Phone: (818) 407-9500
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