If you spent hours researching before purchasing your latest camera, you owe it to yourself to find the best camera backpack to protect your photography equipment as well. While your lenses may be fine for a few trips without dedicated protection, all it takes is one drop, bump, or a bit of airplane turbulence to rattle your expensive lenses—and lenses are easily damaged.
When traveling, adventurers, travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and photographers bring a lot of gear with them, including cameras and lenses, chargers, memory cards, tripods, extra batteries, hard drives, cords, and more. This is where camera backpacks come in handy. These bags, which are heavily padded and designed to carry heavy loads, protect cameras far better than a standard backpack. Camera bags allow you to carry all of your gear while keeping your hands free to shoot. This article compiles the best camera backpacks for traveling, so you know which one to get for your needs.
Lowepro ProTactic BP 350 AW II backpack
Although this unusual and somewhat pricey modular system is likely to have niche appeal, it is actually excellent value for money because it can be easily modified for a variety of scenarios. The Velcro dividers inside can be moved or removed to accommodate specific gear (including a drone), and the rear-opening lid contains a zipped compartment for a 13-inch laptop.
The front’s succession of loops, however, can be used to attach accessories such as a neoprene flash holder, a tripod toe cup and straps, and a phone case, making this a truly versatile camera backpack.
Tenba DNA 16 DSLR Photo Backpack
The Tenba DNA 16 DSLR Backpack does an excellent job of storing your gear, protecting it from extreme weather, and making it comfortable to carry on a shoot. It’s full of different compartments, so you can have fun figuring out what you’ll store and where. The lower DSLR storage compartment allows you to easily access your camera and lenses.
Up top is an expandable rolltop section secured by a magnetic clip that slides sideways with a snap to safely secure the contents, though this can cause a pinch in your fingers if you’re not used to it. You can carry this camera backpack on your back, by using the top handle, or by piggybacking it on your airport suitcase’s extendable handle using a strap designed for this purpose.
Tenba Fulton v2 16L backpack
The Tenba Fulton v2 16L is ideal for photographers looking for a modern bag that houses all of their essentials in a waterproof, adventure-ready design. It’s extremely secure, surprisingly spacious, and easily customizable as a drone carrier as well as a photography bag for urban shooters and content creators. The ability to transport a 16-inch MacBook Pro will be extremely useful for those who shoot and edit on the go.
If you use a full-frame DSLR(opens in new tab) with longer telephoto lenses, the camera storage may be too small for your needs, as the camera backpack can only hold 70-200mm lenses(opens in new tab). Modern mirrorless shooters, on the other hand, should have more than enough space for a full day’s work.
Gitzo Adventure 30L camera backpack
Incredible wildlife images abound, but it’s uncommon to come across a backpack that caters to the needs of those who need to transport themselves and their equipment into remote areas for extended periods of time.
The Manfrotto Gitzo Adventury 30-liter backpack can hold two pro-DSLR cameras, one with a 200mm telephoto lens. This rugged bag and its interchangeable dividers can also hold four additional lenses, mirrorless cameras, a DJI Phantom drone, a 15-inch MacBook, and a 12.9-inch tablet.
Tenba Shootout 14L Slim
Many camera backpacks are a little bulky, especially if you’re wearing a light setup. The Tenba Shootout 14L Slim is ideal for those who prefer the two-shoulder comfort of a backpack but don’t require a lot of space for a full-frame DSLR and a 70-200mm lens.
The Tenba Shootout 14L Slim is a lightweight and affordable but pleasingly tough water-repellent nylon bag. It has several extra straps and pockets for storing a tripod or monopod, as well as a slot for a 10-inch tablet (though not a laptop). There’s also a convenient space for a hydration bladder, making this an excellent choice for hiking photographers.