Customer Reviews

Aktiv Pak AP400 400 Camera Backpack (Black)

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I purchased this piece based on positive reviews and the perceived value for the price. Within 2 weeks, one of the buckles for the shoulder strap split; they are much smaller and of weaker quality than those of other backpacks I have at home. I emailed the company to try and get repair completed and was told I would need to pay for the freight to and back....that's $20 in freight for a $40 backpack that worked for all of 2 weeks...that is not the quality or customer service I was hoping for and thought others should be aware if they choose to purchase.

Good Luck.

This product is great for the money. However it is big and bulky, there is a lot of room in this bag for several large cameras and lenses. The compartments are adjustable for a custom fit. In the front compartment shown with the magazine sticking out, I can fit a large textbook and notebook with some room left over. Also, my 15.4" laptop fits perfect.

I bought this for a gift for my husband and he loves it. It has places for his camera (Canon 50D) and several lens and other camera accessories. He's thrilled because he now has a place to put his laptop in the same bag. If you carry both a laptop and a bunch of camera stuff, this bag is for you.

If you want a sturdy cam bag, with thick padding and more crevices and pockets to hide your stuff than the Grand Canyon, get this bag.

The bag is exactly how it appears and more.

Craftsmanship. The zippers are solid, with easy action, strong stitching, and large teeth. Exterior zippers have weather flaps to protect contents from the elements. This extra material provides additional protection, as even closed zippers are openings into the camera bag. At times, my bag holds over $1,000 worth of equipment, all of it sensitive to water/snow.


The carrying handle is a finger-gripped rubber-like-handle, anchored by durable webbing. Almost all pockets have depth to the bottom of the bag. Inside the bag, walls are thickly padded, with plenty of Velcro dividers that have strong loops and hooks.

True, the bottom of the bag holds yet another pocket - a raincoat for the bag. For me, it serves as extra padding for the bag-bottom.

Bag size. It is big and can easily double as a plane-trip carry-on, holding a cam, lenses, accessories, and a laptop.
While not by design, the bag does not scream 'expensive electronics inside!'. It has a simple logo, a detail I appreciate and one of the reasons for my purchase.

Sure, you can keep reviewing bags - I did - and still come back to this one. I'm hoping to save you the time.


30 Jan 2010 Update:
Just finished packing for trip to Cali. Bag measurements, packed with camera, lenses, and 16" HP laptop, is 41", well below airline limit of 45" for a carry-on bag. The padded shoulder straps soften the load.

30 Dec 2010 update:
Still very impressed with the bag. Recently went snow shoeing in the parks and packed my camera, lenses, and cell phone for the trip. Bag felt very light, yet I know the goods were protected.

Also, recently purchased 17.3" Toshiba laptop fits neatly in the bag.

The Aktiv PAK Photo/Laptop Backpack is simply amazing.

This bag is HUGE! It easily fits my Sigma 120-400mm lens attached to my Nikon D90 body with a battery grip. When that lens+body assembly is placed in the middle of the bag, my Nikon 50mm f/1.8, Nikon 18-105mm and 2 sb-800 flashes fit - with 4 more slots still available on either side. There are many pockets in the front, and on the sides and comfortably holds a monopod or tripod on the side securely.

The laptop compartment is in the back of the bag and fits my 17" laptop comfortably. Padding around the bag is thick and if it happens to fall with my equipment inside God forbid, (bags go through drama at airport TSA checks by the way) I wouldn't start freaking out. I tuck all of my photography credientials, airline and travel information and camera equipment manuals in the flaps at the very front for fast and easy access. I do wish this bag had a built in - dedicated compartment for memory cards but this is nothing a add-on memory card wallet can't fix.

Its extremely easy to configure the inside lens compartments exactly how you need it. At the very bottom of the bag is the weather guard that quickly covers the entire bag and prevents the elements from getting to the bag. My only complaint would have to be that when the weather guard is tucked under the bag, it's difficult to have to back stand up right on its own. That would have to be my only complaint over all.

Finally, this bag is for the photographer who has lots of lenses and works on the road but needs to save money for his Sigma 70-200mm lens (thats me by the way)so cannot afford to purchase bags of similar size for 2x or 3x the price. Here's something to try - if you do decide to get this bag (and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU DO) have your photography logo embroidered into it. This personalizes your pack and impresses your clients and there is more than enough blank space at the front of the pack to accomplish this.

Stop thinking - JUST GET IT.

The images won't give a clue how big is this bag. I got it and really shocked by it's size. Yes, even after reading all of this reviews I couldn't have an image of the size. My 50D with Tamron 17-50 mm F2.8 almost disappeared in the bag.
Besides this only negative point, the build is sturdy and it has a rain cover on bottom that can cover whole bag. It REALLY has enough space for a 17" laptop behind photo compartment even photo compartment is full...

If you travel with all your lenses and accessories, this bag will be able to carry all of them... and you will have to carry the bag.
Don't get one before seeing it with your own eyes is all the recommandation I can give.

Great bag and fits everything!!!!! There is only one thing, its not compact, but I guess something thats fits everything is not suppose to be to compact.

Its the home of a have a Canon rebel xsi with three lenses, 4 batteries, charger, tripod, speedlite, hoods, and other little accessories (cleaning kits, straps, memory cards). A mac book, charger, external hard drive, and portable mouse. A ipod classic and its charger. And finally a canon hd camcorder and of course all of its accessories. Love this bag for travel reasons!!!
But not a good bag for everyday use.

Recently went hiking with this bag with everything I had for D90 plus video camera and everything for it, through snags, cliffs, rocks, and all. Lots of storage and straps galore! If you want a bag, this is it even if you don't have a laptop with you; you can store an extra coat or whatever in it. Buy it! I think I will get another for backup! :)

This pack is great. The waist belt is a great feature as the pack holds so much gear the belt is great for taking the load off the shoulders leaving you free and ready to take an amazing shot on a whim. I love the adjustable velcro, though there could be more male velcro sewn into the bottom. It holds my camera body, 35-105mm lens, and my 70-300mm, my card reader, ALL my cords, my video camera, lots of batteries, my flash, with room for snacks and a light jacket. All of this makes it a perfect pack for day hikes. Plus the front pockets leave enough room for my knife, a leash for my dog and other necessities for a hike. The cell phone pocket is nice and the other large side zipper pocket is the perfect size for my GPS or my other lens (I keep it tucked in there to save time) The main thing I would change is the tripod pocket and the top strap for the tripod. It should be a clip fastener for faster packing and removal. The pocket should be a little bit higher or the strap should be lower for carrying a more portable, smaller tripod as well. My laptop fits in the back slot with lots of room. The straps are comfortable without the bulk. The waist strap could have some padding on it, but even without its still pretty comfortable.

My biggest complaint is that it holds too much stuff. : D I guess it's not really a complaint I should learn to pack lighter. So it's a great pack with great capacity. Enjoy it, I do!

I received this backpack a few weeks ago, and absolutely love it. For the price you're really getting more than your money's worth. Plenty of storage for your camera equipment, and it's great having room for the 17" laptop screens like mine, where as most offer only 13-15 inches. For the price it's absolutely worth it if you're considering an all in one camera/laptop back pack. Comparing other back packs like this one (including features such as the attached weather proof mesh, customizable dividers, etc) the price tags go well over $100 so for the price this is truly a bargain.