Kata

Kata Kata DPS - 3N1-20 - 3in1 Sling Backpack

• In sling position, the bag easily swings around from back to front providing quick draw access to your main camera amp; accessories via a quick release clip with single pull opening of the camera compartment door.
• All 3N1 models provide superior camera protection with features such as TST RIB structural protection, ample padding and reinforced corners to ensure that your camera does not fall from the bag when in sling mode.
• Arrange your equipment in the bottom main compartment of the pack taking full advantage of the modular dividers to custom fit the bag to your exact equipment.
• Large top compartment will hold personal gear or additional gear, and the internal pockets and MP3 player pouch will allow you to organize your personal effects as efficiently as your photographic gear.
• The divider between the top and camera compartments can also be unzipped to create a larger camera compartment that allows larger camera lenses to remain attached to the camera when in sling mode.

Product Description

The 3N1-10 Sling . Backpack allows you to carry a A DSLR with mid-range zoom lens attached as well as 1-2 lenses, flash personal gear and can be quickly configured at a Right-Handed Sling, Left Handed Sling and Backpack.

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 17.3 x 9.3 inches ; 3.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• ASIN: B004C4Z744
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

64 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looked Long and Hard, September 10, 2008

By 

H. Choi (Duarte, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kata KT D-3N1-20 Sling/Backpack (Black) (Electronics)

I am only reviewing cause there aren't very many reviews of this bag for some reason anywhere. I have had it for about two weeks now. There is some video out there from [...] or something. You can find it on the kata website and it does a decent job of showing you the features.

Pros:

1. Many ways to wear it. Sling, backpack, x - straps across your chest like an x. I primarily wear as backpack and sling.

2. Looks pretty cool.

3. Lots of buckles so you don't have to zip it up if you know you are going to take another pic soon.

4. I really like the top handle for some reason. Cushioned and easy to grab.

5. Inside dividers are changeable and good.

6. Yellow insides makes easy to see stuff.

Cons

1. Wish it had a water pocket, but that is really just my preference.

2. Wish it had a pocket or something on the outside you didn't have to zip to get to.

3. This is what I took one star off for which is my only real complaint since the other two are just wishes - the material doesn't breathe very well so it gets hot on my back which isn't a huge complaint, but it is a complaint none the less. I wish it was more breathable or like Osprey backpacks, had mesh to let air in. Kata, if you are listening, go look at those Osprey backpacks which I use for hiking/overnighters cause they are awesome.

I got this one after thinking of getting a Lowe Slingshot 200 for a while. Friend of mine has that one and he likes it but I thought it wouldn't be comfortable to have on all day. He uses it for travel and thinks the sling aspect is great. I agreed with him about the sling, but didn't want to have to have it on one strap all day long. So when I saw this one, I got excited. It does what it is designed to do pretty well. Sling aspect works. There are multiple cushions on each of the two straps which are changeable with buckles on the bottom of the bag. So you can have one strap and act as a sling, two straps in either x-across the chest format or as a backpack. I think I made a good choice. Might get the bigger one just cause as a pretty big guy, this looks a little ridiculous on me cause of its size.

As for what I carry, I don't carry much. Just got into photography. Canon 40D, one zoom lens but small one, one other lens sometimes. Still plenty of room to stick a flash, another lens, maybe another camera body but it would have to be without the lens attached. There is space for other stuff in the top pocket like a notebook, some other accessories. Two side pockets too.

Overall, a good bag which is saying a lot cause I have a thing for bags.

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great design, good value, June 29, 2009

By 

C. Franz (Zurich, ZH Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kata KT D-3N1-20 Sling/Backpack (Black) (Electronics)

I've now owned the -20 backpack/sling bag for a couple of months and can say that I am very comfortable with it. I bought it primarily because I needed something between the Lowepro 300 Slingshot and my Lowepro Nova 3 handheld (plus, according to some - mostly female - 'you can never have too many bags'). The Slingshot 300 is perfect when I need to carry my camera with the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS mounted. But that bag is a bit unwieldy, and I was looking for a bag that had the sling capability but was somewhat smaller. Initially, I looked at the Slingshot 200, but, after a tip from my brother (who shoots Nikon, and thus cannot be easily trusted :-) I also looked at this Kata bag.

What I really like about the Kata -20, and what made me purchase it over the Lowe 200 are a number of factors:

- Build:

The build quality (at least the one I have) is substantly above that of my Lowe. Seams are tighter. Zippers feel more robust. There are tight fabric seals over the zippers. The fabric and texture of the materials feels sturdier. The locks for the side access are also much better than the simple buckles the Slingshot employs.

- Shape:

The Slingshot is roughly pyramid-shaped, while the Kata bag is decidedly boxy. The bag is much more rigid than the Slingshot, and due to is shape I feel it is a bit more versatile and easier to handle. It also fits my back slighly better, and I can more easily pack it. plus, even though it extends outwards further than the Lowe, carrying it on my back is surprisingly unencumbering. And, not least of all, the bag looks darn good (that center vertical line was a stroke of design genius). Due to the more boxy design I (personally) feel it's easier to carry it aboard and stow in overhead compartments (not that I like the idea of the latter much). It is definitely much easier to stow and handle when loading it in a car with your other gear.

- Design:

This is where the Kata beath the Slingshot hands down:

** Carrying Options: You can configure the -20 to be carried in various ways: as a sling (for side access), like a backpack, and with the straps crossed in front. I found the cross configuration impractical (even constricting), but the other two carrying options work really well. The straps are nicely padded, and feel comfortable either way. I carry the bag backpack style while traversing, and then quickly change the configuration when I arrive at the location. Changing configurations is easy, takes only a short time, and in a pinch can be done without putting it down.

** Ambidextrous: The -20 is designed near-symmetrical, with provisions to open it from both sides (left and right). This design is mirrored in the carrying straps, resulting in a bag that can be slung and operated both from the left and right side. Although of little concern for most people, 'lefties' will regard this as a godsend. That being said, due to a small design compromise, the bag is slightly easier to operate from the right than left side. As I am right-handed, I currently have it set up for left-side access (I sling it under my left arm, making the bag's left side come up).

** Contrast Color: All inside fabric is made a bright yellow, which contrasts nicely with all the small (usually black) doodahs I bring along: memory sticks (especially those!), filters, adapters, lens cleaning kit, remote control, batteries etc. In dimly lit situations, this makes finding your stuff much easier than when rummaging through the light grey insides of the slingshot.

** Metal loop: set into the top third at the center is a metal loop that allows me to quickly attach other gear (usually a tripod) - I use carabiners, and prefer this over the rubber loops the 300 sports that require ropes.

** Top-down access to main compartment. The top compartment is separated from the main through a piece of padded fabric. By operating a simple zipper, you gain acces to the main compartment from the top. This may be to alleviate one of the drawbacks I mention below and is only practical if you have nothing stored in the upper compartment. Since you can remove the padding completely, this allows you to configure your bag with only a single main compartment, allowing you to use the bag in a classic pure-backpack style. Configured that way, the side access panels become quick-acess flaps for lenses.

Using the Kata -20

The -20 has enough room for me to carry my Canon with battery grip and EFS 17-55 2.8 IS mounted into the side access panel, and a flash plus a 50mm 1.4 lens and filters. I also loaded the 70-200 into the top compartment (the bag is too small to load the camera with that lens mounted). Filled that way, the bag is still comfortable to carry over prolonged periods of time (6-8 hours on a *hot* day). Carrying the -20 configured as a sling bag is less troublesome than my Slingshot - but this may be attributed to the fact that usually I pack more stuff into the 300 (additional two lenses, tripod ring, tripod mounts and battery charger). Carrying it as a backpack is gives it additional comfort as the weight is distributed over two shoulders, and fastens it more securely to your back, allowing you a greater range of movement (e.g. traversing rocks, rivers and insecure ground) where a sling configuration would get in the way.

Drawbacks

There are a couple of minor downsides to the Kata-20 I've found so far:

Being a wuss, I try to refrain from shooting in bad weather. Still, although the -20 has a bad weather cap (stowed inside a small bag clipped to the inside), I would have preferred if the bag had a rubberized bottom. Currently I simply don't trust the bottom of the bag to keep water out when accidentally placed in a puddle. The Slingshot has a definite advantage there.

Also, I've found that when configured for sling side-access (as I usually have) with a zoom mounted, access to the other compartments (especially those above the zoom 'canal') is awkward, if not difficult. Changing lenses hence becomes unnecessarily difficult. I have compensated by now loading lenses low, and putting the flash high in the bag. While this alleviates the problem when changing lenses somewhat, it's still far from ideal.

Summary:

The Kata 3N1-20 is a superior bag that sports great design, is durable, extremely versatile and easy to use. It has space for a DSLR with a mounted mid-size zoom plus two smaller lenses and some additional gear. There are only few minor drawbacks. I wholeheartly recommend this bag, and when compared with the Lowepro Slingshot 200 (it's closest competitor) I recommend this one.

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally!, October 30, 2008

By 

W. Eng "papparazzi" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kata KT D-3N1-20 Sling/Backpack (Black) (Electronics)

I have FINALLY FOUND the bag!

I'm a freelance photographer and I'm always traveling around the city with my equipment. It's usually in my messenger style camera bag or my waist bag. But what a problem! The waist bag cannot hold all of my necessary equipment. The messenger bag tires my shoulder out.

Lo and behold, the Kata 3N1-20 bag! I actually wore it out in the city today. I loaded everything I had: Canon EOS 5D, EF 24-70mm, EF 70-200mm, EF 50mm, 580EX Speedlite, Point & Shoot, and small little items like batteries, diffusers, sunglasses case, etc.

It felt comfortable on me. I didn't feel the usual strain like I did with the messenger bag. I also tried it as a backback and the weight distribution was perfect.

I also liked how I can swing it to the front really quick so I can grab my camera to take a quick shot then put it back and tucked away.

I highly recommend this bag to anyone who's experiencing shoulder strains from the usual shoulder bags. This one is definitely worth it!

P.S. I also added photos into the product image section.

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