Customer Reviews

Kata W-92 Waist Pack

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

 

 

Just returned from three weeks travel with the Kata W-92 Waist Pack as my only camera bag. This Kata product is built like a tank. Very sturdy and completely protective of the camera. I carried the Olympus E-510 with the Olympus Zuiko 12-60mm f/2.8-4.0 attached most of the time. I also carried the Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens in one of the side pockets and a water bottle in the other. In the main compartment I also carried three spare batteries, an iPod Nanon an iPod classic, a flash and my cell phone. In the velcro pocket in the lid I carried several spare memory cards and cables. All of these items were safe and secure in the waist pack. I varied my method of carrying it from waist to shoulder depending on the circumstances and it was equally convenient either way. I never felt that I was ever in danger of losing my camera because of the design which has the zipper at the back of the pack, in other words closest to the body.

That said I have to say that for me, given my petite stature, the pack was bulky and awkward in tight places such as train and plane aisles, one time causing me to be pushed and pulled by a a commute crowd resulting in the loss of one of my favorite earrings. This awkwardness, and the fact that it is quite heavy when loaded with a camera and accessories makes me think it is more suitable for the great outdoors rather than urban sightseeing.

I'm giving it 5 stars because of the quality of the pack and because most adults are larger than me and wouldn't encounter the same problems.

I bought this to add a hip belt to my R-102 backpack but will be returning it and will be looking for a more integrated solution:

1. Hip belt doesn't provide any lumbar support when attached to the pack.

2. Access to the interior of the W-92 requires removal of the pack then folding over to gain access to the zippers.

This bag is not discounted on Amazon or anywere else I looked, so I paid full retail of about $90. I would say that the quality was exceptional in the bag itself. This bag is definately for someone with a larger waist. The bag itself I would imagine would get very heavy with all your equipment, and is designed to be a "fanny pack" on the front or side. It's not flexible enough (and a bit to large) to be worn on the side.

The reason I gave it a rating of 3 was because the shoulder strap shown in the picture is definately not the same one I received. The one the sent me was so small that even after stretching it out all the way I could barely get it over my head, and in the cross body position is was closer to my rib cage versus my waist. I'm guessing that the overseas manufacture tried to save money on the shoulder strap by shortening it, which consequetly ruins the product IMHO. Yes, I could have purchased a new shoulder strap, but for almost one-hundred dollars for a waist pack I expected more attention to detail. I'd say if your closer to 5 feet tall then this bag will fit you over the shoulder, but then it will be way to big around your waist, unless your obease.

Dear Manufacture: please increase the size of the shoulder strap by at least 1 foot overall. Thank you... I returned mine until they get it right.

I'm also not crazy about the zipper facing me on the inside, you almost have to take it off everytime to access your camera and equipment, why don't they just put the zipper on the outside like normal waist packs. Also, the water bottle holders are rather narrow (they do fit the Kleen Kanteen narrow bottles), and will not hold the top supper secure like my Eddie Bauer or Nike waist pack's. If you're running you may loose your water with the vertical movement. I think an elastic strap that goes over the mouth of the bottle is probably a better design, but I can see they designed this with the close to also protect extra zoom lenses in the side water pouches, so there are compromises that were made to accomidate both.

Don't get me wrong, the quality of the bag inself is excellent, but the design can use some refinement.

I've had this pack for a few weeks now. I am a wedding photographer's assistant and I don't have two bodies to switch back and forth while shooting so a pack that is comfortable enough to wear for 8 hours of shooting with easy access to my lenses and accessories is very important for me. This is just what I was looking for. The quality and look are great and it fits up to 6 lenses (unless you have bigger lenses such as the 70-200) It even fits my 70-300mm Canon zoom lens.

The only minor problem I have with this is that when you take a lens out of one of the side pockets, it is no longer snug to the waist and begins to slip off.

Other than that. I am very, very happy with this purchase and I greatly recommend this pack.

I bought this bag for taking to soccer games, skiing, and other outdoor activities. When it arrived I found it extremely capable of holding a lot of equipment, but perhaps too much so. I found it to be heavy, bulky and cumbersome. It appeared to be well designed, but I could not imagine using it as it was almost as large as the standard shoulder bag from Cannon strapped onto my waist. I returned it along with Tenba waistpack and kept the Kata Digital Rucksack and the Tenba Mixx Shoulder bag instead. If I didn't mind the weight, the design was nice and well thought out. Like my Kata backpack, the yellow inner fabric is wonderful for seeing what you have. I might recommend it for a person with a large build that can handle 10 lbs of drag on their waistband.

One of the most stable and convenient waist pack camera bags for multiple situations. The bag can hold 2 lenses in the side pockets an SLR with a zoom lens in the main compartment as well as a flash unit.

It's a top-loading unit that's very durable and lightweight and provides easy access to your camera. Used just with the strap, the bag is very stable and comfortable; with the waist belt it's even more comfortable you can position it behind you so it's out of the way when shooting.

This bag can be paired with the R-102 rucksack so you can even take more equipment with you. But it's not meant to provide lumbar support for the rucksack.

Get this bag! This is my best camera bag for a photo opps. Forget the putting on/off with backpacks. Chances are you'll missed all those spur of the moment shots with a backpack. Backpacks are for traveling and not for a photo shoot. I have not seen a professional photographer with a backpack in a photo shoot. They either have a backpack and waist pack or backpack and a photographer's jacket. Have fun and enjoy!!!..

This is a very durable bag that works well for me. I can fit my XTi with a 17-70 lens and 10-20mm lens inside and carry two additional lenses on the outside pockets. The shoulder strap attachment buckle can make it difficult to remove the side pocket lenses but it depends on the size. My 70-300mmm with hood reversed can be a hassle.

This bag, like all of the Kata purchases I've made, is made very solidly. However, this product seems to have a weird design and my camera does not fit in it unless I really shift stuff around. I wouldnt recommend it for a larger SLR... my 40D has trouble fitting with the lense attached. It'd probably be a better camcorder bag.