Customer Reviews

Lowepro Flipside 300 Backpack (Black)

5 star:		(55)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This bag is not designed to carry every piece of camera equipment you own or ever will own; it is designed to carry what you need for most wildlife photo trips. It easily carries by Canon 1Ds Mark iii, 100-400IS lens, two other lenses, extra batteries, rain cover, a few filters, and sundry other small items. The bag is beautifully configured when you get it, but you can change it anyway you need for your uses. Three external pockets let you carry things you need immediately and because the cover is on the inside against your back when the pack is carried, it is both secure from theft and perfectly arranged so that, when you lay it down to get what you need out of it, the sand and dirt is on the outside - not against your back when you put the pack back on. The waist band is a bit narrow, but it works well and the pack is comfortable. Arrangement of the tripod straps is very good. It has a handy pocket that pulls out when needed, into which yuu place the tripod legs, and then a conventional strap to secure the upper part of the tripod against the pack. And, remember, since the opening is on the back, you don't have to remove the tripod to open the bag.

I needed a backpack that would carry my camera, standard zoom lens, large lens and accessories, as well as the tripod. I recently went to Alaska with this backpack, and it worked out great; fit well into the carry-on spaces on planes, buses, and trains. I would highly recommend this pack.

First of all, this is a great product and does what it is supposed to. But if falls short of true greatness in several areas. I know secure packing is a priority, but none of my issues would affect the protection of the equipment except for clipped on components. I wanted a case like this (I have many others as well) and the security and form factor are what I needed. But this is a photography bag and thus should be designed for photography, not permanent storage.

First, as anyone knows whose shooting action whether sports, news or animals, being able to open a bag while juggling lenses, bodies, etc. speed is of the essence. The problem here is not access, but the size and reach of the zippers. The zipper teeth are on the small size and I fear as the zippers go screaming around the corners, their life will be short, especially since they hang up rounding the top corners. They have not jammed or broken yet, but these are zippers are only human. I think a pair of #10 YKKs are in order instead of wimpy small teeth zips with big pulls.

My second gripe is with the reach of the zippers. I carry an 80-200 2.8 across the bottom of the pack (it allows me several lens/body choices so I can carry any lens on my D300 with MB-D10 grip (upsidedown from the usual pictures, by the way). The zippers don't quite reach the bottom of the pack so I have to wedge the lens out at unrealistic effort. In fact, much of the diameter of the lens falls below the reach of the zippers. I'm sure there's some reason for this design, but whatever it is escapes me.

Oh, I use the small dividers in a way that can flip them sideways or down when not needed and close like a door when needed. This allows me to reconfigure the compartments on the fly (Lowe should pursue this concept since a good design would allow almost anything anywhere in the pack).

Anyway, if the zippers went down one inch more (but two would be great) on both sides, the pack would allow rapid access to all areas. This same problem appears with the removable pouch. The pouch just happens to be the same length as a SB-600 flash with diffuser. But again, the zipper does not reach the ends of the pouch and I have to force the flash in and wedge it out. I don't zip the pouch all that much so I might just use a knife to cut the opening a little larger.

The zip side pocket is almost unusable. Great effort was engineered into it and its special CF card slots, but the rest of the stitched in slots are oddly sized. I cannot even fit a Nikon lens pen into the pen slots, and barely get a regular sharpie into the pen slot. Pretty much nothing fits anywhere else and in my mind, is an expensive (materials and workmanship) waste of space. Maybe it's size is a security feature as well since you cannot get anything of value in there (except maybe an ipod). In fact, now that I think of it, a pocket accessible when wearing the pack would really be useful. Further, the design of the pocket makes it easy to dump what ever contents when opening it. Be careful when opening it on a crowded subway.

The net pocket on the other side is useful, but should have been made with heavier material if it going to last, especially with a water bottle stuffed in there. The material is more of a silky nylon stocking thickness. At least a reinforced bottom would make sense since the stretch around anything in it would rip open like a water balloon the moment it rubbed on a brick wall.

The carry handle is a great idea and I find myself grabbing it quite often, but it is often the only tie-on point when needing to clip something to the bag in the heat of the battle. A webbing ladder would be useful since the exterior has been stripped of not only conventional openings, but also attachment points. This is true also on the shoulder straps. I so badly wanted to clip my GPS and/or cell phone to a webbing point on the shoulder strap, but everything has been sewn down tight except for two loose flapping loops that are more suited for a hydration tube than a digital device.

I think the back panel could have been better served with a thicker or firmer padding. I place my camera body base toward my back because the hotshoe is quite poky, especially while climbing or mountain biking with the pack cinched tight. After a couple hours on the road or in the saddle, this the contents of the pack make themselves known.

Overall, this is a great direction for a camera bag, but for serious outdoor (whether city or mountain) use, this has some holes. I have no regrets, but it is frustrating when a product comes so close to perfection but has unnecessary flaw in its design that should have been fixed during the field trials.

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I've now used this pack much more and find that my above review was, while still accurate, likely a little harsh given that other advantages of this pack design are really nice. In short, I really like it and highly recommend it.

I've been looking for a camera bag for quite some time and have been very picky. I wanted something versatile, comfortable and capable of carrying just what I needed and all for a decent price. I go hiking with my family a lot and it's always a pain carrying a shoulder style camera bag. However, all that's changed and, after just one use, I'd recommend this backpack to anyone.

I'm not a professional photographer; however, I do want a bag to carry my essentials which include a Canon 30D, 2 lenses, a tripod, a small video camera, a small digital camera for my 8 year old, as well as batteries, extra flashcards, and other small items. Yes, all this fit with room to spare as I didn't use any of the outside pockets except for the water bottle netting... but the best is yet to come!

Hiking with a camera backpack is fantastic! You don't have to deal with shoulder straps slipping and your hands are totally free to use as you will. But the best part (it's really fantastic) was to just swing the pack around to access my camera 'stuff' with a mimimum of fuss. The pack never touched the ground until we stopped to wade in a mountain pool with very, very, cold water... brrrrr.

The one thing about the bag I was hesitant about, before purchasing, was how the bag was going to hold the weight of all my equipment and still stay horizontal when used. No worries! The bag did not falter and performed as advertised. This is one of those purchases that gives you that "I'm glad I bought this" feeling. It's padded well, looks good, works as designed and, with the opening against your back, it's safe to take anywhere where crowds may hide those individuals looking for an opportunity to avail themselves of your equipment.

If you're like me and looking for something that's not too expensive and can carry the essentials then this Lowepro 300 Flipside backpack should be highly considered.

As a college student, i purchased this bag to accomodate my canon 5d, 16-35 mk 1 lens, 85mm 1.8, 580 ex II, gary fong diffuser, batteries, cf cards, white balance cards, and also a mini aluminum tripod.

The purpose of choosing this bag and choosing say a fastpack 350 or 250, was the fact of price and value. This bag offers great value with a very clean/non-bloated design that will also accomodate a tripod, useful for night-time urban street biking. I also bought this knowing that a netbook could be squeezed in between the zipper bag in which it did close without much effort at all! major plus. so now i can effectively use my camera bag to school without missing much (well maybe my textbooks). Probably the only downside of this bag is that it will slow your shooting down if you like to put your camera back into the bag after every shot. (sometimes)

PROS: great value for the price.
THE perfect camera bag for hiking/day use,
clean design,
tripod mount is a plus (can support a full blown tripod, however.... see cons below)

CONS: when carrying a tripod, the tripod strap is placed too low and should have been designed into the handle on top. the effect is that the tripod "rocks" back and forth when hiking. this is especially noticable when walking long distances. one way to remedy this is to attach an additional velcro strap at the handle to add stability.
Second major con: when using the bag in "flip" mode, the strap that goes around your waist effectively CUTS INTO your lowerback. lowepro dropped the ball by not adding padded straps. this is a HUGE deal, especially when carrying 10lbs of camera equipment in the bag. I remedied this by finding a laptop strap that had a removable padding piece. i slid this into the waist area and whala, i can literally hold the bag in flip mode for 30 minutes and not feel any lower back pain!

so aside from the key minor issues, this is a great camera bag. Highly recommended for traveling on the go and more comfortable to carry than having a sidebag such as a crumpler to walk around with all day.

Edit**

I have now picked up a 70-200 2.8 IS and some ND filters used with the cokin mount which are stored in CD sleeves (to save space) and some flash triggers as well. This bag is absolutely maxed out now and I couldn't have been any happier with this purchase. Best affordable bag on the market for hiking, biking and urban shooting. Love it!!

After purchasing my first Dslr, I was stuck trying to figure out the best bag for me. With my point and shoots I always had a shoulder bag, but these frustrated me because of the difficulty I had keeping them on my shoulders and out of the way. I considered backpacks but these to had the problem of accessibility and security. This bag solves all these problems because it keeps your expensive camera supplies out of the hands of others, while making it fairly easy for you to access the supplies. The reason I say fairly is because sometimes it can be difficult to access the camera. I bought this bag mainly to shoot wildlife and at the zoo. Supposedly you are supposed to cinch down the waist strap, take off the backpack straps, and swivel the bag in front of you to access the back of the backpack where the zipper is. Sometimes this works, but in a crowded zoo I sometimes find myself taking the whole thing off and setting it on the ground because it is easier. There are great compartments in the bag and plenty of room for all my needed lenses. The only other issue I have is the tripod strap. I don't know if it is me, or my bag or what, but the strap that holds the tripod in will not tighten all the way. It constantly loosens itself and I find myself hunched over because of the weight hanging off my back. It is very uncomfortable and most of the time I end up carrying it. Overall I am very happy with the bag and even with the problems mentioned, I still think this is one of the most secure, usable bags on the market.

A nature photographer always faces a dilemma. A sling or shoulder bag provides quick access but distributes weight unevenly and is a pain in the neck (literally) after a few hours. A full backpack is much better in that respect, but you usually have to take it off to access the contents. Sometimes that is not a problem but I live in Oregon where the ground is almost always wet. I also shoot a lot at the coast during low tide, and when you are on the wet sand during low tide there literally is not a dry square inch to set your backpack down, for example to change lenses. The Flipside offers an ingenious solution to this problem. I love these bags so much that I own a 200, 300, and I just ordered a 400 AW.

I am not sure that the much advertised theft protection is a real benefit. I have never heard of any photographer complaining that somebody unzipped their bag and stole a lens. In most bags the access to lenses is quite difficult, and a thief would be risking a lot doing it. If anything they are more likely to slit the fabric open, in which case the Flipside does nothing for you. Buy it for the ability to open it while it is attached to your waist, not the for alleged theft deterrence feature.

A couple of other things to keep in mind. The tripod pocket is useless for all but the tiniest of tripods, at least on the 200 and 300. I completely ignore it and attach the tripod with the strap and a bungee cord. The size of the 200 is stated to be sufficient to hold an 80-200 lens, which is not quite true. My Nikon 70-200VR fits in a 200 but only if you do a bit of cutting of the in internal dividers. The 300 is more than sufficient for most day trips. In mine I usually carry a Nikon D90, 10.5, 10-24, 16-85 and 70-300 lenses as well as 77 and 67mm filter stacks, right angle finder, nodal slide, some GND filters and Cokin adapters, a spare cap or two, batteries, memory cards, lens pen, microfiber cloths, rubber bands and bubble level. There is still some space left (albeit not much), you can get the 70-200 instead of the 70-300 but it will be tight. The 200 is more limited and better suited for a day trip in the city, where I would probably just carry the 16-85 and the 70-300 and a couple of filters.

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Update on 04/30: I have lowered my rating from 5 stars to 4. After trying some F-stop products over the past months I am selling off all my dedicated photo packs. They do not support the weight well for anything but a short hike. As dedicated photo packs go this is still one of the better ones, but I will never buy another dedicated photo pack again.

I have found this bag fits most of my field photography needs. The particular attraction was the ability to hold my Canon 450D with Sigma 150-500 attached, room for a 24-70 lens, 430 flash, and the miscellaneous camera gear that goes with me. I bought this item locally rather than via Amazon as camera bags are one of those items (I think) you should not buy sight unseen. Camera bags have to be tested and decided by the user personally - user needs are unique as the bags.

I demanded several criteria in a camera bag:
1. No more than $100 cost (it's a padded BAG!)
2. Capacity for 450D body, battery grip, 150-500 lens attached, short lens (24-70), miscellaneous smaller gear
3. Comfortable (naturally)
4. Overall bag size should not be larger than a student's book bag.

Optional preferences:
A. Tether for monopod/tripod
B. Preferably a sling bag to access equipment without having to take off the pack
C. Theft resistant
D. Room for a water bottle, umbrella, keys, and other personal items.

I tried and considered several items including the Tenba Shootout Medium Sling Bag, Lowepro Slingshot 100/200 (300 is hard to find in stock locally), Lowepro Fastpack 200, Canon 200EG. Surprisingly, all of these bags are too small to handle a 500mm w/ body attached. I also have a military fabric messenger bag I used prior to the 150-500 (custom added padding, dividers) but that became obsolete with the new lens. All of these bags had great features and would have worked wonderfully - if you don't have a large 400mm+ lens w/ body attached.

I effectively had to forget about the side loading sling bags - they can hold a larger lens by itself but not with the camera body. Surprisingly, the Tenba Shootout sling bag did allow top-of-bag access to my setup but it was very unwieldy to remove the camera & lens (side access definitely a no-go). The camera & lens caught on the bag zipper area a lot - that's just asking for a dropped camera. The Fastpack was impressive but since the upper compartment is separate from the lower half that limits the ability to carry larger items (such as body+large lens). I did not have an opportunity to test the larger slingshot (300?).

The Flipside was not a first choice but it serves my needs adequately. Excellent padding, straps, and the typical complement of the Velcro dividers. The bag holds my body+500mm lens combo very well although it is not accessible without putting the bag down - very roomy inside for its size. The particular impressive aspect is a Velcro-attached zippered bag in the interior - as a mundane item I geniunely appreciate not having to search 10 different pockets for certain items. The bag is also secure as you can only open the main compartment from the part that rests against your back.

However, the bag is not without fault. Several aspects I dislike:
I. Limited external pockets for storage. The external storage aspects of the bag are very lacking.
II. Some bags come with rain cover but this does not. The bag *is* rain resistant (sealing zippers) but not a sub for a cover.
III. Bag can certainly hold a monopod but a tripod might be somewhat questionable without buying an additional tether

I rated this bag 4 out of 5 stars. I give the bag a generous rating for obvious solid construction, versatility, excellent value (as far as camera bags are concerned), comfort, and standing true to its advertising - ability to carry a large lens/body combo. I docked the bag primarily due to the lack of extra pockets. I will not dock the bag rating for size as this is just a matter of proper bag selection (space efficiency is a different story).

I regret that I have yet to encounter a bag with quick access to a body+large lens combo.

Update 10-15-09

A bit more shifting of bag contents and it holds my gear better now. I've also added a 340DX tripod to the rear of the pack - it carries this surprisingly well. The 340DX is a stable AMT alloy tripod so it's not the lightest but not heavy either - enough to balance my 500mm telephoto. The tripod pouch on the bag holds it for now - I have concerns that it will not last the long-term before it tears but that is just speculation.

Just bought a new camera (Canon 50D) and 2 new lenses ( Canon 28-135mm IS and Sigma 17-35mm) plus a 430EX II Speedlite and needed a bag to hold it all. Looked at a lot of bags at Best Buy and local camera stores. The 300 was, by far, the largest and best made bag for the money and large enough to hold all of my equipment, including 2 additional lenses (Sigma 28-70mm and 70-300 mm) in addition to 4 camera batteries, 10 CF cards, a battery charger, spare batteries for the Speedlite, a bag of filters, plus my camera and lens reference books. It'a load to carry around, but the straps are comfortable and and the padding is substantial enough that I 'm not afraid of having my equipment damaged when I take it off and lay it down.

The bag opens from the back( the side that is against your back when wearing the bag as a pack). It is fairly convenient to get stuff in and out of if you put it down first, although it is somewhat awkward to use when slipping out of one of the straps, swinging the bag forward and trying to access the contents, as advertised. It can be done but isn't easy. I guess the best aspect of this design is the security - no one can get to the contents while you are wearing it.
It does have a convenient handle for carrying and hoisting it into a luggage comparment. I'm very happy with it so far, (2 months).

I have a couple of larger Lowepro Trecker packs that have served me well. But, now I sometimes fly from small airports that have less overhead space for carry-on luggage. I always carry on my camera and lenses when going on a photo safari. This pack is of a long a slim configuration that I am hoping will fit in the overhead compartment of these smaller regional aircraft. The pack has room for a body, my 400 mm prime, and a couple of smaller lenses. Have not tried it yet on the aircraft, but I think it will fit. It's the largest pack I could find that looks like it has a chance to fit in the overhead compartment. Well made, like all my Lowepro stuff.