Customer Reviews

Tamrac 5577 Expedition 7 SLR Photo Backpack (Black)

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

 

 

BACKGROUND - I've been a photographer for over 20 years. I have been a Lowepro user for the last several years, this is my first Tamrac product.

THE GOOD - This backpack is very well built, excellent construction and materials quality. The straps are extremely comfortable and designed to place the load on your hips, which is a bonus (and the way a good hiking pack should be designed) if you carry a lot of gear. They are well padded and breathable, with compression straps and a full array of EASY to use adjustments, I will admit in this regard it outshines anything Lowepro has in my opinion. The padding is PHENOMINAL, I carry around about $10K in gear when I go hiking, some people carry more or less, but lets face it - pro, semi-pro, or beginner, camera gear is expensive, and this pack is the FIRST pack I've owned that I feel my gear is SAFE. My Lowepro bags and packs and my Domke backpack all did a great job, and I never had any problems, but this backpack has THICK padding, and lots of velcro - I love it. The battery and memory management system is great, simple yet ingeniously designed. The tripod holder is sufficient - I use a BIG Tiltall aluminum tripod and it fit securely, although adds quite a bit of weight and does throw the pack off balance so will not likely use that aspect of the pack, I'll probably bring a leg (monopod) if I need some stability for the long shots. ROOMY - This pack has tons of space! - Here's what I've got in there so far; Canon 20D with Grip, Canon Elan 7e with Grip, a 2x Tele-extender, 135 F2.8 Lens, two small zooms, a 50mm 1.8 lens, and a 400 F2.6 telephoto APO lens. I could probably fit two more big lenses or several more small lenses and a couple of flashes with ease. I am a pretty big guy, 6' 200+ lbs. and pretty fit, but don't think I'd want to fill this backpack up completely and trek to the top of a mountain. It's not overly big backpack, but it's not for the faint of heart, the pack itself is heavier than the other packs I've used, but by far more comfortable. It has lots of d-rings and places to add-on to this pack for things like water-bottles, film / memory management, or whatever you like to bring on a good hike.

THE NOT SO GOOD - This backpack leaves me with only ONE thing to desire. There is a front pocket on this backpack, behind the battery / memory management systems, and in front of the main compartment. It's sufficient for a light jacket, some snacks, maps, GPS, cables, chargers, etc. It would have been a great place for Tamrac to put a few things this backpack is missing, and all other packs I have used have had, a place for pens, hang your car keys, maybe some business cards, a place for your passports, notepads, you know cubbys for "stuff." This pack is GREAT - but would be perfect if it had a place for a few items that I think are a must for any pro or semi-pro. As in my case - I use this pack for hauling my gear to the top of mountains, as well as the local churches and parks for doing on-location shoots and weddings. Pens, business cards, and notepads are an integral part of the operation. In Tamracs defense you can buy an add-on that takes care of this problem, which I intend on ordering.

OVERALL - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED - A+ Tamrac - you swayed my from the Lowepro - I will always have a softspot for thier products, but feel my gear is better protected now than ever, and certainly feel this pack is more comfortable and versatile than any I have used yet.

I used this backpack to take pictures in the Anartic, South Georgia and Falkland Islands. It was extremely comfortable (I had a Nixon with a telephoto lens plus three more lenses - tripod, etc. Equipment was accessible and the weight was nicely distributed for ease of carrying. This was more important for me as I am an above the knee amputee and walk with a prosthesis and walking sticks.

I just got this bag and loaded it up with what I got at the moment. Everything fits well and appears protected well.
Currently I have in there:
A Canon Rebel XT with Battery Grip attached
Canon 70-200mmf4L Lens attached
Canon 28-70mm Lens
Canon 50mm Lens
Canon 580EX Flash
Multiple Filter cases and Lens Hoods
there is still room for about 3 lenses or 1 larger (longer) zoom and a wide lense. Additionally there is more than enough space for more filters, batteries, Memory Cards etc.
On the outside I have a fairly large (cheap) Tripod attached and it also fits well.
The main Camera Compartment Zipper has a Water repellend cover so I would not go running if it start raining.

The waist band fits well and I ain't so skinny so I can say the backpack still fits well being tall and "cushioned".

There is nothing bad I can really say about this bag.

I bought this bag at B&H. When you're in the store, it's sitting next to the larger models and doesn't look very large... well that was my mistake. I bought it, and it only took me until I got home to realize that unless you are actually embarking on an expedition, this bag is entirely too big. The problem isn't the width and the height - it's very similar to a regular backpack in that regard - it's the depth. I am 6'0 and 210lbs, not small, and it still looked huge on me. The interior padding makes any attempt to reduce the thickness completely futile (which is obviously done on purpose so that your things will be padded and protected). In hindsight, a bag that tapers towards the top, such as the Crumpler Whickey and Cox, would have been better in that regard (I didn't pick Crumpler because of their lack of interior and exterior pockets - otherwise they are excellent bags).

Another issue was the sheer weight of this bag. I didn't really realize it when I put it on in the store, but walk a few blocks and you'll be amazed at the load this thing puts on your shoulders when it's empty. The reason I wanted to switch to a backpack was that I wanted a bag that I could put on and almost forget I was wearing - this thing reminds you of its presence at every step. The weight balance is also less than ideal if you carry your camera and lenses toward the top of the bag (which is what your tendency will probably be, since you'll probably want to access your equipment quickly from the top). Several backpacks from both Tamrac and other makers have access to the main camera compartment from the front-bottom, allowing you to better distribute the weight.

One thing that may not be obvious to everyone is that the absolutely ridiculously thick lumbar padding can be removed in sections (there are several pieces to vary thickness). Just FYI.

If you are considering a bag to carry your equipment, say, on a trip to Europe (like I was), it won't be long (about ten minutes) before you regret your decision to walk around looking like you're about to go climb Everest. Not only is it incredibly ungainly, it's also an attention magnet, and I for one don't like to advertise that I'm carrying thousands of dollars in photo gear.

If you need to carry loads of equipment and need to put a camera with grip in it and have no doubt in your mind that it will be protected, by all means consider this model: the padding is excellent, and the weather sealing, with no need for a rain cover, surpasses every other bag I saw except for the Lowepro Dry-Zone. Furthermore, there are many useful pockets and the tripod attachment (though I would have preferred it to be on the side), handled my Manfrotto 190MF4 with no problems. However, you should realize that this backpack is meant almost exclusively to carry photo gear and doesn't have many compartments destined to carry other things (aside from a large front pocket, which I think could fit a small laptop or a sweater). So if you ARE actually going on an expedition, bring a pack mule, because this thing will carry your photo gear, but not much else.

I give it a 4-star rating because for what it is, it's very good. What knocks it down one star is its weight, ergonomics, and lack of versatility for carrying other things / converting to other uses.

The 5577 Expedition is well named. You could go on an expedition with this bag and feel very secure that your gear would be protected. This is not a small bag and will carry just about everything you would ever need. Be prepared though, once it is packed it is a load. More than enough room for my equipment. Very rugged. Very well padded at the shoulder harness and lumbar areas. Very Nice accessory pockets. With the MAS system you can even add more attachments to carry more. I would highly recommend!

This was definitely the best price on the web. I've been looking for a deal on this pack for a couple of months. Great service, fast shipping. Very pleased. Thank you, Darren.

I purchased the expedition 7 bag for a trip to the 3 national parks. This bag protects the gear very well. It is well made and the strap system is very comfortable. I was able to carry this on the plane, and though large, it fit easily into the overhead compartments.

The strap system adjusts in so many ways, I would imagine anyone could get a good fit. (I'm 6' tall and 290 lbs - so no small guy)

I was able to fit my 40d with tele lens, 2 other tele lenses, a 50mm prime, a 70-200 sigma ex zoom, a bogen grip head, filters, hoods for all lenses, a battery charger, 420 flash, remote shutter release, 8 flash cards, lens cloth, dust-off, 16 AA batteries, and attached my manfrotto 055x tripod. I also attached 2 Tamrac water bottle holders and 2 medium accessory pouches (for lunches). Plenty of room for this and more.
The accessory mounting system is excellent with this bag.

The only "con" was that the flap that protects the zipper from rain would often get caught in the zipper when opening and closing.

I would recommend this bag to anyone.

I was upgrading from a smaller microtrekker bag because it wouldn't hold the longer zoom lens I recently purchased. The Expedition 7 bag is plenty big (too big?) for lots of gear, accessories, etc. It isn't a light bag (weighs roughly 6 pounds with nothing in it) but it has great shoulder and back support and comfort. I'm using it now for my camera gear as well as a camcorder. I'm happy with the purchase.

Finally, I have a pack that I can take all my gear to the mountains in! I needed a pack to carry photo equipment as well as necessities for long hikes and climbing trips - comfortably. This bag does the trick. I'm 5'8" and used to hiking with a lot of climbing and photo gear. This bag makes the job much easier. A few things I wish it had are mesh pockets, slightly larger outer storage pocket, and a water-resistant bottom (e.g. a rubberized bottom) for the occasional stream crossing.

First, I love Tamrac!!! I have a small bag that I have had for years and love! The Expedition 7 is HUGE and I know I looked at it and it said it was large but it is really big and when you fill it up, it is heavy. I like it a lot and will use it to store and keep all of my equipment safe and all in one place. It won't be as handy as I was expecting, but it is a really nice bag with lots of storage space which was what I needed. If and when I need to take all of my equipment, I will be able to now and I couldn't before. The size is just a little overwhelming at first but a super nice bag.