F-stop bags

justinminns

justinminns

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I'm looking at getting an F-stop bag, the main reason being to get something lighter than my Lowerpro Whistler... I'm currently deciding between Ajna / Lotus /Loka UL if anyone has either of these three I'd love to hear your experiences, thought, recommendations.

It needs to hold a 5D mkIV, 3 average sized lenses, filters, bits and bobs, spare jacket, water etc... all my gear should fit in a medium ICU.
 
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You'd be surprised how much stuff you can fit into a Guru.

It could be just what you need.

In many ways they are great bags. The only drawback for me is that small items from the top section slip down the edges of the ICU and can get lost or fall out into the ICU. If only the Guru was a true two compartment bag it would be perfect.
 
I’ve currently got a Lotus and a Guru with a range of ICUs (Small, medium, large). Being able to swap ICUs in and out is the best part. Since I’ve started to downsize kit I’ve found I’m using the Guru the most as it fits a 100-400 with A7r3 attached with room for a second lens (70-200 f4 or 24-105 f4) in a small icu and still have room to spare above the ICU. For most wildlife trips that’s all I need. It can fit a medium icu in but I find it’s easier to carry the medium in the Lotus. In a medium ICU I can get 3 lenses (100-400, 70-200 f4, 24-105 f4) with one attached to the camera. There is room in the ICU to be able to swap over each lens ie the 100-400 and 70-200 can fit in the side sections with the 24-105 is attached the the camera in the middle section.

If I’m off out for landscapes then it’s the Lotus I take as it has more room in the top. The harness feels better too. It can fit a large ICU in but I don’t use that much now as I find my kit fits quite nicely in the smaller ICUs. The best harnesses are on the larger Tilopa and Sukha bags. They seem to be much more comfortable than the smaller bags in you are packing them to the brim. If you are thinking of the Ajna I would consider the Tilopa for the better harness especially if it was ever going to be pack full of heavy kit (camera, other bits and water) then the better harness could come in handy. Between the bags it all depends on the amount of spare space you want.

The guru bag I have is more along the same lines as the loka ul (same bag series). The materials are noticeably thinner than the mountain series bags but I like the side mesh pockets on the guru. It’s easy to put a bottle or tripod in them and you aren’t restricted by the size of the side pocket openings like the mountain bags. The side pockets on the mountain bags are a great addition but they could be better. The side pockets are just empty pockets. There are no organiser pockets inside on the bag side which is a shame as everything you put in them falls to the bottom of the pocket. You soon learn they are best for stuffing in gloves and hat over a water bottle. The side pockets also have a Velcro tab that’s supposed to allow the pocket to expand slightly but it’s annoying opening and closing the velco so I’ve positioned so the velco its only closed at one end rather than the whole length. The things I like about the guru style bags are the mesh side pockets and the hip belt pockets. The hip belt pockets are good for putting the lens cap or a cereal bar in. The side mesh pockets can fit a water bottle, a travel tripod in or two legs of a bigger tripod (there is a side strap further up that secures it nicely to the side of the bag.

The front pockets are great for stuffing in a thin jacket, fleece or insulating jacket. They are really useful for quick access to an extra layer.

Over the last few months I’ve been impressed with the guru and it’s design (I like the organiser section that’s between the front pocket and the main compartment. I don’t think any other bag has this feature. I’m often using the guru as a normal bag especially for taking my laptop to work or down a coffee shop whilst the wife is at the hairdressers). I had a thought of swapping the lotus for the Lola ul because im finding the mesh pockets and hip belt pockets are very useful. But it feels like I'm probably better to stay with the guru and lotus as I have a bag from each series and the benefits from both. I can live with the positives and negatives of each.

@jerry12953 is right that things can fall down the side of the ICU. I try to mitigate this by using an organiser pouch inside above the ICU or put in things like filter pouch and holder pouch in this section (ie not really small stuff).

These are the best info guides I’ve found on the net:

http://webshed.co.za/test/2016/07/11/choosing-the-right-fstop-gear/

http://webshed.co.za/test/2016/07/11/choosing-the-right-f-stop-gear-2/

Places to buy F stop gear from in the UK are pretty much no existent. The best place I’ve found is Alpine Trek. They are based in Europe but delivery was free over £50 and was a couple of days when I last used them.
 
jerry12953 said:
You'd be surprised how much stuff you can fit into a Guru.

It could be just what you need.

In many ways they are great bags. The only drawback for me is that small items from the top section slip down the edges of the ICU and can get lost or fall out into the ICU. If only the Guru was a true two compartment bag it would be perfect.
Click to expand...

I think it would be a little too small, I'd like the option to cram a large ICU in if necessary or use the medium and have more room for other stuff. Is yours a Guru UL? If so what do you think of th build quality/comfort?
 
rob-nikon said:
I’ve currently got a Lotus and a Guru with a range of ICUs (Small, medium, large). Being able to swap ICUs in and out is the best part. Since I’ve started to downsize kit I’ve found I’m using the Guru the most as it fits a 100-400 with A7r3 attached with room for a second lens (70-200 f4 or 24-105 f4) in a small icu and still have room to spare above the ICU. For most wildlife trips that’s all I need. It can fit a medium icu in but I find it’s easier to carry the medium in the Lotus. In a medium ICU I can get 3 lenses (100-400, 70-200 f4, 24-105 f4) with one attached to the camera. There is room in the ICU to be able to swap over each lens ie the 100-400 and 70-200 can fit in the side sections with the 24-105 is attached the the camera in the middle section.

If I’m off out for landscapes then it’s the Lotus I take as it has more room in the top. The harness feels better too. It can fit a large ICU in but I don’t use that much now as I find my kit fits quite nicely in the smaller ICUs. The best harnesses are on the larger Tilopa and Sukha bags. They seem to be much more comfortable than the smaller bags in you are packing them to the brim. If you are thinking of the Ajna I would consider the Tilopa for the better harness especially if it was ever going to be pack full of heavy kit (camera, other bits and water) then the better harness could come in handy. Between the bags it all depends on the amount of spare space you want.

The guru bag I have is more along the same lines as the loka ul (same bag series). The materials are noticeably thinner than the mountain series bags but I like the side mesh pockets on the guru. It’s easy to put a bottle or tripod in them and you aren’t restricted by the size of the side pocket openings like the mountain bags. The side pockets on the mountain bags are a great addition but they could be better. The side pockets are just empty pockets. There are no organiser pockets inside on the bag side which is a shame as everything you put in them falls to the bottom of the pocket. You soon learn they are best for stuffing in gloves and hat over a water bottle. The side pockets also have a Velcro tab that’s supposed to allow the pocket to expand slightly but it’s annoying opening and closing the velco so I’ve positioned so the velco its only closed at one end rather than the whole length. The things I like about the guru style bags are the mesh side pockets and the hip belt pockets. The hip belt pockets are good for putting the lens cap or a cereal bar in. The side mesh pockets can fit a water bottle, a travel tripod in or two legs of a bigger tripod (there is a side strap further up that secures it nicely to the side of the bag.

The front pockets are great for stuffing in a thin jacket, fleece or insulating jacket. They are really useful for quick access to an extra layer.

Over the last few months I’ve been impressed with the guru and it’s design (I like the organiser section that’s between the front pocket and the main compartment. I don’t think any other bag has this feature. I’m often using the guru as a normal bag especially for taking my laptop to work or down a coffee shop whilst the wife is at the hairdressers). I had a thought of swapping the lotus for the Lola ul because im finding the mesh pockets and hip belt pockets are very useful. But it feels like I'm probably better to stay with the guru and lotus as I have a bag from each series and the benefits from both. I can live with the positives and negatives of each.

@jerry12953 is right that things can fall down the side of the ICU. I try to mitigate this by using an organiser pouch inside above the ICU or put in things like filter pouch and holder pouch in this section (ie not really small stuff).

These are the best info guides I’ve found on the net:

http://webshed.co.za/test/2016/07/11/choosing-the-right-fstop-gear/

http://webshed.co.za/test/2016/07/11/choosing-the-right-f-stop-gear-2/

Places to buy F stop gear from in the UK are pretty much no existent. The best place I’ve found is Alpine Trek. They are based in Europe but delivery was free over £50 and was a couple of days when I last used them.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info, exactly the sort of thing I was after. Couple of questions...

With the medium ICU in the lotus is there much room on top? particularly space which can still be reached through the back opening?

Are the thinner materials on the UL bag still rugged enough for the rigours of outdoor photography? I think the Loka UL is what I'd like to get because it is the lighter but my only concerns are that I'll sacrifice some comfort and durability and perhaps a little practicality (fewer pockets) as a result.
 
justinminns said:
I think it would be a little too small, I'd like the option to cram a large ICU in if necessary or use the medium and have more room for other stuff. Is yours a Guru UL? If so what do you think of th build quality/comfort?
Click to expand...
The guru UL bag is a little small if you plan to pack a medium ICU full of kit. It’s not the most comfortable when it’s full to the brim (I’ve pack in my medium ICU with a laptop in before).i like the Guru UL. Like any f stop bag if it’s packed full it isn’t the most comfortable. It feels like you are better to go up the range. To me F stop bags feel most comfortable when packed 75%. You can pack quite a bit in but the result is paying for it in comfortable.
 
jerry12953 said:
In many ways they are great bags. The only drawback for me is that small items from the top section slip down the edges of the ICU and can get lost or fall out into the ICU. If only the Guru was a true two compartment bag it would be perfect.
Click to expand...

I use something like this https://www.granitegear.com/outdoor/packing-systems/zippsack.html that sits on top of the ICU. coming from the days when rucksacks weren't waterproof, I kind of accept the need for a liner and this seems OK, but not perfect. I want to replace it with a dry bag so I feel a bit happier with flasks of coffee being carried above my camera gear!
 
justinminns said:
Thanks for all the info, exactly the sort of thing I was after. Couple of questions...

With the medium ICU in the lotus is there much room on top? particularly space which can still be reached through the back opening?
Click to expand...

I’ve taken a couple of photos as I have the medium shallow ICU in the Lotus.

There is an opening above the icu. There is about 8cm gap but it curves slightly at the ends. You can get the bottom items out but not the top items. There is probably a 60-40 split with the medium ICU taking up 60%. The back opening is around 70-80% of the overall size.

Recently Added-134 by -Rob - Nikon-

There is plenty of space above the medium ICU. There 20cm to the harness side and 15cm on the other side. Depending how much is in the top pocket depends how much you can get in the main compartment. The top pocket encroaches a little bit into in the main compartment because the opening zip is at an angle if that makes sense. As I have the medium shallow ICU there is quite s bit of room behind the ICU too (helpful if you put a water bladder inside the bag. I’ve never liked that idea and find it puts quite a bit of weight on the the front end after from the harness). It’s a useful space if you want to transport a small laptop or tablet too.

Recently Added-136 by -Rob - Nikon-


justinminns said:
Are the thinner materials on the UL bag still rugged enough for the rigours of outdoor photography? I think the Loka UL is what I'd like to get because it is the lighter but my only concerns are that I'll sacrifice some comfort and durability and perhaps a little practicality (fewer pockets) as a result.
Click to expand...

The UL series materials are definitely of lighter construction than the mountain series. The UL series need a rain cover but supposedly the mountain series are more water resistant (not I would really trust it without a rain cover in pouring rain). F stop make both the mountain and UL series for outdoor photography so they should stand up to the rigours. It’s just the mountain series will probably stand up better.

A friend of mine has the older Loka UL. His seems to have held up quite well (though we probably don’t really really put them through the paces day in day out). I don’t think it would hold up to constant abuse being dragged everywhere and treated poorly. I guess it all depends on how it’s treated, to some it will be treated very nicely and be as good as the day it was made, for others it could be falling apart as it’s been abused and badly treated.

The only issue with the smaller F stop bags is the size of bag dictates the size of the harness length (torso length). That’s worth checking as you can’t alter the harness length. I find the larger bags more comfortable because of that. The Loka has a torso length of 34cm, the lotus 35cm, the suns 36.5cm and the tilopa 39.5cm. The tilopa felt the best fit for me but maybe the thicker harnesses helped too. Now I’ve down graded on the size of kit the lotus feels better.
 
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myotis said:
I use something like this https://www.granitegear.com/outdoor/packing-systems/zippsack.html that sits on top of the ICU. coming from the days when rucksacks weren't waterproof, I kind of accept the need for a liner and this seems OK, but not perfect. I want to replace it with a dry bag so I feel a bit happier with flasks of coffee being carried above my camera gear!
Click to expand...
I’ve never understood why f stop don’t include a partition to suit different sized ICUs.
 
myotis said:
Even a tailor shaped stuff sack with attachments to keep in place would be fine, but like you, I am surprised they haven't offered some solution.
Click to expand...
I guess like all manufacturers they have got to leave room for development and improvements for the next model release. Otherwise if they built the perfect bag no one would ever buy another one :)
 
rob-nikon said:
I’ve taken a couple of photos as I have the medium shallow ICU in the Lotus.
Click to expand...

Thanks for taking the time to take the photos and answer all my questions... I went for the Lotus in the end with medium slope and large ICUs. I was happy with the size of my Lowerpro bag just not the weight and the Lotus is practically the same size but a lot lighter and more flexible.
 
justinminns said:
Thanks for taking the time to take the photos and answer all my questions... I went for the Lotus in the end with medium slope and large ICUs. I was happy with the size of my Lowerpro bag just not the weight and the Lotus is practically the same size but a lot lighter and more flexible.
Click to expand...
Happy to help. The Lotus is a nice bag. The Medium and large ICUs are very useful to swap between which is the main benefit of the f stop system. I’ve added ICUs over the years. I’ve currently got a small, medium and large ICUs although the large is mainly used for storage in the house now I’ve downsized kit. It’s much easier to swap ICUs than move dividers around.
 
justinminns said:
I think it would be a little too small, I'd like the option to cram a large ICU in if necessary or use the medium and have more room for other stuff. Is yours a Guru UL? If so what do you think of th build quality/comfort?
Click to expand...

Hi, sorry I didn't get any notifications from this thread. I see you've already ordered but this might inform other people....... But mine is the standard Guru, and I have crammed a lot of stuff in it.

In the ICU (sorry I can't remember which size it is) ......Canon 5d3, canon 6d, 70-200 zoom, 24-105 zoom, 16-35 zoom, pair 10x 40 bino's, pouch with several 100 x 150 filters. The good thing is that the camera body+ 24-105 will fit in with the camera on its back and the lens pointing out, and the zip will still close. Then in the top section I wrap my 150 - 600 zoom in a cloth and lay that across the pack horizontally. There's still room for books, sandwiches etc as well. I wouldn't normally cram that much stuff in but it shows what's possible, for long train journeys, etc. And most of the outer zipped pockets are still accessible for smaller items.

myotis said:
I use something like this https://www.granitegear.com/outdoor/packing-systems/zippsack.html that sits on top of the ICU. coming from the days when rucksacks weren't waterproof, I kind of accept the need for a liner and this seems OK, but not perfect. I want to replace it with a dry bag so I feel a bit happier with flasks of coffee being carried above my camera gear!
Click to expand...

Good idea! I'll have to look into a stuff sac for it. It will have to open really wide to be practical.
 
jerry12953 said:
Good idea! I'll have to look into a stuff sac for it. It will have to open really wide to be practical.
Click to expand...

The reason I bought the Granite Gear stuff sac was because of the way it was shaped and opened. In practice it's too floppy to work the way I had it in my head, and most of the time I just pull it out completely, and then stuff it back in.

I also have one of these "Koolertron Waterproof Shockproof Camera Bag Insert Partition Padded Camera Bag SLR DSLR Insert Protection Case (10.63"x6.30"x7.87")"which tightly fits in the space above the small ICU in the standard Guru, but the padding uses up a lot of space, and its just a tiny bit big too fit properly (its a bit too tall). I use it when I am filling the bag with camera gear. Or did, as I now tend to use the medium ICU, and it won't fit now.
 
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