F-Stop Loka

sarahhj

sarahhj

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Sarah
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I've just taken delivery of my Loka this morning and thought I would share a few of my first impressions, as there seems to be growing interest in these bags.

Along with the Loka, I ordered the Med and Large Pro ICUs and a set of long Gatekeepers. (The Large ICU intended for in-house storage).


  • The bag seems alot sturdier and the fabric thicker than I perceived from the photos - which is great considering the cost!

  • I would prefer the Med ICU to be the same depth throughout and not tapered - I wonder why they do this when the Small and Large are not?

  • The small pocket on the right hip belt is no longer there and is replaced with more MOLLE attachment loops.

  • Not sure how I will carry my tripod (55CXPRO3 with 410 head) as it feels top-heavy with the feet resting in a side-pocket, not to mention the load then being lop-sided. Thinking about legs on one side and the head & centre column attached on the other.
I haven't fully loaded it yet but so far it fits fine (5'5") and feels comfortable. The only thing I have had an issue with is the sternum strap - this is not designed for women!
 
sarahhj said:
I've just taken delivery of my Loka this morning and thought I would share a few of my first impressions, as there seems to be growing interest in these bags.

Along with the Loka, I ordered the Med and Large Pro ICUs and a set of long Gatekeepers. (The Large ICU intended for in-house storage).


  • The bag seems alot sturdier and the fabric thicker than I perceived from the photos - which is great considering the cost!

  • I would prefer the Med ICU to be the same depth throughout and not tapered - I wonder why they do this when the Small and Large are not?

  • The small pocket on the right hip belt is no longer there and is replaced with more MOLLE attachment loops.

  • Not sure how I will carry my tripod (55CXPRO3 with 410 head) as it feels top-heavy with the feet resting in a side-pocket, not to mention the load then being lop-sided. Thinking about legs on one side and the head & centre column attached on the other.
I haven't fully loaded it yet but so far it fits fine (5'5") and feels comfortable. The only thing I have had an issue with is the sternum strap - this is not designed for women!
Click to expand...

try the tripod in the straps on the two straps/buckles on the front (ones in middle of shot - http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgates/5107347849/in/set-72157625196073898). good news is it feels great even fully loaded.
 
Hi Neil,

I thought it might not feel right having the weight further out - but i'll give this a go.
 
neil_g said:
try the tripod in the straps on the two straps/buckles on the front (ones in middle of shot - http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgates/5107347849/in/set-72157625196073898). good news is it feels great even fully loaded.
Click to expand...

I am the new owner of Neil's old Loka and can confirm that when fully loaded (I actually had 14kg on my back) it is very easy to carry.

With regards to the medium ICU....for me it works just great as i carry my 13" macbook pro down the back of it.

I also concur with Sarah's comments about the fabric quality...:thumbs:
 
sarahhj said:
(The Large ICU intended for in-house storage).
Click to expand...

Out of interest a Large ICU just fits inside a Peli Storm iM2500 (needs all the foam out, a bit of wiggling and not to be over full). Next time I travel I reckon I'd take the Peli hand luggage with camera kit in and check the pack with soft stuff in it. That would also be a good way to store stuff at home.
 
To keep things cheaper I got a RUB storage box (50l) for the large ICU to sit in - it will fit in one side of it, leaving the other half for other bits and pieces. For hand luggage it'll just be the Loka & Med ICU, or the Med ICU in a small holdall. Whichever looks least likely to get weighed! ;)
 
Ah but mine was cheaper because I already had the Storm case ;) The advantage over a holdall is that you can sit on a Peli when your plane is late again. Plus it's pretty much rat proof.

In other news, a GX680 fits inside a small ICU. Not much room for anything else but that should mean it can hold pretty much any SLR.
 
I also like the tapered medium ICU, as there's plenty of room for the hydration sleeve/laptop infront.
 
JonathanRyan said:
Ah but mine was cheaper because I already had the Storm case ;) The advantage over a holdall is that you can sit on a Peli when your plane is late again. Plus it's pretty much rat proof.

In other news, a GX680 fits inside a small ICU. Not much room for anything else but that should mean it can hold pretty much any SLR.
Click to expand...

Hi,

I have a GX 680 III and I am searching for a bag to carry it everywhere.
I looked at the Clik elite bags and found the Contrejour 40 where the GX680 could perfectly fit, but I am afraid that this bag remain a little too small: I would like to be able to hike for 3 or 4 days with the camera (and a tent, ...)
A F-stop bag could be nice (the Satori EXP for example) but ICU seems to small for me : GX680 is 19cm wide, ICU are 16.5 cm. Does it really fit easily inside the small ICU ?

thank you very much, it is quite hard to find the good backpack for this big camera...
 
Unfortunately @Coin-photo I've recently sold the GX680 so I can't double check this for you. IIRC I stripped all the internal dividers out of the ICU and with a wriggle it fitted fine. I put an extra couple of backs and a wide angle lens loose in the top of the Loka.

However, I have a number of ICUs and it's possible I've misrembered :(

Whereabouts are you?
 
Tried one a friend owned a while ago and whilst its probably the best photo backpack available it still falls well short of decent hiking backpacks when it comes to comfort and features, way overpriced too.. I modified a Lowe Alpine Centro 45 backpack fitting an insert (airflow system, bladder, great harness, side access panel for insert) which is near on perfect and cost half the price.. worth considering

Simon
 
Thank you @JonathanRyan for your quick answer !
I'am in France, close to Paris.
Satori bag is smaller than the Contrejour 40 but F-stop pretends it is 62L against 36L for the contrejour... Bizarre...

Sounds great @simonkit ! Very cheaper, I have to check this option. Thank you.
 
Well, I have the answer : GX680 fits in a small ICU but completely alone.
I bought a large ICU for this camera, where I can put the camera, an other lens, an other back, a spotmetre, a standard bellow and a release remote.
The ICU goes in a Satori bag, with still a lot of remaining room for other stuff. And it is very comfortable to walk with.
 
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