Review Lowepro Slingshot 300AW

[unclerichy]

Mine arrived from Jessops the other day and I've finally got around to getting some snaps. Apologies for the quality - took them with my old Casio QV5700 rather than the D50. You may be asking why I did that when the D50 isn't in any of the photos. I don't know either :bonk:

So, a couple of (rather dark) side by side comparisons. The large dark blob is the 300, the smaller the 100. I would say it's roughly 1.5 times deeper and taller, and a bit more than 1.5 times in width.

You don't get many of those to the pound

The top semi-circular section opened up. That's a pack of 4 AA batteries for comparison.

Unlike the 100, the 300 has an additional mesh bag on the flap itself.

Onto the front-flap - it's not very deep but quite wide and tall.

Bit of a close up of the same section showing the pockets. I imagine that the narrower ones are for pens and the like as I can't see what you could put in there without losing it.

PS: Sorry ladies, I'm taken

Hello... hello... hello... That's six lens/flash compartments, and space for a shortish zoom and other gubbins. As with the 100, the little mesh bag holds the screen protector cloth.

 

[unclerichy]

More hot compartment action.

Same size memory card holder as in the 100. Shame it's not big enough to put P series filters in.

One of the slip-lock do-das (and my finger)

One of the big differences between the 100 (and 200 for that matter) and the 300 is is that lower strap isn't just a stabiliser strap but wraps around the waist belt-like. Initial tests in the bedroom mirror suggest that this lessens the emphasis on the old man boobs as the waist strap takes a lot of the weight. Also handy for a trim looking stomach

Next step - spend the weekend arranging the kit into the various compartments. Expect an update in the next few days. You lucky lucky people :nuts:

 

[antc]

great review and just what i was looking for. thanks a lot

 

[alexisonfire]

Great review, would be nice to see the bag full with gear, helps scale things.

Its also nice we now have reviews of the 100, 200 and 300. They really are a great range of bags.

 

[unclerichy]

As threatened, here are some more photos. alexisonfire - it's not exactly 'full' of gear yet, but give me time.

Clockwise, from the top: P series filters, filter holder and 4 AA batteries. Two lens hoods. Empty. Nikon 55mm-200mm kit lens. D50 with Tamron 90mm and Optech Pro strap. Nikon 17-55mm kit lens. Tamron 70-300 1:2 macro. SB600 flash and Stofen diffuser.

Close up of the left-hand pockets.

Close-up of the right-hand pockets.

Top pocket - filters etc.

Only 5 and a half inches - never mind

The top outer pocket. That's a Lastolite reflector, Giotto blower (large), battery charger, power lead for the charger and a Hama circular polariser. In the mesh inner pocket is the spare battery, filter holder, spare front and rear lens caps and spirit level.

Bit of a re-jig between shots and the addition of an extra compartment separator (courtesy of another Lowepro bag). The new compartment offers another inch or so of vertical space when the bag is closed. Probably handy for popping filters in now that I come to think of it.

Finally, the D50 as you'd see it if you had swung the bag around Slingshot-style. Note the oodles of space - the 100 wouldn't fit the Optech strap in without a struggle.

All that little lot weighs 12lbs (that's just shy of 5.5kg).

Next task - making all the straps comfy so it doesn't feel as if it's trying to sever my neck...

Promise I won't take any more photos of it

 

[Venomator]

It is a super bag ... ... I upgraded from my 200 AW a month or so ago as my D200 would not fit in with the Battery/Grip fitted ... it does so comfortably in the 300 AW ...

The 300 will easily take the D200 with Grip plus my 80 - 400mm Nikkor fitted ... ... and still leave space for my Leica pocket bins behind the middle divider ... impressive stuff ...

So ... size does matter after all ... ... but when full of gear be warned ... a government health warning should be supplied with the Slingshot 300 AW ... it is very heavy ...

The only problem I have found with all these bags ... is that most of my lenses do not fit comfortably in the sections with their respective Lens Hoods fitted ... :shrug:

Other than that and the sheer weight ... they are well designed, to the usual high Lowepro manufacture standard and, with the addition of pouches via the Slip-Lok do-das ... are extremely versatile and well thought out ...

A good review UncleR ... ... and you can never have too many pics ...

 

[unclerichy]

So ... size does matter after all ... ... but when full of gear be warned ... a government health warning should be supplied with the Slingshot 300 AW ... it is very heavy ...

You're not kidding - I've just spent the best part of half an hour trying to adjust the straps to distribute the weight so that it doesn't pull so much on my shoulder. How do you have it? At the moment I have the 'hip' straps above my hips, at waist height and the shoulder strap quite short.

Heaven help me if I fall over as I'm never getting up again

The only problem I have found with all these bags ... is that most of my lenses do not fit comfortably in the sections with their respective Lens Hoods fitted ... :shrug:

Same problem here - hence the hoods being in spare sections in my piccies.

 

[FranchiseJuan]

Sorry to make a reply to an old thread, but the best way to get this bag comfortable IMHO is to make it so that the sholder strap is as shot as possible (just long enough to be able to get it on and off) and have the weist strap around the weist (about belly button level) and pull it tight so that the bad sits tightly against your back. It feels a little funny at first, but you get used to it.

I have had two bodies, 28-70 F2.8, 100-400 IS, 17-40 F4, 35 F1.4, plus a bunch of other accesories, cards and batteries in this bag, and had it on a 5-6 hour hike and did not feel it at all. If I had a shoulder bag with me I think I would have been feeling it.

 

[nbt]

Just addding in on the above point, the wait strap is there for a reason - all well designed rucksacks have waist straps as your hips should carry most of the weight. the shoulder straps should then be used to keep the bag in position against your back rather than swinging around all over the place. this page gives a pretty good description of how it shoudl be done

http://www.outdoorgb.com/sshop/tech_info.asp?ID=138