Lowepro 35092 Primus AW Premium Backpack (Arctic Blue)

Company : Lowepro List Price : $279.99 Amazon Price : $159.99 Used Price : $169.00 Average customer review :

Features

• Lumbar and side access provides fast equipment retrieval
• 8-point adjustable harness and padded waist belt comfortably distributes weight for long hiking trips
• Upper compartment provides organization and storage for personal accessories
• Glide-Lock system and hideaway accessory holder easily fits a tripod or other backcountry equipment
• Seam-sealed, All Weather Cover protects equipment from weather, sand and dust

Product Description

Lowepro, the worldwide leading provider of protective cases and backpacks for imaging and technology products, today unveiled a camera backpack commemorating the company's 40th anniversary - the wholly-unique Primus AW. The industry's first backpack designed for the professional photographer that is made primarily from recycled materials, the Primus AW is a perfect combination of unmatched easy access points and extreme-condition protection. Primus AW is designed to provide maximum comfort, protection and accessibility with minimal bulk, making it ideal for outdoor photography.(Funds raised by Lowepro from the sale of the Primus AW will support Polar Bears International (PBI), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the worldwide conservation of the polar bear). Designed unlike any bag currently on the market, Primus AW enables photographersto carry and access all the necessary components for outdoor photography while providing the highest possible comfort and extreme protection during a full day of shooting in the great outdoors. The main camera compartment is padded and holds a digital SLR Pro body with zoom lens attached, in addition to 1-2 extra lens or flash units. The Primus AW also offers photographers quick and easy access to their equipment, without removing the bag, through expandable side zipped camera pockets. The bag's exclusive lumbar equipment access points allow instant access to camera gear of varying sizes, while keeping equ

Customer reviews

Nice construction
My only issue with this pack, as with most LowePro packs I own, is that they arrive with a plethora of padded dividers with absolutely zero instruction as to how to install them in the pack. This one is especially complicated, and I resorted to looking up different pictures of the pack online from different sellers until I found one that gave me an idea of how they fit. It's like a $200 jigsaw puzzle, only more aggravating.

As usual, the construction of the bag is second-to-none; I've never thought that the prices on these packs were all that reasonable, but then the abuse I put them through would shred most lesser-quality packs, so I grin and bear it and punch in the ol' credit card number.

The bag is very comfortable on my shoulders, and I thought the storage area above the camera case part was very roomy for what I needed. I carry a guidebook, a memory-card wallet, lenspen, and other nicknacks; more than enough room for me.

The clincher for me was that this was made from recycled materials. I hope they look at either bringing out new packs or converting current ones to this material.

Impressively engineered, poorly documented
There are all kinds of features on this pack. The owner's manual explains some and leaves the others a mystery for the owner to figure out. The little document says there are "SlipLock attachment points on waist and shoulder harness." What is a SlipLock attachment point? After an exchange of emails with Lowepro's technical support, I learned it is Lowepro's proprietary system for attaching other compartments purchased separately. I got a SlipLock lens container, but it works better attached to my belt than to have it flopping around on the waist or shoulder harness.
What is wrong with a separate drawing illustrating each feature? They say "Hideaway tripod holder with ice-axe loop accommodates standard tripod or monopod." The area they indicate on the tiny diagram refers to a small zipper compartment, which holds a hidden pocket and loop into which you can slip one or two feet of your tripod. There is probably some clever way to attach the top of the tripod so it doen't fall off. The "Glidelock" thing on the back slides up and down, with Velcro to keep it in place once you decide where you want it, but I am not sure what it is useful for. Maybe somehow it holds the top of the tripod. Mine came detached on one side.
I am 6'1" tall and with the various strap adjustments was able to make it very comfortable for walking around with it fully loaded.
I think LowePro is so busy coming out with fabulous new stuff they don't have time to stop and explain what they already made.

Great backpack.
Great backpack.Nice designed,and perfectly comfotbale.
The only problem is can't contain many equepment.The roome inside is a bit small for a backpack.

Great Multi-Purpose Backpack
The Primus AW is a nearly perfect multi-purpose camera backpack. I've been looking for a backpack that could hold a reasonable amount of photography and non-photography gear for several years, and this is the first I've found that manages get the balance just right. It has many things to like about it and only a few minor flaws.

The photography gear section is at the bottom of the bag. It is able to hold a professional body with a 70-200mm lens attached (but without the hood), along with a couple of other lenses and a flash. For most of my day trips, this is plenty of gear. The padding in this area is quite sufficient and there are dividers that can be arranged to partition the gear however you like. Access to the camera gear is through the back of the backpack, which helps prevent theft and allows you to get the gear out without getting the part of the bag that touches your back dirty. The photography section can also be accessed by a side panel that allows easy removal of the camera. While this works great for a regular-sized camera, my Rebel XTi with the battery grip on doesn't fit through the opening easily. I wish they would have made this access panel a bit bigger to accommodate the bodies with grips.

The upper compartment is a slightly padded area that can hold a lot of non-photography gear. I packed a first aid kit, food, maps, and a GorillaPod table-tripod in it and still had room to spare. On the front of the bag is a sort of half-open expandable area that is perfect for holding a jacket, books, or other items. It can even hold a small notebook computer. The outermost part of the bag has a tripod attachment that also worked great for trekking poles. Underneath the bag is the storage for the attached all-weather cover, should it begin to rain. Finally, on the side of the bag is an expandable pocket for a water bottle.

There are very few downsides to the bag. The first is the already-mentioned size of the side-access panel. This won't be a problem for most people that don't own cameras with grips. The second downside to the bag is that it only comes in one size. The bag is slightly short for my torso. It would have been great if they offered these in different sizes like camping backpack makers do. For me, an extra inch would have been great, allowing me to put more of the load onto my hips. The final negative that I have encountered is that there are no SlipLock attachments on the bag. I have a few accessory attachments that I use with my other Lowepro bags and they won't work with this bag.

Overall, if you're an average sized person who wants a bag to carry around for a day hike through the park or while touring a city, this bag is a wonderful choice. I have other bags for other purposes, but I can see this being my go-to bag for most occasions.

Lowepro 35092 Primus AW Premium Backpack (Arctic Blue)