Lowepro Slingshot aw100 Camera Bag - Day trip photography essential (Review)

Lowepro Slingshot aw100 Camera Bag Review

The Lowepro aw100 Camera Bag gives you strong first impressions, It is made well, sits well on your back and seems to come with all the bits and pieces that make a dedicated Camera bag worth having.

What you don't realise when you first buy it is that it comes with all sorts of built in bonuses that show why Lowepro are market leaders in travel bags and professional camera accessories suppliers.

A quick note first and that is that as a travel camera bag it will do you for a day out but not much more. The aw100 is designed for day trips and doesn't contain a lot of storage space that you might need from multi-day trip. I have used my aw100 on multiple European trips and throughout Asia Pacific and can't imagine a better day bag my digital SLR camera.

Usage

The concept of the aw100 is simple yet very well executed. The bag is an over the shoulder sling type model and allows you to pull the back of the bag around to your front presenting you with the panel which you unzip to gain access to your camera. So effectively, when the bag is on your back the zipper is on the side, and when you pull it around to the front zipper is on top. This almost provides you with a tabletop from which you can access your camera and my bag even acts as a shoulder rest to stabilise my shots.

The hidden bits and storage

A few of the things you don't realise you're getting include a hidden rain jacket which can be found in the base of the unit. I have been caught out in the rain before, quite serious rain, and used this which kept the bag and camera completely dry. Although I would say the bag is fairly waterproof as it is. Under the zipper flap there is a small Velcro pocket which allows storage of extra memory cards and maybe even a lens cap or filter. Inside the unit there are movable padded walls which are secured by Velcro and thus can be changed to suit the needs of your camera. I have a Canon 400D with the standard lens and a 27-128 zoom lens which it copes with and still leaves room in one of the chambers or filters, film or anything else.

Also inside the storage area there is a hidden polishing micro-cloth which is brilliant for cleaning the back of your camera when you finish a shoot. This cleaning cloth sits within an elastic pocket which can also store other things.

The top of the bag is which is triangular in shape can handle my keys, phone, wallet and a small bottle of water but not much more. It could handle a small waterproof if needed.

There is also a pocket on the front of the bag which provides additional storage and there are external strengthened straps to which you could attach other accessories such as, a tripod or similar.

Stability

If you are involved in more adventurous activities and there is also a securing strap which you can use, similar to a cycle courier support strap. This reduces the amount of play the bag has on your back.

Summary

In my opinion this bag is brilliant and you would find it hard to get a better camera day back. The quality of build and thought has gone into it is obvious and sensible. However, don't expect this to carry a lot of extra items, or to be used as a weekend bag. It really is good day trips or as a bag that is dedicated to carrying your camera. If you need more space Lowepro do offer the aw200 which allows much more space for other lenses and storage.

"Lowepro Slingshot 100 Sling Bag For Digital SLR & 1-2 Lenses - Black" (Lowepro)

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