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Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack

$119.95

(8)

Item # 800123

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The Mountainsmith Spectrum camera pack is thoughtfully designed to provide the on-the-go photographer with all the essential elements for a day in the field.

Rugged pack body is made of 100% recycled ReDura™ PET fabric
Molded back panel, contoured shoulder straps and adjustable sternum strap provide all-day comfort and weight distribution
Bottom clamshell pocket is padded to protect your cameras and lenses; adjustable dividers allow you to customize the layout for storing your photo gear
Padded laptop compartment fits up to a 17 in. screen and has top entry for easy access
Front zippered pocket with key clip holds often-used gear; mesh side pockets hold water bottles or snacks
Compression straps help stabilize the load
Total volume measures 1,403 cu. in.; internal dimensions measure 18 x 12.75 x 9.75 in.
Mountainsmith Spectrum camera pack is built tough with YKK zippers and Hypalon™ and 840-denier ballistic nylon reinforcements

Imported.

Item 800123

$23.99

with coupon code ANNV13
May 17-27 Details

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Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack Customer Reviews

REVIEW SNAPSHOT®

by PowerReviews

Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack

3.3

(based on 8 reviews)

75%

of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Pros

Comfortable (6)
Adjustable harness (5)
Roomy (5)
Strong construction (5)
Easily accessible equipment (4)

Cons

Hard to access equipment (3)

Best Uses

Transporting gear (6)
Protecting gear (5)

- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (4)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (8)

Reviewed by 8 customers

Sort by

Displaying reviews 1-8

Apr

2013

4.0

Camera Pack

By docarb

from Denver

About Me Photo Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Harness
Roomy
Strong Construction

Cons

Hard To Access Equipment

Best Uses

Protecting Gear
Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

Just returned from South Africa and stayed at 6 different Reserves while there. Lots of travel and did great job of protecting equipment. Would be nice if a little bigger.

Comment on this review

Mar

2013

3.0

Functional but could be better.

By John Cee

from Phoenix, AZ

See all my reviews

Pros

Easy On And Off
Sturdy

Cons

Hard To Access Equipment
Heavy
Mystery Snap Fasteners
Tripod Accommodation

Best Uses

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

I purchased this pack to use on hikes and at events to carry cameras and lenses. Basically it is an ok pack and a lot more comfortable than a traditional camera bag over the shoulder. I can cary more weght comfortably with this product. The pack comes with an equipement divider in the lower compartment and an upper compartment that can be used for a jacket, more equipment,etc. There is an optional equpment divider sold by Mountainsmith that will nicely fit into the upper storage area. That is what I use to typically carry several lenses and an additional camera body. My two chief dislikes about the product are that the flaps for the compartment do not open wide enough allow for easy access. It is a struggle to get cameras and lenses out of the pack especially the lower compartment. My second dislike is that there is no apparent adequate provision for a tripod. I frequently use a tripod to shoot long exposures or video. I have to improvise a way to securely fasten the tripod.I noted a comment in another review about the lack of breathability for your back. It gets warm here in the summer so I hope I can come up with a workaround for this issue. So I recommend this product with the reservations noted above.

Comment on this review

Feb

2013

4.0

Very functional, stylish and recycled!

By saubio105

from Portland, OR

About Me Photo Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Harness
Comfortable
Easily Accessible Equipment
Roomy
Strong Construction
Stylish

Cons

Awkward Zippers

Best Uses

Day Hiking
Protecting Gear
Storing Gear
Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

I'd been searching for a pack that had functional storage for a DSLR with all the stuff you normally drag along with it; plus the other things you might want on an all day hike. This bag has ample room for both. The dedicated lower deck for the equipment is well thought out and provides enough space for a full size SLR, two additional lenses, a flash and a filter set. The only odd part about this compartment is the sometimes-finicky zipper that likes to get stuck in the inner water jacket. The rear compartment easily fits a 17" laptop, plus an iPad. The other pockets and compartments are nice sized and keep things neat. It has enough padding to keep it comfortable without being bulky and the straps are adjustable to most anyone. The fact that it is made from recycled materials is another great feature. So far this is the best gear bag I have found that has the space you need in a stylish practical package.

Comment on this review

Aug

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Nice Photo Backpack

By johndanner

from Gastonia, NC

About Me Semi-pro Photographer

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Harness
Comfortable
Easily Accessible Equipment
Roomy
Strong Construction

Cons

Straps a little long

Best Uses

Protecting Gear
Storing Gear
Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

I'm very happy with this backpack—nice sturdy construction, plenty of compartments, decent amount of space, nice secure laptop compartment. I have a little trouble fitting a 70-200 lens in there while it's attached to the camera, but it is possible. The only thing I didn't like with the backpack is the excessive strap length—the excess length just dangles. All and all, good bag.

Comment on this review

Aug

2012

(1 of 1 customers found this review helpful)

4.0

Great backpack!

By Rodnie

from Washington, DC

About Me Photo Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Comfortable
Roomy
Strong Construction

Cons

No air flow on back

Best Uses

Protecting Gear
Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

This is an excellent buy. The only thing I would do differently would be to build an air gap so your back would not get as hot and sweaty. Other than that it is a wonderful back pack for photo equipment.

Comment on this review

May

2012

(5 of 5 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Promising but has quality issues

By K0REX

from Las Vegas, Nevada

About Me Casual Photographer

See all my reviews

Pros

Adaptable
Comfortable
Easily Accessible Equipment

Cons

Low build quality

Best Uses

Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

I bought this backpack to use on a mission trip to Haiti. I carried a automatic level in it's protective case. Wasn't a great fit but I was able to make it work for the level, a smaller video camera and a small digital camera. I also carried a notebook in the laptop compartment, pens, pencils, calculator and a liter of water. A decent load but not terribly heavy. I did carry the liter of water carbinered to the shoulder straps occasionally

The third day into the trip the left shoulder strap pulled out at the bottom. It appears the seam was too close to the edge of the strap and the nylon was not sintered (melted to avoid unraveling) along the edge. Although Mountainsmith has some nice designs they are a little lacking quality/ durability department.

I know REI will take it back but I will not exchange it for another Mountainsmith. I need something I can rely on far from home.

Comment on this review

Oct

2011

(5 of 6 customers found this review helpful)

1.0

Not easy to use...

By hamtickle

from So Cal

About Me Casual Photographer

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Harness
Comfortable

Cons

Cumbersome
Hard To Access Equipment
Zippers get stuck

Best Uses

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

I was looking for a combination SLR backpack and daypack for carrying around all the stuff that Dad's have to carry. This looked promising until I got it home and started working out how to put my cameras and tablet in it. The Tablet slipped in easily, but the camera compartment is not well designed for easy in and out of an SLR. The zippers are difficult and get caught, and the opening is not wide enough for easy extraction of the camera. I returned it within 24 hours and will look for something else.

Comment on this review

May

2011

(11 of 11 customers found this review helpful)

5.0

Great idea and implementation

By Michael from Santa Barbara

from Santa Barbara, CA

About Me Photo Enthusiast

See all my reviews

Pros

Adjustable Harness
Comfortable
Easily Accessible Equipment
Roomy
Strong Construction

Cons

Heavy

Best Uses

Protecting Gear
Transporting Gear

Comments about Mountainsmith Spectrum Camera Pack:

This is one great pack for the photographer who needs to get out of the car and get into the wilderness. The camera and lenses fit into a bottom area of the pack. It's well padded with dividers that can be moved and set up for your own equipment. It will probably fit an SLR body, three lenses (2 telephoto and one 35mm or wide angle) and some other stuff like a small flash.

The padded laptop area holds a 17" comfortably, though I'm a bit concerned that about 2-3" of the laptop sticks up above one side of the padding. Theoretically, you could drop the pack on its top and may hurt the laptop. But there's still a lot of padding, so it may not be a big concern. I'm carrying a 17", and dropped the pack, my MacBook Pro showed no damage whatsoever.

The zipper around the laptop is waterproof. The other zippers, have flaps that pull down over them to keep water out. Probably not waterproof, but water resistant.

There are three pockets, one small, maybe for sunglasses, since it's felt lined. A medium size pocket, with a waterproof case, several pen holders, and a key clip. The largest pocket holds all kinds of stuff, like chargers, discs, or a book or two.

The pack is designed to carry a computer and camera, so it's not like a true day pack. There's not much ventilation on the back, so it's kind of sweaty. It does not have a hip belt, so your shoulder takes all the weight.

I have taken it on a 5 mile strenuous hike, and it wasn't bad, but not like a day pack at the same price level. Admitted, I use this pack as a replacement for my briefcase, except I can carry my cameras.

It's very well designed, and the quality seems exceptional. I had to replace it about a week after purchasing it, because a handle broke. Both REI and Mountainsmith were quick to replace it, and the people at Mountainsmith were very helpful.

I love this backpack, though I wish it were slightly improved as a daypack, with a more breathable back and, at least, an optional hip belt. It's a great idea for the professional or semi-pro photographer.