Camera Bag for Hiking

What Style Camera Bag Works for Hiking?

After years of hiking with my DSLR in a holster style shoulder bag, I switched to a small Lowepro backpack that could hold both the camera with the kit lens and my 70-300mm zoom. The bag’s storage is great but the straps were not that comfortable during hikes, nor was the camera as accessible as I wanted.

Trying a Sling Backpack on the Trail

Since I often carried the bag over one shoulder, I decided to try a Caden sling backpack thinking it would be easier on my back and shoulders but also quick access to my camera on the trails. I only used the Caden bag a few times with my DSLR before I purchased a Canon EOS R sporting a 24-105mm lens. My new mirrorless Canon is a HUGE upgrade from my over 10 year old DSLR, but the lens is heavy. Carrying it in the Caden sling backpack was super uncomfortable because of the weight distribution. The sling backpack also did not make pulling out my camera during hikes as easy as I hoped.

Back to a Holster Style

Today my new Ruggard Hunter Pro 75 holster bag arrived. It’s loaded up with my new Canon. I am excited about the style, size and features including an attached rain cover and pockets just for memory cards. It’s a bigger bag than I need for the camera with the 24-105mm lens attached but I like that it will also hold the camera with a longer lens. I’ll report back when I’ve tested it on the trail.