In summary
Lowepro’s Slingshot backpacks are among the most comfortable, and loaded up this bag is no exception, keeping essential equipment within easy reach.
We’d particularly recommend this bag for photographers with CSC kits who want a comfortable and secure bag for hiking or travelling. Owners of entry-level DSLR kits could also consider it, particularly if they only want to carry one or two lenses, along with some personal gear.
Full review
Lowepro’s just-announced Slingshot Edge 250 AW backpack carries on the tradition established with the original design, which was introduced about a decade ago. We’ve been fans of Slingshot bags from the beginning for two reasons. They’re the most comfortable backpacks for female photographers and they provide quick access to your equipment, while also protecting it against theft while the pack is on your back.
The Slingshot Edge 250 AW backpack, shown with a typical entry-level DSLR camera kit with two lenses and a flashgun. (Source: Lowepro.)
Who’s it For?
Like the original Slingshot 100 AW, the Slingshot Edge 250 AW has a relatively modest carrying capacity. Its design is ideal for active female photographers but it will also suit anyone who needs a lightweight camera backpack for a small camera kit. Durable materials will make it a good long-term investment.
The Slingshot Edge 250 AW can accommodate a compact, consumer-level DSLR camera plus extra lens but it really excels for carrying CSC camera kits. If you’re using M4/3 gear you should be able to pack in a complete CSC kit, comprising one or two camera bodies plus three to five lenses and still have a bit of space to spare. It won’t hold as much DSLR equipment; nor mirrorless cameras and lenses designed for the APS-C sensor format.
Most bushwalkers will find this bag comfortable to wear while hiking and secure enough to use while scrambling over rocks or even climbing and abseiling. The All Weather AW Cover will come in handy if rain threatens and can help to prevent dust from reaching the bag’s contents.
Design and Construction
Designed to be worn as a backpack, the Slingshot Edge 250 AW has a padded shoulder strap that slips over the photographer’s head and lies diagonally across his/her chest. It is held in place with a thinner, non-padded strap that is anchored on the opposite side of the lower edge of the bag and crosses the wearer’s chest to clip onto the main strap.
When you want to access equipment, you unlatch the thin strap and swivel the bag to the front, where it’s held comfortably in place by the wider shoulder strap. The side facing upwards accesses the main photo compartment via a zipper closure that opens to reveal its contents. This side faces the wearer’s body when the bag is in the carrying position, preventing the contents from being accessed from behind.
The Slingshot Edge 250 AW with the side-access cover raised to show its contents. (Source: Lowepro.)
Like other Lowepro backpacks, the interior compartment is customisable, with five removable dividers that are padded and have Velcro anchoring points. The top half of the bag is separated from the photo compartment by a permanent divider, which is also padded.
This compartment is much larger than the equivalent on earlier models to allow space for a tablet computer. The integrated padded sleeve can hold a tablet or mini laptop with a screen diagonal of up to 11.6 inches and will easily fit any current ‘super-sized’ smart phone or device.
A zippered pocket opposite the tablet sleeve provides safe storage for memory cards, instruction manuals or other small, flat items, leaving the remaining space available for other gear or personal items. There’s plenty of room in the compartment for a plastic poncho plus a phone, wallet, headphones, sunscreen and snacks.
On the side panel opposite the photo compartment opening is a mesh pocket for holding a water bottle (or any other item you need to keep within easy reach). A U-shaped zipper on the back panel accesses yet another sizeable (but shallow) compartment with an inner pocket for holding small items like memory cards and spare batteries. There’s enough room in this compartment for a lightweight spray jacket, soft hat and/or scarf.
Removable straps on the rear panel provide anchoring points for a compact tripod. (Source: Lowepro.)
The back panel has two removable straps with quick-release buckles for anchoring a compact tripod. Loops on the back panel provide attachment points for add-on storage using Lowepro’s SlipLock attachment strap system.
Tucked into a sleeve in the base of the bag is a built-in All Weather AW Cover that can be pulled up to cover the bag and protect its contents. This sleeve is elasticised to fit the bag closely and prevent moisture and dust from getting in.
In Use
Although not recommended for larger cameras, we found the lower compartment could just fit a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera with 24-105mm lens attached, when most of the padded partitions were removed. But there was little space left over for additional equipment.
Substituting a Canon EOS 1100D for the large camera, the same compartment easily accommodated the camera with EF-S 17-85mm lens attached although, again, we had to remove a couple of the partitions. After that we were able to add an EF-S 10-22mm lens or, alternatively, an EF 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 DO lens. (The latter was a tight fit!)
There was room to spare when we swapped to our CSC equipment, although the Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera with 14-40mm f/2.8 Pro lens attached took up about a third of the available space. Nevertheless, we were able to pack in the M.Zuiko Digital ED 75-300mm f/4.8-6.7 II, which is also relatively large, as well as the M.Zuiko Digital ED 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 R and the M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro lens, along with the bundled flash.
Without the 75-300mm lens, there was room for a second camera body, provided it was fitted with a compact lens, such as the M.Zuiko 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 EZ kit lens. Our Nexus 6 slipped easily into the special sleeve with room to spare and there was plenty of left over space for small items like a phone, sunglasses and a battery charger and cables.
The rear pocket space was more than adequate for holding memory cards, spare batteries and a lightweight jacket. The mesh pocket on the side panel easily accommodated a one litre water bottle. Our compact Sirui T-025X carbon fibre tripod (with head attached), was a comfortable fit for the attachment straps on the rear panel of the pack.
Conclusion
As mentioned above, Lowepro’s Slingshot backpacks are among the most comfortable available for photographers and loaded up this bag is no exception. It may not hold a lot of gear but it does its job effectively, while keeping essential equipment within easy reach.
We’d particularly recommend this bag for photographers with CSC kits who want a comfortable and secure bag for hiking or travelling. Owners of entry-level DSLR kits could also consider it, particularly if they only want to carry one or two lenses, along with some personal gear.
SPECS
Construction: N100 nylon with UTS coating, N2 HD Oxford nylon, stretch polyester
Designed for: One compact DSLR or CSC camera with telephoto zoom lens attached, extra lens(es) and/or flash, tablet computer, compact tripod, personal gear (smartphone, headphones, sunglasses, wallet, keys. etc.)
External dimensions (wxdxh): 267 x 156 x 480 mm
Internal main compartment dimensions (wxdxh): 230 x 120 x 210 mm
Weight: 0.8 kg
Colour options: Black
Features: Contoured and padded back pad and sling strap, built-in All Weather AW Cover, easy access to photo compartment, removable straps with quick-release buckles for adding capacity, front and side pockets for additional storage
Rating
RRP: AU$149.00
- Construction: 8.8
- Design: 8.8
- Versatility: 8.5
- Value for money: 8.8