The 2022 Travel & Hiking Camera Backpack Guide

Choosing the right hiking camera backpack can be tricky. You want something rugged and weatherproof. Spacious enough for all your camera gear and accessories. Comfortable for a daylong hike on the trail, or longer. And easy to access your gear. So which backpack has all these qualities and more? Take a look at the best camera backpacks for hiking.

 

1. Lightest Hiking Camera Backpack: Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW II

Weighing in at only 2.64 pounds, the Lowpro Photo Sport is a versatile camera backpack meant for all day hiking. It fits a dslr with an attached lens and an extra lens. There’s room for a 2 liter water reservoir. And plenty of room for snacks, a bike helmet and a compact tripod. The Lowpro Photo Sport is perfectly designed for outdoor photographers on the move.

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2. Largest DSLR Hiking Backpack: TARION Pro

This German engineered travel camera backpack is built with hikers in mind. It is one of the only large dslr backpacks that can actually double as a light camping backpack. With a large dual compartment design, you have the option to store 2 cameras and up to 9 lenses. Or you can carry 1 camera and several lenses in one compartment and camping gear in the other. Plus, with all the external straps, you can easily carry a sleeping bag or tent for an overnight photo camping adventure.

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3. Best Travel Camera Backpack Under $100: BAGSMART Camera Backpack

The BAGSMART Camera Backpack is as stylish as it is functional. Designed with travelers in mind, this camera backpack sports a water resistant canvas exterior. It’s divided into an upper and lower compartment. The upper space is for clothing and other travel items. The lower space contains a flexible organizing system that holds 1 dslr camera with attached lens, plus 3-4 extra lenses. This travel camera backpack comes with 3 quick access entry points, a rain cover and even room for a 15 inch iPad.

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4. Best Travel Camera Bag Under $50: CADeN Camera Backpack

The CADeN camera backpack is on the smaller end of travel camera bags, but it has a surprising amount of room inside. It can easily carry 1 dslr camera with an attached lens, plus 5 more lenses. Or you could configure the adjustable compartments for a DJI drone or other camera accessories. Plus, the CADeN backpack comes with an internal iPad pouch. Finally, it’s made of waterproof nylon and has two mesh pouches on either side. Perfect for carrying a water bottle and a tripod on your next hike.

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5. Best Hardshell DSLR Backpack: Endurax

This hiking dslr backpack is built for the ultimate protection of your camera gear. It sports a PVA armored front panel for rugged outdoor use. It can fit 1 camera body with attached lens and up to 4 extra lenses. It has a compartment for a 14 inch laptop or 10 inch tablet. Plus, the waterproof design, padded shoulder straps and ventilated back padding makes it perfect for long hikes in all kinds of weather

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6. Smallest DSLR Camera Bag: Osprey Ultralight Camera Case

Not so much a camera backpack, but a very compact hiking camera case. The Osprey Ultralight Camera Case is one of the smallest dslr camera bags used for travel and hiking. It sports extra shoulder straps to wear around your neck or shoulders. It has a zippered and padded main compartment for your camera and other dslr accessories. And this compact camera case can easily be attached to your belt or a larger camera backpack hip belt for easy access while hiking.

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7. Best Drone Backpack: Lowepro DroneGuard Backpack

This drone backpack is specially designed to carry and protect your DJI Mavic Pro. The DroneGuard also has plenty of room for your drone transmitter and 5 extra batteries. Plus, you’ll have room for a 15 inch laptop and a 10 inch tablet. Finally, room for 2 GoPros and a shoulder pocket for easy access to your mobile phone. All of this easily makes the Lowepro DroneGuard the best drone backpack for travel and hiking.

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8 & 9. Best Waterproof DSLR Camera Bags: Endurax & YuHan Waterproof Camera Backpacks

These two hiking camera backpacks offer the ultimate weatherproof experience for photographers. Both are waterproof dslr camera bags with room for camera gear and a 15 inch laptop. Plus, both are lightweight, weighing only 3 pounds. The Endurax comes with a removable shoulder bag, perfect for quick shoots and short trips.

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10. Overall Best Camera Bag For Hiking: Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW

The Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW Camera Backpack is an incredibly versatile hiking backpack camera bag. I bought mine a couple of years ago. It’s been with me everywhere from the Caribbean to Colorado and everywhere in between. And it’s held up in all kinds of conditions like a champ! This is by far the best camera backpack I’ve ever owned.

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Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW Review

I personally use the Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW for almost all of my outdoor photo shoots. It’s travelled with me on many hiking trips all over the U.S. and Europe. Here’s why I think it’s the best camera bag for hiking and travel.

1. Tons of space for your DSLR camera gear

With internal dimensions of 12.52 x 7.80 x 17.32 in, this is the best camera backpack for hiking because you can carry everything from a couple of DSLRs and lenses to a full laptop. The MaxFit System gives you padded, adjustable dividers for building a wide variety of compartments for your camera gear.

This kind of flexible organization system is super helpful for landscape and outdoor photographers. You might choose to shoot macro photography one day and long exposure photography the next. Those scenarios call for totally different camera gear setups. So being able to rearrange the compartments in your camera backpack is crucial.

What can this travel camera backpack hold?

• 1 – 2 professional DSLR cameras (One can even have up to a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens attached!)
•  camera lenses
• 15 inch laptop or a tablet
• DJI Mavic Pro
• microphone
• external hard drive
• battery charger and extra batteries
• extra memory cards
• camera cleaning accessories
• mobile phone
• car keys
• tripod

2. Space for a 15 inch Macbook Pro

That’s right, this hiking camera backpack comes with a padded sleeve built in that fits the larger 15 inch Macbook Pro. Of course, you can fit any other similar sized laptop, too. Perfect for when you want to bring your computer along without having to pack it in a separate case.

Now you’ll be able to edit with Lightroom and Photoshop while you’re on the go. And, with all the extra space inside, you’ll easily be able to fit an external hard drive like the Lacie Rugged Thunderbolt 2TB.

3. Easy on-the-go access to your camera gear

There’s 4 ways to access your gear in the Lowepro ProTactic 450 AW. Two side pockets. One Molded, Turret-Loading Top. And a full entry from the back by unzipping it.

This last way adds an extra layer of security. Thieves can’t just unzip your camera backpack from behind you when you’re not looking.

The ProTactic 450 also comes with 5 Slip Lock-compatible modular accessories:

• water bottle pouch
• tripod cup
• accessory case
• 2 cinch straps

You can buy more Slip Lock accessories to attach to the back or sides of this camera backpack for extra storage. This is perfect for having quick access to things like ND filters.

4. Comfortable for all-day travel

When you pack as much gear as a camera bag like this will hold, you want it to be comfortable to wear. Especially if you’re busting your butt on the trail all day! Lucky for you, the ProTactic 450 AW is built for comfort.

It’s ActivZone harness keeps you cool with ventilated sections on the straps and back of the backpack. The waist belt gives you support by taking some weight off your shoulders when you’re hiking. And it comes with two zippered pockets built in so you can quickly grab smaller camera accessories like a lens pen or headlamp.

6. Hideaway rain cover

If you’re looking for a waterproof camera backpack, this is as close as you’ll get. While I wouldn’t say this is 100% waterproof, it’s definitely water resistant. Which is super handy when a rain or snow storm pops up. What makes this possible is the built in All Weather AW Cover found on the bottom of the camera backpack.

Just set your pack down. Pull the cover out. And boom! Instant raincoat for your backpack.

7. Competitive Price

With all these benefits comes a fairly reasonable price from a trusted photography backpack brand name like Lowepro. Currently the ProTactic 450 AW retails for less than $200 on Amazon. If you’re looking for a hiking camera backpack that can hold everything from a couple of pro DSLRs to a 15 inch laptop, this is a fantastic value!

 

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What Makes The Best Camera Backpack For Travel And Hiking?

Before we get started, let’s examine what makes the best camera backpack for hikers.

Comfort & Weight

Hikers already know that packing light makes for a more enjoyable experience. But hiking with a camera is hard because camera’s aren’t light. So choosing a hiking camera backpack that is designed for comfort and is lightweight itself is crucial.

Tons of Room for Camera Gear (And Extra Accessories)

If you’re taking the time to travel to beautiful locations, you need to be prepared to take amazing outdoor photos. So find a camera backpack with plenty of room for the right camera accessories to get the job done.

Good Organization

Don’t sacrifice good organization when shopping for a camera backpack. Consider a bag that has lots of flexible organization to pack exactly what you need. And be sure your backpack has easy side access to grab your camera. You don’t want to have to stop and take off your pack every time you want to take a picture.

Padding & Protection

Your DSLR and camera accessories aren’t cheap. So don’t treat them like they are. When choosing the best camera backpack for travel and hiking, make sure your gear is protected with plenty of padding for those rough hikes on the trail.

Weatherproofing

Every outdoor photographer knows that weather can change without warning. So be sure to select a camera backpack for hiking that is either made of waterproof material or has a rain fly that will cover your backpack quickly and completely.

What’s your favorite hiking camera backpack?

There’s a lot of factors that go into choosing the right photography hiking backpack for you. And you may already have a favorite that you’ve used for a while, but you’re on the fence about buying a new one.

If you’ve got a hiking camera backpack you love to use when you’re taking photos outdoors, share it in the comments below. The rest of the Schubert Photography community could benefit from your experience.

Happy shooting!

Last update on 2024-11-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API