Photography News Issue 40

Photography News | Issue 40 | absolutephoto.com

59 First tests

Paxis Mt Pickett 20 backpack £200

Specs

Material Nylar hydrophobic ballistic fabric/ synthetic rubber base Tripod holder Yes Sternumstrap Yes Laptop/tablet pocket Yes (9in) Waist belt Yes, with additional clips Zips

Waterproofed on upper Dimensions (WxHxD) Exterior: 51x30.5x18cm Pod section: 28x13x14cm Weight 2.5kg Contact johnsons-photopia.co.uk, paxispax.com

Paxis has rethought the way you get to your gear with an ingenious compartment

In the world of camera backpacks, it’s pretty difficult to innovate. In fact, the basic design that satisfies photographers hasn’t changed much in decades; a well-padded, voluminous interior to stow and protect gear, comfortable straps to make carrying easier and some level of waterproofing. Add some handy stuff like compartments for your lunch and somewhere to hook a tripod, and you’re looking at a design that serves most needs. So the Paxis Mt Pickett 20’s design is a bit of a surprise. The company, which was formed by outdoor enthusiasts, has rethought the way you get to your camera gear with an ingenious compartment that, when the backpack is donned and the mechanism triggered, swings out to your front at waist level for quick access. The promise is increased speed of shooting, but you also get to avoid taking your bag off and bending over in situations where it wouldn’t be sensible, like wet or dirty environments, or a prison shower. So does it work? Well, yes, and pretty well too, with a couple of caveats. The part that swings out is called the Shuttle Pod and to use it you pull a metal release handle that sits on the right shoulder strap. This is connected, by a cord, to a locking mechanism, and once released the Pod is free to swing forwards. You

I found loading the Pod easier with the bag donned, as when it’s on the deck, you need to unlock it and swing it out for access, which is more fiddly than when it’s slung. The Pod was also a little lacking in rigidity with its sides having only thin padding. There is a Pod Armour pack (for an additional £15 or so), and while this is normally intended as dividers, I preferred to fit them around the edges for more protection. The rest of the bag is extremely rigid, thanks to the stiffened back where the mechanism sits. This is welcome (it means the bag can be stood on the deck without falling over), but it adds to the weight, which at 2.5kg isn’t exactly light before a load is added. The upper is more generous in size than the Pod, taking around two thirds of the height, and within it are several pockets including one for a small laptop or tablet. It’s a good space and allows for provisions, outdoor gear or kit you don’t need in a hurry. There’s no shortage of webbing and attachment points to string more gear on the outer, either. The bag was comfortable in carrying with broad, well-padded straps, and the belt added stability. There’s also an ergonomically designed, thickly padded back with airflow vents and an adjustable sternum strap to ease the weight on your shoulders.

need to reach backwards to grab it, rather than it being spring loaded, but there’s a convenient handle to grasp, and after a few goes it felt like second nature to me. Pulling the lever with my left hand, having already located the handle with my right, the whole process, including unzipping the pod took only a few seconds. What are the drawbacks? The main problem for me was the size of the Pod and the weight it’ll take. At 28x13x14cm, I stowed a Nikon D800 DSLR body with a 24-70mm f/2.8G lens fitted, but there wasn’t room for much else. And while more space can be earned by splitting lens and body, it rather defeats the increased speed. That said, if you have camera in hand and use the compartment to store lenses it makes a lot more sense, providing a good platform for swapping optics. And if you have a smaller DSLR body, or a CSC, that will certainly free up space for more lenses. There’s a zippered and sewn- in wallet for small items, too. With smaller gear, the Shuttle Pod design makes a lot more sense. The D800 and 24-70mm have a combined heft of about 1.9kg, which is well under the quoted limit of 2.25kg (5lb), but the Pod still felt quite unbalanced when swung out, even with the waist strap buckled to counter it. Again, with lighter kit it works better.

There’s no separate raincover, but to combat the elements the back has a water-resistant outer which performed well: caught in persistent rain, water beadedwell and, thanks to the waterproofed zips on the upper I noticed no ingress. There is however a hydration port on the top, right next to the waterproofed zips, which is liable to act like a drain in a heavier downpour. It’s an odd place to put it; ports are normally on the back or side to keep water out. If you need to put the bag down it has a thickly padded, rubberised bottom, but it would be nice if this had extended further up the sides, so it could deal with water of more than a fewmillimetres. KS Once you can get over feeling like Inspector Gadget, the Paxis Mt Pickett 20 proves to be a useful, clever design. It’s better than many bags that claim to offer fast access to gear, but is more suited to smaller, lighter kit than heavy bodies and lenses. If you require speed, definitely give it a look. Pros Innovative, comfortable, and well made Cons Space, weight and some waterproofing concerns Verdict

Can you handle it? The Paxis Mt Pickett’s standout feature is its swinging Shuttle Pod, letting you access kit without taking off the bag. The Pod is unlocked using a pull handle on the right strap and it certainly speeds up access, although space in it is quite limited.