First test
PRICE: £149.99
VANGUARDWORLD.CO.UK
For a sizeable camera outfit, this Vanguard backpack’s remarkably spacious interior, rows of heavy-duty nylon webbing and clever, adjustable dividers could be just the ticket VanguardVEO RangeT 48
VANGUARD HAS CAMERA bags and rucksacks of all types in its collection. Made for those with expansive set-ups, the VEO Range T 48 is a large tactical backpack, with the capacity for a substantial imaging outfit – and there’s the potential to add more. Several rows of heavy-duty nylon webbing, stitched around three sides of the bag, are designed for attaching various camera elements. Two compatible accessories are supplied: a water bottle pouch and tripod foot holder. Lapsing into military speak, buying yourself a fewMOLLE (Modular Lightweight Load-carrying Equipment) pouches that are cheap and widely available lets you exploit the bag’s Pouch Attachment Ladder System (PALS), and significantly expand the already generous capacity. I tested the bag on a multi-centre holiday/photo trip around the north of England, planning to shoot a variety of
PACK IT IN The Range T 48 will suit image makers who like to be prepared for every eventuality, with very good internal capacity and a multitude of external options too ITWASA SERIOUS WEIGHT, AROUND 16KGWITHALLTHE POUCHES INPLACE subjects, including nature, scenics and urban. So, a variety of kit was required to cover these diverse subjects – and the T 48 certainly delivered. I needed a roomy bag to cart my kit from hotel to hotel, then adapt it to what I was shooting. I wasn’t aiming to lug the fully loaded bag around the whole time because it was a serious weight, around 16kg with all the pouches in place – this in a bag that conforms to most airline hand-luggage size guidelines. The full kit comprised two Nikon bodies (D850 and Z 7), five lenses (including a Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G and Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Contemporary), a Hähnel Modus 600RT speedlight, laptop and tablet.
SPECS › Price £149.99 › Available colours Black, blue, stone › What’s included Detachable tripod foot pocket, bottle holder › Rain cover Yes › Laptop/tablet pocket Yes, up to 16in, with safety strap › Luggage strap Yes › Internal dimensions 30x19x48cm › External dimensions 32.5x25x50cm › Weight 2.18kg › Contact vanguardworld.co.uk
SAFE AND COSY The generous interior is all Velcro-receptive, so it’s quick and easy to tailor the supplied dividers to give the contents maximum protection
Plus, accessories such as the FTZ adapter, teleconverter, extension tubes and remote release. All of this fitted inside the bag. In several MOLLE pouches, I had a Lee Filters 100 system, a KaseWolverine Magnetic Circular Filter Kit, lens and sensor cleaning kit, and spare batteries. Plus, a Benro Tortoise TTOR34C tripod I was testing. See the page opposite. The bag’s interior comes with plenty of adjustable dividers supplied as standard, so it was easy to configure to suit the contents – protection levels were very high. I had one rainy day to contend with, but it wasn’t too heavy.
I left off the supplied rain cover to see how the bag performed: no problems, and the contents remained dry. Access to the main storage area was from the back, although a side entrance lets you get to one camera quickly. There’s a small zipped pocket on this side flap, mirrored on the other, while the front has three bigger pockets. The PALS straps are a great feature – if you include the loops on the waist strap, shoulders and three sides, there are over 60 to attach pouches and carabiners to. This bag can really be loaded up, but you’ll still be able to swap pouches in no time. WC
GOTACTICAL Part of Vanguard’s huge selection of carrying solutions, the Range includes three tactical backpacks loaded with potential – the PALS straps offer so many options for attaching your gear
Verdict
I really enjoyed testing the Vanguard VEO Range T 48 – it was perfect for my trip, where I needed an extensive full-frame outfit. If the T 48 is too big for you, Vanguard has two smaller, but similarly featured bags available. The T 37M is the smallest, currently at £59.99 (the normal price is £99.99 – this offer is around until 30 September), and the medium T 45M costs £129.99. Both are available in three colours. For those image makers who like to be ready for anything, the VEO Range T 48 comes highly recommended – and it’s nicely priced at £149.99. PROS Large capacity, very flexible, good protection, comfortable on the shoulders CONS Don’t turn around too quickly in a china shop with this bag on your back!
See PAGE 8 of this issue to WIN a Vanguard VEO Range T 48 in the colour of your choice
34 Photography News | Issue 91
photographynews.co.uk
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