NV - Closed

NV - Open

I swapped the immense Crumpler December Quarter for their Next Venue bag before heading off to Belize.

As you can hopefully tell from the uniquitous bottle of beer in the photos, the Next Venue is a much more sensible size for extended periods of carrying.

I rejigged the internal dividers so that I can pack the 10D with the 28-135mm attached and the 75-300mm in the main top section. The top flap has a huge velcro patch so you rarely need the clips. This allows for quick and easy access to camera that can be stored in a ready to shoot state. However, expect to make a lot of noise as all that velcro unpeels - a downside if you're going to be stalking wildlife.

The shoulder strap is well padded and comfortable. The much touted "third leg stabiliser" remains unused - I'm not quite sure what situation I would find this useful.

The front pocket is great for stashing spare batteries, camera cleaning essentials and filters.

The "hidden chamber of secrets" lurking behind the front pocket is not very deep so you can't get any lenses in there. It's best suited to stuff you don't need often, like the battery charger and card reader. When using the bag out and about I often leave it empty.

The feature this bag most lacks is a back pocket for stashing travel documents or other papers. Apart from this the bag is well made, looks cool, hard as nails and comfortable to carry for extended periods.

Ironically, I've decided that I'm going to store the 10D in a holster stuck inside a conventional daypack for the round the world trip. I will definitely be holding on to the Crumpler as my general camera bag though.