Review of the LowePro Primus AW by Roger Groom

For the last few years I have almost continually been on the quest for the perfect photography backpack. Perhaps my situation is unique or perhaps there is no perfect camera backpack! In February 2010 I finally decided on one: The LowePro Primus AW.

It is important to note I am talking here about the LowePro Primus AW, NOT the CompuPrimus. The CompuPrimus has significantly larger overall bulk, which you would not realise if you didn't see both in person. It is not just the computer pocket which is extra with the CompuPrimus, but rather the whole pack is larger (too large for my situation).

My requirements for a backpack

General requirements:

• Carry camera gear as well as general hiking items for a dayhike.
• Carry a jacket.
• Carray a tripod.
• A good harness system.
• Have weather protection.
• and in later times, I realised the requirement to have side access. This was less important than other factors.

What camera gear I wanted to fit:

• Canon 7D body, without battery pack.
• Canon 70-200 F/4L Lens
• Canon 17-40 F/4L lens
• Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro Lens
• Canon 50mm F/1.8 Lens
• Extension tube set and Tamron 2x doubler
• Small number of accessories including lens hoods, cable release, spare batteries, spare memory cards and small number of Cokin P series filters and adaptors.

Advantages of the LowePro Primus AW

• The harness is very good. Up there with other general purpose daypacks I have used.
• The top compartment has significant space for general items and additional lenses and photography accessories. It is much larger than I first realised, yet is als overy compact when not filled.
• Zips to the two compartments are facing your back, this would make it very hard for a theif to steal items from the bag. The side zip for the camera nicely blends in and doesn't look like it leads to an expensive camera.
• The pack does not look like a camer backpack, so theifs are perhaps less likely to target it. It looks very much like a normal daypack.
• The colours are nice and neutral.
• The protection of the camera compartment is excellent, padding is ample.
• If the side zip to the camera is left accidentily un-done the door to the compartment stays shut and it is very hard for anything to fall out. I have skied for several Km several times with it accidentily left open and not lost my camera or anything else.
• It has space for a hydropack away from the camera gear.
• Rear access pockets means if it's raining and you're in a dirty environment you can leave the rain cover on, rest it on the ground, lean over the pack to shelter it, open the pockets to get your gear out, close the pocket(s) up, put it back on your back, and you the worst that has hapenned is the rain cover got dirty on the ground.

Disadvantages of the LowePro Primus AW

• The camera compartment is only just big enough. Ideally it would be shaped slightly more square to allow larger lenses (or more of them) without increasing dramatically to the overall size of the pack.
• The side hatch to the camera can be tricky to keep open and get the camera in, especially for newbies. I now very much like it's deisng, but it is something that some people dislike. I like it because (I think) it's designed to stay closed even if the zip is undone, and this has saved my equipment several times already.
• The weather seal around the zip of the top compartment is a little too tight and so does not like sitting sufficiently over the zip. If you open the top compartment you need to spend a few seconds popping the zip and seal back in to position such that the zip is nicel ycovered. This is not always important, but if you're wanting to hide the zip from wouldbe theifs or protect it from weather, then it can be fidly.
• The outside full height pocket does not have a zip. I think this is an annoying oversight. The pack is so secure in every other way, why not just provide full length zip the whole way around the compartment?
• Some people say the pocket for the hydropack should be closer to your back. Considering trade-offs I disagree. My camera gear weighs 2-4kg depending on what I have, my hdyropack weighs 1-2kg depending on how much I fill it. Therefore the heavier weight is closer to my back - the camera gear.

How I Use My LowePro Primus AW

In the camera (bottom) compartment I typically have:

• Canon 7D (without battery grip)
• Canon 70-200 F/4 L Lens with lens hood
• Canon 17-40 F/4 L Lens sometimes with lens hood
• Canon 100mm F/2.8 Macro Lens

In the general (top) compartment I typically have:

• Canon 50mm F/1.8 Lens
• A canon lens pouch which contains spare battery, TC-80N3 shutter cable/control, USB cable, more infrequently used lens hood.

In the front full height compartment I sometimes store various combinations of the following:

• Jacket
• 1.5L or 2L Water Hydropack
• Maps and pamphlets

In the side pocket (mesh external pocket) I sometimes have the following depending on what kind of trip I'm on:

• Extention tubes and 2x doubler
• Water bottle
• TC-80N3 cable release
• Lens hood(s)

General Comments about the LowePro Primus AW

Overall I have really come to like the Primus AW very much. It has ended up suiting my requirements much better than I expected. It is comfortable, carries enough of my gear, looks nice and not like a camera backpack, and seems to always have enough space for whatever I throw at it. 

It often surprises me when I go out with the pack and keep adding bits and pieces to the top compartment, that I still have more space in there. I put something in, pushing it out a bit more, and then put something more in, expanding it out a bit more... and so on, and it seems to not fill up for any of my dayhiking or general use requirements.

The side access to the camera is wonderful. Simply amazing. The "quick draw" of the camera can be counted in seconds. Putting it back in 5-15 seconds. Not only that, you can quick-draw any lens outof the camera compartment. You can easily swap lenses without putting anything down on the ground!

Since getting the Primus AW I can't recall a time when I've needed to put any of my camera gear down on the ground to do something like switching a lens, putting a filter on, swiching a battery, etc. Having the side access like it is, it is almost like having a table always on your back - if you need to put the lens somewhere you put it in the side pocket, perhaps not even doing up the zip while you quickly change lenses, because the side hatch will easily stay closed holding the lens there while you swap another out. 

The side access of the pack is very convenient. Drawing the camera from the pack is quick and easy. Putting it back is also quick, and once you get used to the design, easy also.

Experiences with the LowePro Primus AW

Recently I had a week skiing in Japan and used the Primus AW as my backpack for the trip, carrying my Canon 7D with 17-40 F/4L and 70-200 F/4L with various accessories and non-camera gear. Very successful.

The backpack is very comfortable, easily capable of substantial hikes and very comfortable for carrying around airports after 24 hours of travelling. 

My concern about it being hard to get the camera in and out the side pocket, as reported by many reviews on the web, turned out to be an asset. After only a little practice it's easy to get the camera in and out without removing the backpack from your backat all. The reason it can be tricky at first is a small padded flap and the size of the zip. What these two combined to do is to keep the pocket door closed even when not zipped up. This means if you forget to do up the zip (or think you have but actually haven't) the camera can't fall out. I skied for a few KM with it like this over bumpy terrain one time, nothing fell out. 

My concern about it not holding all my camera gear is realised, but it depends on the usage as to if this s a problem. Travelling it's brilliant, holds just what I need. With either lens on the camera it all fits easy, and changing lenses without removing the pack is easy. But for shorter dedicated photography trips with my other 2 lenses, extension tubes, doubler, etc, I am having to put my extra lenses "lose" in their leather pouches in the top compartment. This is less than ideal, but it's a fair compromise. They are still well protected, just not easily accessed.

As expected the pack doesn't look anything like a camera backpack - unless you know LowePro make camera backpacks you woudln't guess it contains camera gear. That is, unless you have the tripod strapped on the back of course. And the gear is very safe, it would be very hard for anything to be stolen while it's on your back due topositioning of the zips.

Oh, and one last thing, having a design where the contents are accessed from the back not the front has already proved useful. I could put the pack down in the snow and just unzip the back. The harness would stay completely snow free, sitting up out of the snow. Also makes it easy to access the inside when the rain cover is on.

The pack's non-camera gear compartment is a good size for travelling. And the overall size of the pack is good for airline carry-on luggage. It also works nicely having somewhere to sling a jacket.

There are of course improvements that cold be made, but I have realised there is no perfect pack. Imrovements - more practical internal small pockets (existing ones need elastic to expand), ability to zip up the full height front pocket used for slinging jacket, camel water pack, etc.

Anyway, just thought I'd finalise the thread in case someone searches and finds it later.