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The Lowepro Photo Sport 300 AW II alongside the Panasonic GH7 with 12-60mm F2.8-4 and Olympus 40-150mm F2.8 Pro for scale. Photo: Dale Baskin |
We don’t usually test a product for a decade before reviewing it, but in the case of the Lowepro Photo Sport 300 AW II camera pack, I’m going to do precisely that. Why? Because this is a piece of gear I genuinely love. Over the past ten years, I’ve probably used it as much as any other product I own, except for my mobile phone.
I’ve auditioned many camera packs: I’ve bought some, borrowed some, tried packs that came through the DPReview offices and built my own DIY solutions. None worked as well for me as the Photo Sport 300 AW II.
Let’s agree up front that there’s no such thing as a perfect camera pack, but I’ll explain why this pack has traveled everywhere with me for ten years. This long-term review is based on my own experience using the Photo Sport 300 AW II for a decade.
Lowepro Photo Sport 300 AW II overview
The Photo Sport 300 AW II backpack is part of Lowepro’s ‘Photo Sport’ line, aimed at hikers and outdoor enthusiasts, and it looks more like an outdoor pack than a camera pack.
A configurable camera cube sits at the bottom of the pack, accessed through a side panel. It provides adequate space for most full-frame mirrorless cameras, like a Sony a7, Nikon Z6, or Canon R6, with a lens attached, along with a second lens.
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The configurable camera cube has enough space for most full-frame (or similarly sized) mirrorless cameras and a second lens as long as it’s not a big telephoto. Don’t plan on putting a Nikon Z9 or Canon R1 in it, though. Photo: Dale Baskin |
The upper section of the pack is top-loading and closes with a drawstring, similar to many climbing packs. The top flap includes an integrated storage compartment, and the side has a pocket for carrying a water bottle or a small tripod.
There’s also a 2-liter compartment for a water reservoir. A small compartment on the bottom hides a very capable rain cover, so it’s always with you.
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The upper section of the pack closes with a drawstring, similar to some climbing packs. You can stuff a lot of gear inside as long as you don’t mind the pack getting a little bit taller. Photo: Dale Baskin |
The back panel is pretty minimalist. It doesn’t have a mesh design for ventilation, which I know many people like, but I prefer the simpler design. I’ve never found it too hot, even in the Amazon jungle. After years of hiking with it, I’ve worn through the fabric right down to the padding, but it still works great.
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The back panel has a minimalist design, but I find it still breaths well and keeps the pack compact. At the bottom, you can see where I’ve worn through the fabric after years of daily use. Photo: Dale Baskin |
Lowepro no longer makes this exact model; its successor, the Photo Sport Outdoor Backpack BP 24L AW III, has a similar design and should perform similarly. You can read our full review of the Photo Sport 24L AW III to learn more about it.
Buy the Photo Sport Outdoor Backpack 24L AW III:
What I like
For me, the Photo Sport 300 AW II is a Goldilocks product: it provides just the right balance between camera storage and space for other gear.
I keep using it for three primary reasons: lifestyle, durability and flexibility.
Lifestyle
The Photo Sport 300 AW II works so well for me because it’s a good match for my lifestyle, and that’s a good guiding principle for any camera pack. I often travel with a combination of camera and non-camera gear, and I generally pack pretty light.
I’ve become more efficient with gear over the years, and despite anxiety about not having every possible focal length in my bag, I’ve learned to work with a single body and just one or two lenses most of the time. If I need something extra, I put it in a padded case in the top of the pack.
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I live in the Pacific Northwest, so my lifestyle often includes rain. Thanks to a hidden compartment in the base of the pack, the very effective rain cover is always with me. Photo: Dale Baskin |
The side panel access makes getting to my cameras quick and easy. I realize this is a polarizing aspect of camera pack design, but this design works for me on this pack. I would choose something other than side access on a pack meant to carry multiple bodies and lenses, but on this pack, it works very naturally for me.
Durability
This pack is tough as hell and never failed me despite being subjected to a lot of abuse. It’s been used almost every day for ten years, and it still feels like it has years left in it.
It’s been dragged through taiga forests in the sub-arctic and the mud of tropical jungles. It’s been stuffed into cargo bins on buses, tied to the roofs of minivans going over mountain passes in snowstorms, traveled around the Amazon in open canoes, bungied to the backs of motorcycles and tied to tuk-tuks. It has the dirt and grime to prove it.
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My pack has the dirt and grime to prove it’s been used and abused. It’s a far cry from the bright blue color it had when I bought it. Photo: Dale Baskin |
In short, this is a bag I trust.
It’s showing some wear and tear. A couple of fabric spots in the pack’s interior are a bit frayed, and the bottom of the water bottle pocket has small holes from being scraped on the ground too many times. But everywhere it really matters – the straps, zippers, and any critical points of attachment – it’s stitched to last and as solid as the day I bought it.
Flexibility
The Photo Sport 300 AW II is relatively compact when needed, but the main compartment holds a larger volume than you would expect as a result of its similarity to a climbing pack. However, I’ve never had trouble fitting it under an airplane seat (as long as I haven’t stuffed it too full).
There’s a compartment for a water reservoir, but I’ve found it works equally well for a 13-14″ laptop computer, and I currently use it to carry a 14″ MacBook Pro.
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The hydration compartment works equally well for carrying a water reservoir or a laptop computer. My 14″ MacBook Pro slides right in, though I have to spread the straps a bit to do it. Photo: Dale Baskin |
In those rare cases where I don’t want to carry camera gear (hey, it happens), I like that I can squish the padded cube to take up less space, allowing me to use it as a regular daypack.
Finally, this pack doesn’t scream ‘camera bag’! Most people will likely think it’s a daypack rather than a camera pack, making it easier to blend in. Those in the know will recognize the Lowepro name if they see it, but the logo is pretty small and subtle.
Things I’d like to see improved
I like the Photo Sport 300 AW II a lot, but there are a few things I’d like to see improved.
I often use the side pocket to carry a compact tripod, like the Peak Design Travel Tripod. However, the side strap that secures the tripod’s top is too high for many travel tripods. As a result, I also use the strap from the top panel to help secure the tripod, but it’s an imperfect solution.
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I often carry a travel tripod in the side pocket, but the blue strap that secures the top is just a little bit too high to reliably hold it in place. Photo: Dale Baskin |
I wish the hip bet were removable. I use the hip belt for hiking, but the pack is so versatile that I also use it for travel, where I don’t want the hip belt hanging off my back while riding trains or walking through a foreign city.
Finally, I wish the camera cube was removable when not carrying photo gear. Fortunately, Lowepro also figured this out: the cube is removable in later versions of the pack I’ve seen, which seems to have carried through to the newer model(s).
The final word
Finding the right camera pack is one of the most elusive things in photography – more difficult than finding the right camera, in my opinion. That explains why so many photographers have a closet full of them. I’m thrilled to have found one that works so well for me.
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Most people won’t recognize the Photo Sport 300 AW II as a camera backpack. Those in the know will recognize the Lowepro logo, but it’s relatively small. Photo: Dale Baskin |
Despite my affinity for the Photo Sport 300 AW II, I’ll be the first to tell you it’s not the best bag for every situation. If I’m on a shoot that requires multiple bodies and lenses or a bunch of video gear, I’ll use an appropriate pack. But the Photo Sport 300 AW II is my daily driver for most activities, even ones that don’t involve photography.
Lowepro no longer sells this exact model, but the Photo Sport Outdoor Backpack 24L AW III that replaces it is very similar, albeit slightly smaller. I suspect most of my observations about the Photo Sport 300 AW II would also apply to it.
You’ve heard from me, so now I want to hear from you. In the comments section below, tell me what your favorite camera pack is and why you love it!
Buy the Photo Sport Outdoor Backpack 24L AW III:
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This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.
