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Descent Small Camera Pack by Mountainsmith
Weight: 2 lbs 9 oz / 1.2 kgs
Dimensions: 15” x 12” x 6.25” (H x W x D)
Price: $100
Being an adventure and travel photographer, I am always looking for the perfect pack to carry my gear. Comfort, weight and accessibility are what I consider most when choosing a camera bag. Photographing trail runners in remote locations on technical terrain can be challenging and exhausting if you are lugging around a full backpack of gear. Enter the Mountainsmith Descent Small pack.
I was stoked to try out this pack because of its quick-access design, durability and compact size. Its sling design with secondary chest strap was very effective for trail running. Once loaded up with a camera and three lenses I was able to cinch it down and run along with my models to different shooting locations without any discomfort. Like the name suggests, it handled the descents like a pro.
When shooting in natural environments with available light, you need to be able to react quickly. Missing a shot because your camera or the right lens wasn’t in arm’s reach stings more than the nettles you were standing in to get said shot. The Descent Small pack really shined in these moments, allowing for quick access and a sturdy surface to quickly swap lenses, batteries, etc.
A few features inside the pack are worth mentioning as well. The bright yellow padding made it easy to locate lens caps and other hard-to-find accessories while in low-light conditions. Red and green color coded pockets under the lid are a brilliant touch. I used these to separate charged batteries from the dead ones, you could also do the same with memory cards.
The overall durability of this pack is impressive. It’s made with 610d CORDURA® HP fabric which sure sounds fancy. Having used it for hiking, trail running and climbing adventures I can say that it does in fact take a beating.
The pack also comes in a larger size for $120.
—James Harnois is a professional outdoor photographer. His pics can be seen at http://www.jamesharnois.com/