Fastpack is the next-generation of Lowepro travel-ready backpacks.
I have a problem when it comes to working remotely — I always want to take more stuff with me than I actually need. I do this so that I’m prepared for every scenario, but the issue really ends up being that I don’t have a suitable bag to hold everything I want to take properly. I’ve had really nice backpacks that hold camera gear well, but they fall flat when it comes to the computer and its support gear. I’ve also had really nice laptop bags that don’t have enough space for any camera gear. It all comes down to that perfect balance between camera gear and laptop support. I’m really happy to say that Lowepro really nailed that balance with the Fastpack 250 AW II.
You normally find out towards the end of a review what a writer thinks about a product but I can’t help but say I LOVE this bag. I’m super excited to say that the Lowepro Fastpack BP 250 AW is now my absolute favorite bag because I can carry my DSLR and an assortment of lenses I will use or might use, my MacBook Pro with TouchBar and an iPad. Now I can carry one bag instead of many when I travel. In addition to the device sections, the Fastpack BP 250 AW also has other pockets that give you plenty of extra room for cables, hard drives, and other random accessories.
To dive a little deeper into the details — the Fastpack 250 comes with a CradleFit device compartment and three primary storage areas. The camera area is completely customizable as it comes with padded inserts that attach using Velcro. You can move them around as needed to accommodate your lens and other camera accessories. The CradleFit compartment is found within the device zone. It’s designed to provide protection for your tablet while your laptop will be well-protected with the padding in its pocket. You can easily secure the backpack to a rolling trolley with its compression straps. The AW within the Fastpack name stands for all weather. There is a built-in All Weather AW Cover included with the backpack. It can be used to shield the bag from the elements. It’s located at the bottom of the bag and you will find that it’s easy to pull out and slip over the entire bag.
One feature I’m truly happy about is the side padded waist straps and the chest straps. The straps keep your bag from bouncing around on your body while hiking and they keep the weight evenly placed while walking and standing for 12 plus hours per day at tech conferences like CES. The waist strap really does a nice job of displacing the weight that would normally put pressure on your lower back. My fiancé actually said that wearing the backpack properly with the waist strap engaged helped work out a kink that was occurring in her lower back. She called it ‘miraculous’ as she suffers from chronic back pain. There was also enough padding both on the back of the Fastpack and the shoulder straps for it to be comfortable to wear the backpack all day at a conference.
Lowepro designed this bag so that the laptop and tablet compartments are on the backside of the backpack. This also helps the weight distribution of the bag. With those devices on the backside of the pack, it sits flush against your back. This keeps you from tiring out too quickly.
I had a really nice opportunity to test out the Fastpack a few weeks ago when I attended TESSCO One in Nashville, Tennessee. I packed up my Canon 70D, two of my lenses, a hot shoe adapter, a light, a monopod, my MacBook Pro, my iPad Air 2, and various cables and adapters. Not only did everything fit easily into the backpack, but it was also easy to carry because the weight was easily distributed.
I really can’t say enough good things about this backpack. It has everything you could need as a photographer and it’s not oversized.
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For more information, visit lowepro.com/fastpack-bp-250-aw-ii
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