For photographers venturing beyond their usual locales, the quest for the perfect Travel Camera Bag is a crucial step in preparing for any trip. Like many photographers, I started my journey with a collection of various bags and cases, each falling short in some aspect when it came to carrying my mirrorless cameras, lenses, and essential accessories. Before embarking on a 14-month trip around the world, I realized the need for a reliable, comfortable, and protective solution. This realization led me on a mission to discover the ideal mirrorless camera bag for travel, one that could withstand the rigors of globetrotting while ensuring my gear remained safe and accessible.
The struggle to find the best camera bag is a familiar pain for most photographers. We cycle through new bags, test their limits, and often find them lacking in key areas, resulting in closets overflowing with barely used bags. For travel photographers, the stakes are even higher. Our camera gear is our livelihood and our passion, and we need to carry it everywhere, ensuring its safety and our comfort. Moreover, depending on your travel destinations, replacing a bag on the go might not be feasible, making the right initial choice paramount.
Key Features to Consider in a Travel Camera Bag
My search for the ultimate travel camera bag involved extensive research. I delved into Reddit threads on photography forums, watched countless YouTube reviews, and read through numerous blog posts and expert opinions. My criteria for the perfect travel companion revolved around these core features:
Comfort: The beauty of mirrorless cameras lies in their power-to-size ratio. They offer incredible capabilities in a compact and lightweight body, making them ideal for travel. A travel camera bag should mirror this ethos – lightweight and low-profile. You don’t want a bulky, cumbersome bag weighing you down during long travel days. As an active traveler, my bag needed to seamlessly integrate with my adventurous lifestyle. It needed to allow me to comfortably and effortlessly carry my camera gear on any adventure, without hindering my movements.
Size: Your camera bag for travel must be spacious enough to accommodate all your essential gear. However, it also needs to be comfortable and, ideally, compact enough to fit under an airplane seat. Checking in expensive camera equipment is a risk no photographer wants to take, given the numerous horror stories of damaged gear in transit. Therefore, size becomes a delicate balancing act. The optimal size depends on your specific gear, but for me, traveling with two mirrorless cameras and three lenses, the bag needed to be just right. (For a detailed breakdown of my photography gear and the rationale behind each item, check out my photography gear post).
Thankfully, mirrorless cameras are significantly smaller than their DSLR counterparts. This size advantage makes carrying the necessary gear for capturing stunning travel photos much more manageable and lighter!
Safety: Security is paramount for any travel camera bag. Straps should be robust enough to deter quick snatches, and zippers should be discreet and ideally lockable to prevent pickpockets from accessing your equipment unnoticed. A low-profile design is also crucial for safety – you don’t want your bag to scream “expensive camera gear inside!”, making you a target for theft.
Protection for your gear is also a key safety aspect. Your camera bag should have sufficient padding and customizable dividers to safeguard your lenses and camera bodies from bumps and shocks. While cameras are more resilient than we sometimes think, adequate protection is still essential. Reputable camera bag manufacturers generally incorporate enough padding for typical travel use. Dividers are excellent for organization and preventing gear from jostling inside, but they shouldn’t compromise space or add unnecessary bulk.
My Top Pick: The Peak Design Everyday Sling as a Travel Camera Bag
After extensive trials and returns from online retailers, I finally discovered the Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L. In my opinion, this is the best camera sling bag for travel, and it ticked all the boxes on my checklist. Let me explain why I believe it’s an excellent option for your consideration. Revisiting my initial criteria, here’s how the Peak Design Everyday Sling performs:
Comfort: I’ve found this camera bag exceptionally comfortable, even when worn for extended periods. Its lightweight and compact design, coupled with its ability to maintain its shape regardless of the gear inside, contributes to its comfort. The adjustable strap allows for a snug fit, contouring to your body. This feature is invaluable not just for general walking around, but also for more active travel pursuits. I can tighten the strap and carry all my camera gear securely on my back while cycling or even running, without it bouncing around.
Size: The 10L version of the Everyday Sling hits the sweet spot for my needs. It’s remarkably well-sized – compact and lightweight yet surprisingly spacious. It comfortably accommodates all my gear, including a telephoto lens and teleconverter, even when attached to a camera body. The adjustable straps offer a bit of extra expansion when needed, and the bag compresses down to a minimal size when empty. The compression straps also conveniently double as a tripod holder, though I typically travel with a small Ultrapod.
Designed with airline carry-on guidelines in mind, this travel camera sling bag consistently fits under airplane seats. Furthermore, it features cleverly designed pockets for accessories like SD cards, batteries, and essential travel documents such as passports or phones, without encroaching on the main compartment for cameras and lenses.
Safety: The Peak Design Everyday Sling offers a commendable level of security, giving me peace of mind while traveling. Its understated aesthetic doesn’t immediately scream “camera bag,” blending in rather than attracting unwanted attention. Unless you’re actively taking gear out, it could easily be mistaken for a regular sling bag. A thoughtful security feature is the interlocking zippers, adding a small but effective layer of protection against casual theft. In crowded areas or on public transport known for pickpockets, I enhance security with a small padlock to secure the zippers. The robust strap is also designed to resist quick cutting attempts.
Regarding equipment protection, while not excessively padded, the bag provides sufficient cushioning to withstand typical travel bumps and knocks. Peak Design’s FlexFold dividers are excellent for organizing gear and preventing cameras and lenses from knocking against each other. As a bonus, the bag is also water-resistant. I’ve been caught in moderate rain without issues, but during heavy downpours, I use a waterproof cover for added protection.
The bag also includes a padded sleeve for a small laptop or tablet. While my Asus Zenbook is too large to fit, this compartment is useful for storing portable hard drives. I often keep two portable hard drives in separate bags to minimize the risk of losing all my photos if one bag is stolen.
Durability is another standout feature. This travel camera bag has accompanied me throughout my round-the-world trip, including seven months in demanding South American conditions. While much of my travel gear has shown significant wear and tear, the Peak Design Sling still looks remarkably new. The top-notch build quality is evident, with minimal signs of wear despite heavy use and exposure to diverse environments.
Sling Bag vs. Backpack: Which is the Best Travel Camera Bag Style?
For travel and camera gear storage, I lean towards sling bags due to their less bulky profile and enhanced camera accessibility. Despite carrying two camera bodies and three lenses, a sling bag provides sufficient space, negating the need for the extra capacity of a backpack. Another advantage of a sling bag is its utility as a makeshift platform for lens changes, offering a stable and protected surface. However, if your gear is more extensive or larger than mine, a dedicated camera backpack might be a more suitable travel camera bag solution.
While my experience with camera backpacks is less extensive, Peak Design offers a popular Everyday Backpack. Additionally, the LowePro Flipside backpack consistently receives positive reviews, particularly for hiking and outdoor photography.
Essential Camera Accessories for Travel
Beyond the Peak Design Sling, I utilize several other Peak Design accessories to streamline my camera carry system while traveling. I’ve come to trust Peak Design for their commitment to producing high-quality, intelligently designed gear that caters to the practical needs of photographers.
The SlideLite strap is my go-to camera strap. It’s robust enough to support my camera even with a telephoto lens and converter attached, and its thick construction adds a layer of security against theft. Another indispensable accessory is the Capture Clip****, especially invaluable for hiking. This system allows you to clip your camera to any strap or belt (the Everyday Sling even has a dedicated attachment point), keeping your camera always accessible yet secure. The convenience of having your camera readily available on your backpack strap and off your neck while hiking is truly transformative.
In summary, for my specific needs, the 10L Peak Design Everyday Sling stands out as the perfect mirrorless camera bag for travel. If you carry a single camera body and fewer lenses, the smaller 5L version might be sufficient. While it’s a premium-priced option compared to some other camera bags, the superior design and comprehensive functionality justify the investment. Camera gear is valuable, and spending a bit more on a high-quality travel camera bag that ensures its protection and travel convenience is a worthwhile decision. Its exceptional durability further solidifies its long-term value.
Other Recommended Travel Camera Bag Options
Understanding that camera bag preferences are as personal as photography styles, and recognizing that the Peak Design Sling might not suit everyone, I reached out to fellow travel bloggers and photographers to gather their preferred alternatives. Here are some other excellent travel camera bag options:
N2 Canvas Bag
Daniel James from Layer Culture recommends the N2 Canvas Bag. He used it extensively while traveling in Colombia and shares his positive experience:
“When I first started traveling around Latin America, I would carry my camera loosely without any dedicated storage for my camera equipment. Since then, I have tested various bags and storage solutions for my travel cameras.”
“One bag that I have enjoyed carrying the most has been this Caden N2 canvas bag. I have found it to be the perfect size to carry during the day and strong enough to hold my Sony A7 along with my external flash, 2 lenses, a charger, and various cables.”
“With so many camera bags on the market, it can become difficult to choose. However, when it comes to protecting my camera gear and looking stylish, this one has been my favorite. On my latest trip to Colombia, I took this bag, and it has not once let me down. Not to mention, it always arrives back home with me in one piece.”
If you have any questions about choosing a travel camera bag, feel free to ask in the comments below. And if you have a personal favorite bag, I’d love to hear about it!
To learn more about our adventures around the world and see some of the photos captured with this gear, check out our 7-month trip update here!
