Review: Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L Backpack

The Lower Photo Sport 24L Backpack is a great specialist camera bag with lots of useful features to take with you on day trips

Review: Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L Backpack

I’ve got a range of ruck sacks for my outdoor adventures and the Lowepro Photo Sport 24L Backpack is a really good versatile one to have in my collection for when I want to take my camera with me - and is targeted to those who are into what this blog is exactly about - Hiking & Photography!

The LowePro PhotoSport series is one of their best selling rucksacks and this is the 3rd version of the 24L bag (There is also a 15L version of the same bag for more casual use). It's also made of recycled materials which is a big plus for the environmentally conscious among us.

Regular readers of the blog will know I like to keep my reviews brief and to the point so here’s what I thought about it after testing it for a couple of months.

What do I think of the Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L Backpack?

Firstly what is really useful about the bag is its versatility. It has 2 main sections really. The very handy part for photographers is the bottom section which has a side pocket into the dedicated camera compartment, which is also removable in its own right. This makes accessing your camera very easy. How useful this part of the bag is will depend on your camera set-up as it may be too small for some - but it’s perfectly suitable for users of smaller setups or mirrorless bodies, but only space for one or two smaller lenses. Full frame users and those carrying lots of lenses may want to weigh up their options.

This is the bags best feature - a separate, removable compartment with its own access for your camera - pretty neat eh!

The dedicated camera section is such a good versatile feature and makes whipping your camera out super quick. However those with larger camera set-ups may find it a bit small

The top section has its own access for the rest of your kit and larger items such as clothing and food/drink for example. There is also the option of removing the bottom camera compartment and then extending the top section to fill the entire bag - giving lots more space. The versatility of the Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L is a big plus!

Other useful features are a rear laptop/tablet compartment - which could also be used for a small hydration pouch. On the front of the bag is an expandable pocket which can also be used to fit in other items such as a jacket.

Here's some other great features such as the tablet/hydration pouch, the expandable front pocket and also an inner zip pocket in the top section of the bag

Another useful feature of this bag for hiking is the hidden velcro pouch on the front of the bag which stores a protective rain cover, however in light rain the bag holds up quite well without it - but the optional cover is always there.

The whole bag itself is relatively light, very durable and made of quality robust fabrics - your kit feels very safe in it! Importantly the bag is also comfortable and you’ll be happy hiking with this on your back all day!

The Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L is very comfortable to wear and is perfect for short day trips.

Pro's & Con's of the Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L Backpack:

Pro's

An essential of any rucksack is that it is comfortable and lightweight
The top and side access is an excellent feature and makes getting to separate gear easy & quick
The bottom camera compartment can be removed to give a bigger space in the bag if needed.
The rucksack is durable and holds up to the weather well (with a rain cover included)
The rear laptop space can double as a hydration pouch

Con's

Depending upon the nature of your trip and what you need to take with you - the bag may be a little small for some adventures
Larger full-frame camera users might be tight for space
Because of all its features some may find it a bit pricey!

The LowePro PhotoSport 24 L rucksack is comfortable, versatile and very useful for photography enthusiasts on day hikes

Summary of the Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L Backpack

The Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L backpack offers something different in my rucksack collection due to it's versatility and the fact it is a dedicated photographers rucksack - this makes it very useful. On day hikes it can become invaluable and makes it very easy to whip out your small camera set-up. It's not suitable for all trips, as for example on longer trips or in bad weather you’ll need more space in there for all your gear. But on shortish day hikes, where you don’t need much gear, it fit’s the job perfectly for any photography enthusiast!

To find out more on the Lowepro Photo Sport III 24L visit www.lowepro.com/uk-en/photosport-outdoor-backpack-bp-24l

Post by Stuart Hodgson
'The Hiking Photographer'

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