I have always had a love hate relationship with chest camera bags for back country use. Your camera is always right there and protected, but most of the carrying harnesses just plain sucked, or the bags were too boxy or the flap opened towards your body. I should know, I’ve owned four of them two from Lowepro, one Mountainsmith, and now one Clik Elite. Despite it’s minor shortcomings the Large SLR Chest Pack from Clik Elite may be the last one I ever own. That is saying a lot from a guy that swears by Lowepro, yes the Mountainsmith buy was a serious short term laps in judgment. Clik Elite is a new company that only makes camera bags for adventure travel. The designer is the same guy that started Ultimate Direction, which is well known for their well made hydration systems.
It took some time for me to decide to buy the Clik Elite since the retail is $20 ($100 MSRP) more than the Lowepro Toploader Pro 70 AW ($80 MSRP) and I already owned the Lowepro. The company’s philosophy of designing bags specifically for outdoor use and the fact they "dock" together with larger packs in their line got me and I had to have one. I bought mine from Adorama for $89.99 since Clik Elite’s dealer system is pretty limited and not offered in the Midwest. My first impression of this bag when I took it out of the box was that I could probably shot it with my Glock and not damage the bag it is that beefy. Don’t take that as a bad thing, I want my camera bags to be beefy, more protection the better. The zippers are heavy duty and are going to last for years with out fail. All of the stitching seems to be excellent.
There are just two sections of the bag, one main compartment for your camera and an accessory pocket on top of the flap to access the main compartment. The main compartment is simple, lined with a soft material and tapered to hold the camera tight and opens away from you. I’ve had no problem fitting my D300 with a battery pack and a Nikkor 18-70 attached, hood backwards. The accessory pouch holds the essentials for a DLSR very well and doesn’t add bulk to the camera bag. I even have enough room to fit the cables to connect my GPS to my camera without them being in the way of other things in the pouch. The one major over site in the bags design is the lack of a rain cover. Are you serious, no rain cover? Any bag that is meant to be carried in the backcountry should have a rain cover. Since this bag does cost close to $100 I think this is the most serious design flaw and lack of forethought. I know your think enough beating them up over this but since the bag is so well thought out this just really sticks out.
The carrying harness is a well designed and just enough padding that you don’t notice it even under the straps of a larger backpack. The yoke does tend to ride up some in the back which cause the top of the bag to lean out but it would be hard to have a yoke that fits everyone perfectly. One problem I’ve had with all chest mount camera bags is the strap that goes around your body and this bag is no exception. When you are breathing hard you have to compromise in loosening up the strap so you can breath and having it tight so it doesn’t move around. Previously I’ve used a bungee strap around my back or pack to hold the bottom of the pack in and still be able to breathe when I’m working hard. The way the straps are designed on this bag it will be difficult to do that but the way the bag is designed it would be easy for them to add some elastic. The “D” rings that attach to the bag and the webbing could easily be attached to the bag the same way Blackhawk Tactical does with their military chest rigs. They use a heavy duty elastic webbing to attach the “D” rings instead of nylon webbing. Just a suggestion if you’re reading this Clik Elite.
I only have two other complaints about the bag and they are very minor. First this bag has really nice nylon cord pulls attached to metal zipper pulls. Get rid of those damn noisy metal zipper pulls and just use the really nice cord ones you already have on the bag. I did cut the metal ones off they bugged me so much. I know it is OCD but I’m comfortable with my problem. The last is there isn’t just a plain old shoulder strap so you can carry this bag over the shoulder. I like to have a small bag when I'm at family events and my large commercial bag would just be inconvenient. Their buckles that connect the shoulder harness are their own design so really can’t make your own to connect to these buckles. I will probably email them and see if I can buy a shoulder strap like the one they have on their smaller bags. So this is really a minor complaint.
In conclusion the Clik Elite Large SLR Chest Pack is an excellent choice if you like spending time outside and want your camera well protected and close at hand. Despite it’s minor flaws I think it is the best chest pack I’ve ever owned. So my Lowepro Toploader Pro 70 AW is on eBay. I will also be buying Clik Elite’s Medium Nature pack before the summer so look for a full report in how the two mate together.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Review of Trek Go Bug Deluxe
I have been using a Trek Go Bug Deluxe for the past three years to pull my children behind my bike while I train and as three wheel stroller on family walks. While the trailer does have some excellent features there is one, the hitch, that I think is a horrible design at best and unsafe at worst. For this reason I would not recommend buying this trailer and would look elsewhere.
My previous experience with bike trailers is with a Trek CC Rider; which we still own and use when my wife and I both ride so we each have a child. The hitch on the CC rider is a ball and socket which is easy to line up and attach. The one major problem was the “slop” in the system which made a jerking motion while climbing out of the saddle. Trek decided to remedy this “problem” by making the hitch on the Go Bug a male/female connection. The problem with this is the tremendous amount of tork it puts on the bicycle/hitch attachment point. This tork causes the skewer to loosen potentially causing your rear wheel to come off. This happens on normal ridding on the road, nothing extreme. The only way I have found to keep this from happening is to over tighten the skewer to the point where it is almost impossible to loosen without using a rubber mallet. The connection is difficult to line up and in general just a REALLY bad design.
Other things we have noticed with use are how small the canopy zippers are. While they are YKK they are not very beefy for the amount of stress placed on them keeping the canopy closed. Heck the zippers on my camera bag are twice the size as these. These small zippers make them difficult to align and zip in cold weather. Also the shoulder straps have a top buckle that is nearly impossible to tighten or loosen while your child is sitting in the seat. This may keep it from loosening when you don’t want to but getting a proper fit is next to impossible. You run the risk of popping you child in the head with your hand if you try to fit the harness while they are seated. Which is the only way to make sure the harness fits your child snug. I also wonder why they didn’t put a bigger helmet pocket in the seat. A Giro children’s helmet won’t fit. How do you teach your child to always wear a helmet if they can’t wear it in their trailer? With a helmet on, their chin is pushed down in their chest. Not a very comfortable way to spend a couple of hours.
There are some good points of the trailer; one is its wide stance. You would be hard pressed to flip this thing over other than by being directly hit by a car. The seats are well padded and once you have the harness fitted your child is held very secure. The weather cover fits well and keeps the elements out. My kids have never gotten wet on a ride or walk when we’ve been caught out in the rain. The cargo area will fit plenty of stuff. We’ve biked to plenty of picnics in the park or ridden to a day at the water park and never had any problems getting our stuff in there.
The bottom line is this trailer would be an excellent choice if it wasn’t for the hitch. I have tried to find directions on Trek’s web site to see if I’m doing something wrong and have not been able to find anything. So if you’re looking for a trailer so you can get out look some where else. The hitch on this thing makes it a giant looser!
My previous experience with bike trailers is with a Trek CC Rider; which we still own and use when my wife and I both ride so we each have a child. The hitch on the CC rider is a ball and socket which is easy to line up and attach. The one major problem was the “slop” in the system which made a jerking motion while climbing out of the saddle. Trek decided to remedy this “problem” by making the hitch on the Go Bug a male/female connection. The problem with this is the tremendous amount of tork it puts on the bicycle/hitch attachment point. This tork causes the skewer to loosen potentially causing your rear wheel to come off. This happens on normal ridding on the road, nothing extreme. The only way I have found to keep this from happening is to over tighten the skewer to the point where it is almost impossible to loosen without using a rubber mallet. The connection is difficult to line up and in general just a REALLY bad design.
Other things we have noticed with use are how small the canopy zippers are. While they are YKK they are not very beefy for the amount of stress placed on them keeping the canopy closed. Heck the zippers on my camera bag are twice the size as these. These small zippers make them difficult to align and zip in cold weather. Also the shoulder straps have a top buckle that is nearly impossible to tighten or loosen while your child is sitting in the seat. This may keep it from loosening when you don’t want to but getting a proper fit is next to impossible. You run the risk of popping you child in the head with your hand if you try to fit the harness while they are seated. Which is the only way to make sure the harness fits your child snug. I also wonder why they didn’t put a bigger helmet pocket in the seat. A Giro children’s helmet won’t fit. How do you teach your child to always wear a helmet if they can’t wear it in their trailer? With a helmet on, their chin is pushed down in their chest. Not a very comfortable way to spend a couple of hours.
There are some good points of the trailer; one is its wide stance. You would be hard pressed to flip this thing over other than by being directly hit by a car. The seats are well padded and once you have the harness fitted your child is held very secure. The weather cover fits well and keeps the elements out. My kids have never gotten wet on a ride or walk when we’ve been caught out in the rain. The cargo area will fit plenty of stuff. We’ve biked to plenty of picnics in the park or ridden to a day at the water park and never had any problems getting our stuff in there.
The bottom line is this trailer would be an excellent choice if it wasn’t for the hitch. I have tried to find directions on Trek’s web site to see if I’m doing something wrong and have not been able to find anything. So if you’re looking for a trailer so you can get out look some where else. The hitch on this thing makes it a giant looser!
Monday, February 1, 2010
Still Making It Outside
So you’re the former adventurer still trying to make it happen but you have kids in tow. How do you still make it happen? It’s pretty easy but requires you to have a shift in your expectations, getting a mile down the trail may be a cause for celebration where your use to doing 10 or 15 in a day
Make sure you take a pack with diapers, snacks, and sippy cups. It will make life a lot easier. Remember you are responsible for their safety so have the proper gear for your self also, and have your camera. Getting your kids out on adventures will be something you will want to remember. Don’t worry it is normal for it to take longer to get you, the gear and the kids ready than you will actually spend outside, but it’s worth it.
You might also want to think about the adventures you do. I have been a cyclist for 20 plus years but really didn’t get back into it heavily until I had kids. I load up the bike trailer just after lunch when it is hitting nap time and we can go for an hour or two. My kids get their nap in the trailer and I get some exercise and time outside. Probably not the use Cannondale had in mine when they designed the Six13 racing bike but it works for me. The same thing works for me when the snow is flying. I enjoy dog sledding and a car seat fits perfectly into my sled bag. My son rides in the car seat, and sleeps, his sister rides the runners with me. She knows to grab on tight when we are making turns, other than that she has made up her own games that keeps her busy for the hour plus we are out with the dogs. Hand and toe warmers keep her comfortable but I have cut the runs short when it has just been to cold for her.
When we are hiking I always have my camera. Stopping to take photos gives both my kids some rest and a chance to just play. Planning lunch while we’re out gives them something special to do on the trip.
One thing I’ve noticed is how new a place is when seeing it through your children’s eyes. My wife and I have been to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge thousands of times. With our kids it is always new. It doesn’t matter if we are hiking or climbing they are seeing things for the first time and it is so exciting for them. It also helps me get over the fact that I can no longer climb 5.12 when I’m encouraging my children to climb. They may only get 5 feet off the ground but we all have a good time. On hikes we plan a destination, someplace with water they can play in is the best.
The last tip is to go no kids from time to time. My wife and I plan 1 or 2 “Mommy/Daddy” trips a year. They are only for a couple of days but they are refreshing. It usually involves kayaking, mountain biking or a winter backcountry trip something that is hard to do with kids.
I want to leave you with one last thought. A few years ago we were hiking in the Wind River Range, Wyoming. I was well ahead of my pregnant wife and our daughter who was jumping from rock to rock on the trail. A man and his older teenage daughter passed us coming down the trail with backpacks on. The man commented to wife how he remembers being in the same situation as we were then. He said to sick with it gets better and he and his daughter headed off down the trail.
So as they say on the TV show Dinosaur Train “Get out there and make your own discovery”.
To see more of my photography please visit my web site, Sean Underhill Photography, or become a fan of my Facebook page.
Make sure you take a pack with diapers, snacks, and sippy cups. It will make life a lot easier. Remember you are responsible for their safety so have the proper gear for your self also, and have your camera. Getting your kids out on adventures will be something you will want to remember. Don’t worry it is normal for it to take longer to get you, the gear and the kids ready than you will actually spend outside, but it’s worth it.
You might also want to think about the adventures you do. I have been a cyclist for 20 plus years but really didn’t get back into it heavily until I had kids. I load up the bike trailer just after lunch when it is hitting nap time and we can go for an hour or two. My kids get their nap in the trailer and I get some exercise and time outside. Probably not the use Cannondale had in mine when they designed the Six13 racing bike but it works for me. The same thing works for me when the snow is flying. I enjoy dog sledding and a car seat fits perfectly into my sled bag. My son rides in the car seat, and sleeps, his sister rides the runners with me. She knows to grab on tight when we are making turns, other than that she has made up her own games that keeps her busy for the hour plus we are out with the dogs. Hand and toe warmers keep her comfortable but I have cut the runs short when it has just been to cold for her.
When we are hiking I always have my camera. Stopping to take photos gives both my kids some rest and a chance to just play. Planning lunch while we’re out gives them something special to do on the trip.
One thing I’ve noticed is how new a place is when seeing it through your children’s eyes. My wife and I have been to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge thousands of times. With our kids it is always new. It doesn’t matter if we are hiking or climbing they are seeing things for the first time and it is so exciting for them. It also helps me get over the fact that I can no longer climb 5.12 when I’m encouraging my children to climb. They may only get 5 feet off the ground but we all have a good time. On hikes we plan a destination, someplace with water they can play in is the best.
The last tip is to go no kids from time to time. My wife and I plan 1 or 2 “Mommy/Daddy” trips a year. They are only for a couple of days but they are refreshing. It usually involves kayaking, mountain biking or a winter backcountry trip something that is hard to do with kids.
I want to leave you with one last thought. A few years ago we were hiking in the Wind River Range, Wyoming. I was well ahead of my pregnant wife and our daughter who was jumping from rock to rock on the trail. A man and his older teenage daughter passed us coming down the trail with backpacks on. The man commented to wife how he remembers being in the same situation as we were then. He said to sick with it gets better and he and his daughter headed off down the trail.
So as they say on the TV show Dinosaur Train “Get out there and make your own discovery”.
To see more of my photography please visit my web site, Sean Underhill Photography, or become a fan of my Facebook page.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Welcome to Indiana Adventure Dad
Keller and Underhill Photography Blog has changed to Indiana Adventure Dad Blog. Why the change? Well there is enough stuff out there written about photography and to be honest I’m having trouble coming up with new material.
The new title shows where I’m at in my life and maybe share my experiences with others who struggle to fit everything in. There will still be plenty about photography since my camera is always with me but the focus will be more on getting out and enjoy the adventure.
When I was in my twenties I thought by the time I was forty I would have been to the Himalayas and climbed Denali. Back then I climbed every weekend I didn’t have drill or backpacked when it was to cold to climb and there wasn’t any ice to climb. I’m not forty yet, I still have a few months, but neither the Himalayas or Denali are going to happen any time soon; and I’m ok with that. What has gotten in the way? Life has gotten in the way. More specifically an all expense paid trip to Afghanistan, two kids and a real job. Now I’m a retired 1st Sergeant, Firefighter and most important stay at home dad when I’m not working. I still kayak, dog sled, backpack and once in a great while climb. All not as much as before kids and a real job.
So in my blog I will write about how I still get out and do things and how I manage with kids. My adventures now are scaled down but I have a couple of kids tagging along now. With that I am off to get the kids up so we can go dog sledding before the snow melts tomorrow.
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