Clik Elite Pro Express review

About 6 months ago I switched from an over the shoulder camera bag to a backpack style for my portrait and general photography.  I chose the Clik Elite Pro Express for its size and versatility and so far I’ve been pretty impressed.  While I don’t think Clik Elite designed this bag as a backcountry camera bag it is well suited for photography where you don’t have to carry non camera gear.

 

A while back I read an article by a famous photographer where he wrote as he got older he had to switch from an over the shoulder style camera bag to a backpack style do to back problems.  I’m pretty sure that age is 40 when you need to make the switch.  At 41 my camera bag was getting heavy and hurt my back to carry around, so I decided to make the switch to a backpack style.  I decided to try a Clik Elite Pro Express.  It seemed to have the right amount of space for what I need and I could find a last year’s model (2010) for a reasonable price at B & H photo.  I also really like Clik Elite.  I think they respond well to customer feed back and their products are innovative and well built.  With the purchase of this bag I have now officially sold all of my Lowe Pro bags and now own nothing but Clik Elite.

What I do like about this bag is the layout.  The lid flips open while the bag is laying on it’s back and makes an excellent work surface.  The small details like a lip that flips up so round things like lenses don’t roll off the open lid is great.  It does have a padded laptop compartment which is nice even though I don’t carry a laptop.  I do put my files and waivers in there so I have eliminated the attaché bag that I carried along with my camera bag.  I use Nikon’s Creative LightingSystem so I have multiple flashes and I’m adding more.  This bag carries them easily along with my spare body and a couple of lenses.  The exterior compartments easily fits all the extras that go along with shooting in the digital age.  The top compartment flips open when the bag is on its back just like the main compartment which makes finding things in the middle of a shoot go faster.  The waist belt and shoulder straps pack away so the bag is carry on compliant.  I pack the waist belt away when I am only carrying my equipment a short distance.  As with all Clik Elite bags the construction is bomb proof with nice heavy zippers.  The shoulder straps are comfortable but not overly thick to get in the way when you are trying to lay the bag on its back to get to your gear.  The interior is customizable to grow as you get more stuff, which we all like to do.

Now for what I don’t like about this bag: first is the so called tripod retention, it is a simple bungee cord and pocket that one leg fits into.  The bungee flat out sucks, it isn’t strong enough to hold an aluminum tripod in place.  Mine flops around which if you’re walking over rough terrain to get to your shot is very annoying.  On the 2011 model they have added a tripod retention system to the outside center of the bag which should prove to be much better than the system on mine.  The bag could also stand to be a bit longer so it rides better on your back.  I have an average torso length and it just seems a couple of inches to short to ride right.  Also it doesn’t have a rain cover; I think this is essential for any camera bag.  You never know when you will be caught out in a sudden cloud burst and will need to protect your equipment.  I’ve even been chased to cover while shooting senior photos by a short rain shower and having a rain cover is just good piece of mind.  I understand that Clik Elite has made the 2011 model longer and added a rain cover.  They also now sell rain covers to fit their bags that were manufactured before they listened and made rain covers standard.  While none of my Clik Elite bags have rain covers I will be buying them this year, at $25 a pop I’m in no rush to get them.  The buckles on the shoulder straps and waist belt that are made to mate with their chest rigs don’t match.  Their buckle supplier changed the design so now you have to get a retro fit kit, free of charge from Clik Elite, if you have an older chest rig.  The top compartment zipper also sucks, the way it lays it is very difficult to get zipped.  There just isn’t enough tension to for it to zip closed easily.  I’m not sure what the fix is for it, it’s a great idea that just doesn’t work in practical application.  Last but not least is those damn metal zipper pulls.  I know it is a small detail but I hate them.  They lace these great cord zipper pulls through them so why not just get rid of the metal ones?  Wire cutters and re-lacing the cords zipper pulls fixed that problem.

Overall I think this is a great bag for what it is designed for, general photography.  If you’re looking for a backcountry camera bag this isn’t it, but good thing Clik Elite makes those too.  It is nice to see there bags evolve as comments come in from the average user not just the sponsored pros.  I believe if you buy this bag for general photography you won’t be disappointed.  Will this be the last bag I ever own?  I doubt it, but that for me and a shrink to work out.

Review of DiCAPac WP-S10

I have been looking for a way to carry my camera on the deck of my kayak that won’t cost me thousands of dollars for awhile now.  I thought the DiCAPac WP-S10 waterproof camera bag would be my salvation.  It has worked well for a bag that cost under $100 but getting there was a less than a confidence boosting experience.

I like to take photos and lots of them, I also enjoy kayaking, but getting the two together can be very costly.  I tried using a waterproof pouch from SeaLine for my phone, thinking I would use the camera on it.  The pouch worked great, the problem is the phone, and no matter what you do you are still using a very small sensor and getting only jpeg images.  Not the type of photography I enjoy.  A dive housing is another option, if you’re made out of money.  I don’t need to be able to take my camera to 100ft below the water and I don’t have the three grand it cost to buy one either.  I only want to be able to take photos in shallow water and it stay dry while I'm paddling.  The DiCAPac seemed like a great option, it is $85 from B & H Photo and guarantied to 16 ft .

This summer we bought my daughter a kayak for her birthday and we took her on a trip for her to try it out.  This isn’t the wilderness adventure of a lifetime but it was my daughter’s first trip so it was one that will never happen again and I wanted lots of photos.  My kids surprised me by getting me a DiCAPac for my birthday and giving it to me a little early, like the day before we left on my daughter’s trip.  After opening it I did read the instructions (that usually doesn’t happen) and tested it as per the instructions before putting my camera in it.  To my surprise it failed!  One of the welded seams was not welded properly and water poured in.  The good people at B & H Photo took care of me and replaced it but there was no way I was going to have it for my trip.  There is the major issue I have with this camera bag; I didn’t get a dime for being their quality control.  If you make a product that is going to protect thousands of dollars of equipment from water test it before putting your name on it.  It would be well worth paying $100 to $120 if I knew it had been factory tested before I bought it.

The second bag I got passed its test fine and a field test where I did two wet exits/self rescues and 15-20 rolls in my kayak.  My camera stayed perfectly dry which I am happy with.  I did install Velcro into the inside of the barrel then put the other side of the Velcro on my lens hood, putting the hood on backwards while in the bag.  This keeps the outer lens cover close to my lens for sharper images.  You must have an internally focusing lens for this to work.  I didn’t come up with this idea but read it on the reviews of the bag on B & H Photo’s web site.  I use my D300 with a battery grip in the bag and it is a tight fit.  I must take the lens off and put it on the camera through the lens barrel of the bag to get it on.  Thank god I have small hands.  I don’t find this a problem since I want the thing to fit tight.  If it just dropped in manipulating the camera would be impossible.  The bag did come with three micro-cell foam spacers to shim up your camera but I don’t need them for my setup.

As for manipulating the camera you must think out your settings before hand.  The controls are not easily accessible through the built in finger pockets so some ‘fore thought is required.  I put my camera on aperture priority and all is good.  The quality of the shots through the outer lens cover, a hard plastic, was very good.  They are not as good as through a dive housing, of course, but they meet my expectations and I think I will get outstanding adventure photos from it.  I also put a couple of silica packs in the bag to keep any moisture down and I carry a small piece of Pack Towel to wipe off the lens before shooting.  One thing I am working on is a bungee or retractable leash to attach it to my kayak.  I have been using the neck strap that comes with it but it is a pain as it is always in the way.

All in all I do think this is a good cost effective way to keep your camera dry while in the water, just test it first.  As with any product it works much better when you know its limitation and you don’t expect it to perform beyond what it is designed to do.  I will always test the bag before using it, but other than my bad experience with the first bag I am happy with the product, I wish I could be excited about it but I’m not.

Review of Clik Elite Lagre SLR Chest Pack

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.

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.

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.