(Note: This article was updated July 28, 2008 to reflect my two year experience with this pack – and the fact that the exact “Plus” model that I own seems to now be unavailable. However the Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack seems to be the equivalent current model.)

Since I do a lot of my photography while wandering around on foot, carrying my photo gear and necessary non-photo gear is always an issue. I’ve written elsewhere about my other various camera packs and how each fills a niche in my photographic needs – see the gear page for links.

While I like to carry a smaller pack when possible, in poor weather or on longer hikes these packs won’t hold enough non-photo gear: water bottles, rain gear, food, etc. In addition, hanging three or four things (camera, Slingshot, fanny pack, tripod) from various parts of my anatomy can become a bother. I looked for a single solution that would function as a decent camera pack and as a day pack and my Lowepro Rover Plus AW does the trick.

The Rover Plus AW is more or less a rather large day pack equipped with an excellent and comfortable suspension system. (Though the overly long waist straps and strange adjustment system still puzzle me – eventually I suppose I’ll cut off the excess length.) While it is heavier than a non-photo day pack of the same capacity, this is to be expected due to the addition of photography-specific features.

The lower section opens by way of a zipper than goes across the back (side away from my body) and sides of the pack, revealing a padded area that can hold my DSLR and several lenses. This space has much the same appearance as the inside of a traditional padded camera bag. When I carry my camera (Canon 5D with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS attached) in this part of the pack I can squeeze in at least a couple additional good size zooms – for me this might include the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 L and the EF 70-200mm f/4L along with a few other accessories. Sometimes I’ll put the camera/lens in the upper section or carry the camera in a chest strap mounted Lowepro Topload Zoom bag, in which case I can carry the above gear plus my EF 100-400mm f/4 L IS, a 50mm f/1.4 prime, and additional small equipment such as filters, batteries, etc. in this lower section.

The padded section and divider are removable if you want to use the pack as a “plain old day pack” or carry your camera gear in a different pack. I’d say that the former is not too likely, but the latter seems like an interesting option. I would not likely use the Lowepro as a regular pack due to its extra weight, but I have used the padded section to carry my gear in a pack not designed for photography – a Arc’Teryx climbing pack for example.

The upper section of the pack opens by way of a contoured zipper across the top of the pack which extends down about halfway on each side. This zipper, like the one on the bottom compartment, is covered by a generous weather flap. Inside there is a small, flat zippered pocket that is a good place for carrying wallet, keys, and other things that must stay dry, along with a second mesh pocket that can hold other small items near the top of the load. The main upper section is about as large as a small to medium sized day pack. In other words, it offers enough space to carry some extra clothes, food, etc., but it might not provide quite enough capacity for a full camera kit and all required gear on, say, an all day cross-country ski trip in really nasty conditions. For anything short of that is should be fine.

Two stretchy mesh pockets on the lower sides provide accessible storage for water bottles and similar items. A couple of very small zipper pockets on the upper section are large enough for small items such as a cell phone, glasses, and the like.

A larger pocket in the upper section can function in several different ways. It can be used simply as a larger, deeper external pocket. Alternatively, it can hold a medium sized tripod. I used to use it this way with my smaller backpacking tripod, sliding two of the legs into the pocket, security the third leg with the bungy cables on the outside of the pack, and attaching the upper adjustable tripod strap to the head. When I carry my full size tripod (which is most of the time) I can lift a large flap out of the area of this pocket to expose the familiar Lowepro tripod attachment system; it includes the flap to hold the tripod legs along with upper and lower tripod straps. (A hint: Since a large tripod can place some stress on the top of the pack, it is a good idea to move the zipper sliders a bit down the sides rather than leaving them at the top of the pack. On one occasion I found that the tripod weight had started to open the zipper; I haven’t had the problem since I adopted this strategy.)

Finally, the pack includes the Lowepro AW rain cover. It is stored inside the bottom of the pack in its own pocket, from which it can be removed – though it remains attached to the pack – and pulled up over the pack and secured with a stretchy built-in cord. Note that the cover is sized for the basic pack only and does not cover very well if you are carrying a large tripod. (While I could wish for a cover that also covered my rather large tripod, it is hard to imagine what it would be like or how it would work when I didn’t have the tripod on the pack. This just might be one of those problems for which a perfect solution does not yet exist.)

Here is what I like about this pack:

• While not huge, the lower section is large enough to carry the photo gear I generally want to carry on the trail.
• The upper section can be used to carry some additional equipment that doesn’t need the padding of the lower section – mostly non-photo trail gear, but the camera can ride there also.
• The padded section provides good protection for the lenses and other gear.
• The upper section and the good suspension system make this a solid and comfortable “cross pack” for carrying photo and non-photo gear on the trail.
• The AW cover provides an extra margin of rain protection.
• The padded lower section is removable, making it possible to use it in another pack.

I have a few quibbles about some features – but, frankly, they are all very minor issues:

• Not surprisingly, the pack is a bit on the heavy side compared to non-photography packs of the same capacity. This comes with the territory, I’m afraid.
• The pack could use more and larger external pockets. I’d give up the sleek appearance in order to have them.
• Access to the lower section can be difficult when the pack is fully loaded – though not as difficult as you might think. My technique is to take the pack off and lay perhaps lay it flat. (You can use the AW cover underneath if you are worried about putting the pack down on wet or dusty ground.)
• The smallish lower section means this isn’t a pack for carrying all of your photo gear if you own a dozen lenses and two bodies – but that wasn’t the intent. For me, it is just right for the maximum amount of gear I’m likely to actually want to carry on the trail.
• The raincover could be larger to accommodate a tripod carried on the outside of the pack along with waterbottles in the side carriers.

Bottom line:

Despite some slight room for improvement, this is a fine pack for those who need to carry both photo gear and trail gear while hiking. While there are better pure backpacks and more capacious pure photo packs, the Lowepro Rover Plus AW strikes a very good balance between the two. It is perhaps my most used photography pack on the trail, and after two years of heavy use I recommend it highly.

G Dan Mitchell Photography
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One of my new favorite websites is The Online Photographer, with great posts by Mike Johnston. Over the past couple of days he has posted a great little series on tripod heads, ranging from honking big and expensive to affordable and light enough to carry on the trail. Rather than linking to each individual post, I’ll suggest that you use the link above to go straight to his site – if the storys have dropped of the bottom of the home page look for his posts on January 5, 6, and 7, 2006. By the way, I use the excellent Acratech Ultimate Ballhead.
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