Filson Original Sportsman Camera Bag

As a professional adventure photographer, I'll admit I was a little skeptical about the Sportsman Camera Bag at first. I tend to be hard on gear and have quickly broken buckles, ripped seams and generally worn out camera bags a few times over. Filson claims that their products will last a lifetime and this statement had me slightly rolling eyes in disbelief. That was until I actually got my hands on this bag.

With very rugged yet beautiful material, well thought out pockets and a well protected interior, this bag was everything that Filson claimed in the description. I could fit almost anything I would need for a short photo excursion right up to a full production commercial shoot. Mix and match the dividers to your personal specifications or photo shoot needs.

Since getting my hands on the bag, I've traveled abroad a couple of times and found that this is a perfect bag to bring on the plane as a 'personal item'. It is as big (or smaller) than a lot of purses that I see brought onto planes and is a great complimentary bag to go along with my carry-on, which is usually another camera bag. Being able to have both items with you while traveling is great, especially for someone like me who brings a lot of gear for skiing or biking along with my camera gear. The Filson bag has no photography labels or markings that give away what is inside, making it inconspicuous to anyone until you open it up and see what is inside. This is a great thing to have for traveling abroad. It also has loads of pockets for other things like your wallet, passport and a variety of photography nic-nacs.

The only small thing I would change on the bag is a padded area on the shoulder strap. Camera gear is heavy and it would be nice to have a little extra padding for the shoulder when walking around all day with the bag draped over you. That being said, the shoulder strap adjusts easily and works well when slung over the shoulder.

Overall this bag is a keeper and worth it's weight in gold. The functionality of the design and the fact that it looks great but doesn't give away that it is carrying expensive camera equipment makes it a must-bring item on any travel expedition as well as just cruising around while shooting at home.