ProRunner BP 450 AW II
Note: this review concerns the Mark II version of the bag. I've bought this bag as an upgrade to my Slingshot 300AW, as that was no longer large enough to hold all my gear. Besides, it started to get inconvenient that I couldn't carry my laptop, tablet and/or writing pad in that bag. Doubting between a Vertex 300AW and this, I ultimately chose for the Pro Runner because of: - Removable waist strap - Carrying handle on the side of the bag - Assumed higher quality of zippers (my Slingshot 300AW failed me, the 302AW replacement was much better in this respect) - 'Kissing' zippers, that allow you to lock them with a small padlock I've been using the bag for storage at home, as well as the occasional trip where you need (/ want) to carry all your stuff as you don't know yet what you're going to need / use. That makes a heavy bag, but it's not too bad to carry it thanks to the high-quality straps and support that these provide. If your back can't handle too much, LowePro offers a roller alternative (Pro Runner RL x450 II). With the bag fully loaded with the above camera gear and laptop, I found it quite difficult to close it. However, even when putting quite a lot of force on the zippers, I never was afraid of anything giving way. Nevertheless, a thicker writing pad and/or tablet wouldn't have fitted in. (On the other hand, my laptop is approximately 30 mm thick; a thinner and/or smaller MacBook Pro might leave more room for other stuff.) There's a few things that I would have liked to see: - A slightly deeper bag: a 580 EX II won't fit in its upright position, even without omnibounce. Same goes for the 70-200/4, and I can imagine a 70-200/2.8 being even a bigger problem. - A slightly taller bag: Although I've managed to fit 70-200/4 opposite a 24-70/2.8 with bodies attached (which I feel is quite a normal combo to have at the ready), it's a very tight fit. If the bag gets a little less stiff (bought it new), that might become easier, but I feel this would've been no problem at all for a Vertex 300 AW. Due to this setup, I'm not using the separate cable 'bag' (that normally fits in at the bottom) that comes with the bag. - Slightly thicker padding, although that might have made the 70-200/24-70 combination harder to make. Compared to older bags I have owned (or still own), the padding is slimmer. Good for weight saving concerns, but it gives away more easily and seems to have a harder time keeping all compartments neatly in (square) shape. Related to this, I'd love for Lowepro to just cover everything in Velcro, allowing you even more flexibility. For example, the vertical Velcro strips on the bottom (running from top to bottom) are not too wide, making it impossible to fix two camera bodies with attached lenses next to each other (as two L-shapes making a square). That would've circumvented the problem with the bag height mentioned earlier.
What works
Build quality, laptop compartment, AW cover
Room for improvement
Could be higher and deeper
