Cameras gear is not fun to carry around. Any enthusiast with a lens fetish — or any professional with places to be and a shit-ton to carry — already knows that taking the weight off the shoulders is worth more than steady work shooting supermodels.
Ubiquitous maker of all things camera-bag, Lowepro, has a new Pro Roller X200 to ease your pain.
What Is It?
A carry-on rolling case for camera gear.
Who’s It For?
Anyone who can’t leave the house without multiple DSLRs and a laptop.
Design
The essence of nondescript. Black, nylon, and unlikely to attract much attention to thousands of dollars worth of gear.
Using It
This bag was used to its full potential on some rough terrain and in real-world shooting scenarios. It was generally a joy, allowing for quick access to gear that always stayed securely in place.
The Best Part
The roomy, secure, organised interior. It fit two DSLR bodies with lenses attached, two extra lenses, microphones, accessories and 15-inch Macbook Pro.
Tragic Flaw
That damn telescopic handle, it doesn’t extend far enough! If you’re tall, the bag hits your feet when walking. You have to roll it off to one side. Super annoying.
This Is Weird…
Lowepro included a couple utterly useless features — a threaded mount to attach a camera directly to on the handle, and a strange little kickstand to prop the bag up at an angle.
Test Notes
- We took the bag on trips through Manhattan subways, rough streets, over bridges, on trains, and up stairs.
- The interior of the case actually is removable and converts into a backpack. Though it’s a stiff rectangle you might not want to carry on your back unless you had to.
- That telescopic handle is also a bit loosey-goosey when it’s extended.
- The wheels feel cheap and plasticky.
- The interior is (surprise) grey. Sectional compartments are laid out well, with a slew of various handy pouches on the flap, including some really nice little memory card slots. Points for practicality.
- The X200 should fit in an overhead compartment on most planes, but maybe not on those tiny regional jets. If you don’t want to check your gear, you can always take out the backpack as a carry-on, and check the rest.
- For all the strengths of interior storage, the exterior storage isn’t all fab. Besides fitting a laptop in the front sleeve, there is only a really slim catch-all pocket for miscellaneous items.
- It would be nice to see some more versatile pockets you could get to without unzipping the main flap.
- The tripod cup and strap work very well, even on larger video tripods.
- Lowepro has attached a combination lock to the bag, which might be good if you are working on location, like at a wedding or something, and need a quick way to secure your bag. It doesn’t look like extremely reliable.
Should You Buy It?
Yes. The X200 does its job well. Sure, it’s expensive (currently listed at around $US278), but it will definitely last a long time. The flaws are minor, and for something responsible for protecting so much gear, the price is worth it. It’s big, it’s burly, and its tragic flaw probably won’t even affect you unless you are super tall. So go for it, and have fun rolling around town.
LowePro Pro Roller X200
• Exterior Dimensions: 15.7″ W X 11.2″ D X 24.2″ H
• Interior Dimensions: 12.2″ W X 6.6″ D X 19.8″ H
• Price: $US278
• Gizrank: 4.0