If you’ve ever found yourself crammed into a packed train carriage, right up against another rider’s backpack, you’ve probably realised just how easy it could be to sneak open a pocket and swipe something. So to help protect expensive photography gear, Manfrotto’s new backpack makes lenses and cameras only accessible while the pack is removed.
The zippered panel that opens to give access to the Rear Access pack’s padded camera section is located on the back, which means that while the backpack is being worn, the camera gear inside can’t be removed. It’s a simple solution that doesn’t require locks, keys or combinations to remember, and it’s not like you’re reaching for expensive lenses without removing a traditional backpack first, so this design is no less convenient.
Other more easily accessible pockets are available for water bottles, phones and smaller items you don’t want filling your pockets; laptops up to 13-inches in size; a tripod in its own weather-protected pouch on the side; and the pack has a built-in rain shield that keeps everything dry but you during a downpour. And at $US160 ($223), it’s not hard to justify the Advanced camera and laptop backpack Rear Access as a form of insurance for your considerably more expensive photography gear.