Review - ThinkTank Updates The MindShift Rotation Backpack 34L
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I am a big fan of ThinkTank and MindShift backpacks and camera bags. I own several of them. My go-to bag for the past 5 years has been the Rotation Backpack. When ThinkTank announced an update to the bag last year, I was all-in. So much so, the new edition of the Rotation Backpack became the first product (and to date, only product) I’ve backed on Kickstarter. So for you cut-to-the-chase types in the crowd, yes, I wholeheartedly recommend the Rotation Backpack. Of the three sizes available, I use the 34 Liter (34L) Rotation Backpack. It’s large enough for all the gear I need for a photo outing and small enough to comfortably travel with.
Who Is The Rotation Backback For?
For the photographer or hiker that needs their go-to gear at their fingertips when inspiration strikes. Taking a pack off to pull out a camera and lens takes time and interrupts workflow. Also, when capturing photos in nature, there may not be the ability to put a pack down on stable ground. Hillsides, streams, rivers, oceans, muddy terrain, deep snow … all of these elements make it challenging to stash a bag while making images. I’ve been using the previous version of the Rotation backpack for about 5 years and can’t imagine a field workflow without it.
The Rotation Backpacks enable me to have a “ground free” kit. I focus my time on making photos and not juggling gear or worrying about finding a place to put down my backpack. Everything I need is at my fingertips. It’s a great workflow. As a seascape photographer, I’m very often calf or knee-deep in the ocean and there is no ground for me to put a pack down!
What Is New In The Updated Rotation Backpack?
The Rotation 34L Backpack from ThinkTank
There is a long list of improvements with this updated backpack. The full list is on the Rotation Backpack webpage on ThinkTank. There are several improvements I do want to call out for you.
Increased capacity: The belt pack has more storage space and the backpack is designed to work with the Stash Master storage pouches. More details about capacity below.
Magnetic belt pack closure: In addition to the zippers on the belt pack, the lip of the cover is magnetized. It closes over firmly and stays closed, even in a stiff wind. The flap won’t suddenly open, exposing your gear to the elements.
Weather and water-resistant: The entire pack is water-resistant. The upper part of the backpack has a lip of fabric that forms a protective barrier over the zippers of the bag. It’s more protection from the elements for your gear.
Packs stand upright: When you’re not wearing the backpack, it stands upright when placed on the ground.
You might be laughing or shaking your head about the bag standing upright when placed on the ground. Scott … didn’t you just say the great thing about the bag is not having to put it down? :) Yes, that’s 100% true. Yet when I do put it down, even in the studio, it is very nice that it stands upright on its own. My older Rotation bag must be propped up against something (usually my tripod).
There are plenty of other features of the backpack. These are just the few I find most beneficial with the new pack, things that are either not present in its predecessor or have been significantly improved. Keep these items in mind if you’re considering a second-hand first-generation Rotation Backpack (which is still a great bag, just not as fully featured).
Rotation Backpack Capacity
The belt pack has a lot of space. I stow two full-frame Sony A7Rii cameras with lenses mounted in the belt pack. My critical, go-to camera gear is always at the ready.
The Belt Pack
The inner belt pack of the Rotation Backpack holds my essential cameras and lenses, the ones I make most of my imagery with. In my 34L backpack, I stow two full-frame Sony A7Rii bodies with lenses mounted in the belt pack. The first camera body has a 16-35mm lens mounted and the second a 24-70mm mounted. In the field, I switch between cameras instead of swapping lenses and never have to put my bag down. The updated backpack holds these two camera bodies and lenses with ease. In my older bag, I had a method to store them, but extracting a camera was a little cumbersome. Not anymore. For smaller form factor cameras, there is even more room. A micro-4/3rds photographer could fit a whole lot of camera bodies and lenses in the belt pack. The system comes with plenty of velcro dividers, so you can customize the layout of the pack interior.
There is also a mesh pocket on the inside of the belt pack lid, great for ancillary items like memory cards, batteries, lens cloths, remote triggers, and the like. A small front pocket is also there, a great place to stash a smartphone or small tablet (or more lens cloths … I never seem to have enough).
The gear I carry in the Stash Master Top Load. More cameras, more lenses, and loads of accessories.
The Backpack
The upper part of the backpack is an empty cubic volume of space. In practice, you’ll want some kind of divider system to insulate and pad your gear (or you can pack extra clothes and a lot of snacks!). In my older rotation backpack, I dropped in a random insert from a different camera bag that worked well. The updated Rotation Backpack is designed to work with ThinkTank’s Stash Master storage pouches. Now, I load a Stash Master with the gear I want, drop it into the upper part of the Rotation Backpack, and I’m out the door into the wilderness.
For my 34L backpack, I added a Stash Master Top Load to carry additional gear. This is the type of stuff I use in the field but use less frequently. Like the belt pack, the Stash Master comes with a set of velcro dividers to customize its interior. It may seem small yet with good use of the velcro dividers, you can fit quite a lot of additional gear into the Stash Master and backpack. Note that the 34L and 50L Rotation Backpacks work with different Stash Master products. The 22L backpack will not accommodate a Stash Master.
Inside the backpack is another mesh pouch for yet more stuff :). I actually slide a 13” laptop into this space. It’s outside the Stash Master and inside the bag. When I wear the pack, the laptop is (more or less) directly on my back, nestled between the well-padded back of the backpack and the padded sides of the Stash Master. I prefer that setup to the unpadded laptop zipper pouch on the outside of the backpack.
Other Pouches
At the very top of the backpack is a small zipper pouch - another place to stash loose stuff. I recommend keeping the content in this area small and light. It is not padded or structured. One bonus of this area is a plastic latch on a strap stitched into the bag, a perfect place to hook your car or house keys to keep them safe and free up your pockets for other photo gear you might need handier during a photo trip. There is another pouch on the left side of the bag to carry water.
On the larger models (34L and 50L), there is another zippered pouch on the outside of the backpack to store a hydration system. It is also alternately touted as a laptop space. However, do note this space is unpadded. I prefer to stow my laptop in the inner part of the backpack.
The very outer layer of the backpack is also a “stuff pack” for temporary storage. I suggest using it for soft things, like when you’ve shed a jacket during a long hike.
Tripod Carry
There are two ways to carry a tripod with the 34L Rotation Backpack. My preferred way is to use the tripod flap at the base of the pack. Velcro patches at the center top and bottom of the pack reveal a securing strap and tripod flap. This allows for a balanced carry of the tripod. You can also use the pouch on the left side of the bag. There is a strap on the side to secure the top of the tripod, lashing it to the side of the bag. Heavier tripods may skew weight distribution, though.
Comfort And Fit
Wide shoulder straps distribute the back weight and a padded, breathable back make the Rotation 34L Backpack comfortable. There are plenty of customizations to the straps and harness to fit it to your body and comfort.
I have worn the Rotation Backpack for hours at a time, both the latest edition and its predecessor. It is a comfortable bag to wear. The shoulder straps are thick, well-padded, and breathable. They are also wide, distributing weight across your shoulders better than thinner straps. In addition to the waist strap that is part and parcel of the belt pack, there is a chest strap to cross-connect the shoulder straps. I feel using the chest strap makes the backpack more comfortable, distributing the pack weight across my shoulders, hips, and chest.
The back of the pack is well-padded, too. It has a ridged padding that breathes and dries quickly. Let’s be honest. When you’re wearing a backpack for hours at at time, and on a hot day your back is going to sweat. That is expected. The breathable padding of the Rotation Backpack does run cooler than other bags I’ve used.
Adjusting the Rotation Backpack to your body is relatively easy. It took me just a few minutes to adjust and tweak the straps so the backpack rested at the level on my back where I wanted it. The backpack has 10 different adjustment points to fine tune load balancing. There’s even an adjustment for torso height.
Build Quality
The build quality in a word is excellent. The stitching and zippers are strong. The backpack material is sturdy yet light, resistant to abrasions and tears, and water resistant. The entire bag including the padding quickly dries.
I fully expect this level of quality from ThinkTank and MindShift. The quality of their products is a reason I continue to use their backpacks and storage bags. Photographers spend thousands on dollars on our cameras, lenses, and other equipment. Buy a carry system that gives your gear the protection it warrants.
Are There Any Downsides To The Backpack?
I’m hard pressed to find a cut and dry negative with this backpack. I’ve used its predecessor for half a decade, and that’s certainly a factor in my choosing to get the updated version. It would be nice if there were a padded laptop space. My workaround of nestling a laptop in the mesh pouch of the backpack works well, and I do feel between the padding of the Stash Master and the backpack itself, my laptop is well protected on the occasions I carry it in the bag.
For some photographers, the stowage capacity may seem a little small. As I note in the review video, the inner belt pack comes at a cost of storage space. Every “boundary” between gear chambers means less space for a piece of equipment. For me, the 34L is plenty bag for my photo trips - and it fits in most overhead bins (check those regional flights … smaller planes are always a challenge).
If you are left-handed, note the belt pack rotates out from the right side. So you’re less dominant hand will need to build some muscle memory to unlatch and pull out the belt pack.
I do have mixed emotions about the zipper pouch at the top of the backpack. The opening is narrower than the previous bag. The upside is that loose items are less likely to fall out. The downside is I can’t open the top flap wide to see all the nooks and corners in the pouch, and fish around for loose items a bit more.
Pricing
Here is the Rotation Backpack setup that I assembled to stow, carry, and protect my camera gear. Pricing quoted is the list prices at the time of this review.
Rotation 34L Backpack, $299
Rotation Rain Cover, $30
Some might put the price point as a negative :) Yet, for the quality and versatility of the backpack, and that it will easily last you 5 years of steady use, I think the price is fair. Over the long term, it’s a small yearly investment that both protects my gear and speeds up my field workflow so I can capture more photos. Because that’s what it’s really all about - making photos. I want gear that contributes to smoother workflow and enables me to make more images, and the Rotation Backpack does exactly that.
