Update! The new generation of Rotation Backpacks are available on ThinkTankPhoto.com

I don’t normally gush about gear. However, the new generation of Rotation Backpacks from MindShift really got my attention.

I have long been a fan of the camera bags from ThinkTank and MindShift. All of the bags are well-designed, well thought out, have very high build quality, and a great attention to detail. I own several of their bags and accessories. My go-to camera bag, the one you see on my back again and again, is the MindShift Rotation180. It’s been on my back for years.

This week, my friends at ThinkTank announced the next generation of this bag. The new generation of Rotation Backpacks are on Kickstarter right now - and the project is already fully funded. Kickstarter is not a store, but a fully funded project from a trusted name like ThinkTank give me very high confidence I’ll be enjoying my new bag later this year.

Why do I like the Rotation Backpacks so much?

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 the pack. Everything I need is at my fingertips. The inner belt pack of the Rotation slides out and let’s me access my camera and lenses. Other less-frequently used gear stays in the main part of the pack. I keep two full frame Sony A7Rii setups in the belt pack. The first camera 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.

It’s a great workflow. And very important for landscape photographers and especially seascape photographers. I’m very often knee deep in the ocean and there is no ground for me to put a pack down! The same holds true photographing in streams or on steep inclines in the mountains. Sometimes, there simply isn’t a place to put the bag down.

What sizes and accessories are there?

The Rotation Backpacks come in three different sizes: 22L, 34L, and 50L. Which one you choose will depend on how much gear you tend to travel with and how much you want to store inside the belt pack. The ThinkTank site lets you easily compare the various bags to help you decide. Not all new features are available on all bags. If you’re curious, I use the Rotation 34L today and that’s the same size I’m going with for the new generation. The inner belt pack holds my two Sony A7Rii full frame bodes with lenses mounted just fine.

The main part of the pack is open space. You can add the Stash Master insert to better organize gear in the main pack. The Stash Master in and of itself is a handy gear carrier. ThinkTank also makes custom rain covers for both the bag and the belt pack. There are additional details on the Kickstarter page.

What is new in the latest Rotation Backpacks?

I asked my friends at ThinkTank for a deeper run down of the new improvements and features of this series of bags. There is a long list of new features and improvements. The features listed in bold are the ones that were extra-interesting to me. More thoughts on those below.

• Rotation180 technology refinement and upgrades

• Magnetic belt pack closure for all packs

• Belt pack size increased

• Belt pack no-drops create “lid shelf”

• Added elements barrier

• Fidlock rip-cord added

• Increased length of waist belt wings

  • Rotation 22L Hipbelt (while in the backpack):  28-50” (71-127 cm)

  • Rotation 34L Hipbelt (while in the backpack):  28-50” (71-127 cm)

  • Rotation 50L + Hipbelt (while in the backpack):  28-50” (71-127 cm)

• Laptop carry (34L + 50L)

• Torso height adjustment added

• Packs stand upright when placed on the ground

• Upgraded back-panel/harness

• Upgraded zipper quality to RC Fuse for all external zippers and weather resistant zippers for the Pro

• Expanded organization

• Front Stuff pocket (34L + 50L)

What features of the Rotation Backpacks excite me most?

That’s the bold stuff above. Increasing the capacity of the belt pack is always appreciated. The more gear I can have in the belt pack at my fingertips, the better. While I don’t often change lenses in the pouch, having the belt pack lid become a “lid shelf” is still very useful. I will clean the front element of my lenses often in the field and having a place to rest a camera will be very useful. I also appreciate the smaller touches like the elements barrier - that’s an extra level of protection against rain, dust, sand, or ocean spray.

The addition of the laptop carry slot in good, although it is not padded. Today, I nestle a 13” laptop in the main body of the bag. I may continue to do that when I get the new bag, I may not. We’ll see.

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’ll be great to have it stand upright on its own. My older Rotation bag needs to be propped up against something (usually my tripod).

Did I buy one?

Yup. Sure did. I put my pledge down and am eagerly awaiting a new 34L Rotation Backpack with the Stash Master. I’m considering it an early holiday gift to myself. In fact, this generation of Rotation Backpacks from MindShift is the reason I have a Kickstarter account now. It’s the first thing I’ve ever “backed” … and I put that in quotes because it’s as close to a guarantee of a great product as I think you can get, pre-order or otherwise.