Lowepro Whistler 450 AW II: Why I Bought It

[@davegibson6604]

The following was cut off from the beginning of my previous comment: I recently purchased the Lowepro Whistler 450 AW 2, and I really like it. It holds all my gear as well as additional clothes, food and stuff, and is comfortable to wear even fully loaded. I think there is room for improve improvement however. Following is my wish list for the next version: 1. A water bottle pocket. I think every bag ever produced should have a water bottle pouch on it. You need drinking water with you whether you're in the back country, in the city, a park or a beach etc. * I think it should make sense now as you continue onto my previous post.

[@bthemedia]

I’ve got the original Whistler, still a great bag - though a tad heavier!

[@davegibson6604]

beach, you need to drink water. The flat pocket on the left side would be a perfect place for a flexible pocket that could hold a water bottle. 2. Accessory add-ons (sold on Lowepro's site) that can be purchased as needed...water bottle pouches, accessory pouches (such as the one on the left waist strap), etc. 3. Quick connects for the orange horizontal straps on the front flap. As it is, it's very difficult to load or unload the front compartment as the top strap is in the way and not easily removable. The attachment points at the ends are very tight and hard to unhook. A quick connect (such as the type everywhere else on the bag) would make access to the front compartment much easier. 4. Adjustability in the bottom/ side straps (the inner ones that tripod legs hook into, not the outer ones that hold all three legs secure). I can only fit one leg in and it would be nice if I could loosen it to fit two legs in. 5. A thicker top carrying strap. The existing one is quite thin and is hard on the hands when carrying a fully loaded pack with it. 6. Better interior pouches on inside of back lid. The existing ones could be made from flexible material so they could larger items. Also, the memory card slots could be removed to make the pocket beside them larger (most people with multiple memory cards have a card wallet already). 7. A pouch on both sides of the waist strap (like on the Pro Tactic bag. These improvements would, in my opinion, make a great camera pack even greater.

[@banditoo7]

I'm looking for a good backpack that can carry my camera gear, plus camping gear. Are those dividers removable so I could use the bottom part for camera gear and top half for clothes, etc?

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Yes, the dividers can be removed. You could totally use this backpack for camera plus camping gear 👍

[@banditoo7]

@@GreggMcLachlan great thank you :)

[@sorlindquist]

Is there only one 450 aw ll version? I sometimes see a "bp 450" version but can't tell if it's the same..

[@GreggMcLachlan]

BP 450 is the lowepro Pro Tactic. I used to have that one but switched to AW 450

[@LostParadiseFarEastPrimorye]

VERY GOOD ...

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Thanks Aleksandr 👍

[@DiscGolfFinland]

Fun to see my backpack reviewed in my subscribtions! Bought it two months ago and been a happy user. The laptop compartment doesnt fit in a 17" laptop but luckily it fits in the wet compartment.

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Love this backpack!

[@BrianHallmond]

Awesome review. Subscribed. I'm eying a used one off on ebay that's on Auction right now. I'd like to get the Peter Mckinnon bag, but not for the price tag lol. The Low Pro is $200 AUD on ebay used.

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Thanks! I still use mine as my main bag and for all my commercial work. It's fantastic 👊

[@cwaddell171]

Just ordered the 350 version of this bag, and hoping it'll be as good as it looks and a bit better than my current setup for travelling. I like the weatherproofing, though it is annoying there's no water bottle pouches on the sides (wouldn't have taken much to add).

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Agree, that seems like an obvious thing it should have had. I attached a water bottle with a velcro strap that I had from my Lowepro Pro Tactic

[@anthonyhurren5613]

Thanks for the review Greg that looks like the next bag on my wildlife photography kit list! 👍 Ant

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Thanks Anthony 👍. I'm really happy with it. Totally worth the spend IMO and I know it will last

[@Rev.DavidJTowns]

i finally bought this bag and i like it but it is heavy!

[@brenthall419]

What size washer are you using as a screwdriver?

[@bthemedia]

#1 the cover is waterproof, toss it down on the snow - open it up to access your gear - and your back side stays clean and dry!

[@DrewBuckler]

Did you colour grade the bag? I can't find one this colour online.

[@GreggMcLachlan]

My thumbnail is punched up, but it is this one www.lowepro.com/ca-en/whistler-backpack-450-aw-ii-lp37227-pww/. One tip: buy from reputable dealer. Lots of poor quality Lowepro knockoffs on ebay from sellers in China

[@KardosoMedia]

Great backpack..I'm looking to get one soon..wll definitely consider this one

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Definitely worth a look! Lowepro's Canadian site sometimes has some good deals right from warehouse

[@a2roland]

Awesome! Thank You!

[@DenisasPupkevicius]

Thank you for review. Nice video. I finally made decision for my new travel/hiking backpack.

[@GreggMcLachlan]

Awesome! Glad it helped. It really is a great backpack 👍

[@suxxesphoto6419]

where do you put your water bottle/flask?

[@GreggMcLachlan]

I use a carabiner on my water bottle and hang it from chest strap. You can also get a water bottle holder and strap it on waist belt

[@MarkFisch]

Nice bag to big for me but I do like it

[@GreggMcLachlan]

For sure, great big bag bag but not for everyone's needs

[@FeathersinFocus]

Hi Gregg, great video, tons of good info. Would you know if this bag fits the sony 200-600mm lens?

[@GreggMcLachlan]

It absolutely will fit. You will just need to adjust the dividers. I have put my 150-600mm in this bag 👍