Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

Excellent camera bag. It carries a body, maybe two, and 2-4 lenses with no problem in the bottom. The top has space for additional lenses or most likely bits and pieces of your kit. Ample room for cleaning kits, spare memory cards or drives. you name it.
Straps and the body are well padded and quite comfortable. I wore this thru Italy and never had an uncomfortable moment.
Excellent for travel.

Downside is that you have to break it open every time to change lenses. Not the best for just a day trip or quick change opportunities.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I use this with my micro 4/3 gear, which allows me to pack a GH2, 5 lenses, and some filters. Then one has the upper compartment for other day hiking equipment. I had a Tamarac Adventure 9 previously, but the lack of a real waist belt was uncomfortable with longer days out. The waist belt here is much better.

It is great for travel as well, and can fit an iPad in the upper compartment with ease.

No significant issues with use to report.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

On lighter hikes I have no problem fitting a Canon 1D Mk IIn, 70-200 f/2.8 IS, 24-70, 17-40, and a few other bits of kit in the camera compartment, leaving the top for food, emergency gear, and extra clothes. That's probably more weight than the pack was designed for, but it works well for me on hikes under 10 miles.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I purchased the Lowepro Rover AW II backpack specifically for my trips overseas as well as in the U.S. It is small enough to qualify as a personal item on flights, yet large enough to store my Nikon D300S w/ a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens attached, a Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.8, filters, & other accessories & personal items. Although the backpack has a tripod holder, for travel purposes, I can store a Gitzo 1541T tripod and RRS ballhead INSIDE the bag. Of course, the backpack is only tall enough to accommodate the Gitzo tripod w/o the ballhead attached. The tripod fits inside the bag by lifting one side of the center divider (which separates the bottom compartment from the top one) and placing on one side of the bag. Carrying the tripod in the tripod holder will free up space in the bottom compartment for additional lens and/or flash unit. The top compartment has a flat, zipped pocket, useful for storing filters, memory cards, and other small items. The top compartment is spacious enough for me to store a light jacket, chargers, accessories, cables, and other personal items.

The backpack has plenty of adjustments to fit you. It took a while for me to adjust it to my size, but once done, it will fit comfortably for hours. It is not as perfect & comfortable a fit as my REI Lookout 40 daypack (though it's not exactly a fair comparison since the REI bag is not a camera backpack). The bag, when fully loaded & heavy, tends to weigh down and make the waistbelt come slightly loose and slip down my waist. I am constantly having to tighten the waistbelt. This is the most annoying thing about the backpack. If not for this, I would have given the backpack a 5-star rating.

The backpack was all black, not like the picture. Nylon, stitching, and carry handle are excellent quality & very sturdy. The shoulder straps & waistbelt are well padded and very comfortable. For overseas travel, if you want to look inconspicuous, this bag is good since it looks like an ordinary backpack. Although the bottom compartment is well padded, it does not bulge like other Lowepro Fastpacks, giving indications you are carrying camera equipment. The one inconvenience is that you will have to take off the backpack in order to remove the camera equipment.

Overall, I am very happy with the bag.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

Pros: Great construction with ergo straps, the main compartment can hold a complete DSLR system with a 70-200 lens plus couple of other lenses and a flash etc. Has a large storage compartment to store cables and other accessories.

Cons: The large storage compartment could have more zipppered pockets to help store accessories in an orderly manner. This was the only major drawback I could find with this bag.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I use this for my everyday pack and it fits the bill just fine. Very well built with great padding and very comfortable to wear! The only thing I would change is maybe a couple more pockets inside for misc. stuff but other then that Love the pack!

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

The pack has room for everything. In the bottom compartment I have a Canon 2.8 L70-200, Canon 2.8 L 24-70, Canon 7D, Canon 4.5 10-22 wide angle all in the bottom. I have a ton of stuff in the top of it as well. It even has a tarp that can cover the backpack that is built in. Some netted side pockets are great for carrying water on hikes.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

This pack is obviously designed by someone that has never gone backpacking. The sternum strap is a joke, the shoulder pad adjustments are useless, it has no stuctural integrity. LowePro claims 30 years experience. Doing What?

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I needed a bigger bag for all my gear but I didn't want something that was uber padded, bulky and heavy. I read a lot of reviews and settled on the Rover and I have to say I have been more than pleased. Great storage on the bottom for body and lenses and the upper half is really roomy for food, and other non-camera stuff. I also like the tripod holder, that is really convenient as well. I would definitely recommend this bag!!

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I looked at a lot of other camera backpacks out there, and this was the smallest one with a padded hip belt. Tamrac's models only seem to have hip straps, but I wanted something which would bear some weight.

If I loosen some of the velcro on the divider, I can fit a 100 oz Camelbak hydration bladder vertically in the backpack, along with my camera and extra lens. It's only a little heavier than my old North Face backpack with my Tamrac bag inside.

I wish the two slit pockets in the top compartment were larger, it barely fits my light meter. I also wish the top compartment bellowed out a little more. The profile from the side is triangular, not rectangular.

But overall, I am very happy with it!

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I use this bag every day and find it to be the most comfortable camera backpack I have ever owned. Its more comfortable than the Tamrac 5549 Adventure 9 Backpack, Kata DR467 and the Lowepro Fastpack 250. All of wich I have previosly owned. I have also just ordered the Lowepro compurover.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

For a couple of lenses and 1-2 bodies, this pack fits the profile. Lowe products are solidly built and thoughtfully laid out. A couple of caveats:

- this pack doesn't extend to fit tall people very well. While everythings quite adjustable, the load doesn't balance right if you extend the shoulder straps too far.

- the little side pockets are REALLY small, and strangely shaped.

- the chest strap doesn't attach very well - this really surprised me for a Lowe product.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I thought this pack being a backpack might make it hard to access the camera in the bottom, but that is not the case. The camera is easy (and safe) to access even while wearing the pack. This pack is extremely comfortable to wear, and the hip straps really take a large amount of the burden off of your back. Stores a generous amount of gear (in addition to your DSLR with battery grip and 4-5 lenses). In addition, this pack is very well built. Quite possibly the best backpack I've ever owned, in addition to being the best photo bag I've ever owned.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

Just purchased my second one as the first has 3 years and many miles on it.
It is cumbersome with a tripod on board but love the upper pocket for guide books, light coat and iPod...
Stow's a 40D, 70-200 IS 2.8, and 28-105.
Only regret is no laptop space. So picked up it's older brother "CompuRover AW" for the 2 month trips carrying a laptop. Totally sold on this guy. It has proven it worth.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I have a Tamrac Adventure 7 (model 5547) that I have used for a few years when going to Disney World. I just spent a week in Disney and wanted to bring a little more equipment with me this time. I had a 5D Mark II, 580EX flash, 70-300 DO, 35 1.4L and battery/charger in the bottom of the bag. In the top I had a small video camera with external mic, a jacket and other small misc stuff. The bag worked out great. I even got a chance to try out the rain cover one afternoon. Overall, I was very pleased with the bag. Very comfortable to wear and just the right amount of room.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

This Backpack allows you to carry your gear and more. It is great for the day hike into back county areas, beaches and more. The quality of workmanship is outsanding and I will always buy Lowepro.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

This pack gives you everything you need to get out on the trail. The bottom compartment keeps your camera gear very secure and safe. The top compartment leaves you plenty of room for extra clothes or food for a long day out. I get to many of my shooting locations via horseback. The pack is comfortable to wear while in the saddle and the tripod holder keeps my Manfrotto tripod very secure. The pack is well made and I expect to get many years of good use out of it.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

Just picked up this pack for my trip to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons this summer on the recommendation of a friend and the reviews given here. All my gear fits nicely with room for more and other odds and ends also. So far I love this pack, it fits me great (that is not easy as I am 6'2") and does exactly what I wanted but what else would you expect from Lowepro!

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I use the product for when I carry light. It has a removable pocket that bridges the top part and the bottom to easily let in a 70-200 f2.8. This bag holds a camera body, flash, two telephoto zooms all with ease. Perfect bag, incredibly comfortable with large amounts of equipment in it. And there is also extra space in it for various other necessities such as spare batteries, filters, flash diffusers. All around excellent bag, I can also slip my laptop in it as well surprisingly. I understand that this bag wasn’t quite designed for a laptop to be held inside, but you can be very creative with ways of fitting every last piece of gear inside. Overall I don’t have any complaints with the exception of how hard it is to access tripod or equipment with the tripod attached.

Comments about Lowepro Rover AW II Backpack:

I needed a bag to carry items for day hikes when a backpack would be overkill. This bag is great. I can carry my camera, lenses and a few accessories. I can fit food, a light jacket or sunhat and a few accessories in the top portion. I love the slip lock loops on the waist belt. I bought a lowepro pouch and put my cell phone and small wallet in there. You can easily add lens cases, water bottle holder, etc on the belt.

My only complaint is that the harness doesn't have d rings. But, you can't have everything. I am very happy with this bag. It's gotten a lot of use already.