Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue)

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

As a semi-pro freelance photographer, focused on Landscape photography, I have spent countless hours researching camera bags that will hold the gear I want to carry along with sufficient room to carry extra clothing, tent / sleeping bag for an overnight trip.

• The camera area is laid out nicely and handles my 5D Mk II with BG-E6 & tripod plate fairly well, though it could stand to be about "2" deeper!
• The bottom portion of the camera bay could stand to be about 1" wider so that the lenses carried fit stored vertically (say I wanted to carry my 16-35 f/2.8L and a 50 f/1.4L there…the lenses don't really fit in there nicely when stored in the leather lens bags
• The main compartment of the bag is HUGE! I'm pretty confident that I will be able to fit the gear needed to support day trips as well as the occasional overnighter with relative ease.
• The Hydration sleeve area is 3" too short, in my opinion. Common 3L & 2L hydration bags from Camelbak, Platypus & Osprey are larger than the available space and there is no slot for the hydration tube to come out of the sleeve.
◦ Camelbak 3L/100 fl. oz is 18" x 8" (definitely will not fit)
◦ Platypus 3L/100 fl. oz is 16" x 7.5" (definitely will not fit)
◦ Osprey 3L/100 fl. oz is 15.5 x 6.25" (definitely will not fit)
◦ Camelbak 2L/70 fl. oz is 11.75" x 7" (definitely will not fit)
◦ Platypus 2L/70 fl. oz is 16" x 6" (definitely will not fit)
◦ Osprey 2L/70 fl. oz is 15 x 6" (definitely will not fit)
◦
• The small upper compartment is laid out relatively well, though I would like to have mesh pockets dedicated to battery storage (such as the LP-6 for the 5D Mk II), as I carry 2 spare batteries for my grip, just in case!
• The Rain cover is conveniently located and is easy to pull out and cover, should the weather start to change. One thing to note here: If you are carrying a tripod strapped down on the main portion of the pack, it would have to be removed first.
• The shoulder straps are nicely padded and seem to have sufficient adjustments. Would like to have the ability to put the hydration tube through a loop (or two) to keep it in place instead of swinging around constantly.
• The four attachment loops at the top of the pack on the outside of the small upper compartment are nice. It would be nice to have 4 or 6 on the lower large section of the backpack as well!
• Additionally, I tried some of the 2L / 70 fl. Oz bladders, with no success on those either. Seriously disappointed with this discovery, since hydration is a primary necessity for hiking / backpacking. At this point, I am tempted to return the pack. There are a lot of great points with this pack, but the lack of suitable hydration capability is a MAJOR negative for me (and likely many potential buyers).
• Were any hydration bladders used during the design of the hydration sleeve area? If so, which manufacturer? It sure doesn't appear to be the case.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

Bag is awesome, so far it fits all my gear and still has room for more. I have done a "mock packing" for my snowboard trip in Feb. and it fits completely comfortable. seems sturdy and reliable! will update when i get back

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

So far in my limited use of 2 days there are some really good features about the pack, being able to carry other gear beside camera stuff, shovel probe and other outdoor stuff. Hold a good amount of gear so I am happy about that.
I will be using the pack for 7weeks of trekking from Oct 1 on, then for guiding heli-skiing and ski touring all winter. It will be getting intensive use, I will have better idea come April. One thing that has come up and its not a big deal but annoying, the against the back flap zipper jammed up with extra material, so I could not open it, missed a shot of a bear and 3 cubs because of it. Had to be fast and it was not, however I am sure that will not happen again. Excited about it!

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I purchased this pack to use on lightweight multiday trekking trips with a three-lens camera kit and as a daypack with a large cache of photo gear. Have used it on numerous day outings and on a one-week hut-to-hut hiking trip in Europe, walking around 150 miles with it so far. I have been using it with the optional access pouch, which is a kind of papoose for holding the camera on your chest. I have a D7000 and use a mixture of pro, semi-pro and consumer lenses.

PROS: This is the first camera-oriented pack I've used that is worthy of use as a technical backpack. It is well designed, tough and holds a load comfortably. The suspension is smart, the compartments are well-placed and useful. It exceeds my expectations on almost every count as a technical pack. It also functions very well as a camera pack, with an compartment that can hold several lenses or be configured to hold just a couple items along with backpacking supplies and equipment. I was even able to store my Gitzo traveler inside the outer compartment. I developed a system where I kept my camera out with two spare lenses in the access pouch, giving me the best access I've ever had to an array of camera gear while hiking. The pack is roomy and with its attachment points could be used for a multiday backpacking trip with a full array of camp gear and a camera kit.

CONS: The only con so far is the weight. The marketing says this pack is designed for ski mountaineering, which means it is built tough and heavy. I trimmed off excess inner pockets, long straps, etc. and shaved a few ounces but the pack still weighs more than 4 pound empty, as compared to under 3 pounds for my regular multiday backpack. This is admittedly part of the tradeoff but a design specifically for backpacking could be lighter with some thinner fabric here and there.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

This is a big daypack with some design flaws.

How I rated this pack:

Quality of workmanship and materials: 5
Weight (too heavy for its utility): 3
Comfort: 2
Use as a daypack for gear + essentials: 4
Use as a pack for overnight trips: 2

I own a lot of trekking backpacks so I had high expectations for this one as an overnighter camera pack.

LIKES:
Camera compartment, pockets, etc. are all very nice inside.
Buckles, zippers, and straps are all high-quality, if heavy. The "easy access" camera compartment mega-zipper does work, sort of. I found I still had to take the pack completely off to get the camera out, though they would have you believe you can sling it off one shoulder and still get to your camera - go ahead and try this when it has 30lbs total ;-)

DISLIKES:
Weak hipbelt does not fare well with over 25-30lbs. Hydration pocket not positioned practically. Limited expansion capability of upper misc. gear compartment means you can't pack much for an overnight trip. The way your camera body rests in the pack, this primary weight of your kit sits low and is bouncing off your tailbone, when it should be higher up in the center of your mid-back for better balance and comfort. I felt like my rump was holding this pack up and it wanted to slide down when fully loaded.

I requested to have this pack modified by my local pack repair shop (Rainy Pass Repair in Seattle) but they were unwilling to do so as they said it is not structurally designed to fit a heavier hip belt. Also there is no way to change out the hipbelt for a beefier one from a real trekking pack.

I tested this back on two overnight weekends in the mountains in Washington state and was disappointed in its utility as a weekender pack. For now I am going back to my lightweight Granite Gear backpacking pack and a Clik chest pouch. As much

The pack was comfortable until I hit about 25 lbs. This is the point at which you run out of room for food and gear and are strapping stuff on to it and the hipbelt starts cutting into your waist.

I am 5'8" and 160lb male - the pack was a great fit and felt good with light loads.

I'm returning this pack as I can't find a good dedicated function for it on outdoor trips and it's too expensive for a day pack. As a brand, I still like Clik in general.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

When I purchased this product, I was looking to replace my current setup - a homemade concoction - consisting of an Osprey backpack, with a Lowepro camera gear holder, that I have cut the top off of, inserted into it.My shoots usually consist of a hike into a location - usually 8 - 10 miles each way - and I usually carry the following gear...In addition to the normal camera accessories, the main weight of the pack consists of a Canon 5D Mark II, with the following lenses: An f2.8 70-200, an f2.8 16-35, and an f4 24-105. Lastly, I pack along a Gitzo Carbon Tirpod, with an Arca Swiss Monoball Z1 attached to it, a water bladder, and an extra jacket.Now to review the Clik Elite pack...The GOOD -LOTS OF ROOM!The backpack holds LOTS of camera gear!I could fit all of the camera gear listed above into the pack with room to spare! (tripod mounted on outside)There are slots for your memory cards, and pens and a hook for your memory card holder or keys.In addition to the camera gear, I could fit a couple of layers of clothes in it, with a couple more strapped to the outside.LOTS OF PROTECTION-You can immediately tell that the design of this pack was to protect camera gear. The inserts are well padded and the camera gear is well protected from anything you might add either internally or externally to the pack.With all of my gear stowed, the pack weighed just under 40 lbs.The BAD-QUALITY-When trying to store my gear, the first thing I noticed was the construction of the pack. In comparison to the other backpacks that I own (Osprey, REI, Arcteryx), this isn't a well made backpack by any means.The zippers seemed really cheap and were somewhat difficult to open and close. The same can be said about the quality of the buckles - not the quality of a [$] backpack.FIT-I'm not sure who this pack fits, but it didn't fit me. I'm 5'11", 230 lbs. with a 36" waist, and the belt only closed because I was wearing only a polyester t-shirt. There is no way it would have fit, had I been wearing a second layer or a jacket. In addition, the pack rides really high (even with adjustment), and doesn't seemed designed for the belt to transfer weight to your hips, as most packs.DESIGN-The water bladder pocket wasn't well thought out. I'm not sure what kind of 100 oz water bladder fits in the pocket - but none of mine fit, and I have three (Osprey, MSR, Platypus). I ended up pouring half of the water out and folding a little bit of the bladder under at the top, to make it fit.I like the idea of having my gear quickly accessible like the quik stop is designed for - however, if you are using a water bladder, and try and access your gear, the water tube constantly gets in the way...as it's currently designed.In addition, once you add a water bladder to the pack, the pack juts into your back - yes there is padding - but it doesn't help much. The padding only seems to add to the problem - not help the problem.I'm going to return this pack, and order an FStop backpack.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I'm a professional ski photographer and have put over 180 days on this pack. It skis more stable than any other photo pack I've used before and is extremely comfortable.I've posted a full review with 22 photos on my blog at: [@]

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I am a serious amateur photographer that loves hiking and outdoor adventures. This Backpack is perfect for any weather. It can protect your gear in rain or shine with its rain cover that easily tucks away un noticed. There is plenty of room in the camera compartment as well as the extra storage space for your gear. This has a seperate pouch behind your back that can carry up to(in my opinion)a 3L camelbak bladder. The one thing that i absolutely loved was even though it doesnt say it can fit a laptop inside, there is plenty of room. In the top of the bag there are numberous little pouches and compartments for your little pieces of equipment you dont want floating around in your bag. There is even a smaller mesh bag inside that I use for my extra cables. This bag is very well constructed and great material!

I would have liked to see maybe one more area to possibly carry a tripod incase i want to take an extra water bottle with me, if i actually finish 3L. With all the space available in the bag i would have like to see maybe one more velcro devider in the camera portion, but that isnt really a complaint, since i could get rid of two lenses with a multipurpose lens.

I like this bag so much im actually using it to replace my daily bag as well. Cheers and I hope this works out for you all as it has for me.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I typically do not purchase gear like this without getting a chance to get it fit first, but decided to take a gamble as I was having a hard time finding a "nice" way to retrofit a wilderness pack with photo gear and could find no one in the bay area who had Clik packs available for display.

The compartments are nice and have sufficient space for a 5dII camera body, three+ lenses, accessory camera gear, bivy, days worth of food and water. I've found that using the back center straps to attach the tripod, and using the right side tripod strap/pocket for something lighter (i.e. a chair) keeps the pack a bit better balanced.

My main problem has been with the waist belt. The padding is a bit thin for a fully loaded pack (+40lb), and my waistline, being a bit small (32"), means the belt tends to slide while hiking. Probably better suited for someone with at least a 36" waist, but even so, better padding would help with heavier loads (the reason I purchased this). I've been able to purchase a separate waist belt that fits underneath, but it would have been nice if it was integrated with the pack and fit better.

Aside from the harness issues this is a very sturdy pack. The side pocket makes for easy camera access, although the pack still needs to be removed first. The bottom is squared off well, and allows the pack to stand well on it's own.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

Just tested this pack doing a 6 mile hike with 2522ft elevation gain. my pack weighed in at 52.41lbs and with the support of the hip belt, i barely felt it.

I can fit the following:
Canon 5D mk II with dual battery grip
Canon 24-70mm
Canon 70-200mm
Canon 16-35mm
2 Canon 580 EX II
2 Quantum Turbo SC Flash Battery Packs
All My Flash Cables
Tripod
15" Mac Book Pro
1.5 Liter Camel Pack Reservoir
3 Pocket Wizards

AND ROOM FOR MORE!...

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I love this pack. I bought it at the beginning of the year, and have used it to trek around the Middle-East, Europe, UK, and Australia. The purpose being mainly remote travel photo-journalism and some landscape photography and fashion editorials.

It is very durable and remarkably spacious. I bought it not because I was going to be ski-ing down cliff faces, or jumping out of helicopters - I bought it because I wanted something really rugged that would hold a variety of pro camera gear, and enough clothes that I could last about a week without doing laundry. The pack has been thrown around dropped, knocked by vehicles, pedestrians and desert rock walls, and it still looks and behaves like new.

It also fits very neatly in every plane I have flown on this year (which is about 26 flights, on a variety of airlines). It either fits in the overhead [as long as you mind the buckles which sometimes get stuck, or underneath the seat in front on smaller charter style flights].

It has way more space for non-photography essentials like clothes, books, documents, and even food - I didn't expect to get in as much as I did, yet it will still hold my 5D mark ii, 70-200mm 2.8II, 16-35mm, 50mm 1.2, 24-70mm 2.8, 3x 5D batteries and charger, 580EX ii Speedlite, a cheap holga for fun and 60 rolls of 120 film. I usually use my battery grip for the 5D mark ii, but it doesn't really fit very well in the side pocket for easy access, so I left it at home. There was enough space for my 45mm tilt-shift too, but I didn't need it.

Yes, it's a heavy pack. But I bought it knowing I was going to carry a lot of heavy stuff - so if weight is a factoring issue, I would deter you from buying this type of pack anyways - it's a transport for pro camera gear, it's going to be heavy if it is going to be tough enough to withstand the elements and avoid damaged gear.

Comments about Clik Elite Contrejour 40 Backpack (Blue):

I purchased this pack for a recent trip to Telluride CO. Overall, I'm satisfied with this pack. It's durable - protected my gear from the elements and from impacts - the interior is well organized - was comfortable to wear - and the hydration pouch was key. It's the best photo-ski pack that I've been able to find. My only complaint - the weight. I'm sure you sacrifice lightweight for durability, but even without gear loaded... it's a heavy pack. Add the camera, lenses, some water, and basic accessories... and you're starting to sink a little lower in the powder. A must-have if you intend to spend your day focused on shooting... gets a bit cumbersome getting on/off the lift and having the extra 30-40lbs on your back if you're only going to be taking the occassional shot during the day (stash a point & shoot in your pocket instead)