Travel, hike and explore new horizons, while comfortably carrying camera and personal gear with the twilight blue UltraLight Dual 36L Photo Daypack from MindShift Gear. Clothing, snacks and related items are stored in the top compartment. Underneath, and accessed through a zippered, side panel is a removable, padded compartment with touch-fastening dividers for your DSLR with up to 3 lenses and accessories. Best of all, the zippered camera compartment has handles, a removable shoulder strap and may be used as a chest pack, shoulder bag, or worn at the side with the waist belt. Inside the top compartment is a large sleeve for an up to 15" laptop or 3L hydration bladder. And between the two compartments is a trap door platform that may be dropped to create a single storage area. The top lid serves double-duty as a cover and lash point for your jacket or other bulky item.
Fully-featured, the UltraLight Dual 36L has an internal zippered mesh pocket for small items, an exterior water bottle pocket, and a front mounting system for a tripod/monopod or trekking poles as well as an attachment loop. Carry the pack with the top handle or wear with the comfortable, padded and breathable harness. Added comfort, airflow, and stability are provided by the adjustable sternum strap, padded waist belt with storage pocket, and cushioned back panel. A versatile pack, the shoulder straps employs daisy chains for attaching gear. Interior and exterior compression straps help prevent unwanted movement and keep the pack nice and tight. For strength, durability and reducing weight the pack is made of lightweight nylon materials. In the event of inclement weather an included seam-sealed rain cover may be quickly deployed from its storage pouch.
Zippered camera compartment is removable for use as chest pack or a shoulder bag with an included adjustable, padded strap
For added convenience, the camera compartment has top and side handles and may also be attached to the waist belt
Side-panel provides access to camera gear without having to remove the pack
Touch-fastening dividers for organizing and protecting camera gear
Dedicated compartment for an up to 15" tablet or 3L hydration reservoir
Integrated tripod/monopod or trekking pole mounting system on front
Trap door platform for devoting the entire pack to personal gear
Seam-sealed rain cover included
High quality YKK RC Fuse zippers, 420D high-density nylon, and reinforced stress points for durability and strength
Breathable three-layer shoulder straps with daisy chain for additional gear
Padded waist belt with zippered, accessory pocket for added stability, comfort and storage
Internal compression strap and drawstring collar maximize capacity and minimize bulk
Internal zippered mesh pocket for small items
Zippered lid pocket for quick access to small items. In addition, the lid pocket doubles as a lash point for a large jacket or other bulky items.
Accessory loop for mountain axe or hiking poles mounting
Ergonomic zipper pulls for easier use while wearing gloves
Adjustable height and length sternum strap
Nylex LCD protector provides a place for your camera strap while covering your LCD
Compatible with optional, filter nest / hive and switch case
MindShift Gear Dual 36L Reviews
Great bag that is super light and versatile
By Geoffrey Michae
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2018-11-01
I grabbed this bag to carry a body and a couple of lenses and couldn’t be happier. It has a compartment in the bottom half designed for camera gear while the top half is flexible for more photographic gear or whatever else you might need.
Carting around a 5D with battery grip, two lenses, a laptop and a couple of other bits and pieces and this bag is really comfortable. I have also used it for other stuff by taking out the camera compartment and loading up the empty space. Excellent bag.
Light, organized, full of space
By Leon
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-07-08
This is my first mindshift product, and yes it shifted my mind, very light, well done, smart design yet customizable, very comfortable to carry.
Almost perfect for my needs
By Anonymous
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-05-31
I have a lot of camera bags, because I can't seem to find the one. This bag is as close to being the one as I've found so far. I frequently travel with a lot of photography gear plus a small laptop. Once at my destination, I usually switch either to a cotton carrier chest harness or a shoulder bag, keeping the camera backpack as a back-up that stays in the car (or similar location) as a holder for supplementary lenses and other equipment. This is how the bag stacks up against my wish list: 1) Light weight: Excellent. I'm 5'7, female, with a very bad back. I don't want my bag to be so heavy that I have to leave gear at home. This is super-lightweight for a large capacity bag. 2) Large enough to hold my full-frame Pentax K-1 with the 60-250 F4 attached (ideally with the teleconverter + 60-250). YES. This is one of the key distinguishing features (for me) between this bag and the Lowepro Sport 300 Aw II. The camera chamber in the Lowepro isn't deep enough for this lens combo. The camera chamber on the Mindshift also holds my 24-70, flash and probably 1-2 primes as well. I'm not sure the camera chamber is big enough to hold a full-frame with 70-200 attached, but it's worth a try. 3) Easily accessible laptop chamber. I've used the water bladder chambers of several other bags (including the older Lowepro Sport 200 AW and the newer 300 AW II) for my Dell XPS 13 (which has dimensions not much bigger than the average 11 laptop). Instead of a water bladder chamber, the MindShift has a sleeve running down the inside of the pack. The sleeve isn't padded but it is roomy and it's very easy to insert and remove my laptop. (By contrast, it's a bit hard to pull the laptop out of the Lowepro bag - frustrating when you're in the security lineup at the airport. However, with the Lowepro you don't have to open the top of the bag and risk with its clips and drawstrings. So the Mindshift is easier on my fingers than the Lowepro but there are a few more steps involved.) 4) Raincover: Ye. 5) Tripod attachment straps. Ye. 6) Hip pocket large enough for iPhone 6 and small wallet: Yes. There's one roomy pocket like this. 7) Roomy upper chamber for camera accessories and other stuff (jacket etc), plus a few secure pockets for bits and bobs. Yes. Bonus feature: It wasn't an essential on my wishlist, but I love the fact that I can remove the camera chamber, attach a strap and use the chamber as a shoulder bag. When I travel, I frequently bring a camera shoulder bag (Tamrac Aria 6) and use that bag when I only want to carry a small amount of gear (e.g. for city sightseeing). Now I've got a backpack that has that kind of shoulder bag built-in. The downsides are that it looks like a camera bag and doesn't have quite as many useful pockets as my Tamrac, but it simplifies my packing. A few minor quibbles: 1) It's pretty easy to spill the contents of the pocket on the top of the camera bag. I'm not sure how to design a pocket to fix that problem (but the MindShift designers are pretty smart, so maybe they'll fix it in the next version). In the meantime, I try to use a couple of minibags for gear, so that I don't scatter bits and pieces around. This isn't a good place to store your wallet. 2) I wish there were a few more organizational pockets on the inside of the top chamber (e.g., mesh pockets). There is one good zip pocket, but some accessible small pockets for things like batteries, memory cards, etc. would be nice. 3) This is a big, long and wide bag. That's the downside of having one that's big enough for my gear. I think it would be too big for people much shorter than I am (5'7), and I'm a little concerned about how well it will balance and affect my center of gravity. That said, I plan to use it more as a travel carry-on bag than as an active/sports camera bag. 4) I wish there were some padding at the bottom of the laptop chamber to protect the laptop. I'll probably put something down there to protect it, but it would be nice to have something built in.
Great for hiking and travel
By Pelino
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-05-10
I have had this bag for a couple of years now and have traveled with it multiple times. I carry a D500 with 16-80, 11-16, 70-200 f4, and sb800 flash. It all fits, plus some filters, in the camera insert. When traveling on planes/trains, I put my computer and all of the accessories in the upper compartment (cables, batteries, chargers, etc.). But when exploring, I leave those behind, and use the upper for clothes, food, etc. It all absolutely works. The zippered lid pouch is great for sunglasses, keys, bug spray, etc., and on planes will carry my tablet for easy access. I disagree with other reviewers about padding. There is more than enough. I have banged around a lot traveling, and have had no issues. I have also used the camera unit separately on a belt. However, I use a Think Tank belt instead of the thin belt that comes with the pack. I find the extra thickness of the Think Tank belt to be more comfortable. It can be a bit heavy for a belt by itself, so you might want to combine with a shoulder strap or harness (which is my preference, so I can clip the camera to rings and have it on my chest). My one small complaint is the tripod carrying system. I wish it was on the side instead of the front. It would be easier to put it in a plane upper compartment. As it is, I have to remove the tripod when I want to stow the bag.
A big miss for MindShift
By Robert
Rated 2 out of 5
Date: 2017-02-25
Both MindShift and its parent company, ThinkTank, generally make excellent products. I have purchased several of their products and have been very pleased with the quality, ingenuity, and practicality of their products. In my opinion, the UltraLight Dual 36L is an exception to this. After a good amount of research, I felt that this bad came closest to meeting my needs for day hikes: Something light, that holds a camera body w/lens, 2-3 additional lenses, with a tripod mounting system, and some room for extras (like a light jackets and snacks). I also wanted something I can toss my MacBook Pro in if needed. After having the product for only a few hours, I came to the conclusion that it would not meet my needs and quickly decided to return the item. Pros: - Very well made. The materials, zippers, and webbing are all high quality. - It looks great. I want to like it. - The tripod mounting system seems simple and works well. Cons: - While there is room to hold a 15 laptop, I would never consider putting my MacBook Pro in this bag. The sleeve that holds the laptop is not padded and extends all the way to the bottom of the back. I feel like the pressure of the insert and any items in the top compartment could damage the laptop. Also, it rest right up against the back of the pack and you can feel the rigidity of the laptop when wearing the pack. - The insert is a HUGE miss is many ways and is the primary reason I am returning the item: - It contains perhaps the worst divider system I've ever seen. There is no real padding in the dividers. There would be no way to use all 3 inserts and still be able to use a camera or lenses of any size. There is no way I'd be able to secure a camera and multiple lenses...they would move around too much. - The insert is deep, but narrow. The dimensions are not ideal for storing camera equipment. Note: I am using a mirrorless system and it's possible that it would work better for normal DSLR bodies and lenses. - To access the insert, while in the backpack, requires opening 2 zippers. This seems redundant and it can be hard to get into the internal zippers with the insert in the pack. Overall, this is a very attractive and promising back that doesn't do its primary purpose - to securely carry camera equipment -at all well. This is an aberration in a line of excellent and functional products.
Solid Bag!
By Amber
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-02-14
Excellent bag to downsize for airplanes or if you just need to travel lighter for once. Solid bag. Holds camera down below plus has a whole other additional compartment on top for clothes or other odds and ends.
Best Hiking and Traveling Camera Bag yet.
By Erick
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2018-07-09
This bag is amazing, it almost perfect. I ordered this bag a week prior to my trip to Moab Utah to visit the Arches and Canyon Land National Parks. I hiked around both parks logging over 9 miles each day, climbing up and down cliff sides and up moderate trails. This bag was the best of all my bags yet. It held up great, not moving around once I tightened all the straps, it felt great with the hip belt on and off, and it held everything I wanted to bring on a day hike (1 gallon of water, rain jacket, lunch, and sunscreen). The area for the camera is big, I was able to get my camera body, four lens and all of my equipment that I wanted to bring. Keep in mind I run a Sony mirrorless A6000. I have more room then I can use, which could lead to you over packing quite easily. the Tripod holder on the back was great and I didn't even notice it was there most of the time. The side pocket is large enough for a bottle up to about a 1 1/2 litters. As far as traveling this bag again was great. fit my laptop (13 inch apple) great, and fit the overhead all day and never had to worry about being asked to have it put under the aircraft. Only thing I can say that could be improved is the hip belt connector. The belt kept slipping loose about every mile or so. Not a huge deal but its the only thing I can think of.
Great Bag!
By Ekennedy
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2017-07-26
This bag is perfect for small amounts of camera gear, plus any other accessories I may need on a long photo hike. Great purchase!
