The black/gun metal Sinking Barge Deluxe Backpack from Crumpler is a great choice for a combo pack whether you're marching along singing "Home on the Range" in the outback or pavement pounding in your city while out of a day shoot. This is a pack that covers your bases in many ways both from its dual capacity design and functionality.
It's unique in that its divided into two separately removable halves with one being for photo gear and the other for various cargo such as clothes, food or even more photo gear. It's water-resistant exterior covers a backpack that will hold a 15" (38.1cm) laptop as well as a DSLR system, a couple of lenses plus the requisite number of accessories like batteries, maps and a water bottle.
The removable photo compartment contains two 28" (71.1cm) padded walls, four touch fastened straps and six dual-sided touch fasteners - enough to offer more than adequate protection to your gear. The dividers are designed to be equipment-friendly and won't harm the finish of your gear. There's also a large zippered pocket and accessory mesh pocket. The removable cargo compartment is much the same with its padded walls (again 28"), touch fasteners, with an additional carry loop and zipper. It's here you'll safely store your laptop within more padded touch fastened walls.
Outside, there's a good-sized external pocket with hooded zipper while on the side there are left/right mesh stuff pockets for quick access items. The handy tripod pouch will come in handy when you want to shoot nature or night shots.
However, a backpack is only as good as its carrying system and the Sinking Barge comes supplied with comfortable, fully adjustable harness straps as well as a removable waist belt that will help you balance out your load for those long hikes in the country. The additional chest strap provides will make sure the pack doesn't shift from side-to-side. Hiking generally leads to sweating and the Sinking Barge comes with Air Mesh padding to facilitate moisture wicking on the rear and underside.
For those small accessories that you don't want to search inside for, there are accessory D-Loops to attach them to - pouches, whistles, or a cleaning cloth. If your day extends into darkness, Crumpler has incorporated safety reflectors for your hiking protection.
With its lifetime warranty, the Crumpler Sinking Barge combines the very best of what a backpack can offer - half photo - half cargo and proving once again that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.