The perfect little catchall bag for photographers
Sometimes you don’t need to carry a full-size backpack when you go out to take photos. In fact, a full-size backpack can end up slowing or weighing you down. Traveling light can be the name of the game when you are trying to keep up with quick jobs. With that in mind, sometimes all you need is an accessory pouch like the Field Pouch V2 by Peak Design. Not only does it work as a great stand-alone accessory kit, but it also works as a bag inside of a bag for smaller items.
DETAILS
The Field Pouch V2 is an organizer that is technically two bags in one. It’s a “minimalist carry-all sling bag and a compressible in-bag organizer” – according to peakdesign.com. The bag comes in three different color options – black, charcoal, and midnight (blue tone). It has an MSRP of $44.95 and there are options to purchase it pre-owned from Peak Design’s website (at the time of publishing this article).
Peak Design dubs this pouch “the ultimate wing bag” – meaning that it can be tucked away or replacing your bag depending on your needs. The pouch can expand from 1.5L up to 3L to have a truly impressive capacity. It has a rollmop hook-and-loop closure and an adjustable Cord Hook strap for shoulder or sling style carrying. The strap can also be stowed away. The bag has integrated belt loops for waist carry options and works with standard and photo belts. There is an internal zip pocket and 8 internal stretch pockets of varying sizes.
The internal felt liner protects contents from bumps and scratches and the entire bag are protected by a weatherproof 400D double poly-coated nylon canvas shell. There are leather touchpoints (gold rating from LWG) on the midnight and charcoal pouches and Hypalon touchpoints on the black pouch (vegan). There is also an option for camera carrying on the outside of the pouch using the Capture Clip (not included).
KEY FEATURES
- Capacity: 3L max, 1.5L min
- Size (empty): 9.4 in (24 cm) x 7.5 in (19 cm) x 0.4 in (1 cm)
- Size (full): 10.6 in (27 cm) x 9.8 in (25 cm) x 4.3 in (10.92 cm)
- Weight (empty): 6 oz (170g)
- Warranty: Lifetime
UNBOXING – USER EXPERIENCE
My unboxing was very minimal since my Field Pouch arrived in a small box with nothing but the pouch inside it. It did have Peak Design cardboard stapled to the bag with a few photos and basic information on it. There is a retail hanger loop on it so I would assume this cardboard is the basic retail packaging of the pouch.
I have the charcoal version of the pouch and it’s a very classy-looking product. The Field Pouch has a velcro front flap that keeps the bag shut when carrying it and the leather accents really make a statement style-wise. Its classic style allows for me to wear it without looking out of place during well-dressed events.
I like to use the Field Pouch to keep my must-have items on me so I can set my camera bag down and not be bothered by the extra weight during a job. The last wedding I shot, I kept the Field Pouch on me like a sling and I used it to house my batteries, air blowers, lens wipes, and a few extra items for my Canon R5. It was a great option for that job. The velcro on the bag is strong enough but also it does not make that gross screeching sound that most velcro makes when you open it.
There was plenty of room in the pouch for what I packed into it. Inside there are three slots that I used for my batteries and across from that is a nice stretchy zippered area that can hold a wide variety of items. Between the two storage areas is the main pouch area that is actually big enough to store a lens in (24-70mm). I used that area a few times to hold my lens as I switched lenses. It was much better than setting my lens down on the floor.
If I have one complaint about the Field Pouch it would be the strap. It wasn’t particularly comfortable on my shoulder and I think they could have come up with something better especially since they make such awesome straps for cameras. All in all, this is a very well thought out clean design that I can recommend to any photographer looking for a small bag to carry random gear.
CONCLUSION
Being able to use this as a catch-all bag for my main items when I shoot weddings has been a lifesaver. I have little items like a prism, fairy lights, gels, and so on that fit into this bag wonderfully. When it comes to products made by Peak Design I know one thing for sure – the quality is always going to be top-notch. It took me a bit of time before I started to use this bag because I had a routine I was in. I had to break myself of the “keep my heavy backpack a few feet from me the whole event” habit and change to keep the field pouch on me. Once I did, I can’t believe that I went so long without this option.
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