My Birding Kit Fits in a MindShift BackLight 18L
I’ve been a fan of ThinkTank bags for over ten years. No kidding, my first camera backpack was a ThinkTank Streetwalker that I bought back in 2009… and I still have it and use it! When I started birding and got my hands on a lovely (massive) lens, I used the Streetwalker to haul around that big kit. But I needed something with a little more space, since that pack was basically full with the big camera and binoculars.
I started looking for another option, but really couldn’t find what I wanted. I wanted the new backpack to be small enough for day hikes, but big enough to hold my camera and binoculars, and some snacks or other things. This was nearly a year ago, and I did notice that I really liked the Mindshift Backlight (from ThinkTank), but not enough that I stuck on it. Fast forward to now, and I re-discovered the Backlight and knew it was the right option for what I wanted.
Style
The MindShift BackLight 18L (also available in 26L and 36L) is a great looking bag, and that’s an obvious requirement right away. I love the style, the colors, and the overall design of the pack! It’s obvious that this backpack is designed for photographers, but also for hikers and the outdoorsy crowd. It is a rear-access pack, with a convenient full zip around padded back. The gear is safe inside, but the pack also sits very comfortably on my back.
I chose the Charcoal pack, but seriously considered the Woodland Green. Both are really great looking. I appreciate that while I decided on the less colorful grey version, it still has lovely green accents!
Comfort
The pack has a very nicely padded hip belt which keeps the weight off of shoulders and more evenly dispersed when it’s loaded with heavy gear. The hip belt does another trick though. With the belt on, I can remove the pack from my shoulders and swing it around, open the back, and have access to my gear! I haven’t used this much in the field, but it does seem like it could be a handy option if I was in mud or a dirty place and didn’t want to put my bag down. They include an elastic loop that can slip over the neck to hold open the back panel, if both hands are needed from something like a lens change. Smart design!
The shoulder harness is very well padded and is just as comfortable as my older StreetWalker pack. I’ve worn it on a dew of 5+ mile hikes and have no complaints on the comfort on my shoulders, hips, or overall carrying of this pack.
The very padded back panel is so comfortable on my back that I don’t think about my backpack while I’m hiking, and I appreciate that! It has an air channel system to help with sweat and keeping cool. The lumbar padding is so comfortable!
The hip belt is not removeable, but it can be buckled in reverse (around the front of the pack) to keep it out of the way if not needed. It has been nice to have those hip belts on a longer hike with the pack loaded, though!
Camera Storage
I wasn’t sure the 18 liter size would be big enough for my kit, but it is quite a perfect fit. My big lens fits, with camera mounted. There is room in the padded area for another small lens, my binoculars and some small accessories. My Nikon D750 with a 200-500 lens fit just right. I’ve since moved into a Sony A7Riv and 200-600, and it also fits just right! Not much wiggle room for either, but honestly, I wouldn’t want those kits wiggling around.
I have three other lenses that I can configure to fit with my camera body, too. It may take some creativity, but with the customizable interior, I can fit a variety of combinations of my gear.
The pack comes with quite a few adjustable dividers, so it’s easy to customize for whatever it needs to hold. I have my large lens and camera body on one side. With dividers, I made a narrow row that holds a second lens, binoculars, etc. The rain cover sits comfortably at the bottom of the back and doubles as padding under the front of my big lens.
Inside of the back panel, there are two clear zip pockets that hold smaller, skinny things like lens caps, cleaning clothes, etc.
For a longer hike, I could easily reconfigure the bag to hold a smaller camera and a couple of lens, binoculars, etc - rather than the big bird kit.
Non-Camera Storage
The biggest selling point for me was the 5-ish liters of storage on the front of the pack. I daydream of trips to Costa Rica or National Parks, or out on the ocean for a pelagic trip… and those daydreams include my camera, but also lunch or snacks, and other things! A lot of camera bags don’t seem to account for the idea of needing more than the camera, but MindShift definitely considered that a hiker might get hungry or cold.
The bigger main pocket on the front has a sleeve that holds a 13” MacBook, and another sleeve that holds my 10” iPad. There are some small pockets for cards, pens, etc. Then the big leftover space – it easily holds a first aid kit, a power back, a sandwich, a snack bar, an apple and other small bits that just stay in the pack. There is yet another pocket on the very front of the pack, which is a great spot stuff a jacket or shirt or snack bar for easy access.
Another important feature, which tends not to be “standard”, is a good sized water bottle pocket. Water is important on a hike or day trip! This pack has two water bottle pockets - one on each side, and they are big enough to hold a standard Nalgene bottle. If a smaller bottle is used, they each have a cinch strap to hold it snug. It’s so great to have these big pockets for big water bottles, when I need them! At other times, I use one for water and one for small things like a power bank!
There is one more small pocket on the very top of the bag. This is a very small, skinny pocket, but it’s a great spot to slide in some business cards or a wallet/passport. I have slipped a small wallet in there, and it zips up for safe-keeping.
There is a tripod carrying system included. Straps come out of a hidden pocket on the top, and another hidden pocket on the bottom reveals a pouch to put the tripod legs in. The system completely tucks away when not needed and works great when it is needed!
There are various other lashing points on the front of the pack, as well as on the shoulder straps. Some loops on the front would hold trekking poles or an ice axe.
A Year Later…
I really have liked using this backpack. The MindShift BackLight 18L is very well made. A year in, with very frequent use, and it’s still looking really sharp. The bag design is well thought out with great organization and layout options. I’m not surprised at all that I love this pack. I’ve loved every piece of gear I’ve bought from ThinkTank over the years, and this backpack is no exception. It’s great looking, works great for short or long hikes, and keeps my gear safe and dry!
The backpack came with the lifetime guarantee and the support a trustworthy companies around. They bring together a lot of talent to make camera bags that work - including this backpack for a photographer who wants to take gear on a hike. I would definitely recommend this pack and this company.
