Alta Sky 45D

The individual or team that designed this camera backpack should get an award, if they havent already. The first thing you notice is its durability. Nothing was held back in materials, padding, stitching and overall tank-like construction. The straps are super padded and very comfortable. I'm an avid hiker and this pack is built to, and even surpasses in some cases, the specifications of the best hiking packs you might find at your local outdoor recreation retailers. Even the bottom is especially reinforced with tough material, and its very flat so the pack stands UPRIGHT and doesnt tip over, which is an exceptional feature for a backpack every time you set it down. Perfect! The second thing you notice is the number of pockets. Wherever there is real estate on this bag it has a pocket, and its definitely making the best use of space for its moderately smaller, much easily-manageable 45L size. The next thing that stood out was how well it looked. The designers put in the effort and attention to making it look nice, with the angles and layering of the materials and overall appearance. It's stylish and less box-square, bulky shaped than your typical camera bag. Yet even this is an illusion, because it maintains its reinforced inner shape to keep your lenses and gear stacked and padded in that compartment shape but it just doesnt look like it on the outside --which lends itself to the added brilliance in the design. Now nothing is perfect ... so here are the few (and there are only a few) features I wish were different: When you open the main compartment via the back of the bag (which is the best method by the way, than from the front face on camera bags), the flap does not stay open and lay back, but always falls closed. When you're reaching for something or putting it away quickly that's fine, but when you're packing and organizing it would be nice that it stayed open. (I lay my jacket on it to keep the flap back). But its annoying. You also have to turn the should straps so they flip backward and out of the way while accessing this back compartment, but they do so just fine, and that doesnt count as a problem of this pack ---as all packs of this style would require that. Really the only other thing I wish were better was the selection in sizes. It may appear that many sizes are offered but they alternate in style/design as you go up in size.. So I cant get this same type of pack in a slightly larger size (which I would prefer a slightly larger 49L would be perfect) without jumping from 45 to 51 to keep the same style. But the 51 is too big for what I want. The one(s) in between are a style that doesnt have the compartments in the locations I prefer that are found on this one, the 45, and 51. But oh well.. I just have to get a little creative with the (slightly too small for my needs) 45, and just hang a few more things off its side, or strap it over the top or something. Overall, VERY pleased with this purchase. Good job Vanguard engineers/designers.

I am super picky about everything I buy, specially when it comes to my camera gear. I wanted something not too big, but not too small either. I purchased the 45D, that’s the smaller daypack version. I still find enough room for all the gear I need, without overpacking. There is enough for my 70-200m lens, my speed light, and 2 additional lenses. The bottom compartment is used by my 20-200 lens and some filters, the main compartment is for my camera and one lens, currently a 90mm macro lens. There little pockets for battery or memory card and an area for a laptop. I don’t use the laptop area for my laptop, but it’s perfect for my diffuser. I am not sure about other sizes, but the 45D has side access, which I love because it does fit my mirrorless Sony with the 70-200 attached, if needed. I was pleasantly surprised about the quality. It’s very well made and the materials used are top notch. The inside of the bag is customizable, which i feel is necessary. Various options to access the pack are also provided. So far I absolutely love it. I do wish the hip belt would be removable, but it’s not. A little pocket on the hip belt would’ve been also a great feature, and I do miss that a little. I am not sure how comfortable it is yet, but will update once I’ll find out. I am a small female and the shoulder straps feel a bit wide, due to all the padding. Update: after trying 5 different name brand camera backpacks, I decided this one is still the best, after at first returning it, I ended up reordering it. Trust me when I say, I’ve tried them all (well, I’ve tried the best), and this pack definitely is the best so far. I thought the shoulder straps would bother me after a long hike, but they actually didn’t. The pack was very comfortable. I also like that it looks like a high-quality backpack, and not like a pack that carries expensive photo gear.

(REVIEW OF VANGUARD ALTA SKY 45D -- *and the 51D in passing*) I was looking for a new backpack to replace my Lowepro Fastpack 250 (version 1). I use this style of backpack when I am traveling and thus it must follow TSA and airline guidelines for a carry on (better yet a personal item). Preferably I want the backpack to serve as my personal item versus my carry on. That way I can bring a roller bag with clothes (and maybe some gear) that will go in the overhead bin. The backpack then needs to be small enough to fit under the seat in front of me. I am happy to report the Alta Sky 45D fits perfectly under the seat in front (at least on two Delta flights with the newer cram you in like sardines cabin layout). I also really like that this has a strap on the back section where I can attach the bag to my roller suitcase's handle. My Lowepro does not have this option. The build quality on this bag is top notch and well worth the money from that standpoint. Padding, zippers, clasps, materials, etc. are all top notch. However, the reason I have to take off one star is that I want just a bit more storage out of the bag. I also bought the Vanguard Alta Sky 51D (the next size up from the 45D) to see which one would work best for me. I really like the 51D--I actually like it more than the 45D. The 51D is the perfect size to easily store all my camera gear (Canon APS-C body, 70-200mm f2.8 lens, 18-135mm f3.5-5.6 lens, sigma 12-24 lens, 50 1.8 lens, charger, extra batter, filters, card carrier, and monopod) and have room for a book, single change of clothes, headphones, 15" Macbook Pro, and more. BUT the 51D is essentially the same size as the TSA max size carry on luggage bag (i.e. my Travel Pro Magna 2 21" roller bag). So for trips where I do not want to check a bag (which for me is 80-90% of my travel), the 51D is just too large. For me, the 45D is just a hair too small. I can fit most of my camera gear in it, but it takes some work to get it all to fit. I am definitely stressing parts of the bag, but as I said, the quality is superb and I'm not worried. Most the gear above goes in the bottom flip out compartment, while the 70-200 lens has to go into the main compartment. That leaves room for a large 500-600 page book in the main compartment and that's it. The top part of the 45D fits my Sony WH-1000XM3 case and iPad mini retina tablet, but nothing else. My 15" Apple Macbook Pro Retina BARELY fits in the back laptop compartment, with the zippers touching the corners of the laptop. For the bag to be perfect, it needs just a little more height to it, at least to accommodate my laptop ,and a bit more volume. I also cannot store my very compact Sirui P306 monopod on the side of the bag without loosing all the side pocket storage. On my most recent 4-5 day trip, I found myself storing more gear than I would like in my 21" carry on roller suitcase. That said, the 45D is such a solid and comfortable bag that it has earned itself a place in my permanent rotation. BUT, I will be buying the 51D to use for any trip lasting more than 5 days where I intend to check a bag. For example, I will be going to Hawaii this summer for a week and plan to use the 51D for this trip and check a bag. Ultimately, the search for one bag to rule them all continues, but the 45D (and the 51D) do an amazing job for now.

First off, I purchased this because I travel a lot and I need to be able to bring my camera gear in a bag that is within the limitations of airline hand-carry policy in terms of dimensions. First impression was build quality. This bag has the feel of ruggedness. Empty, it's sturdy enough to stand on its own. It's not a floppy backpack at all. It offers enough space to hold x2 of my camera bodies and x7 of my lenses. I can also carry hard drives, SD cards, lighting solutions (jetbeam fl12 x2), battery banks, and a few miscellaneous items. There are several smaller pockets that are perfect for cables, medication and documentation (manuals, passports, etc...). I also want to mention that the side pocket for my main camera is large enough to hold my Panasonic GH5 with a Smallrig cage installed, top handle included! The laptop pocket is perfect for my Macbook Air 13". There is enough cushion to protect it and my gear from each other. I love the bright orange interior. It makes for an easy gear find in dim conditions. Behind the lower gear organizer, I use velcro straps, reversed, on extra cabling and they hold just find on the felt material. I haven't used the tripod carrier yet, but on inspection, it's exactly what I'll need when I do travel with a tripod on day trips. Like most camera bags, the rear access gives me confidence that my important gear is secured. The straps are plenty comfy, but a little bit too thick for my Peak Design Clip. I was able to resolve that by using the optional Peak Design Pro Pad and one of the horizontal loops on the straps. It's a tight fit, but I don't foresee any issues with that work around. If I were to choose a flaw, it would be that it does make me look like a gear hog. Definitely not discreet when loaded up. All in all, I am very happy with this camera backpack. I have several and this is by far my favorite. Closest to perfection as I am going to find thanks to Airline limitations. I know I could push the size a bit more and go with a larger Vanguard, but I travel the world and I don't want to push my luck. Every airport is different and this bag gives me reassurance that it will get me past all security checkpoints no matter what airline or country I am flying to and fro. Thanks Vanguard for a great product!

This camera bag is a beast. It holds all my lenses, batteries and accessories. There are pouches for additional memory cards. I have been able to carry 3 cameras within the main area. The section at the bottom will hold additional lenses or camera bodies. The Velcro partitions can be moved around to accommodate any setup you like. The zippers are sturdy and seem like they will not wear out any time soon. The padding is great and I have no concerns that my gear is well protected. The straps are padded and comfortable. They are also very durable. Overall this is a great camera bag is large and will suit your needs just fine.

Thought I would share my thoughts on a backpack I just received for my camera setup. It is a vanguard Alta sky 68 bought on Amazon for $298 usd. First it appears to be made of good quality materials. The padding on the back is excellent and the hip belt and chest band fit. I am large 6’4” 270# with a 42” waist and 46” chest plus size LOL this is the first backpack that actually fits my body. It will work as a carry on for airlines but is too large for an under seat bag. They make a couple slightly smaller bags as well that would work for the Sony 200-600 lens. With my Sony a7r4 with the 200-600, my Sony a7r3 with a 24-240mm my Sony a6700 with 18-105 I can access all of these cameras from the top of the bag as well as access to a large laptop pocket. several outside pockets for extra batteries filters and cleaning supplies. The back opening is large and has lots more room plenty for a drone and accessories or more lenses. On the outside is a crane gimbal and a tripod.

This bag is almost perfect. For me at least the hip strap is too large, so I broke out the sewing machine and cut off a bit of material at the base of the strap and sowed it back on so it fits me. However I don't expect this to be a problem for most people. However, IN GENERAL THE MAIN COMPARTMENT SUFFERS FROM AN AKWARD DEPTH. For most of my lenses, they can slide around quite a bit in the extra height (when the bag is laying flat so you can access the internal compartment) when laid flat, however, I can fit even my largest zoom lens in the bag (Sigma 150-600 f6.3 Contemporary), even with the lens hood and 2x teleconverter installed. Still, I wish that there was extra padding included to fill the extra space. And even then, the included dividers are not as tall as the compartment, so small lenses can slip around the dividers when the backpack is worn or upright. However I definitely would have liked a better configuration for holding the DSLR in the top of the bag by the top accessible flap (another symptom of the main compartment being to tall/deep). Also, it would be nice to have a few more dividers to allow transport of multiple smaller lenses/items. I've solved the first problem by sewing little "blocks" of felt folded like an accordion to give them thickness, with a small patch of Velcro on each corner of the bottom (so the cushions don't fall out), to the size of each compartment/lens footprint, to take up the extra space. I've solved the second problem by using the "U" shaped dividers included to make a cradle that fits my frequented lens (Sigma 24-105 f4 Art), against the front wall of the bag, so the camera is well secured, but the remaining space is large enough to fit an entire other camera body attached to a small lens vertically below it in the depth/thickness of the pocket, along with small spaces for other gear along the sides of the pocket. I've used this space to store my film camera (Minolta 7000 Maxxim), alongside my DSLR (Nikon D610), and used the side space to hold a film container and the softbag containing extra screws for my tripod, and few lens adapters. You can use one of the dividers to separate the two cameras bodies so they don't touch. For the third problem I've bought some third party dividers of the same dimensions (but taller) to fit the bag. IF YOU HAVE LONG AND LARGE DIAMETER LENSES, YOU'LL LOVE THIS BAG. If you have smaller diameter lenses, like Olympus or others, get something else. Secondly, for a hiking backpack I really expect a pouch for a water pouch (a flexible reservoir, ie a platypus). There isn't one, and while you can use the laptop pocket, make sure that the pressure of the bag doesn't cause your mouthpiece to drop while wearing the backpack, for me it didn't, however my Osprey water bag has a backpressure prevention valve built in, most don't. However, even if this solution works, it means I can't really bring my laptop, which isn't great. I don't have a solution for this yet. Finally, I really wish that they had added side pouches on the hip support strap. They are very long as it is (a problem for people with small waists like me as they won't tighten far enough) and they could have used that space to add a zippered pocket on each side. As it is, there are no pouches easily accessible while the backpack is on. I solved this problem by purchasing kevlar-cloth zipper bags and sewing them to my modified hip straps, and appreciate the extra space and easy access on the trail. With all the problems out of the way however, I love everything else. The quality of the materials is impressive, and the padding is luxurious. I am no longer worried for my camera's safety when I hike. The side pouches are especially nice, with very stretchy fabric that slides easily, perfect for water bottles or small tripods. Not many packs can let you bring a drone, a DSLR, extra lenses, a tripod, and a water bottle. The bag is very comfortable, and I've used it on several strenuous 8+ hour hikes with significant elevation gain, and absolutely love it (with the modified hip straps at least). The rain cover works very well, however isn't quite large enough to cover my large tripod when strapped to the back of the bag vertically, however this can be solved by moving the tripod to the bottom horizontal roll mount, if you don't have something there already, but it can be a bit akward (and make sure your tripod is waterproof), but it means all the rest of your gear is protected. Even during fairly intense rain, the backpack was fairly dry, and all of my gear inside was completely dry, and not even damp (even my viewfinder didn't fog up, which is a first). There are just enough dividers included to configure the backpack to carry almost everything. The dividers have a stiff foam inside and a non-abrasive yet slick outside covering, allowing even tightly packed lenses to slide in and out of storage easily, and the inside is very well padded, especially the bottom of the bag, and covered with a thick, soft fabric. The padding on the back wall of the backpack is exceptional, even better than my dedicated hiking backpack, and the bottom of the bag has a very thick kevlar-like plastic that allows you to set the bag down even on sharp rocks, damp grass, or wet sand without worry of poking through the bag to your gear, or getting it wet. I HAVEN'T FOUND ANYTHING BETTER, and I've hiked a combined 45 miles with it and I'VE TRIED MANY OTHER HIKING-CAMERA BACKPACKS, AND THIS IS THE ONLY ONE I HAVEN'T RETURNED. Even with it's flaws, it's a keeper. TLDR---------------------------------------- CONS: Main compartment is maybe too tall/deep, too few dividers, no place for platypus/water reservoir, no hip pouches. PROS: Premium materials, sturdy construction, great protection for your gear, practically fully customizable, and unmatched comfort, even for strenuous hikes and long durations.

I recently got the Alta Sky 45D camera backpack and I absolutely love this bag. It's perfect for carrying aboard an aircraft or a long day of hiking or sight seeing. Some folks may consider it a bit of overkill for carrying a camera. Its actually a little larger than it appears in some of the photographs but thats because its heavily padded and well made to stand up to rough handling while protecting its contents. A rain cover for the pack is included when the weather turns inclement. There are plenty of padded velcro inserts so that you can customize it for whatever you plan to carry. My Nikon D7500 DSLR with a hooded 18-55mm lens and a neoprene neck strap attached fit comfortably into the side pocket. Three additional lens including a 70-300mm zoom fit into padded compartments in the lower portion with room to spare. I still have room in the main compartment for books, maps, snacks, sunglasses, an iPad/Kindle/MacBook air and other items during a flight or on a long day out and about. Its extremely versatile as the velcro inserts can be rearranged or removed entirely to make one large pack. The backpack is designed to carry a tripod and a drone strapped to the outside but these can easily be adapted for carrying a water bottle and an extra sweater or rain gear. Plenty of zippered pockets both inside and out for smaller or delicate items. The adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt are well padded and very comfortable. This bag is ready to go where ever the road takes you. I'm sure that you'll be very pleased.