Week In Review ~ 5 January

by Catherine Baecker-Khoury, January 5, 2013

Week in Review

Welcome to our first Week In Review for 2013! Hope you have had an awesome start to the year. We figured what better way to wind down after all the partying than by scoping out some carry highlights in your downtime, so let’s get started…

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Duffel delights

Nike have brought out a sleeker version of their NSW duffel and in addition to its eye-catching style there’s some nice general features too. The Nike Eugene duffel can be packed into a pouch for easy storage when not in use and it’s made of water-resistant material. The welded zippers also assist with water resistance, plus there’s a removable and adjustable padded shoulder strap. Alternatively for some carry versatility you can use the two handles. At $320 it’s more expensive than a lot of duffels out there (for instance check out our Duffel Buyer’s Guide) but the good looks and flexibility of use might just sway you.

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Trailblazing carry

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No, Carryology has not branched out into gardening. However, since it’s the new year and a lot of our readers like heading up into the hills, we thought we would highlight something a little different to the usual carry items featured on the site. The Trail Boss is a trail tool that is easy to carry and which enables you to work on trails (for example if you’re hiking, mountain-biking, etc.) without having to haul several different tools. The Trail Boss comes with a selection of heads, including a McLeod tool, a pick/mattock, an axe/mattock, as well as a saw. The handle is constructed out of multiple segments so you can make it as long or short as you need to suit the task at hand.

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A camera bag that’s sure to be snapped up by the fashion-conscious

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The JnK Standard Camera Bag is a looker (though costing the equivalent of roughly $500 you’re going to want something that makes people stare in envy). The bag is constructed out of Italian vegetable-tanned leather and has a simple exterior back pocket for extra storage. Four small metal “feet” protect the bottom of the bag when it’s placed on the floor (or other surfaces) and the bag has a detachable and adjustable shoulder strap. There is also a range of internal storage partitions available. Is this bag worth $500? Well that depends on what you put value on. There’s no denying it’s one of the more stylish camera bags out there but you’ll find cheaper bags that offer more protection and the Gorby Gap aspect of the bag may encourage you to only take this one out on sunny day trips…

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Camera carry goes multifunctional

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Staying with camera bags, the Locho DSLR Satchel is a much more wallet-friendly camera bag which is currently an active Kickstarter project. The satchel offers customizable inserts and space to carry a 13-inch laptop, iPad, phone, extra batteries and more in addition to your camera gear. The bag is constructed out of vegan leather and can be slipped over a luggage handle for easy travel transport. The portability options enable you to carry the bag via the top handle or shoulder straps (though perhaps some padding on the shoulder straps would be a nice addition, since camera gear plus tech gadgets can be pretty heavy). Despite the mountain-climbing video on the project page this bag is probably best kept for urban use but it’s an interesting take on multifunctionality. Plus it’s handy for photographers who want to carry their camera gear and tech gadgets in something that style-wise would fit into many work environments better than a backpack.

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Carry that cares about tomorrow

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Ikku is a relative newcomer to the carry industry. This Dutch brand was launched in January 2012 and offers laptop sleeves, iPad covers and iPhone cases made from recycled and organic materials. The brand name means ?coming and going? in Japanese and to quote Ikku’s site “we care where all our materials are coming from and where the world is going to”. You can check out their online store here.

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