Mountainsmith Kit Cube Camera Bag Large Review
Mountainsmith collaborated with hazard photographer Chris Burkhard to create a photography backpack chosen the Tanuck 40, and a waist pack called the Tanack 10 (no, that's non a typo – Tanuck/Tanack). Stay tuned for a full review of the smaller Tanack very soon. These bags are sold without any kind of camera protection in them, but there is a line of camera inserts designed for the bags, called TAN Kit Cubes (Tough As Nails). The Mountainsmith TAN Kit Cubes are available in three different sizes, and in this quick review we'll be taking a expect at the pocket-sized and medium sizes because they are distinctly different to the large size.
The medium Kit Cube comes in at $60 and the small one comes in at $50. For this you go yourself a heavily padded, waterproof camera example that can either exist added to the aforementioned Mountainsmith bags, or placed into pretty much whatsoever other pocketbook you can recall of to turn it into a photographic camera bag. The Kit Cubes also come up with a lightweight shoulder strap, and then they can be used every bit small camera numberless in their own right, and in that location'southward even a zippered accompaniment pocket on the forepart to store batteries and other pocket-sized accessories.
Upon unboxing the Kit Cubes, the offset affair that struck me was but how rugged these things are! These areheavily padded cases, so much so that the base of them is almost totally rigid. This is great for protecting your camera gear, but it's worth noting that information technology does brand their addition to another bags a picayune less forgiving since they don't tend to accommodate well to internal spaces that aren't exactly the right size or shape. If you pack them as well tightly into a bag, the rigidity of them tin leave uncomfortable protrusions.
Whether all this protection is a characteristic that you're looking for volition probably depend on what kind of activities you'll exist undertaking with your camera gear. I honestly tin't see it being necessary to protect a camera this much if you're just out for a hike, but if I was mount biking or possibly skiing, and then in that location'due south a greater need for information technology. I've probably used 20+ different types of camera inserts over the years, and these TAN Kit Cubes offer past far the nigh protection to your camera – on 5 sides at least.
The slight disparity in this design is that the opening of the instance on the superlative is relatively lightly padded, consisting of just foldable foam-filled nylon. The protection offered by the opening at the top of the Kit Cubes is aplenty by all other standards of such products, but it's somewhat at odds with the vastly more protectives base and sides. Not a deal breaker by any means, but something to consider when you are packing your bag and placing other items around it.
Whilst it lessens the protection somewhat, the summit opening of the bag is actually my favourite feature of these cases considering it allows extremely quick access to the gear inside, and as well allows you to stuff much more gear in in that location than would first seem possible. If these cases had a more traditional zippered closure on the acme, it would be much harder to use them inside a backpack. Equally it stands though, information technology's always piece of cake to dig down into your pack and pull open the foldable meridian to get to your gear.
Kit Cube Sizing
It's articulate that these were designed by someone that primarily uses mirrorless cameras, only that doesn't mean they don't work for larger DSLRs equally well. The pocket-size size will accommodate a mirrorless camera with a small lens, or a unmarried DSLR body with no lens. Stepping up to the medium size will allow you to fit a DSLR with a pair of lenses small/medium lenses, or a mirrorless camera with about four lenses.
From a sizing betoken of view one matter that disappointed me was that the medium Cube isn't a niggling deeper, to allow information technology to better protect a DSLR with a lens attached when placing information technology into the pocketbook "lens down". You tin can identify a camera and a lens into the handbag in this way, simply it protrudes up quite a scrap college than the protective walls. The versatile nature of the folding opening means that the camera is covered, and protected from minor bumps and scratches, just it does leave it slightly more vulnerable than you may want it.
Airline Travel
I've had these cases in my possession for a couple of months now and one of the great, unexpected uses I accept institute for them is packing photographic camera gear into checked luggage. When I fly I effort to take the majority of my gear as acquit-on, but there's always a few boosted items that don't quite fit. Due to the rigidity of the Cubes, I have been using them to protect these other items, such every bit flashes, ball heads and sound recording gear. In the past I've sometimes resorted to hiding small Pelican cases amongst the clothing in my checked duffle numberless, only I'm confident in the protection that'south provided by these Kit Cubes.
String Closure
The folding opening on the top of the Cube has hook-and-loop to stick information technology downwards in one case it's packed, but in that location's likewise a rather baroque piece of string with a sort of claw on the stop of it. I must acknowledge that when I first got these I actually looked for a user manual, and subsequently a video online that might give me a clue as to how it should be used. Information technology's far from intuitive, and actually requires a large corporeality of dexterity to release the strange buckle from the string if has been slid all the way to the stop. Once y'all accept it figured out, information technology tin tighten down the top closure of the Cube, but frankly it's besides damn fiddly to bother with and certainly not something you want to fuss with every time. And y'all can forget almost being able to do it with gloves on! Not a chance.
I do recall a tighter closure mechanism for these is a good idea when gear is in transit, simply this odd cord and claw mechanism is overly circuitous. Information technology could have been solved with a single nylon strap and a big buckle instead.
Conclusion
Await no further than these Kit Cubes if you lot want some serious protection for your gear in an existing purse! My chief recommendation is to make sure that you actually do need that kind of protection for the sort of activities you're planning to do. If you lot're just planing on taking a walk, there are much lighter solutions, such as the MindShift Ultralight Case (review) or the Matador Base of operations Layer (review). These Kit Cubes besides function best when they're placed into a handbag that will have you accessing the gear from above, such a messenger bag or a standard backpack with a top lid. If yous programme on packing these into a backpack that has a back panel opening fashion, you should be looking at F-Stop's extensive line of camera inserts instead. Trying to use the Kit Cubes in a pack with dorsum panel opening doesn't actually work because yous take to either rotate the Cube each fourth dimension you open the bag, or continually move or unpack the items that are placed on tiptop of them.
If you lot demand that waterproof, ultra rugged protection though, and your gear profile fits into either of these two cases, you'll be very happy with these products! I'm glad I was able to check out my first Mountainsmith product, and I'll definitely be keeping an heart on them in the future.
Where to Buy
I normally send people to B&H Photo to buy most items, but oddly they don't sell the TAN Kit Cubes. It'due south fifty-fifty stranger because they DO sell the Tanuck and Tanack packs that are designed for, but practice non come with, the Kit Cubes. Get figure!
Anyway, y'all tin can find them on Amazon then information technology's no big bargain.
- Pocket-size TAN Kit Cube – Amazon
- Medium TAN Kit Cube – Amazon
Source: https://shuttermuse.com/mountain-smith-kit-cube-review/
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