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For over 50 years Lowepro has been synonymous with making top-notch camera bags and accessories tailored toward the outdoor adventure photographer. The newly released Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack slots in on the small end of Lowepro’s new PhotoSport line. Sizes range from 35L, as mentioned, up to 70L for the expedition photographer and adds a unique offering to the Lowepro line.
The Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L we have on test is the ideal size for a day expedition with a healthy amount of camera gear, but not much else. If you’re looking to overnight or beyond, you’ll want to look at the 45L, 55L, or the aforementioned 70L.
Size, Form Factor, and Ergonomics of the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack
(8.5 out of 10)
Lowepro designed the PhotoSport X 35L as the day tripper of the bunch and it hits that mark nicely. Topping out at a respectable 38L and weighing in at a svelte 3.5 lbs., the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack is truly ideal for lugging a camera body, several lenses, and extraneous gear along for an active day in the mountains.
Being the little brother of the bunch, the 35L misses some of the features and niceties of its bigger siblings, but what it sacrifices in features it makes up for in lightweight mobility. If you’re going to be rock scrambling, climbing, or navigating some intense terrain, the size and form factor of the 35L hits. That being said, if you’re looking for more features such as size-specific fits, more pockets, additional storage, etc., you might want to consider one of the larger sizes.
Main compartment
Interior with camera gear
When it comes to packing and accessing gear while on the trail, the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack does this right. The entire back panel unzips to give you cavernous access to the interior of the pack. Getting to gear quickly was easy and made swapping lenses and memory cards a breeze. I particularly liked that Lowepro made the back panel the main access point as it forced me to lay the back down on the outer side, thus keeping the harness clean and debris-free.
The “X” in the name stands for “cross-functionality”. Lowepro designed the PhotoSport line to be their best-performing sports camera backpack with the idea that it can go from hiking to skiing, to ice climbing, and beyond. The Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack can carry climbing equipment, ice axes, ropes, a helmet, and more with several external lash points. Truly versatile and the from factor helps deliver on this.
Lowepro GearUp PRO Camera Box L II
GearUp PRO Camera Box L II Interior
Lowepro was nice enough to include their GearUp PRO camera box L II which made packing gear even more of a pleasure. The camera box is well made, solid, and well padded…and considering its smaller size only weighed in at .66 lbs., which is key when you’re in the mountains with a ton of heavy camera gear in tow. The “L” in the title is a bit misleading in my opinion as it’s only 5L in capacity. That being said, the GearUp PRO camera box L II was able to swallow a DJI Air 3, remote control, extra batteries, lens filters, and extra propeller blades. Not bad for such a small form factor. For my money, though, I’d prefer a larger camera insert. Lowepro also makes the GearUp in an XL and XXL size, (the XL would fit the 35L, but the XXL might take some serious jamming and cramming.)
The Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack Performance and Comfort
(7 out of 10)
The Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack is a bit of a Dr. Jeckl and Mr. Hyde when it comes to performance and on-trail comfort…at least when it comes to my 6’1” 185lb frame.
Performance-wise, the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack did what it was meant to…carried my camera gear: Sony mirrorless camera body, 16 – 24mm, 24 – 70mm, 70 – 200mm lenses, camera accessories, light reflectors, tripod, light modifier, rain shell, fleece layer, snacks, water, hiking poles, and even a dual camera harness. Not bad for a 35L bag!
Loaded down with 35 lbs.
Coming in at roughly 35 lbs. kitted out in the above-mentioned fashion, the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack was definitely at its limit. The 35L and 45L packs have a thinner hip belt with a cutout that happens to fit my pelvic bones just right but does sacrifice a bit of carrying capacity compared to the 55L and 70L which come with a much thicker hip belt, sans cutout. Personally, I think I would have welcomed a bit of additional weight to have the thicker hip belt. I think the carry would have been just that much more comfortable.
And comfort is where I struggled the most with the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack. Everyone’s anatomy is different and I think my frame just didn’t sit as well with the PhotoSport as others might.
I found the shoulder straps hit me in an odd way and proved to be a bit uncomfortable over time. At 6’1” I think I might be on the upper end for the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack. I had to really cinch the chest strap down to bring the shoulder harness in tight to relieve some of the pressure on my collarbones. After a 4-hour hike with 35 lbs. of gear, I was left with some sore shoulders and a few small bruises. Not ideal.
Back Panel
If you look at the 45L pack, it comes standard with Lowepro’s ActiveLift harness, which means you have some adjustability available to the harness position. The 35L lacks this feature and for my oddly shaped frame, it was missed. The 55L and 70L also come with the ActiveLift adjustable harness.
Again, for my money, I think even for a day pack, I’d go with the 45L for both the ability to adjust the harness as well as the slight additional storage and ability to use the XXL GearUp PRO camera box. The footprint isn’t much different and it affords a wider range of fit, and most likely, comfort as well.
Additional Features
(9 out of 10)
The main focus of the Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack is to be a lightweight camera gear hauler that can pull double duty as an active outdoor bag, but it still comes with a few other nice livability features:
- 86% recycled fabric
- Decent weather repellency
- Suspended insert connection points to add even more protection to the GearUp PRO boxes
- An included all-weather rain/snow/dust cover
- Side access bottom zippered compartment ideal for quick-need items like the rain fly, crampons, etc.
- Elastic cords to lash helmets, extra layers, etc.
- Top lid strap system to hold climbing ropes
- A stretchy side water bottle pocket
- Small zippered interior pocket for keys, cash, etc.
Included rain/snow/dust cover
Phone sleeve
Hydration Port
Hip Belt Clasp
Summary: (7.75 out of 10)
A lightweight, versatile form factor, adventure-focused camera bag made for fast and light missions in the mountains…assuming it fits you well.
The Lowepro PhotoSport X 35L Backpack is a well-made adventure-focused camera bag that is perfect for fastpacking up to your favorite peak, or cutting lines in some fresh pow in order to find that perfect photo. For anyone over 5’9” or so, I’d seriously look at the 45L as the entry point, even for a simple day pack as it packs just a few extra comfort features that would likely make it the go-to in your camera-carrying arsenal.
Specs/MSRP:
Available for an MSRP of $299, but also available in 45L ($329), 55L ($508), and 70L ($540) sizes. See it at: amazon.com.