Flabbergasted when I received this package from ThinkTank! They’re a group of innovators striving to make the best carrying solutions for the photogs of all kinds and ages out there. They sent me the “Sling-O-Matic 10,” which is the smallest sling bag of the three size family (10, 20, and 30). Meant for light weight shooters that only needed 2-3 lens tasks. Without further ado, let’s get the review going!
The brand and the product. $137.75 on both their official site and amazon. May be perceived as quite a bit pricey at first glance, but there’s a few reasons why it’s worth it.
The lady on the hang tag seem exceptionally happy. Maybe because she’s holding a 400mm f2.8 BAZOOKA. Or how ThinkTank really helps make her job easier. Let’s see if the later holds true.
Here’s the “how to put on a sling bag 101.”
oooooo, very fancy.
Quick view:
The package consists of the following:
-Dividers to customize the main compartment.
-Rain coat
-Straps for fastening.
-Catalogue that would make you want to buy more ThinkTank items (you’re warned.)
Opening up the main compartment, you see:
Lots of Nikon things we can’t afford, but can certainly fit into the bag.
Although this is the smallest bag of the family, it’s basically still made out of ALL KINDS of compartments that would fit ALL KINDS of things:
Let’s count.
Flat compartment on the front/back side of the bag.
More on the surfaces.
Smaller spaces for micro-tools, SD cards…etc.
Tripod, monopod (or umbrella) got their dedicated spot, too.
Straps come in different sizes and shapes:
Chest, check. Waist, check. Tripod? Check.
Each is indicated, too. Major plus! Straight forward and user friendly. None of that “tall, grande, venti” bullshit.
Installation of these straps’ intuitive. Just put the hook into the loop. BAM!
…though, the hook can be a bit tricky.
Le Rain Coat:
Rain, milk, liquid? GET OUTTA HERE.
Unlike regular backpacks, a sling bag provides easy access for a photographer to reach for the camera/lenses without having to take off the entire bag. But the handy maneuver comes with a compromise—all sling bags consist of a single strap, which can really exhaust the shoulder after a long period of usage. ThinkTank, on the other hand, solves that problem:
It’s more like 1 step.
…then, voila!
Finally, this is the bag in action! (I don’t usually bring this much stuff, but hey, let’s see what this bag is made out of)
Just slightly larger than my Macbook Pro (2009).
Large enough for a pretty serious light shooting session, yet small enough to carry around with ease.
Guess that makes me a happy photographer, too!
I give it 4.5 stars. Great aesthetic, durable quality, innovative construction, straight forward application, do exactly what it’s suppose to, just slightly pricey. Very well made product. *Thumbs up.
Check out the bags here.
Thanks, again, ThinkTank, for the awesome sling bag!
’til the next review!
-Benson
