Apart from the ‘usual suspects’ of cameras and lenses, there are two pieces of equipment that ‘we’ as photographers deliberate over:

Bags and tripods!

I know, because I regularly join in.

Whilst the choice of camera is primary, the bag and tripod are items that we pour over with as much consideration.

Or should do….I have seen a number of people turn up on workshops with bags that are inadequate, along with tripods that are nowhere near strong enough to carry the weight of the cameras they have.

Without sounding condescending, you have to put as much thought into buying those as the camera, whilst asking questions such as:

What do I really want /need and how easy are they/it to use?

Cost? An obvious one!

Are they/it fit for purpose?

Will it/they be future proof? (good luck with that one….)

At the end of the day, it’s a bag you are looking for which is made to carry cameras and the kit you need, so why and how do we make the choice for ‘that one’ as there are many out there?

What more can it do compared to others?

It carries your current kit but you should consider future expansion, along with added items such as clothing and food. They come in different colours, so what makes ‘this one’ you are keen on so appealing to you/me?

I address all of these things before I make that acquisition and as I mentioned earlier, there isn’t a ‘one for all.’

Well if there is, I personally haven’t found it yet.

I have had many a discussion with people who attend my workshops about this and over the past two years, one particular bag kept turning up and it made me think, “Hmm maybe it’s time I looked at these more closely.”

I do have genuine reasons for changing, which I will explain later but as I see lots of different kit, I was able to watch this one being close at hand and more importantly, I could see how it performed as each person generously allowed me to ‘have a go with it.’

Anyway, I will elaborate later but I did eventually take the plunge and change.

This post will deal exclusively with my own new bag, the Shimoda Action X40 V2 explaining my reasons and my review. The next one I deliver will concentrate on my new tripod.

I have been working in imaging and as a professional photographer for over 45 years now, using different bags for different genres such as; travel, street and landscape. I like having specific bags that are fit for purpose and designed for that style of photography. I always strive to get the one that is the best I can afford too.

One of my mottos is, ‘protect the investment.’ You are putting your hard earned into something that will be with you for many years, so ensure you ‘do your best to get the best’.

It will be worth it in the long run.

I use my trusty old Billingham Hadley for street photography which has never let me down and considering it is nigh on twenty years old, still looks fresh. Wish the same could be said for me….I want it to age but it doesn’t seem to want too!

I also occasionally break out the Billingham 25 rucksack when I travel abroad because it is sturdy, robust and compact, so I use it as a ‘carry on.’ Again, it does the job well.

However, my main photographic work sees me out and about on the landscape most weeks, so it has to be robust and suit ‘me’ as camera bags are personal!

I would never just throw money at something on a whim and I do have genuine reasons for changing. Those who know me, are aware that I have had to endure a number of serious spinal issues over the years and so venturing out onto the fells, means I need something that is designed to carry the kit comfortably. After all, lugging around the glass etc for hours on end is no laughing matter, whatever your age or fitness level, so with that in mind, what ever I choose has to meet my own specific criteria.

You will have yours.

It is a fact that no matter which bag you see and handle in a store, (don’t just buy on line. You need to handle it before you purchase) will feel differently once you start to add the camera and glass.

It will be the same with every bag and is quite alarming at how fast the weight adds up. It’s upto you as to what feels right. Take your existing bag to the store and load your intended one with your usual gear plus clothes etc. Only then will you know how it will feels.

I use mirrorless cameras and when they arrived on the scene the strapline was, ‘less is more.’ It is, until you start adding lenses to the equation as glass weighs. Especially most of the fast enses.

I use the Fujifilm X Pro 2 and X Pro 1 cameras and I am delighted to see that they are now bringing out a range of lenses that are not only fast but considerably lighter. That will certainly help in my case.

The weight is one major factor but comfortability is another.

Whilst different moveable sections and pockets are great, comfortability always tops my list. Trudging across uneven ground for a day takes its toll, then add the camera bag and……….you get my drift, so it will have to be a good fit and comfortable for me.

Others will prioritise differently and I respect that.

The primary purpose of all the bags is to carry the kit in a safe manner but up until now I hadn’t found one that was so comfortable on my shoulders and back. They were good and tolerable but….again I emphasise ‘my shoulders.’

I know some of you reading this will say, ‘well I found one that does’ and that’s great for you but I did emphasise that we are all different.

To be honest, the one I had used for a number of years carried my gear well but I struggled with it in respect of comfortablity. I was restricted to how far I would travel whilst out and therefore always on the lookout for one that went up a notch or two regarding those factors.

I had earmarked the Shimoda bags some time back when I read a trusted review from someone I respect, so allied with his words and having been ‘exposed’ to them on workshops, I ventured over to The Photography Show at the NEC, where I specifically made for two stands: Shimoda and Benro who are both under the MAC group, Europe.

The two stands were in the same aisle but separated and I looked at the bags first.

I checked out all the kit that they had there. I like to see the ‘merch’ for myself before someone ‘extolling the virtues’ tries to convince me. I then engaged with their staff.

To be fair they were excellent and literally outlined the benefits of the ones I was interested in, so no sales pressure which was good. I was drawn towards two bags but in the end decided upon the Action X40 V2.

It was just my luck, that they did’nt have one there that I could take away with me but that meant I had something to look forward to arriving in the post!

If you click on the link above, you will see that they produce it in a few colours but I liked the green.

Fortunately, it didn’t take too long for it to land on my doorstep and it was time to, ‘have a play!’

Once out of the packaging, I examined it in more detail, the different pockets, the waterproof cover, the extra netting bags that attach on the sides and the roll top that unfolds allowing more storage. That’s a really good design feature, especially for ‘us’ here in the UK, as we experience such changeable weather. I always ‘over carry’ clothing and this expansion allows me to do that without compromise.

After the initial look, it was time to load it up.

You can buy/upgrade the basic bag with an insertable module that allows you to customise them to your own kit. When I got this one, the module came as part of the deal. I shoot mirrorless and can’t see me changing that to be honest, so I opted for the medium unit. I then moved the sections around to accommodate my camera and a few ‘bits and bobs’ but that configuration changed once I was out in the field. I favour bags that allow you to put them down on the ground with the kit access on the rear (this one does) which means that the dew or rain will only touch the front of the bag and not soak your back when you put it on again.

Next, I attached the optional shoulder straps and waist belt.

When I first saw the Shimoda bag a year or so back, it was these chunky straps (they produce straps specifically designed for women too) that really took my interest. They are better constructed and thought out than any I personally have seen on a camera bag.

Removing the existing straps and waits belt isn’t complicated but Shimoda have produced a handy video online that talks you through how to attach them and it was welcome! It isn’t difficult but it helps to watch someone doing it and then follow. If only there had been a video many moons ago in the early 70’s when I stripped down a carburetor on my car….

My first real impression of how good this feels is when I first put the bag on.

It immediately felt a part of me. I hadn’t experienced that before. It didnt drop down towards my lower back with the weight of the kit. It felt stable.

That was a first.

The instability is something I have experienced many, many times, especially as the day wears on and then having to walk the last mile or so with one hand under the sack, pushing it upwards, relieving the pressure off my spine. I know others will not have this problem but those of us that do, you know exactly what I am talking about.

For someone like me, the height adjustability, the padded straps and waist belt are game changers .

I know others who have the same bag but see no reason to upgrade the straps because their physicality allows them to use it in an unmodified way.

Like I said, we are all different!

All this is well and good sat in my office then walking up and down stairs so how then does it fair in the field?

I have used it for the past nine months in all mountainous terrains and weathers, so I think I can now safely review it fairly based upon my experiences.

This bag has been thought out, ‘just that little bit more’ and suits my own personal needs.

Having had an F Stop bag in the past, I could see definite similarities, as the configuration, along with the upgradeable ‘units’ are alike. However, where it really stands out for me is with attention to the ‘all round practicality’ of a photographer, walking the landscape and not feeling totally weighed down by their kit. Those thick (very thick!) padded shoulder and waist straps (called plus and HD), the height adjustability of the pack itself come into their own.

Not having to buy an optional rain cover is good too.

I always get the cover out as quickly as I can but have also found that in ‘normal’ rain it is fine. I have been out in some of the most challenging weather this year and nothing has permeated through to the ‘inner sanctum’ even without the rain cover attached. Always better to be safe than sorry though. As an added feature both Vicki and I have bags of silica gel around our kit.

A feature I didn’t really take too much attention of when I first saw them are the ‘handle straps’ placed around the bag so that when you lay it down on the ground in use and it is open for kit access, you don’t have to zip it up again if you are moving locally. You can simply pick it up and ‘plop it’ back on the ground!

There are lots of different pockets and sections within and on the outside of the bag, that you can add whatever you feel, along with a ‘phone pocket’ on the left shoulder strap which is large enough to carry my iPhone.

In short, when I fully ‘kit up’ and put it on my back, all is where I want it to be.

Once on, it sits higher as those straps, (did I mention them….) ensure that they comfortably take the strain doing their job.

If like me you have travelled up and down the fells for a day with your kit on your back you will understand exactly why I make that my priority and in my opinion that should be a major consideration for anyone who will be undertaking this type of work.

You may not feel the strain just yet but in years to come….I hope not but who knows?

So far, after nine months, all is positive with the bag.

Now, I am trying to look for a downside and if there is one to me, it is that it is ‘so well made’ that before you put the kit in it is slightly heavier than my old F Stop BUT did I mention the straps……..

I can honestly say that since I started using it, I haven’t had a day on the landscape where I have said, ‘I need to get this bag off now!’

That is my best endorsement!

Please note that I haven’t received any money etc for this review and what I write here is my own, personal opinion.