Travel Photography Gear Recommendation: MindShift + PeakDesign

[TWiTCHY]

I recently returned from an 18-day trip to Thailand with my Canon 6D and 3 prime lenses: a 24mm, 35mm, and 85mm. I wholeheartedly believe that if it were not for the backpack and retention gear I brought with me, my camera either would have been: 1) stolen by monkeys, 2) crushed by raging elephants, 3) dropped into a street vendor's deep fryer, or 4) flung into the side of a temple wall.

No, I don't get a kickback for these products, in fact I won't even post product links - go find them yourself! I was just extremely happy with these products and hope it helps someone else planning on bringing their camera gear with them around town or abroad.

The Backpack: MindShift SidePath - $100


I chose this backpack primarily because of it's hidden camera compartment on the backpanel. It is only accessible when the backpack is worn with at least one shoulder strap off. Additionally, it looks nothing like a camera backpack and should be less likely to draw attention to you. Whenever night fell and I found myself walking through a sketchy area, I would put the camera away, and the bag's unsuspecting appearance helped me feel at ease.

There is also a sizable top compartment suitable for lens cleaning gear, a rain jacket, snacks, etc. I used it mainly to stow away all the fake goods I purchased from the street vendors .

The Retention Gear

1. The Sling: Peak Design Leash - $35



Peak Design offers several different types of slings but I chose the Leash because of its minimalist design. Its straps are narrower than their other offerings and this was important to me because straps always tend to find a way between me and the viewfinder or screen of the camera. Sure, it doesn't offer much in the way of preventing slash n' grab thefts, but that's where Retention Gear #2 comes in. Oh, and Peak Design's anchor ties also allow for quick disconnects so you can hand off the camera to your travel companion.

2. The Hand Strap: Peak Design Clutch -$40



It's a hand strap. Any hand strap will do, really, but this one looked neat and still allows for me to mount my camera to my tripod since the baseplate is ARCA compatible. The idea is that if someone did try and cut the strap and yank the camera from you, it would be stuck to your hand...It also helps with one-handed shots and those times you find yourself leaning over the railing of a sky bar on the 49th floor of a skyscraper. Peace of mind!

3. The Holster: Peak Design Capture - $50



If you're traveling and plan on eating on the go, such as at a night market or street-side vendor, a holster is essential to freeing your hands quickly so you can grab that coconut by its butt with one hand and bend that bendy-straw with the other hand. The Capture can clamp to your belt (do not recommend) or your backpack's straps (do recommend). My Capture probably has several hundred cycles of holstering and unholstering to the point where the finish has faded off. Going to the bathroom? Holster the camera. Grabbing a bowl of soup? Holster the camera. Being chased by rabid monkeys? Holster the camera. It prevents the camera from flopping around when doing all of these activities and doubles as a redundant theft deterrent. A plunger must be rotated (if you choose to lock it in the first place) then depressed to allow for the camera to be unholstered. Otherwise, it's stuck to your belt or backpack shoulder strap.

The final product looks a little something like this:


Comfortable, quick-access, and protected/disguised when stowed away. I couldn't have been happier with this setup and hope this helps someone worried about their camera gear while traveling!