My Camera Bag Stinks!

[George Nova Scotia]

It really does stink. I bought the bag new in the '80s and my Nikon gear has lived in it ever since. It's a LowePro Magnum 35, they don't make it any more. No surprise there. I did contact them but it seems the lifetime warranty doesn't cover breakdown of the polyurethane coating used to waterproof the material. There is a strong chemical smell and it's getting quite sticky. They say there is no cure. Searching the web I came across some posts dealing with tents, some suggesting washing with a strong ammonia solution might removed it.
Any one ever try something like this? I don't really need the waterproofing at this stage but would love to restore the bag since it is such a perfect fit.

 

[Rick A]

When my pack tent took on that disgusting stench, I got rid of it. Soon after my back pack started to smell of "death", it went as well. No sense keeping anything that has gone beyond its expected life span. I miss my old gear, but reality is, there's newer and better. Gear bags that are in the throes of "decomp" should be disposed of before it has a chance of infecting precious cargo.

 

[jimjm]

If your nylon/poly/cordura bag starts to get that smell, it might be time to replace it. I don't know if it's possible to remove all the mildew or mold from the bag, but I wouldn't want to risk storing camera gear once it gets to that point. The only bags I have that have survived several decades are the all-canvas Domke bags, which can be easily tossed in the washing machine. Synthetics just don't age as well.

 

[George Nova Scotia]

The bag is now empty, starting search for replacement. It's not mould but a breakdown of the lining just like the foam seals just reverting back to their oily origin. Just need to find something to hold all my goodies.

 

[bdial]

You may be able to peel or abrade the coating off. Or a run through the washing machine might do it, though, the rest of the bag may not survive either.
I like the Domke canvas bags.

 

[Down Under]

George, mate, throw out that camera bag. Life is too short to bother with stinking camera bags.

I know, I know - the original good saying had to do with drinking good wine. After you throw out that bag, buy a bottle of good wine (Tasmanian if you can find it in Halifax or wherever you hang out in Nova Scotia), and drink a toast to the bag that was good for you way back when, and lasted you so long.

Never buy another camera bag from a photo shop. Think laterally. Go to a local charity, browse thru their collection of bags (every charity shop in the Western world is overflowing with good quality donated but unloved bags), and buy one you think suits you. With luck it will cost you all of C$1.49. If in the short, medium or even long term you decide it doesn't do the job, get rid of it (if not stinky, it can be donated to a charity shop) and buy another one. Total invested, C$2.98.

Lowepros are made in China, and when I was into using them I never had one last longer than 12 or 18 months without deteriorating. Their current offerings are, in my estimation, a step or two above trash. As we know, trash rots. Just sayin'...

Life is too short to (whatever suits your fancy here).

All this is written entirely Without Prejudice, of course.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

There's no cure. That coating is just going to keep flaking off and getting into your equipment. Time to toss it and find a new bag. There are lots of good ones out there in a range of styles.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Those gents are right. Discard the old bag.

 

[jacaquarie]

The water proofing coating is breaking down, have the old tent that smells like the dog went inside. You can try peeling the coating off and multiple cycles in the washing machine. How about the session with power washer to blast away coating?
I am disappointed in Lowe, this is a material failure, and if lifetime guarantee and you are still alive.
See stunning service from Milford posting, now that is taking care of customers.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Rats! I have one of these, from the mid/late 80s, I'll miss it when or if it dies of goo.
As for being made in China, mine is marked made in Ireland, and it's lasted me thirty or so years.

 

[Mick Fagan]

My Lowe-Pro is also made in Ireland and is about 35 years old, best part, it has those elastic 35mm film holders.

The main zipper is a bit of a mess, but the waist strap still works, which was the main reason for buying that bag. So easy to un-slip the shoulder strap, swivel the bag to the front, then retrieve/replace whatever, then slip it back to the side and replace the shoulder strap.

Mick.

 

[Down Under]

I'vejust checked my stash of camera bags, and found that the two Lowepro camera bags I still have were also made in Ireland. Wow!

Digging into stray brain cells,I realised I've had these for about 20 years. Long forgotten. Used to store filters and some old Hasselblad accessories I still have (and intend to sell soon).

So I stand, well, corrected. Slightly. Somewhat.

The China made ones are still mostly crap, but.And your local charity shops has many good bargains for those photographers who think laterally about such things as bags.

 

[Sirius Glass]

You could try putting baking soda in the backpack for a few days to see if that will help.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

You could try putting baking soda in the backpack for a few days to see if that will help.

Perhaps the Irish ones will hold up better. Maybe a light misting of Jameson's...

 

[AgX]

I got several bag-packs from Jack Wolfskin, but also from a no-name manufacturer, all from the 90's where the inner (PU?) coating became sticky.
The latter one was so bad I had to discard it. But there was or is no odour in any case.


Anyone into old camera stuff can tell many stories of various plastics to decay. And such issues are also from west-german stuff made in 60s to 90s, thus no China involved. Or think of japanese rubber turning into goo.

 

[Canuck]

I miss my ancient canvas bag but it had a vinyl type interior. Once it started to break down, I got all kinds of small particles that got into everything. I put it aside for a few years and checked it again, and where it was sandwiched in the canvas, it felt like a bean bag. Now I noticed a few other PU ones decaying. Luckily I have more bags than cameras

 

[Sirius Glass]

Send me a PM after Monday. When I get back home I may have a Tamerac 750 to sell to you.

 

[Kino]

While it's not the same form factor, I can recommend this Ape Case as good general purpose camera bag. Well made and generally well designed, but a bit fiddly with all the interior dividers.

https://www.amazon.com/Ape-Case-Dig...03264317&sr=8-11&keywords=ape+case+camera+bag

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm not sure where this bag was made. I also have a belt bag of the same vintage and it is breaking down as well. They both say "by Lowe Alpine Systems Inc." on them so they may be very early models. I do have a third bag, a larger bag "Commercial" which has tag inside made in the Philippines. It is still usable but I doubt it has many years left. Like a lot of plastic/foams from the '80s they turned out not to be the wonder product we expected.
I think I going to go for a hard case type at this point. My biggest hike these days is from the house to the car, my knees and back are also not living up to their "lifetime" warranty either. The main problem I'm seeing is most cases/bags are not as deep as they used to be. An F3 with motor drive takes up about twice the normal space.
I'll try running it thru the wash but I don't expect it will help much. Lowe Pro did offer me a 30% off coupon but I still haven't heard back from them When I questioned their decision.

So be forewarned if your camera cases start to feel a little sticky on the inside and smell funny when you open them, their days are numbered. I just hope whatever the off-gassing is it didn't damage anything. So far everything looks fine but I better give the lenses a good look.

 

[paul ron]

I'm surprised it wasn't covered under the life time warrantee. I've had coatings break down on a few expensive tent fly's. when I asked the company if I could buy a replacement, they told me to just return it and they'd give me a new fly or tent if a fly was discontinued.

the coatings once used were found to be defective. newercoatings are much more stable.

 

[Bill Burk]

I've got a mini magnum that is probably the same vintage. When I stuck my nose in I was met with a familiar scent...

Boy Scout Tent.

There's nothing you can do to make that smell go away. I think it's degrading nylon.

But mine doesn't stink "that bad" compared to the North Face Tent that I had to ditch because my neice, a girl scout at the time, could not stand the smell after a quart bottle of Febreze had been spent on it....

Let me know if you would like a slightly not-so-smelly as yours is.. Mini Magnum. and I'll send it your way.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I have a Tamrac from the 90s that got funky since I hadn't used the Contax cameras in it for a few years. Same "old camera bag" smell. I let it air out a bit and have been using it a lot in the last year. The smell is gone now aside from a very faint trace. When I first took it out it was hard to use the cameras that were in it. You might just want to leave it outside or in your garage then keep using it. I think these things get malodorous because we keep them packed away.

 

[rrusso]

I am disappointed in Lowe, this is a material failure, and if lifetime guarantee and you are still alive.

Yeah, some "lifetime" guarantee...

 

[George Nova Scotia]

Yes, a little disappointed about the warranty but it did serve well for 30 odd years which is more than you can say about most products these days. I did hear back a second time from Lowe Pro they are sticking to thier story. They think they might have better coatings now but kind of iffy on that statement. I have a couple other bags, not as old and not stinky so I should be fine for now. I think I'll give it a wash and let it air out a few weeks before I kick it to the curb. If the coating hardens up it may still be usable but don't hold much hope. Maybe it's been closed up too long and it's the universes way of telling me to get out and shoot more film.

I might even try to get my sister to make be one. She seems to make pretty good quilted handbags, I'll just have to talk to her about the choice of materials, no flowers or cats for me!

 

[Patrick Robert James]

I've had LowePro replace bags with busted zippers, but that was quite a while ago.

Maybe their warranty these days is like Leica's Passport warranty. "We know we said we would guaranty them for life, but we meant the life of the old fart that worked here. He is gone. Sorry!"

George, if your sister can make a bag out of canvas and put padding in it, you are gold. Maybe you can get a Domke and have her modify it. You really only need an insert.

Good luck.