Why do most gadget bags open the wrong way ?

benjiboy · Dec 24, 2011

I don't know if it's just me but I've often wondered why shoulder carried gadget bags (of which I have a few) have lids that have the hinge on the side that's next to your body when it's on your shoulder which means that you have to hold the lid open with the hand on the opposite side of your body to get to the contents with the hand on the same side when it would be far more user friendly to have the lid hinged on the opposite side to the body so when open it would stay open and give much easier access to the contents with just the one hand.

BrianShaw · Dec 24, 2011

Perhaps tradition - purses have generally opened that way if they have a flap.

Perhaps convenience - carrying a bag with the clasp against the body might be uncomfortable and damaging to garments.

Perhaps because they are often used only for safe storage of gear when transporting rather than for being "worked out of". The only bag of mine that I work out of is a Domke and I often flip the lid "inside out" (outside in, really) to make the bag open and to make the gear accesable. Msotly, though, I set it down when working rather than walking with it on my shoulder.

semi-ambivalent · Dec 24, 2011

benjiboy said:
I don't know if it's just me but I've often wondered why shoulder carried gadget bags (of which I have a few) have lids that have the hinge on the side that's next to your body when it's on your shoulder which means that you have to hold the lid open with the hand on the opposite side of your body to get to the contents with the hand on the same side when it would be far more user friendly to have the lid hinged on the opposite side to the body so when open it would stay open and give much easier access to the contents with just the one hand.

I once carried my Domke F2 "backwards" for a day just to see if it was any better. It certainly made access easier but I rationalized that if I fell or the bag was stripped off my shoulder the contents would spill out easier than if even an unclipped cover was covering it. But one day does not a valid test make; I use it in the usual fashion and swear occasionally. I'm more concerned about the mystical affinity my camera straps have for the handle of the parking brake and seat adjustment levers in just about any car I've even owned.

s-a

benjiboy · Dec 24, 2011

semi-ambivalent said:
I once carried my Domke F2 "backwards" for a day just to see if it was any better. It certainly made access easier but I rationalized that if I fell or the bag was stripped off my shoulder the contents would spill out easier than if even an unclipped cover was covering it. But one day does not a valid test make; I use it in the usual fashion and swear occasionally. I'm more concerned about the mystical affinity my camera straps have for the handle of the parking brake and seat adjustment levers in just about any car I've even owned.

s-a

I have A Domke F2 and the Domke US postal Service shoulder pad, and has never slipped off my shoulder.

benjiboy · Dec 24, 2011

BrianShaw said:
Perhaps tradition - purses have generally opened that way if they have a flap.

Perhaps convenience - carrying a bag with the clasp against the body might be uncomfortable and damaging to garments.

Perhaps because they are often used only for safe storage of gear when transporting rather than for being "worked out of". The only bag of mine that I work out of is a Domke and I often flip the lid "inside out" (outside in, really) to make the bag open and to make the gear accesable. Msotly, though, I set it down when working rather than walking with it on my shoulder.

To me Brian If a camera shoulder bag is difficult to "workout of of " and needs to be set down to use it's about as much use to me as tits on a bull.

2

Mainecoonmaniac · Dec 24, 2011

The world discriminates against lefties, South Paws.

benjiboy · Dec 24, 2011

Mainecoonmaniac said:
The world discriminates against lefties, South Paws.

Ain't that the truth, I'm left handed.

BrianShaw · Dec 24, 2011

benjiboy said:
To me Brian If a camera shoulder bag is difficult to "workout of of " and needs to be set down to use it's about as much use to me as tits on a bull.

Well... then you're likely to be frustrated. They all seem to be difficult to work out of. The most successful I have been is with the Domke F2 or F3 (can't remember which is which anymore) and the flap "flipped backward". In general, my bags are heavy enough that setting them down while working is a welcome relief. Good luck to you.

polyglot · Dec 25, 2011

Most of the bags I've seen have the top flap latching onto the (out)side of the bag rather than the top lip. If you turn that around, you'd need to dig between the bag and your body to get to the latch, which would suck.

For a satchel, I have a Crumpler 7M Dollar Home with the flap arrangement; I find that my elbows hold the lid in place just fine while I'm digging through the bag. Problem is that I can load it up so much that it will cause spinal damage, so I've switched to a backpack (Kata 3N1). In theory the backpack swings around for good access but in practise that functionality basically sucks unless you only want to retrieve a 35mm body from the side of the pack.

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 25, 2011

Urban Disguise bags are easy to work out of while hanging on your shoulder. The main compartment is zippered on the top down the middle, so you don't have to lift the flap to get to your lenses. I have the UD50 and UD30.

semi-ambivalent · Dec 25, 2011

benjiboy said:
I have A Domke F2 and the Domke US postal Service shoulder pad, and has never slipped off my shoulder.

You know, I tried one of those with my first bag and didn't like it. Can't now remember why. Glad to hear it works well for you; perhaps it's time to try one again.

r-brian · Dec 25, 2011

My Galen Rowell bags open from the body side out. Galen helped develop them and I guess hanging from the side of a mountain by one hand, he wanted a bag he could get into. RIP Galen.

NB23 · Dec 25, 2011

Haha!

semi-ambivalent said:
I once carried my Domke F2 "backwards" for a day just to see if it was any better. It certainly made access easier but I rationalized that if I fell or the bag was stripped off my shoulder the contents would spill out easier than if even an unclipped cover was covering it. But one day does not a valid test make; I use it in the usual fashion and swear occasionally. I'm more concerned about the mystical affinity my camera straps have for the handle of the parking brake and seat adjustment levers in just about any car I've even owned.

s-a

BrianShaw · Dec 25, 2011

David A. Goldfarb said:
The main compartment is zippered on the top down the middle, so you don't have to lift the flap to get to your lenses.

Now that's the right idea for a bag that can be worked out of while still on the shoulder!

Sirius Glass · Dec 25, 2011

I will only buy camera bags that are top loading backpacks. I will not even waste my time to look at the popular dump my camera on the ground style backpack.

MattKing · Dec 25, 2011

David A. Goldfarb said:
Urban Disguise bags are easy to work out of while hanging on your shoulder. The main compartment is zippered on the top down the middle, so you don't have to lift the flap to get to your lenses. I have the UD50 and UD30.

I have an old camera bag that I picked up used from a thrift store. Instead of one single zipper down the middle, it has a 2 inch wide flap with zippers on each side. The zippers are connected with a single tye, so one just pulls the tye, and both zip or unzip.

It works great for an OM body, but medium format or 35mm with built in winder bodies are wider/deeper than is optimum for the compartments under the zippered flap.

I have an athletic/gym bags with the same sort of closure and better room inside, but it lacks the dividers and padding I want.

And of course, as I am left handed, the double zipper zips in the wrong direction .

tom_micklin · Dec 25, 2011

benjiboy said:
I don't know if it's just me but I've often wondered why shoulder carried gadget bags (of which I have a few) have lids that have the hinge on the side that's next to your body when it's on your shoulder which means that you have to hold the lid open with the hand on the opposite side of your body to get to the contents with the hand on the same side when it would be far more user friendly to have the lid hinged on the opposite side to the body so when open it would stay open and give much easier access to the contents with just the one hand.

I've used f64 bags for years for exactly that reason. They open on the body side and access is very easy. I like them especially for large format. Getting at film holders, etc.

Tom

Sirius Glass · Dec 26, 2011

Years ago, I had one shoulder camera bag that opened the way the OP described and the top served as a stable level tray. I could never find another one like that.

LarryP · Dec 27, 2011

Benji I have the same problem, must be those right handed bags we're having to use. On an unrelated note being a lefty has at least one advantage , if you're not keen on loaning something just tell them it's left-handed .Most people then look confused and decide they don't really want to borrow it. I usually wear the bag "backwards" if I'll be in and out of it frequently.

MFstooges · Dec 27, 2011

benjiboy said:
I don't know if it's just me but I've often wondered why shoulder carried gadget bags (of which I have a few) have lids that have the hinge on the side that's next to your body when it's on your shoulder which means that you have to hold the lid open with the hand on the opposite side of your body to get to the contents with the hand on the same side when it would be far more user friendly to have the lid hinged on the opposite side to the body so when open it would stay open and give much easier access to the contents with just the one hand.

Most of these bags have compartment on the top flap for thin stuffs like filters etc. When carried reversed the top can open more than 180 degree. I found out the hard way when forgetting to zip this compartment, I opened the top an it spilled couple stuffs down the cliff.

Paul Jenkin · Jan 5, 2012

Like most of us I have a few bags (and have owned many more since the days when I first started photographing in the mid 1970's).

For my "daily" bag, I use a Billingham Hadley (M6 TTL + 4 lenses + film + iPod + wallet, keys. Very comfy and easy to use. I had a Lowepro "Stealth Reporter" at one point (a large one) and it was a nightmare for the reasons the OP outlined.

I had (still have) one of the original Slingshot 300 bags but this also opened the wrong way round andstuff fell out as it was facing away from the photographer. I wrote to Lowepro about this to see if anything could be done to improve what was, otherwise, a great bag. At the next "Focus on Imaging" show, I went to the Lowpro stand and met up with the Product Manager. He explained that they'd just introduced a new range called the "Classified Sling" which, when slung round to the front, opens up with the enrance at the top and the hinge on the far side - away from the photographer. This makes it easier to get into and also feels like you can keep your kit away from prying eyes / fingers when travelling.

I have the 220AW version and my wife has the 180AW version. Great pieces of kit. Comfortable, practical and not "obvious" as being camera bags. Worth checking out.

PeteZ8 · Jan 5, 2012

Check out Kata as well, they have a few nice size shoulder bags that open the "correct" way. I was looking at a few in my local store recently although for some reason I can't seem to find them on their site right now. If I get back to the store again I'll try to get model numbers. They were really, really nice bags.

PeteZ8 · Jan 6, 2012

Bags I looked at were the Kata WS-604 and WS-606, sadly now discontinued. I may grab the 604 for my MF gear while they still have it.

Leigh B · Jan 7, 2012

benjiboy said:
...it would be far more user friendly to have the lid hinged on the opposite side to the body...

Duhhh... Turn the bag around.

- Leigh

Seele · Jan 23, 2012

Leigh B said:
Duhhh... Turn the bag around.

- Leigh

That does not always work; the outside might have external pockets and you would not want them against your body.

The bag I use has the top hinge on the outside top edge and works very well, it can be held down by a short velcro flap, and the zipper that holds it down properly has two handles so it can be zipped up either way, or both directions at once. The brand was "Oyster" although not marked as such, I bought it in the early 80s at Jessops, the branch in Holborn, London; I replaced the strap as it got threadbare but it's still my go-to bag: certainly got my money's worth.

Why do most gadget bags open the wrong way ?

benjiboy

BrianShaw

semi-ambivalent

benjiboy

benjiboy

Mainecoonmaniac

benjiboy

BrianShaw

polyglot

David A. Goldfarb

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semi-ambivalent

r-brian

NB23

BrianShaw

Sirius Glass

MattKing

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tom_micklin

Sirius Glass

LarryP

MFstooges

Paul Jenkin

PeteZ8

PeteZ8

Leigh B

Seele

Why do most gadget bags open the wrong way ?

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