******
- Verified Buyer
I know many people has issues with the hard zipper and so on. I have known these backpacks for some years and used them in my job in Patagonia (Chile). Accessing glaciers, sailing at 50 kt in the coast, kayaking and rafting. And I can tell, there is NOTHING that compares to this backpack. You can swim with it, fall and expose it to the strong winds of helicopters day after day and it keeps going.Sure, it is not a backpack for shooting weddings... It takes longer to access your devices inside but its purpose is protection without being a hard shell case.Also I have noticed with our guides that not always they know that Lowepro designs products, like the Dryzone, that you close the external zipper only during extreme conditions. Therefore, for normal or more easy access to your products, you leave the TZIP opened, using only the internal zipper.My only issue is that there is not a Dryzone 300 model. I need a bigger model!!! The 200 looks big, but is it is not extreme and it feels very comfortable on the back. Just a little bit bigger than my Targus backpack for the office. I have used a Petrol backpack WAY BIGGER, where I fit all my devices with plenty of space but failing to provide all the needed protection; and not comfortable enough for walking, a short climb or kayaking.After three hours I got a distribution scheme to fit my essentials inside the dryzone 200, including a Nikon D5100 with 18-55, 55-300, macro and wide lenses, a camcorder SONY HDR-FX7, a 20Wd2 light, batteries, WB cards, chargers, wires, rain skins for both cameras, tapes, a hydrophone, a M-Audio sound recorder, a GoPro U/W camera and cleaning tools. Externally a professional tripod. I added some Lowepro Sliplock devices outside (bottle pouch, apex 5AW, rezo 60 and phone case 20 for small devices like first aid kits, radios, a leatherman and a SPOT satellite messenger). It sounds a lot but it all fit, a tighter than desired and using each little space. I would not mind to have a bigger backpack of these with more space. But I can do my job with the Dryzone 200 and it is the only one that survives this extreme environment. This is the third we add to our team.The TZipper needs to be greased with the supplied gel properly. If the zipper opens in a wrong section, it can be set back to its position and it does not means is damaged. Always the problems I have found with the TZIP is just lack of being properly cleaned and greased. On the zipper I use the same product as on our drysuit for diving. Just cleaning the tzip very well after greasing to prevent it from collecting sand or dirt, usually when working with the helicopters. One of ours backpack remained during the off season in a wet storage and got some mold on it. Nothing that "Lysol" could not fix and kept going next season.Just a personal experience. I recommend this product, despite its very high cost to people that need extreme protection, for extreme environment where a hard shell case is not practical and need fast access to their gear.UPDATE: I read some of the issues other customers have had. Having used four of these backpacks, I can tell the item is great but as with any product, there are individual cases that may present issues. Lowepro has a good manufacturing process that limits the chance of receiving a defective product but as with any item, checking your product as soon as received is necessary. Taking care of it is another important part. This is not different to any diving drysuit, requiring the owner to understand and apply the needed care to the product. Lubrication of the T-Zip is key, as well as to not over stress the waterproof material when opening the backpack. If it is stretched to its max or bent consistently in the same point, the waterproof material will last lesser. I open it just to access the inner space trying to not create excessive stress on the material and the items have lasted the most rough conditions you can imagine for now several years.There are other waterproof camera backpacks that would provide similar or even higher waterproof standards but at its own costs. My alternative item is the HPA Photodry 25. It is a great drybag made into a camera backpack with all its benefits of it, at half of the price of the Lowepro, it dries way faster and it is lighter, but it is way smaller, does not have the external protective shell of the Lowepro (e.g. branches or stones), the inside zippers heads are not protected or covered (exposing metal to your lenses) and accessing your gear requires to remove the inside section each time compared to the Lowepro that has a convenient waterproof zipper. In my experience, the Dryzone 200 is still top despite its high price and needed care, but for short trips with specific gear where a smaller backpack is enough and you will have to swim or kayak, the HPA Photodry 25 may be your best choice. A completely different option is to use a hardcase (ca Pelican) mounted into a harness like the NRS Paragon system (if you can find it). Perhaps the most sturdy and reliable way for remote areas, but with the slowest access to your gear and do not forget to re-enforce the seams of the shoulder straps close to the neck since if you do not do it, they WILL fail you after some time (all our paragon systems had that problem after a month of harsh use).First off, some background - I'm an expedition guide and specialize in the polar regions, working from an expedition ship in the Arctic and Antarctica. My gear is subject to extreme wet conditions. The temperatures I work in are typically around freezing or just above. It's not unusual for me to be standing knee deep in freezing salt water. My camera bag is usually sitting on the floor of a boat, right next to me. In the past, I have put a regular camera backpack inside a fully water tight bag, the kind with a roll up top. While this did keep my gear dry, it was inconvenient to get my stuff out in a hurry.When I saw this Lowepro DryZone, I though my prayers had been answered. I checked them out at a camera store, and though, ok, this is a big bag, but it will do what I want. I also hesitated because getting into it required a few extra zippers and buckles, but again, I forgave that drawback for the sake of having just one bag. On the plus side, it is a very sturdy camera bag inside, with plenty of padding and the usual velcro dividers so you can customize it as you see fit. I was able to carry a Canon 5D and 7D body, plus a 24-105 f4, a 300mm f4prime, and a 70-200 f2.8 zoom, along with gadgets and such. The back pack straps are great and it was comfortable to carry.The issue: The glue that holds the watertight zipper to the waterproof material of the dry bag failed, and let plenty of water in. The failure happened at the "hinge point" where the waterproof bag flap folds back when you access the contents. ( I have photos, but there is no way to post them for this product.)I didn't realized this failure had happened until I opened the bag one day and found my lenses all wet. The bottom interior of the bag was soaked, and an inch of water was inside!! Yikes! Thank god the camera bodies where higher up, and those Canon lenses are pretty darn water proof, so everything dried out and was ok.Based on this failure, I have to give this bag a huge FAIL, and only one star. I have written to Lowepro, and I have sent this bag to them for evaluation. I'll update what they say when they do but for now, I would urge you to be very wary of using this bag in really wet conditions.UPDATE DEC 2014: I sent the bag to Lowepro, and asked for something other than a direct replacement of this bag, as I will never trust this style of bag again. Within hours of their receiving the DryZone 200 for evaluation, they offered me a huge discount on anything from their web site store.DryZone 200 Bag? 1 StarLowepro Customer Service? 5 Stars!!!I've had this for a few years now and it's held up quite well. I've taken it camping, hiking, canoeing and on trips to Africa and Asia. It is rather heavy and even moreso when laden with gear, but seems to provide a commensurate amount of protection. Nothing inside has ever been damaged.The dry bag zipper seal does require lube periodically to make sure it functions properly. I recommend you carry a spare tube with you. That seal is the key to keeping things inside dry during a downpour or an overturned canoe.The outer compartment with a traditional zipper would have benefitted from some additional fasteners, maybe also at 10 and 2 o'clock, rather than the single strap at 12 o'clock. When you put anything of consequence in the outer compartment it really sags and doesn't stay in position very well. It periodically generates bad words from me.The shoulder and waist straps are padded and it is comfortable when worn on your back. I often carry it by the hand grip on top and find it very strong and up to the task. There's nothing worse than grabbing a laden travel bag by the handle and having it come off in your hand. I don't see that happening with the DZ200.I've hiked and travelled with a friend that has the Nat Geo pack. It's a nice bag and easier for him to access his stuff, particularly if the drybag zipper on the DZ200 is closed. BUT, the DZ200 seems to afford better protection against severe hazards, IMO. For good weather trips or trips w/o exposure to likely potential damage, the DZ200 might be a bit of overkill, but I'm happy I got it.The bag itself is great & well built. Due to lack of complete waterproof bags on the market, there is no alternative.The bag would be better with the following improvements:- the waterproof lid of the main compartment doesn't open all the way - the zipper ends around 5cm short of the end, which means you can't keep the lid open - it closes by itself. This also means you have to dig to get to your gear at the back. the lid should open all the way & stay open!- there should be a 2nd tripod clip on the FRONT of the bag. There is just one on the front (centre), with another on top of the bag & the other on the bottom. To secure the tripod without and keep the bag comfortable, there should be 2 clips on the front of the bag.- The tripod clip on the bottom of the bag is in a stupid place - tha bag won't stand still on its own with a clip on the bottom- would have been better to have tripod clips on the side of the bag like other camera bags- The waist strap should be removable - i dont need the strap & the bits that stick around my waist so they are bulky & ge in the way- The two compartments on the front of the bag - the strap should be tighter, to ensure nothing falls out- The velcro for the back strap feels like it's not that strong. It's a handy idea to have the back strap adjustable however i dont feel it'll hold (it might - it just feels like it'll give way)It would be great if Lowepro could improve on this bag for a future model.... dann kaufst du dir genau diesen Rucksack. Was für eine krasse Fehlkonstruktion! Mein ursprünglicher Gedanke war: Besser als so ein Lkw-Planen-Sack, den man oben erst mal aufrollen muss, ist bestimmt ein auf Kameras spezialisierter Rucksackt. Wer kennt das nicht: Zack, hier ein kleiner Reißverschluss - Kamera in der Hand. Zack, dort ein etwas größerer - alle Objektive griffbereit. Doch hier? Bloß nicht den Fotografen an sein Equipment kommen lassen! Da müssen erst gefühlt tausend Schnallen und Reißverschlüsse geöffnet werden, am besten mit 3 Händen und auf jeden Fall mit viel ebener Fläche, um ihn abzulegen.Was soll das?Da ich viel unter Wasser fotografiere, komme ich immer wieder in Situationen, wo ich mein Kamera Equipment an feuchten Plätzen, Stränden oder in Booten, deren Boden einige cm unter Wasser steht, abstellen muss.Dieser Rucksack erleichtert mir endlich das Leben.Nicht nur dass er absolut wasserdicht ist (im Inneren, außen hat er ein paar nicht wasserdichte Fächer), er bietet auch sehr viel Platz, man kann wirklich sehr viel unterbringen.Sehr praktisch finde ich auch die Stativ Halterung außen.Der Rucksack ist sehr groß und auch (leer) recht schwer, was man beachten sollte, wenn man viel und weit fliegt.Die Einteilungen im Inneren sind herausnehmbar, sodass eine allgemeine wasserdichte Tasche aus dem Kamerarucksack werden kann.Was man natürlich auch bedenken sollte ist, dass man einige Zeit braucht, um an seine Ausrüstung heranzukommen. Eine Schnellöffnung für Spontanfotos gibt es natürlich durch die Dichtheit nicht.Für mich mittlerweile unverzichtbar!Zaino al top...sotto la pioggia la tenuta stagna è impeccabile...il mio capitale fotografico è al sicuro...esteticamente belloSoy un fotógrafo que trabaja en todo tipo de situaciones de aventura, desde estar colgado en grandes paredes a largos días en el mar y necesito no estar preocupado por la integridad del equipo.Compré esta mochila para un trabajo especifico de descenso de barrancos para un catalogo de empresa.La mochila, ademas de tener un reparto de la carga y ajuste a la espalda perfecto (muy importante para largos rapels y travesias de montaña) es completamente estanca, y tiene una flotabilidad INCREIBLE.Usada en zonas de nado de hasta 500 metros no entro nada de agua, y pasando por debajo de grandes cascadas tampoco.Al terminar las 2 semanas de barrancos exigentes continuos sin ningún tipo de filtración me decidí a sumergirla 2 minutos con mis manos y el agua por los codos... Nada de nada! PERFECTA.En la mochila llevaba:-2 cuerpos de cámara full frame-70-200 con el parasol puesto para disparar-16-35 (sin parasol puesto pero si dentro de la mochila)-4 ópticas fijas con parasol puesto para disparar
