Mindshift Rotation 180° - Instant Access Backpack
/The Rotation 180° combines incredible comfort with near instant access to gear- no one else has a bag like this!
Now LIVE on Kickstarter - Great discounts available.
As a photographer, I am continually in search of the perfect light and the perfect camera bag - both seem to be elusive! I feel with most camera bags you either sacrifice comfort or need to take the bag off to access your gear- having quick access and comfort just hasn’t been a real option. The new Rotation 180° aims to fix this issue by providing an incredibly comfortable backpack with instant access to some of your gear. I am a big fan of Mindshift’s Backlight series backpacks and when they offered to send me this Rotation 180° for testing I wasn’t very excited. I had tried the version 1 model with similar features and felt it was more gimmicky than useful. But, I am never one to turn down what might be the next big thing in camera bags and after almost three months of testing, I am seriously impressed. The gimmick is the rotating waist belt and in reality it is anything but a gimmick - it is so well designed and thoughtfully constructed that it does exactly what you want - keeps your gear protected while you comfortably carry it and yet still provides near instant access. This is better than the side access bags you have to take off one shoulder.
Testing the Mindshift Rotation 180° in Glacier National Park - Thanks David Carr for the photo.
Pros -
Super Easy Access to a subset of your gear with the rotating belt bag
Flexible Bag - upper compartment can hold more gear or pull out the padded bag and access a large hold for jackets, food or small dogs
Super cool magnetic latch for waist belt compartment - you don’t need to zip it closed to secure the lid
Incredibly Comfortable. Because of the ease of access I often just wear the bag even when I am standing around and find it comfortable after hours of wearing
Well made with thoughtful design features like a huge water bottle pocket that is reachable when wearing and the small buckle strap across the top compartment
Additional zipper pouch in the top flap
Available in THREE sizes ( I have been testing the 34L)
It’s possible to fit a small dog in the upper compartment.
On a hike our old dog got tired so I removed the padded cube (in my right hand) and placed our 22 lbs dog in the compartment. She was quite happy to be carried the mile back to the car. I didn’t mind the extra weight - the bag is extremely comfortable.
Cons:
Rotation compartment is limited in what it can hold - not large enough for bigger zooms
When the bag is on the ground it's awkward to access the lower compartment - requires two hands and the bag will likely fall over without the compartment at least partially inside
Because storage is split between upper and lower you need to spend some time thinking about what you want to access on the go
Overall I can recommend this bag to any photographer that wants easy access to their gear - as long as that photographer has gear that will fit well in the lower compartment.
I typically carried my Sony a7Riii with a Tamron 28-200 that I have been testing along with a Sigma 14-24 f/2.8 and a filter set in the lower compartment and the Sony 100-400 in the upper compartment along with a Mavic Air 2 and Controller. I used the remaining space to stuff a light jacket, vest and a few snacks. You also have a tripod pouch on the back of the bag an outer stuff pocket good for a larger jacket or more.
Access the Rotation 180° Prelaunch for Savings and Extra Goodies on Kickstarter.
