Customer Reviews:
 Great bag, came with a camera strap. November 7, 2008
I wont go into detail about this bag, just read the other reviews. I wanted to comment that I got mine with a free Reflex-E camera strap. You can check it out a kata-bags.com, here is a link, http://kata-bags.com/product.asp?p_Id=406&Version=Photo So far I am very happy with the bag and strap, the strap is much better then the supplied Nikon strap. The relex-E is soft and stretches just enough to absorb some of the shock of wearing a camera and walking. The card that came with the strap said for a limited time while supplies last, so if you looking to get this bag go for it and hopefully you will get a free strap also.
if you're looking for the toughest bag, you've found it. i highly recommend it! October 15, 2008
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
this thing says quality all over! it's really, really tough on the outside (the company makes bulletproof vests and other protective gear), but soft and well padded on the inside (uses a velcro system so you can arrange how you want your gear laid out). the bag alone weighs 3.7 lbs but with all of my gear it comes to about 22+ lbs!!!
if you're wondering what can fit in there here is what i put in the rucksack:
d700 plus mb-d10 grip, 2x ms-d10, 1 en-el3e battery chamber
50mm 1.4D
85mm 1.4D
14-24mm 2.8G
24-70mm 2.8G
70-200mm 2.8G
sb-900 plus case with the included accesories
expodisc, polarizer, 2x en-el3e and other accesories
Very satisfied with this DSLR bag October 14, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
The construction is rugged, stylish & well through off. I have my 40D with 70-200 f/4 IS lens + 17-85 & and many small items like filters, batteries, charger, Flash cards in my bag & yet it feels very light.
Little inconvenience: I felt the documents supplied with the bag added little to no value in understanding the straps & attachments, but Kata's customer service responded very promptly via email with better documents (but by then I figured it myself).
You can't go wrong with this.
Delivers as promised! October 5, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was surprised at the size of the backpack, somehow not thinking it would have the storage space that it does. I fit a large Toshiba laptop, 2 Canon HDV camcorders, a microphone, and some extra gear in it.
It replaced a laptop backpack and a smaller camcorder carrying case. Much more convenient having one bag for both.
One thing I wish it had was a pouch on the outside for easily accessed storage for items like a wallet, keys, etc. The 2 small pouches on the side were just not big enough for something like that.
The bag is well-constructed, sturdy and gives great protection for the gear inside. The dividers are velcro-laden to give you some ability to customize.
It came with a plethora of straps and little baggies, and it was a mystery as to what they were for until I checked them out a bit.
I have yet to travel with it, but plan to in late November, 2008. It will be nice to have a single carry-on and not have to debate checking my laptop or cameras.
If I even need another bag, Kata will be where I start my search.
Highly recommended.
 Worked like a charm! October 3, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
My wife and I went on vacation this month to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. I would have had to drive 500 miles a day on average to do the vacation we wanted, so instead of driving, we took the AMTRAK Empire Builder from Chicago to Shelby, Montana and rented a car there. It was a really nice vacation, but we have a lot of baggage when we travel. Being a real geek, I have to have my camera and all it's accouterments, a laptop, an iPod, cell phone, car power converter and all the associated chargers. I had to keep my bags down to three that I could carry some distance, and my wife was limited to three as well.
Now that I have set up the scenario, I needed to change my camera bag to something that would hold all my camera and electronic stuff and also carry a carbon fiber tripod on the outside - I wasn't going anywhere without that! I have a sling-style bag from Lowepro that works well around town, but it would be of no use on this trip, so I started a search that ended with the Kata R-103. What a great bag! I even sprung for the InserTrolley so I could wheel it around when I got tired of carrying it, but that turned out to be of limited use. I did use it, but carried a smaller bag on my back at the time. I could have carried it the whole time because it is comfortable. Real comfortable after you get it broken in. Not only did I haul all my electronics about 7000 total miles in it, I even took several hikes with just the camera gear and tripod in Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. While it is a little hard to get into and out of when I want to change lenses, it really did what I needed. Also, having the shoulder strap attachments for the camera was an extra bonus - that took all the weight off my neck and allowed my hands to be free much more often than if I would have had the camera on a regular strap because I would have been steadying and holding the camera often. With the Kata system, the camera almost becomes an extension of your body - you just have to be careful you don't turn quickly and knock someone out with the lens protruding from your chest, or the tripod protruding from your back!
All in all, I really like this bag and will probably replace my Lowepro with it even for day trips and around town. However, there are a few shortcomings you might want to consider. The outside pockets are few and small - I was able to keep my passport and iPod in one and a cell phone and a bunch of packets of LCD / Glasses cleaners in the other, but that was about it. Everything else I needed was inside and I had to take the bag off to get to it, especially with the tripod attached. Also, when opening the bag to get inside, I consistently opened the outside pockets as well. They were tight because of the small size, so I didn't lose anything, but I could have had I not noticed quickly. Allow a good amount of set-up time and watch the video on the Kata website so you don't have to fumble around with all the extra straps and stuff. It took me a little trial and error to get all my stuff stored properly and in a way that made sense (and balance!). The zippers were quite stiff at first, but they loosened up quickly with use.
I kind of wish I had bought the next size up, too, because I am about maxxed out in the R-103. I have a feeling I would be maxxed out in any bag, though!
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