Time to retire the old and start again with something new. The stories this old Lowepro pack could tell… it’s been my constant companion on several year’s worth of photo hikes. Now I’m emotionally attached, and saying good-by to my ol’ buddy isn’t easy. Like a faded cotton t-shirt, or pair of time-worn jeans, it’s hard to let go of something that shared with you some of your favorite times.

This old pack went with me to the bottom of Grand Canyon, a few times. I’d tuck it inside my full-size backpack on 6-day, rim-to-rim hikes. On layover days, I wore it to lower and upper Ribbon Falls, into Phantom Creek Canyon, up the Clear Creek Trail, and out to Plateau Point.

It’s survived dozens of hikes and some of my favorites were looking for ancient ruins. Some were in the Four Corners states, and many were bushwhacking deep into the recesses of the Red Rock-Secret Wilderness Area near Sedona. It’s gone places that no ordinary camera pack would go. You’ve been a good friend Photo Sport 200.

My new Photo Sport BP 300 AW II has the same streamlined design that’s great for serious day hikes. This Lowepro pack is narrow enough to get through tight places in the sandstone cliffs, and is ideal for off-trail bushwhacking hikes. The fact that this is a hybrid camera bag/day hiking pack is what sold me in the first place when I bought the original Photo Sport.

The upgraded new model continues to combine my needs as a day hiking photographer with cargo space for food, clothing, and first aid kit; plus a deep pocket for a 3-liter Camelbak hydration system. It’s also got a dual compartment for my Canon 5D Mark III mounted with a 24-105mm lens, and space for my 16-35mm (or up to a medium-sized telephoto).

I am so glad Lowepro designed a hybrid pack like this. Maybe they will add a lighter color such as khaki for those of us who hike in the desert. In the meantime, this pack is great for the places I’ll go!