Review on 🎒 Improved Lowepro Whistler Backpack 350 AW II by Amicz Kakaruk

I've had about a dozen boxes and cases over the years, some made by LowePro. In general, I find their products better in terms of design than comparable products from other manufacturers. In fact I bought this Whistler pack to replace the LowePro Flipside 400 AW (Mark I) which was the only LowePro product that left me a bit disappointed. I have a feeling the Flipside was designed to compete with the regular packs that people use to shuffle down a manicured and easy trail a half mile from their car. So the comparison between the Flipside (which has a similar design to most ordinary backpacks) and this sturdy Whistler backpack is illustrative. I usually keep most of my essential gear in a large camera bag. As I travel farther and over rougher terrain, I originally picked up the Flipside as a smaller secondary backpack. I repacked my gear at Flipside for day trips when I could cover longer distances or go off-road to lighten my load and only carry what I needed. I liked that the Flipside opens to the front as my climate can be humid and I need to be able to put my backpack down, get my gear out and not get mud on my shirt afterwards. That being said, I learned that Flipside had many flaws. Lunch and supplies should be kept in the main compartment with gear, and I had to be careful not to put anything in there that might get the camera wet or sticky. The Flipside has room on the back for accessories, but it's thin and flat and crumples every time you put the pack down, making it almost unusable. The shoulder straps were not sufficiently padded. The chest strap would regularly slip off completely and never stay in place. The waist belt was fragile. The side mesh was awkward to insert tripod legs into and broke during my first off-trail adventure. The zippers were small and flimsy and sometimes caught on things; a zipper broke. And worst of all were the straps: they broke a couple on my last walk, eventually killing the pack for good. Like Flipside, Whistler II opens from the side and hugs the body. Plus, the Whistler II looks like it was created as an excuse for all of the Flipside's shortcomings. There is an additional compartment on top of the Whistler II for storing lunch and accessories away from the camera. Instead of a flimsy, useless rear compartment, there are two sections at the back: an internal laptop sleeve and an external section separated from the photo compartment by a durable, waterproof material (Hypalon?). The outside is for storing snowshoes and similar gear and what do you know I just bought snowshoes last winter! The zip in the main compartment is the strongest I've seen in photos and the back panel has improved breathability. The shoulder straps are heavily padded. The chest strap is designed to be adjustable on the fly, but stays in place as you adjust its height. The hip belt is soft enough for about 2/3 of the curve. The tripod can be quickly and securely attached to the side of the backpack. The straps are wider and thicker than the Flipside. Zippers are easy to use. I should note that I deliberately chose the 350 size on my Whistler II as the dimensions of the main inner photo compartment were almost the same as the Flipside and I didn't feel the need for more space (otherwise I'd just go for a bigger backpack) . Although the dimensions are almost the same numerically, the packaging in the Whistler is much stronger and stiffer. I had to rearrange the gear from my flipside configuration and then everything fit perfectly and there was no space left. But I'm not complaining because the padding actually looks like it will do a great job of protecting everything if I spill water. [Tip: The interior of the Whistler I 350 is smaller than the Whistler II 350.] My only two comments: First, I would like the shoulder straps to be adjustable at the top. LowePro calls the shoulder strap style "aggressive" but I call it "might fit better". One size doesn't fit all! Second, I want the soft part of the hip belt to fit around my waist. My opinion is that a person with an average waist should have a 3/4 turn of the thick part of the belt and a slim person should have 4/5. The point is to keep the weight comfortably at the waist so it doesn't transfer to the shoulders, and that requires a large, flared waistbelt for backpacks over 25 pounds. The tie rods can be prone to snagging when caught in branches, but I'm not overly concerned as they're only about the diameter of a fat finger. The time will show. In short, if you're having a rough time but want to save your gear, buy this one or its big sister. This is the most complex photo pack I've ever had and the most beautiful photo pack I've ever used. If you're saving, don't be surprised if your nameless $100 backpack falls through a boulder field and you have to weave a wicker basket to carry your camera home. I think my previous mistake was buying a weekend backpack for something it wasn't intended for. Yes, the LowePro Whistler 350 II is significantly more expensive, but the right tool for rough terrain.