Review on 📬 Domke 725-310 FA-031 Black Shoulder Pad for U.S. Post Office by Maria Smith

I recently went on a road trip where I walked many miles a day. I used this shoulder pad on a Merrell messenger bag. It had a padded camera compartment, a DSLR, a compact tripod, and a 24-ounce pouch. Water bottle, camera accessories (extra batteries, cables, etc.), extra shirt/socks and some groceries/snacks. It was pretty important. The camera itself weighed about 3 pounds and more than 5 with a tripod. With all my gear I would say my bag weighed just over 13-15 pounds. I originally chose this because I wanted to avoid using a backpack due to the hot/humid weather I would be exposed to. I wanted to use a messenger bag instead of covering my back and sweating over a backpack. I knew if I went that way, the messenger would stab me in the shoulder. To avoid this I bought this shoulder pad hoping that by having a good selection of weight limiting gear I could avoid a backpack. We were always out in the heat. I don't think my shoulder would have survived this trip let alone 6 days without this pad. This pad feels a little bulky at first due to the thickness and backing. Since the weight is balanced by resting on the shoulder, providing support and cushioning, it doesn't matter. After 3 days my shoulder was a bit tired and sore. At this point my pack was getting heavier as I started packing more gear including more water/fluids to stay hydrated. Although I could tell I should have been tired, I couldn't imagine it if it wasn't for that padding. I lasted 6 days and my shoulder didn't get much more tired than on day 4. Summary: With an overstuffed bag, this pillow worked surprisingly well. I don't think I'll feel my shoulder bag in normal use (loaded with just a camera and tripod), but travel tests have proven it's easier on my shoulder and allows me to work longer. My only complaint is that the velcro straps/base that connects it to your bag's strap seem to move away from the lining when the velcro support straps are pulled taut. Luckily this wasn't a problem as the lining/padding was inherently held together by weight or your bag. I would normally deduct a star from this, but given the price and features/convenience of this product, I'm giving it all up. I highly recommend this product if you need more padding for your shoulder bag.