Today, we are happy to post our first product review!  As you know we travel, take photos and go on adventures, so our equipment gets well used and tested very well.  Today we will be reviewing our Tenba Solstice 20L Camera Backpack which we picked up from Photo Central in Winnipeg.

Initial Impressions

As with any product we use, time was spent at the store going over various backpacks, needs and requirements.  We reviewed many backpacks with the help of the fine fellows at Photo Central and managed to narrow our selection down to the Tenba product line.  These backpacks offer features and quality found in higher end bags for a great value.

Some of the key features for our needs were:

• Ability to hold multiple lenses within a padded safe space.
• Water proof / rain cover, as we frequently travel outside and back pack.
• Ability to hold a small laptop or tablet to review images in the field.
• Comfortable to wear for extended trips.
• Water jug / camera tripod holder

The Tenba met all of these requirements and more and at $179.99 we thought it was a great value as well.

After actual use

As with any review we will post, it will contain our thoughts after using the product for an extended period.  We can say after a few trips out this back pack is amazing!  It fits nicely over your shoulder and has a lower waist strap to help with longer trips and hikes.  Externally there is a slim pocket which you can store your table, pens, pencils and other items as needed as you can see in the picture to your left.  This is great as you have easy access to important items while traveling including passports, wallet, keys, etc.  Additionally on each side is a slot for water bottle or tri-pod with straps to keep them secure while traveling, hiking or doing anything.

Now most backpacks have that feature, but we liked just how well it felt as a camera bag.  Additionally, there is a compartment at the top where you can store, clothes, food, water, anything you can think of within easy reach of the top zipper.  This is also where the rain cover is stored in its own little inner pouch and labelled.  While this is a great idea, i sense putting a used or wet cover back into the enclosed space might lead to moisture or dirt getting into the bag.  With that in mind one should first dry and clean the cover of dirt before putting it back in its carrying pouch.  As you can see in the picture to the right, this space also has a small net area for small items so they don’t get lost and a large amount of space.

Of course the most important part of any camera bag, is how well it can hold your lenses and cameras!  Otherwise what is the point of owning such a bag.  In this case the Tenba Solstice 20L is perfect for our needs.  It can hold up to 6 lenses depending on size and a camera.  Since we have two cameras it holds a few less lenses.  The area is accessible from the back which makes it secure while walking and keeps it away from dirt, water, etc and fully opens.  The area itself contains a soft padding and movable sections so that larger lenses, and more items can fit. It could even hold our DJI Mavic Pro!

This bag is also the middle in the Solstice line from Tenba so while a great size for us, it is not as deep as the larger bag and struggles to hold anything with a battery grip.  In our case not a big problem as we do not typically use these on longer trips to reduce weight and bulk.

One other small feature, is the strap / hook areas on the back of the bag, which allows for the addition of other items which you can hook on and carry with you.

Summary

Based on the number of features, size, quality of build we are over the moon with our new travel bag!  We would be happy to recommend Tenba to anyone as it is a solid bag, at a good value with high end features.  We can’t wait to go out and use it more in all sorts of conditions and will report back.

Rest assured as well we will be posting more reviews, guides and how to’s as we continue our photography journey!    If you would like us to review your product or take photos contact us.