Lowepro’s new Photo Active backpacks are built for outdoor adventure and travel photographers

May 31, 2019 by John Aldred Add Comment

Lowepro has announced the new Photo Active collection of backpacks. There are two, for now; the Photo Active BP 200 and the Photo Active BP 300. They’re designed for adventure photographers, whether that be for a weekend hike or trotting around the globe.

The two new bags are designed specifically with travel in mind. They’re built with ripstop nylon and abrasion resistant materials for maximum durability, with a split interior, offering separate areas for camera gear, a laptop, drones, clothes, and hydration reservoirs.

The two backpacks both have an ergonomic ActivZone back panel (similar to that on the very comfortable Pro Tactic BP 450 AW II) and a built in “All Weather” (AW) rain cover to offer more protection from the elements. There are easy access pockets for sunglasses, sunscreen, etc. as well as side stretch pockets for water or a compact tripod. There are also pockets in the top for your wallet, passport, id, phone and similar small items.

The only real difference between the two models is the capacity. The BP 300 offers 25 litres of capacity and space for a 15″ laptop while the BP 200 has a capacity of 16 litres and fits a 12″ tablet or 13″ laptop. The laptop slot can also be used to hold a hydration reservoir. Other than the size, both bags are functionally identical. They’re lightweight, too, with the 200 weighing in at only 1.22kg and the 300 at 1.48kg.

Internally, space is divided up using their QuickShelf system. This is a fully moulded and padded divider system that’s designed to keep your gear safe and organised. It slots into the bag to store your gear in the bottom half while keeping the top half as one open compartment for clothes or other things you might want to stuff in there. And with the gear all being at the bottom, side panels open up to allow for easy access without having to remove everything from your bag.

The Lowepro Photo Active BP 300 is available to pre-order now for $199.95 (£174.95 in the UK) and the Photo Active BP 200 can be pre-ordered now for $169.95 (£149.95 in the UK) and is available in Black/Grey or Blue/Black. They’re expected to ship towards the end of June.

About John Aldred

John Aldred is a photographer with over 20 years of experience in the portrait and commercial worlds. He is based in Scotland and has been an early adopter - and occasional beta tester - of almost every digital imaging technology in that time. As well as his creative visual work, John uses 3D printing, electronics and programming to create his own photography and filmmaking tools and consults for a number of brands across the industry.

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Dave Williams is an accomplished travel photographer, writer, and best-selling author from the UK. He is also a photography educator and published Aurora expert. Dave has traveled extensively in recent years, capturing stunning images from around the world in a modified van. His work has been featured in various publications and he has worked with notable brands such as Skoda, EE, Boeing, Huawei, Microsoft, BMW, Conde Nast, Electronic Arts, Discovery, BBC, The Guardian, ESPN, NBC, and many others.