Review: Lowepro Compuday Photo 250 Backpack

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I love gear bags, especially backpacks. The great thing about a gear bag is that I can carry more of my stuff. I have a backpack for my DSLR as well as a backpack for my MacBook and all of the items that go with it. Just the other day we took a short family trip and my wife was amused that I had to carry two backpacks with me. She asked why I did not just find one that could fit all of my stuff I was taking. Well, lucky for me, I was able to review the Compuday 250 from Lowepro which does exactly that. Let’s take a look.

The Compuday Photo 250 holds a laptop and all of the essentials you need for daily travel as well as hold a compact DSLR with a lens. There are so many times I am traveling and choose not to bring my camera just because an extra bag takes up too much space and carrying two is not an option. The thing is, I usually do not need all of my camera gear, just the body and a lens so I can pop it out and catch some shots. The backpack includes a fast access side pocket that will not only make grabbing the camera convenient, but also keep it snug and safe in the padded pouch.

Capacity:

Compact DSLR with kit lens attached; up to a 15.6” widescreen laptop; accessories; personal items

Size(Interior):
11.4W X 4.7D X 15.4H in./
29 X 12 X 39 cm
Size(Exterior):
12.6W X 7.9D X 17.1H in./
32 X 20 X 43.5 cm
Camera Compartment Inner Dimensions:
6.7W X 4.5D X 11H in./
17 X 11.5 X 28 cm
Notebook Compartment Inner Dimensions:
11.4W X 4.7D X 15.4H in./
29 X 12 X 39 cm
Front Compartment Inner Dimensions:
8.7W X .6D X 12.6H in./
21 X .5 X 32 cm
Outer fabric:
600D Polyester 420 Nylon nailhead 840D/50t Nylon 1680 Ballistic Nylon Polyester stretch mesh
Interior Fabric:
210 D nylon Polyester stretch mesh Brushed tricot polyester

 

The backpack includes two front pockets. The very front pocket is a simple pocket. It is wide and deep and can hold wires or spare items. I was keeping my power brick for my MacBook Pro in there. You can easily carry all of your cords and chargers in this pocket. Just above this pocket is a flap that opens to reveal a large area to carry odds and ends. There are two Velcro closed pockets. One is marked to hold a cell phone and the other just happens to hold my Flip camera perfectly. There are also two pen sleeves and another wider sleeve to the right. Just below these pouches is a mesh pocket with a zipper closure. Perfect for memory cards and USB flash drives. The font of the flap also has a small pocket. A separate accessory pouch is also included and can be held in place by the clip. This could hold extra cords or in my case, an external hard drive. Pretty much all of my odds and ends fit easily in these two areas of the backpack.

The third compartment in the backpack is the dedicated laptop pocket. The laptop compartment is padded and easily held my 13″ MacBook Pro. I would like to see a clip or some Velcro to keep it closed, but your laptop will definitely stay safe and sound in there. Just in front of the laptop pocket is another full size pocket which I used to carry my iPad. It is not padded so be careful, but I was not carrying anything else in this area that could damage the iPad. Perfect fit. Outside of this are two Velcro closed pockets. The inside of this area of the Compuday Photo 250 is also huge and can accommodate larger items easily. You will also see the inside of the camera pouch in the main compartment.

We have seen that so far the CompuDay Photo 250 is a great gear backpack, but the unique part of the product is the ability to carry a DSLR. The left side of the backpack (while wearing it) sports a side zipper that leads to a padded camera pouch. The opening is designed to safely hold the camera but also allow for quick access while on the go. A padded divider with Velcro is at the bottom of the pouch. This adjustable piece will keep the camera from falling out when the zipper is opened. I was able to easily fit my camera with all three of my lenses including the 55-250 zoom. Of course huge lenses will pose a problem, but most walk around lenses will fit easily. If the camera is not sitting snug in the pouch, an adjustable strap will fix that from the inside of the backpack. I love the design of the camera pouch in the CompuDay Photo 250.

Like all Lowepro products, the backpack is top quality. All of the zippers and seams are tough and the material is super light. The CompuDay Photo 250 is light and rugged. The straps are padded and a center handle is easy to use. The padded back doubles as a mesh covered trolley sleeve which allows the backpack to attach to luggage for easy travel.

I never thought I would be able to carry my usual gear and be able to throw in my DSLR and be totally mobile. The backpack is able to accomodate everything I usually carry plus my camera while keeping it both hidden and safe. The CompuDay Photo 250 is designed to maximize the space to be easy to use and fully functional. The material is light and the backpack is rugged. I have had no problem using this product as a daily carry gear bag as well as a camera bag. It is not designed to act as a full photo bag with tons of lenses, but gives an option to carry a DSLR as well as geek gear all at once. You can check out more on the CompuDay Photo 250 here at the Lowepro website.

CompuDay Photo 250

MSRP: $99.99

What I like: Great gear backpack with the ability to carry my DSLR safely. I love the unique design.

What could be improved: I would like to see a strap over the laptop compartment for a little added safety.

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About the Author

Travis Ehrlich
Travis is a high school teacher and coach in a small South Texas town. His love for gadgets began at a very early age, and he has been a cross between a jock and a geek for most of his life. He has two boys and a wonderful wife who lets him be a gadget freak. He is a Mac convert and has drank the whole pitcher of Kool-Aid! He is also an avid guitar player and loves the outdoors, especially hunting with both a bow and rifle.

1 Comment on "Review: Lowepro Compuday Photo 250 Backpack"

  1. that1guyy | July 5, 2012 at 11:19 pm |

    Nice review.

    My one question is, if I decide to close the DSLR compartment and just use it as as a backpack for college, will it be appropriate? I would want to fit in maybe a 2 inch accordion style folder, a couple of notebooks, a few pens, and a 15inch notebook. Do you think all that can fit with the compartment closed? This would be great because I can have a school backpack when I need it and when I need a pack for a trip and need to carry a camera, I can convert it and have that as well.

    Please reply.

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