Amateur Photographer - UK 2019-07-12)

54 6 July 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukIsubscribe 03303331113

Testbench ACCESSORIES

Ataglance

●15inlaptopcompartment

●29x12.5x49cm(internal

dimension)

●34x20.5x50.5cm (external

dimension)

● 1.65kg

FINDINGa bagthat’sperfectlymatched

toyourphotographicneedscanbe

quitea challenge.Sometimesyou

mightwanttocarrylotsof gear

anddistributetheweightacross

bothshoulders,whereasother

timesyoumightwanttotravel

lightandprefera messenger-style

bagtoslingoveroneshoulderfor

fastaccesstoyourkit.Vanguardhas

identifiedthatsomephotographerswant

thebestof bothwithouthavingtoforkouton

twoseparatebags.Theiransweris theVEOSelect

• anincognitobackpackthatletsyoutuckawaythe
  shoulderstrapsandattachanotherstrapwhena
  differentcarryingmethodis preferred.
  Entrytothemaincompartmentcanbemade
  throughtheside,rearortop,andit hasa spacious
  interiorwithroomfora DSLRormirrorlesscamera
  witha 70-200mmf/2.8lensattached,plustwo
  tothreelenses,a flashandaccessories.Thedivider
  arrangementis configuredasa daypack,withthetop
  thirdbeinga handyplacetostorespareclothesand
  toiletriesona shortcitybreakwhentravellingwith
  justhandluggage.If you’dprefertofreeupthis
  spacetoholda largelenssuchasa 150-600mm
  telezoomorbackupbody,thedividerscanbe
  easilyrearrangedtodoso.
  Thosewhowanttoworkoreditonthegowillbe
  gratefulforthe15-inchlaptopsleeve.There’salso
  a discreettoppocketthat’sidealforkeepingyour
  phoneorpassportsafeandtheelasticatedsidepocket
  canbeusedtocarrya tripodorwaterbottle.Atthe
  basea reinforcedwater-resistantmaterialis usedto
  preventmoisturepenetratingthroughwhenrested
  onwetgroundanda raincoveris alsoincluded.
  Switchingthebagfrombackpacktoshoulderbag
  couldn’tbeeasier– it’ssimplya caseof loosening
  theshoulderstraps,feedingthemthroughtwo
  loopstokeepthemoutof thewayandclippingon
  thepaddedshoulderstrapwithmetalfasteningsat
  eitherend.Thesidezipenablesquickentrytoyour
  cameraandwithsturdysideandtop handles it’s easy
  tograbfromoverhead lockers.

Ve r d i c t
ItooktheVEOSelect 49 ona two-daytripabroad,
usingit asa backpackwhiletravellingandasa shoulder
bagwalkingaroundthecity.It wasverycomfortable
tocarryin bothconfigurations,andif youpacksensibly
youcancrama surprisingamountof kitinside.When
youconsideritsversatilityandhowwellit’smadeand
puttogether,it offerssensationalvalueformoney.As
stylishbackpacksgothatcanbeconvertedintoa
shoulderbagin seconds,it’sbyfaroneof thebest
we’vetested.We’realsofansof themilitarygreen
ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE STREET PRICESfinish as opposed to the more orthodox black.

Vanguard’sVEOSelectrangeis madeup

oftheVEOSelect 49 (above),VEOSelect

41 andVEOSelect45.TheVEOSelect

45 (£129.99)canaccommodatea 15in

laptop,whereastheVEOSelect 41

(£129.99)acceptsa laptopupto13in.

ThosewholikethestylingoftheVEO

Selectbackpacksbutwouldprefera

dedicatedshoulderbagshouldlookat

theVEOSelect 35 (£99).AllVanguardVEO

Select bags are available in green or black.

THE VEO SELECT RANGE

Vanguard VEO Select 49

MichaelTophamtestsabackpack

thatdoublesupasashoulder bag

● £149● http://www.vanguardworld.co.uk

GOLD

Grabhandles

Grabhandlesattheside

andthetopmakeit easyto

pullfromoverheadlockers.

Access

Thebagoffersquick,

convenientaccesstothemain

compartmentfromthe

side,topandrear.

Carry-on

compatible

Thisbackpackfitsthe

carry-onluggage

requirementsof

mostairlines.

Straps

Thebaghasanadjustable

sternumstrapandwaist

strap,butthelatteris

a littlethin.