Like every bag I've ever examined from Lowepro, the quality of construction for the Flipside Sport 15L AW is awesome. No worries about whether or not clips will stay clipped or straps snapping with a Lowepro bag. Designed for field work...way out in the field...the Lowepro Flipside Sport 15L is a long backpack style bag that distributes weight well and has plenty of straps for customizing the fit.
Overall, this bag is a great choice for those needing to carry a lot of gear longer distances.
Overall, this bag is a great choice for those needing to carry a lot of gear longer distances.
Overview of the Flipside Sport 15L AW
- 2.5 Pounds
- Holds DSLR body with lens, 2 additional lenses, and flash
- External tripod cinch
- Additional cinch points for other pole gear (stands/etc)
- Includes waterproof cover
- Hydration system ready side pocket
- Internal accessory pocket
- Available in blue or orange
- Can be flipped in front of body without removing all straps
- Moveable internal dividers
- Removable internal gear section to turn backpack into a day bag
Strengths of the Flipside Sport 15L AW
The Flipside Sport 15L AW distributes weight well, a definite plus for a bag intended to go down trails and on long hikes to distant locations.
When using the waist strap, the bag is also intended to be accessed by turning the bag around your body and letting it fold forward to a horizontal position. From there you can access gear and then zip the bag back up and return it to your back...all without finding a stable place to set down the bag.
This bag holds a good amount of actual gear. Between the roomy interior (with a great design for handling longer lenses) and multiple external connection points, you could pack this bag with more equipment than you could physically carry pretty quickly if you aren't careful.
The hydration ready side compartment is a great feature for a bag designed to be used in rugged areas. It removes the need for a secondary pack and just makes it that much less of a hassle to stay hydrated.
Included waterproof cover makes it much easier to not worry about your gear when you get stuck hiking in the rain.
When using the waist strap, the bag is also intended to be accessed by turning the bag around your body and letting it fold forward to a horizontal position. From there you can access gear and then zip the bag back up and return it to your back...all without finding a stable place to set down the bag.
This bag holds a good amount of actual gear. Between the roomy interior (with a great design for handling longer lenses) and multiple external connection points, you could pack this bag with more equipment than you could physically carry pretty quickly if you aren't careful.
The hydration ready side compartment is a great feature for a bag designed to be used in rugged areas. It removes the need for a secondary pack and just makes it that much less of a hassle to stay hydrated.
Included waterproof cover makes it much easier to not worry about your gear when you get stuck hiking in the rain.
Weaknesses of the Flipside Sport 15L AW
The biggest downside of the Flipside Sport 15L AW for me was the lack of accessory pockets. There is one long pock inside the gear area but it is just one pocket. There is no way to organize accessories, they just all fall loose into the pocket.
The tripod cinch flap is well positioned but I found that no matter how tight I set it, my tripod slid down in the flap, throwing off my balance. To be fair, I used a heavy stand in the test. Remember to always hook one leg of your tripod outside the gear loop before wrapping the flaps to minimize slipping.
The tripod cinch flap is well positioned but I found that no matter how tight I set it, my tripod slid down in the flap, throwing off my balance. To be fair, I used a heavy stand in the test. Remember to always hook one leg of your tripod outside the gear loop before wrapping the flaps to minimize slipping.
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.