Camera chest bag

[DDY]

Hexus,

I'm looking for a camera bag I can wear on my chest, I want to carry my DSLR while mountain biking and be able to pull out the cam without getting off my bike.

For the sake of size and cost, I only need the bag to be big enough for a SLR fitted with a 50mm lens.

Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Dave

[Flibb]

lowepro do a chest harness that attaches to their toploader bags, might be worth having a look at that and seeing if it works with other bags.
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-...ss-Black_10394


Another option would be their slingshot bags, they sit on your back, but are pulled to your front when you take the camera out. Have been using one for years and found it to be very comfy and stable, as long as you dont try and cram loads of extra stuff in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emi44Laa3no

[DDY]

Thanks Flibb.

I'm specifically after a chest bag, I'll have a backpack on too.

[Funkstar]

can you update this thread if you find anything interesting?

i hadn't thought about this before, but something like this could be useful for me. I often have a two year old on my back at the moment

[DDY]

I couldn't find any bags/packs that are purposely built to be worn on the chest, at least not in the UK or within my meagre budget of a few notes.

But, Tamrac and as Flibb pointed out; Lowepro make harnesses that adapt certain existing packs so that they may be worn on the chest.

I've gone for a Tamrac S500 chest harness and Zoom 4 (5684), however the S500 doesn't explicitly state compatibility with the Zoom 4, it supports the Zoom 7 but I don't see why the Zoom 4 wouldn't work.

I will of course review this combo when it arrives from College Cameras.

[Bobster]

isn't there a camera bag that attaches to the handlbars?

[stavroshamster]

Hope you don't fall off much!
I wouldn't trust myself with my SLR while mountain biking. I'm not very good though.

[Flibb]

Quiet a lot of tamrac and lowepro stuff is intrchangeable, I use tamrac lens pouches with my lowepro kit. I have also found that a lot of 3rd party bags have the same sized attachment points.

[DDY]

isn't there a camera bag that attaches to the handlbars?

I did consider a handlebar bag but I wouldn’t be able to use it elsewhere, I could take the chest pack hiking for instance.

Hope you don't fall off much!
I wouldn't trust myself with my SLR while mountain biking. I'm not very good though.

Out of the many times I’ve fallen off a bike, I’ve never landed on my chest , I'd say it's the safest place to carry a camera since I would naturally put my arms out to stop my face hence chest from rubbing along the ground.

Quiet a lot of tamrac and lowepro stuff is intrchangeable, I use tamrac lens pouches with my lowepro kit. I have also found that a lot of 3rd party bags have the same sized attachment points.

That’s good to know, the Tamrac Zoom equivalent; the Lowepro Toploader has a weather proof cover which would definitely come in handy.

[stavroshamster]

Ah, well you never know!



(That's not me BTW!)

[Blastuk]

Safety first! At least he's wearing a helmet!

[DDY]

The stuff I ordered from college cameras arrived earlier today, here's a quick review.

First up, the Tamrac Digital Zoom 4 [5684]



The bag feels well built, good value IMO at £22.50.

Second up, the Tamrac Chest Harness & Restrainer Strap [S-500]



It turns out the chest harness is a strap, just an adjustable strap with metal clips on the end. I paid just over £10 which I suppose is a fair price since it's well built but all this research and it turns out all I was after was a strap.
The kit also includes a restrainer strap "for conditions where additional pack restraint is desired " which I didn't use.



To put the chest pack through its paces I went for a quick bike ride, got pretty muddy; notice the change of shirt. I thought the straps would dig in to my neck especially while biking vigorously but the straps sat comfortably on my shoulders, it also didn't restrict movement in any way e.g. I could move my arms about and turn to look behind without anything getting in the way. Getting the camera out was a doddle, no need to get off the bike and root through my backpack any more, I can also have the camera strap around my neck while the camera is protected inside the pack, note; this isn't uncomfortable, the strap is only supporting it's own weight, the camera is supported by the pack.

For a little over £30 I think this combo is a winner, far more comfortable than I thought bare straps would be.

For perspective chest pack buyers, if you've already got a camera bag with two D rings and a belt loop; all you need is a Tamrac S-500 chest harness... alternatively any other strap that's 1.8m ±0.2m with clips on the end it seems.

[DDY]

Hexus, you'll never guess what.

I had a nasty MTB accident today, went over the handle bars going down hill at 30mph, broke my right clavicle in two places but the camera was un-touched!

[Blastuk]

Hexus, you'll never guess what.

I had a nasty MTB accident today, went over the handle bars going down hill at 30mph, broke my right clavicle in two places but the camera was un-touched!

Was it like this?


Well.. glad you're well enough to post! and thank god the camera's safe!