Toxic Valkyrie (Medium)

£199/$239 This full photo backpack has clever design flourishes pretty much everywhere you look

Toxic bags come from the same company as 3 Legged Thing tripods. The Valkyrie backpacks are available in two sizes (medium and large) and three colours: onyx, emerald and sapphire. They have a full-height main compartment with movable dividers so you can tailor the fit to your camera gear. The dividers themselves feature pockets on one side, ideal for stashing filters, cables, batteries and other small bits and pieces. There are also two zipper pockets sewn into the inside of the main flap, plus a removable memory card wallet that’s held in place by Velcro. The medium and large editions have 13-inch and 15-inch laptop compartments respectively.

Next up are two smaller side pockets, each with separate zips, internal dividers and zippered inner pockets, while on the other side of the backpack there’s a stretchy drinks bottle holder. On the front, there’s a further zippered compartment that features an excellent organizer section, plus an inner zippered pocket.

To access a camera or favourite accessory from the rear of a backpack, the Valkyrie has a lumbar pad at the base with a zip around the edge, giving an additional access point. Not just for a camera, lens or accessory, you can also use this as a waterproof ‘frog pocket’.

Performance

The Valkyrie is sturdy yet lightweight, and the three-point airflow harness is particularly comfortable. The shoulder straps feature webbed hoops and strong plastic loops for attaching cameras and other accessories, and the wellpadded waist strap is quickly and easily removable.