Gitzo Century Traveller

£189/$250

www.manfrotto.co.uk

Exporting genuine Italian leather with faux carbon-fibre patterning, the Century backpack certainly isn’t short on style. Accents like the handsome mirror-finished gunmetal zippers with locking tabs further enhance the quality feel, and the bag as a whole feels substantial. You also get a separate rain cover, although the exterior already has a water-repellent coating.

The design is a split-level affair: the upper half is a large open area, while the lower portion is for your camera gear. This is accessed from either side, so your camera and main lens can slot in on one side, and a pair of extra lenses can go in the other. The central divider can be removed to enable longer lenses to pass all the way through, but really the bag is best-suited to carrying one APS-C body and a few small optics.

A large, suede-lined slot for a 15-inch laptop can be found directly behind the comfy shoulder straps, and a travel tripod can be carried neatly on the front panel.

Pros

Well-made; practical dual-purpose layout; slim, flight-friendly depth

Cons

Won’t transport lots of kit; not ideal for large full-frame gear

We say

Ace style and quality for a nice price: top for smaller kits