MESSENGER BAGS

Forget bulky gadget bags and backpacks – messenger bags have become the most convenient and stylish way to carry your camera kit around

Dedicated photo backpacks and large gadget bags are useful if you’re specifically going on a shoot and need to take all of your camera kit. But most of us have a life outside of photography and often need to combine our shooting with the daily commute, a family outing or a trip into town.

Messenger bags are becoming enormously popular, offering a more streamlined option for carrying a camera with a couple of extra lenses or accessories, plus daily essentials and maybe a tablet or laptop. You can also mix and match, as camera messenger bags typically have removable dividers, and in the case of the Billingham and Tenba bags on test, completely removable camera compartments. You can stow just your camera kit, a mix of photographic and other useful items, or simply use it as a regular messenger bag.

For this group test, we’ve selected four of our favourite messenger bags on the market. They’re all large enough to accommodate a full-frame DSLR with a 24-70mm f/2.8 standard zoom attached, plus a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens and an additional smaller lens or flashgun in the main compartment. That said, the unusually large Sigma 70-200mm Sports lens is a little too big for upright storage in the Billingham bag.

There are clever design flourishes aplenty in all of the bags on test, and since we’ve picked our favoured four, the ratings are all very close. We’re also big fans of the Peak Design Everyday Messenger, but at the time of testing the original edition was being replaced by the V2, which wasn’t yet available.

While the bags are broadly similar, there are notable differences. Let’s take a closer look at how the features and specifications compare.