A while ago, I got a backpack specifically for field recording. The Petrol bag for my mixer works fine for smaller sessions, but for hikes and traveling it can be a bit of a pain since all mics and accessories have to be carried separately. So you end up with the Petrol bag and a smaller backpack for everything else… Might as well just have one comfortable all-in-one backpack.

B&H’s backpack search tool proved invaluable, as it allows you to filter by specific dimensions as well as a bunch of other criteria. That came in very handy since there aren’t many backpacks that can accommodate the humongous Rycote Stereo Windshield. In the end, I decided on a Lowepro Vertex 300 AW that ticked all the boxes:

• Enough space for mics and recorder, as well as accessories and additional handheld recorders
• Comfortable and sturdy — given how much equipment I lug around in the bag, I’d rather it didn’t fall apart in the middle of a hike
• Rainproof. It has a little rain cover that you can pull over the entire bag. Feels a little flimsy, but so far it has worked well
• Straps to attach stands or tripods
• Laptop compartment for longer trips
• It even meets FAA requirements for carry-on bags! (That, however, didn’t keep British Airways from trying to force me to check it.)

Here’s what it looks like with most of the gear inside:

All the internal compartments are of course fully modular and held up by velcro, so you can change them around any way you want. What you can’t see in the pictures are the dozens of little pockets and pouches (including one specifically for SD or CF cards). The laptop compartment is part of the front cover. I wish it was a little better padded, but if you have a laptop cover that shouldn’t be an issue.

So far, I’ve been very happy with this rig. It held up remarkably well on rainy hikes, numerous international flights, and even a particularly memorable recording session in mud. And setting it up is a breeze: just plunk down and open up the backpack, set up the stands and mics, and off you go!