Exploring: Oyster Dome

By Leslie Parks - Sunday, April 04, 2021




We needed a hike to get us ready for our trip to Arizona.  Oyster Dome is lovely any time of year.  It was an early April morning when we pulled up to the trail head. Already there were a good number of cars.  I lifted my backpack onto my back and attached my camera.  I need to test the pack and camera system out before our trip.  I had been looking for a pack that had hip straps to help distribute the weight while being a camera bag.  I also wanted one that was proportional to myself.  Most hiking camera bags are sized for men.  The backpacks that are sized for women are more of a commuter or city bag.  Cute, stylish but not functional on snowshoes or on a 10 mile hike.  I finally found one that would work.  Its a Mindshift 18L pack.  It had almost everything I needed.  The next thing I needed was a way to carry my camera so that it wasn't in the bag.  I was finding that I either had to take the pack off to get to my camera or I had the camera strap around my neck.  The first option wasn't going to work.  I often find myself either not taking the time to get my camera or missing the shot I wanted.  The second option had the camera dangling around, hitting my thigh or hip and the strap pulling on my neck.  It was also a bit to take off the camera, take off the pack, put the pack back on then the camera.  So that wasn't going to work either.  I already had a camera strap, wrist strap and clip from Peak Design.  However the clip wasn't working with the hip belt or the shoulder strap.  I still needed something else.  Well Peak Design has this great product that was exactly what I needed.  It is a Pro Pad.  It will slip onto a belt or strap and is magnetic.  Once the camera clip fastener is attached, all you have to do is clip your camera in.  It's easy to remove and put back.  This little hike up and down gave me the confidence I needed for our upcoming trip.  It was something I was going to be able to manage.  And the pack, well with the divisors inside for camera gear and my camera on the outside, it left room for snacks.

















 

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