If you are an SLR person, you likely have a few or more lenses and other camera paraphernalia. When you travel, even just across town for an assignment or a purely creative photography expedition, you want to have your camera handy and protected.

I’ve been hauling a great Canon bag around for years, but before every outing, one lens or another (or a cable, or my compass, or my mini-gray card) had to be left behind because I had outgrown that bag. What I wanted was a perfectly packed bag at-the-ready by my front door. The bag I had actually sat on the counter in my electronica room, requiring thought and repacking every time I went to grab it.

Then there was the matter of my laptop. Purchased for its portability and used in conjunction with my camera gear while away for more than a day, my Mac Powerbook was used to traveling around in a lovely, old-school, leather satchel.

I don’t know about you, but luckily I have two hands, and that gear already added up to one bag in each.

And there was my carry-on limit when flying. I had to resort to tucking toothbrush, wallet, iPod, makeup and spare undies in my lap top bag since I had no leftover space for a normal piece of carry-on luggage or even a handbag.

On a recent trip involving that usual setup, I wandered into Miller’s Camera in Wenatchee, Washingon. There, a very nice young man introduced me to the Crumpler product line, telling me that his mom carried a Crumpler as her every day handbag. I spotted the “Whiskey & Cox” backpack-style camera bag, designed also to hold laptops (15″ or smaller) and realized it was time for an upgrade.

My last backpack-type thingy had been hijacked by my youngest child when he went off to school and I had completely forgotton the convenience of using one for travel.

Now I have the compleat setup. Bag loaded with all essentials, laptop safely packed, and hands free to hand my ID over to the nice airport security people or reapply lipstick stashed in my cute girly handbag, or whatever.

This bag compares with the Lowepro backpacks, but has more attitude and funkiness. It’s a big pricier, but when I compared them side-by-side, I was taken with the Crumpler’s excellent design, materials, and workmanship. I should point out I’m a woman of above average height. The bag is well proportioned for my tall frame, but might lie uncomfortably on someone of smaller stature.

Fully loaded with my gear, it probably comes in at about 30 lbs. After a day of travelling involving 3 airports, I found my self far less flustered since I didn’t have to recollect so many pieces after security checkins or during bathroom breaks. This is a big bag, not in the least feminine, so if that matters to you, keep looking.

The “Whiskey & Cox” includes a handy, removable laptop sleeve for those occasions when you either (a) don’t need to bring your laptop or (b) want to leave your camera gear elsewhere while ducking into an internet cafe with just your computer.

The nice guys at Miller Camera in Wenatchee asked if I wanted “Crumpler Guy” (pictured top, right). They plan to decorate their store tree with those come Christmas. Alas, I wanted to keep my Crumpler Guy, so he lives here in my office. Maybe you can send them yours if you don’t want it?

If you visit their site (everyone says you have to go to the Australian one!), you’ll see they have all sizes and styles of bags.

Here are a few more reviews and pictures of what Crumpler has to offer:

photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=004KDZ

www.retrothing.com/2005/10/crumpler_camera.html

www.geekradio.com/?p=51