1. Introduction

I HATE camera bags. Genuinely, I do. They are made of nylon or polyester sewn together in dark places in the world where people aren't treated very well. They also don't look very good and scream out to potential thieves that you're carrying around a lot of high end camera gear. They also have a tendancy to try to look futuristic or tactical, which isn't really my cup of tea to be honest.

That's why I don't use camera bags. Instead I use a bag that was designed by a company founded only 58 years after photography was invented, the Filson Medium Field Bag.

Filson started in 1897 making goods for the Klondike gold rush. Their motto was, "Might as well have the best." Back then, your life might very well depend on the items you had with you, so having the best was probably a pretty good idea. Nowadays, it's very unlikely that your life will ever depend on it, but being the best is still Filson's motto. This beautiful, beautifully built bag is made right here in America and it is the best photography bag that isn't actually a photography bag.

2. Build Quality & Feel

You really have to go to a store and check out these Filson bags. The material their made of is a cross between denim, canvas and whatever Wolverine's bones are made out of. It's incredibly tough, like, drag behind a car tough. It also has the rare ability to get scuffed, scraped and stained without looking worn out or crappy. Rather, the material wears and weathers creating a character to each bag unique to it's owner.

Seriously, there are some of these bags that were made in the 50s still be used on a daily basis by people fortunate enough to receive them as an inheritance. Go google it and you'll see what I'm talking about. These bags look amazing the more they're used and abused.

The leather is something called bridle leather, which sounds like it might be used for a bit of fun on a honeymoon. However, this type of leather is usually used for livestock. I figure, if it's strong enough to corral farm animals, it's probably tough enough to hold my camera.

The hardware on this bag is all made of brass. I'm talking, railing on the Titanic - brass. Seriously, who makes things out of brass, canvas and bridle leather anymore. Filson does, and it's exactly that old world craftsmanship and simplicity of design and materials that give Filson stuff it's odd tough-but-luxurious feel. The best way to sum it up is to think about what would happen if Cadillac made a tank.

3. Function

So here's the part where I tell you how a bag, which was never designed to be a camera bag, can be used as one. I use the Tenba BYOB 10as the camera insert for this bag. The BYOB is supposed to stand for Bring Your Own Bag. These inserts are designed to be used with your favorite bag rather than to be your camera bag. The insert is well made and is able to carry the following

The Filson Medium Field Bag also has several things by itself that make it very good for carrying camera gear with you on a daily basis. First, the two front gusseted pockets are perfect for camera batteries, action cameras, small lenses, and other miscellaneous accessories. The rear flap is perfect for an ipad or other tablet for editing and posting on the go. There's also two side pouches which are perfect for a cell phone and other similar items. I keep my multi-tool in one pouch, which comes in handy in a variety of situations.

I love this camera bag. It allows me enough space to carry everything I need without bogging me down with too much gear. It doesn't look like a camera bag, so I wouldn't expect it to attract much attention from thieves. Also, it's fairly weather resistant. I've carried this bag in the rain before, and I haven't had to close the camera insert. In terms of usability, this bag works better than any other I've ever tried.

4. Made In USA

It's not often I find camera gear made in America. As I said previously, most camera bags are made in places in the world where people aren't treated terribly well. Instead, this one is made in this country by free people treated fairly. This is important to me because, if I have a choice, I want to buy things made by people who aren't being mistreated, and, if I have a choice, I prefer those people be Americans.

Filson has a long proud history of making things, the right way, here in the USA. I believe that this is a large part of the reason that these bags are as durable and well made as they are. The people who make these things take pride in their craft. This isn't something that is sloppily thrown together to meet the lowest price point possible. Filson stuff is crafted and I can pretty much guarantee this this bag will be passed down to my children or grandchildren.

5. Conclusion

This camera bag is my constant companion. You will rarely, if ever, see me without it. I find that it helps me keep my camera or cameras with me wherever I go, which is how I get the photos I get. I honestly think that having a good camera bag is a really important, and often overlooked, piece of photography gear.

I love the Filon because it's tough enough to be carried everyday, but looks good enough to be carried everywhere. It makes me take only the gear I need so I don't wind up taking everything I own with me. It's made in America by craftsman and it does it's job better than anything else I've tried. The Filson Medium Field Bag is the best camera bag that wasn't ever intended to be used as one.