Pixiq

Read Me First evaluation of a stellar pro case

Pro Runner x350 AW Rolling Camera Backpack
Company: Lowepro
http://www.lowepro.com/prorunner_roller
Price: $230 U.S.

Lowepro's new compact rolling camera + computer pack is the best camera case in the world for its versatility. If you can afford it, and many of you can, buy two Pro Runner x350 AW's. Use one for your camera equipment, and the other for your digital darkroom and techie gear or a weekend of travel with clothes and personal effects.

The top photo below, courtesy of Lowepro, shows this Pro Runner filled with DSLR and accessories. The lower photo shows my Pro Runner loaded for my day job as a peripatetic computer tutor.

Be aware Pro Runner AW comes in two sizes. The larger x450 is heavy, serious, and expensive.

The mid-size x350 is compact, modest, and affordable. The company photo below top shows a jumbo x450 worn in its backpack configuration, to give you an idea of its size and shape. The Nemo photo below bottom shows me wearing an x350. I am 5' 9" tall.

What makes Pro Runner x350 AW so great? It packs a load of equipment into a customizable main compartment, with additional storage areas for computer and portable office supplies. It can roll, be carried by hand, and ride as a comfy backpack. It is manufactured and guaranteed by one of the best case manufacturers in the business.

Exterior clips and buckles extend its efficiency. A partial rain cover slips into place when needed; AW in its name stands for All Weather. The tripod cradle is a little peculiar, but it does its job as advertised. 

How are the straps? The top deck rubber grab handle is sturdy for lifting, but is not comfortable enough for carrying by hand when x350 is loaded. Well-padded quick release backpack shoulder straps are easy to access from the rear stowage area, and are comfortable enough for a short hike. Belly and chest cinch straps are essential for extended backpack travel, and x350's sets of straps grab snugly. 

It takes a minute or two to stow dangling straps when they are not being used, as when rolling a x350 through an airport. Stability and maneuverability of x350 in roller mode are fine, especially because it is so low to the ground and almost square in shape.

A hidden front drop-in laptop zippered airport-friendly computer sleeve adds tremendous value to this exceptional case. A 15" computer will fit, but barely. Best is to pack a 13" computer. An unsatisfactory shoulder strap is included for toting only the laptop sleeve; Lowepro should upgrade that accessory. Please !! remove your computer before you unzip the main compartment. 

For field use, lay x350 on its back before you unzip it, or else your precious cargo will fall out of the Velcro compartments. There is no retaining mesh or other built in straps to keep the equipment secure while the case is open. Access to gear is immediate from the user-configured inserts. The covered foam walls with Velcro edges are sturdy, yet pliable, as they should be. 

The inside front flap that is exposed when you unzip the main compartment has shallow, zippered and Velcro pockets for personal electronic equipment and camera storage cards. The unzipped narrow front computer section has limited space for personal traveling office supplies. A few exterior buckles, straps, and ribbon handles enhance the physical assets of Lowepro's Pro Runner x350 AW Rolling Camera Backpack.

When zipped shut and standing squat on the floor, the case is stable, with a desirable low center of gravity that is an advantage when you are rolling it with the collapsible handle extended. Wheels are adequate to the task, as is the single-bar handle; neither of these is extra-robust. A little improvement in this area will help, if it doesn't add to the cost or weight, both of which are reasonable.

Why do I like this rolling pack so much? Because in pro camera mode it packs and unpacks quickly and efficiently, and it is easy to transport and use on the job. In tech gear mode it is superb for grabbing just what I need to service my clients in a professional manner. The word Pro in x350's name is justified.

What don't I like? The only color available is black. A 15" laptop computer is a little too large for its intended sleeve and front panel storage. The flat rubber grab handle needs to be more heavily padded and cushioned. You'll need an advanced engineering degree at first to get the exterior tripod base holder into place. There is no comprehensive user guide or company video describing every feature in detail.

Lowepro's Pro Runner x350 AW Rolling Camera Backpack passes the two most stringent tests of all, known as W. A. T. and T. B. T. The first one stands for Wife Approval Test, because it is "compact and looks classy," according to Mrs. Nemo. The second stands for Tightwad Buying Test, because I would buy this rolling wonder myself, and I am extremely judicious in my expenditures, notwithstanding a large cupboard loaded with prior packs and cases that have seen varying levels of professional abuse.

Company PR material sums up this case with accuracy and without excessive hyperbole:

Airline-compatible Pro Runner™ AW backpacks and convertible rollers provide a streamlined and travel-friendly carrying solution to photojournalists, professional photographers and serious enthusiasts. The feature-filled and protective design is ideal for those who need a practical and flexible backpack or roller/backpack to accommodate their camera, tripod, accessories, plus a few personal items in a compact shape. [There is] padded storage for a laptop; [and] a checkpoint-friendly laptop sleeve. The Pro Runner AW includes: a patented All Weather AW Cover™; Hideaway Tripod Mount™ system; protective rainflap lids; SlipLock™ attachment loops; multiple storage pockets; memory card pockets; and more.

It's important to Read Me First before you commit to a recommended case that may outlive you. Several helpful links from prior reviews of this case and its big sibling are below.

LINKS:

Specifications and photos

Amazon reviews

Mark Rudd's MyMac.com review. Full disclosure: I am Reviews Editor at MyMac.

Uncensored rave 

Three other MyMac reviews of Lowepro non-wheeled cases:

One

Two

Three

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Let's conclude with a comment from Ian, a MyMac colleague:

I'm giggling at the outrageous idea of spending $460 on luggage when Costco gives away cardboard boxes! In the past I was a hill walker in England; I always found Lowepro's gear was well made, albeit a bit expensive in the UK at that time because of exchange rates. Sometimes they try too hard to be innovative (the tripod holder sounds like a case in point) but I never had anything that didn't work or failed because of poor quality workmanship — the English Lake District might look like a garden compared to the Rockies, but people die out there from exposure with depressing regularity.