Lowepro announced a handful of new camera bags at PMA in March and over the last couple months they’ve slowly trickled into the market. We were lucky enough to snag a Pro Roller x100 early and have spent quite a bit of time with it over the last few weeks including trips to Indianapolis for the Red Bull MotoGP.
Storage is abundant in the x100 and you can comfortably fit two camera bodies and an assortment of lenses that include a telephoto or two. The internal pads can be arranged to accommodate how ever much or little gear you have. On the flapside, there are zippered pouches for manuals, cleaning cloths, filters and memory cards. Lowepro even added multi-color tabs for memory cards to help you keep track of which ones are full/empty. It’s a pretty neat feature.
If you haven’t noticed yet, the x-Series comes with a hidden Reserve Pack that zips out, which is fantastic for photographers who travel with a light to moderate rig. It’s not very comfortable as a backpack, but you take what you can get at this point. The main compartment comes with a kickstand that offers adequate support, but I worry too much and decided to lay the bag on its back when sorting through lenses and camera bodies.
Did I mention the fact that you can use the retractable handle as a tripod? I wouldn’t strap a 300mm telephoto to it, but your standard zoom lens or prime lens won’t knock the bag over. But there are plenty of straps to lock down a tripod.
In addition to the aforementioned features, the x-Series boasts the Lock & Go System, which keeps the Reserve Pack from mysteriously disappearing at the airport. A single retractable cable coupled with the 3-digit combo lock keeps it all together. The lock itself is TSA compliant, so no worries there.
My initial thoughts on the x-Series went something like this, “Oh great. Here’s another crappy hybrid roller bag.” Well, I was wrong. Of course, it’s too soon to comment on durability (wheels, handle, etc.), but from a functional standpoint, it works well.
Prices are a bit steep for the x-Series, but it’s a viable solution for any traveling photographer. The x100 retails for $360 while the x200 and x300 sell for $400 and $480, respectively.
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Pro Roller x300
INTERIOR:
14.5W x 6.8D x 21.8H in.
37 x 17.5 x 55.5 cm
EXTERIOR:
18.5W x 11.4D x 26.3H in.
47 x 29 x 67 cm
NOTEBOOK:
14.7W x 1.1D x 19H in.
37.5 X 3 X 48.5 CM
FITS:
1-2 pro DSLRs with grip plus 8-10 lenses; accessories, up to 17″ notebookPro Roller x200
INTERIOR:
12.2W x 6.6D x 19.8H in.
31 x 16.8 x 50.5 cm
EXTERIOR:
15.7W x 11.2D x 24.2H in.
40 x 28.5 x 61.5 cm
Notebook:
12.7W x 1.1D x 18.1H in.
32.5 X 3 X 46 CM
FITS:
1-2 pro DSLRs with grip plus 6-8 lenses; accessories, up to 17″ notebook; airline carry-on sizePro Roller x100
INTERIOR:
11.4W x 6.6D x 15.7H in.
29 x 16.8 x 40 cm
EXTERIOR:
14W x 11.2D x 20H in.
35.5 x 28.5 x 51 cm
NOTEBOOK:
12W x 1.1D x 15.3H in.
30.5 X 3 X 39 CM
FITS:
1-2 pro DSLRs with grip plus 4-6 lenses; accessories, up to 14″ notebook; airline carry-on size