So I'm heading out on a 5-day mountain trek next month—terrain is pretty rocky and damp alpine weather—and I need a solid pack for my Mavic 3 setup. I'm an intermediate drone flyer, nothing crazy, but I'm carrying about 15 lbs total gear weight including extra batts and my mirrorless camera. Budget is around $250 max. I've been looking at the Lowepro Pro Trekker and the PGYTECH OneMo... read that the Lowepro is super comfy (though maybe too bulky for hiking?) while the PGYTECH has great modular dividers, but I'm just not sure how they hold up in constant drizzle. My logic was to get a dedicated drone bag, but maybe a hiking daypack with a camera cube is better? Oh, and it needs to strap my tripod securely outside too. Anyone actually take their Mavic 3 on wet overnight trips with these?
^ This. Also, for your 5-day mountain trek in damp weather, ditch the drone-specific packs and use a technical hiking bag with a rain cover.
- Pack the DJI Mavic 3 Fly More Combo inside a hard-shell case Nanuk 915 Hard Camera Case at the bottom of the bag for crush protection on rocky terrain.
- Attach your tripod to the exterior side compression straps, not the back, to keep your center of gravity stable.
> Budget is around $250 max Wait, before you drop that kind of cash on brand-new hype, what kind of sleeping gear are you packing? Everyone seems obsessed with pushing these pricey specialized photo packs, but honestly, a used Osprey Talon 33 off eBay paired with a cheap camera insert costs way less and handles the wet rock scrambling so much better. Have you even checked the secondhand market yet?
Everyone recommends those expensive photo-specific bags, but honestly the reviews are largely paid hype. I took a dedicated drone backpack on a three-day wet trek last season and spent half the trip dealing with soggy dividers and terrible weight distribution on rocky climbs. The hip belt dug in constantly because the internal frame wasn't built for actual hiking, just urban commuting. After that mess, I switched to a basic 35L alpine mountaineering pack with a cheap padded insert. It costs a fraction of the price, keeps the rain out way better with a real rain cover, and doesn't bounce around when you're scrambling over boulders. Real owners know that comfort on a multi-day trek trumps specialized drone compartments every time.
Everyone pushes those expensive camera bags, but honestly my Osprey Stratos 34 with a cheap insert survived pouring rain.
- Skip the drone packs
- Use a real hip belt
To add to the point above: are you planning to pack your controller with the sticks attached or removed? Removing them every time is a pain, but leaving them on in a flexible hiking pack can bend them if you fall on rocky terrain.
- Watch out for moisture getting through zipper seams during constant drizzle
- Don't let your lipos freeze overnight in the tent idk if your mirrorless setup makes the 15 lbs a tight squeeze, but definitely test the weight distribution before hitting the trail.
tbh i totally agree with using a real hiking pack over a drone bag for rocky stuff. idk if this applies to your exact model but using the Shimoda Action X30 saved my back last month on a damp trail. quick tip: always pack your extra lipos in a fireproof bag inside the pack since alpine pressure changes can be weird, plus keep your rain cover at the very bottom pocket so you dont have to unpack everything when the drizzle starts. speaking of alpine weather, i tried making freeze-dried chili last weekend and totally burned the bottom of my pot because the stove wind guard blew away... anyway good luck out there!
Rarely post but saw this and had to chime in. Skip the dedicated drone bags and grab the F-Stop Lufa 30L with a medium slope ICU. Handles damp alpine weather and strapped tripods way better.
oh man this is my exact jam. tbh skip the dedicated drone bags for a trek like that. i used the Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 350 AW II and while its comfy, its way too bulky for damp alpine scrambling. switched to a Shimoda Action X30 V2 with a medium mirrorless core unit and it completely crushes it in the drizzle plus the tripod straps are bombproof...
idk saw this earlier and had to jump in bc ive literally been through three different specialized photo bags over the last decade. tried one of the big name ones years ago and it was absolute garbage on a damp alpine trail, just leaked straight through the seams and killed my lower back. honestly things may have changed a bit since then, but dedicated drone bags are usually way too stiff for actual scrambling. my current setup is just a beat-up 40L mountaineering sack with a padded insert tossed inside. lowkey its the only way to survive rocky terrain without feeling like a turtle falling backward. rain covers actually work on real hiking packs too...
Nice, didn't know that
Exactly what I was thinking