The Wolffepack Capture is a backpack for photographers who don't trust their precious gear is always safe on their back, or who need speedy access to their camera. The new bag, which is currently crowdfunding, features the same quirky trapeze system as the Wolffepack Orbital series, and can swing around from your back to your front on durable Dyneema cords.
Launching on Kickstarter, the new Wolffepack Capture features custom protection for your camera gear, combined with the trapeze release to move the bag from back to front without removing the shoulder straps, which could make it a good option for photographers. Indeed, the bag is something we've been waiting for since donning the Wolffepack Metro for our review last year.
The unique, and now award-winning, access system of the Wolffepack Capture, uses patented orbital trapeze technology which frees the bag to rotate around the wearer's body on Dyneema cords.
Pulling on a locking mechanism fed over the shoulder strap releases the bag from the frame, allowing it to abseil down your back on the three cord system (said to be 15 times stronger than steel, if there are any would-be cable-cutting crooks who need deterring). Once lowered, it can then be moved to the front of the body, without having to remove the shoulder straps.
When the bag is at the front of the body it's easy to unzip and grab your gear from inside, with the access being designed for one-handed use. However, if you need more time, maybe for sorting camera gear or swapping lenses, the bag can be hooked on to the front of the shoulder straps to hold it in place. This could also come in handy for photographers worried about their camera gear going missing in crowded situations.
The bag can be returned to your back by pulling down the handle from the pouch at the shoulder, with the backpack scaling your back and then automatically locking in place.
The core camera-carrying credentials of the Wolffepack Capture don't break any new ground, but are in line with many other photography backpacks. Inside the bag there's a removable camera pod that takes up about half of the space. This pod features the sort of padding and soft microfiber lining which gives peace of mind that your precious camera and lenses are going to be safe.
Measuring 25 x 18 x 14 cm (9.9 x 7 x 5.5 in) the camera pod is modestly-sized, but should be big enough to hold a DSLR and a couple of mid-sized lenses, like a 24-70mm. There are side mesh pockets and a zipper pocket too, for stowing spare batteries, filters and memory cards.
The camera pod can be deployed either in the top half of the bag for easy access, or in the bottom if you want to prioritize grabbing other things. The dividing shelf can also be removed to give one big space. Other carrying spaces on the bag include various internal pockets, a laptop sleeve big enough for a 15-inch notebook, and two side pockets.
The 26 liter bag is the biggest in the Wolffepack line-up, measures 46 x 31 x 18 cm (18 x 12 x 7) and weighs 1.5 kg (53 oz) before you load it up. It's made from high-grade water-resistant melange polyester and comes in a heathered grey finish with red detailing. The bag also comes with a branded rain cover for extra protection in downpours.
Kickstarter pledges for a Wolffepack Capture backpack with the camera pod insert start at £115 (about US$150), with levels rising to £125 ($165) when the early-bird offers run out. The bag is also available sans camera pod for non-photographers, with a pledge of £99 ($130). If funding is successful and everything else goes to plan, the swinging backpacks should start shipping in November.
You can check out the Kickstarter promo video for the Wolffepack Capture backpack below.
Sources: Wolffepack, Kickstarter