When photographer Oliver Sun lost one of his favorite lenses to water damage, he set out to create a backpack that could protect his expensive camera equipment from excess moisture. He knew that his bag would need to be completely waterproof, but even that might not be enough to keep his photography equipment completely safe. So, he turned to technology to help him with this problem and the Inrigo camera bag was born.
Inrigo recently launched on Kickstarter and promises to deliver a high level of protection for photographers who find themselves working around water or in humid environments on a regular basis. The pack carries an IP78 waterproof rating, which means it is completely submersible in water up to 1 meter deep, and still keep its contents dry. An external valve on the bag gives users the ability to inflate the interior as well, allowing it to float on water while also providing added protection against impact. These features alone mean the Inrigo could conceivably replace a drybox when heading out into the field.
Made from durable TPU materials and sporting an air-tight zipper, the Inrigo offers 35 liters of internal storage space. It also comes equipped with both drone and tripod holders, as well as a water bottle pocket, and a lashing point for carrying a tent, yoga mat, or tarp.
Inside, the bag has plenty of organizational pockets for holding a laptop, notepad, credit cards, and pens. It also comes with two inner cases that are designed to safely carry two camera bodies and up to five lenses. The bag’s ergonomic design makes it comfortable to wear and carry, even when loaded down with gear, with padded shoulder straps to hold it firmly in place.
As an added measure of protection against moisture, Inrigo also features a built-in Bluetooth-enabled humidity and temperature sensor. When paired with a smartphone, that sensor can send an alert to photographers warning them of excess heat and moisture. The sensor will also notify them if the bag moves out of range, helping to prevent theft or loss.
The Inrigo camera bag is available in two different models: The LitePak and ProPak. The Lite version is just the exterior waterproof shell, allowing photographers to continue using their existing camera bags, but providing extra protection from moisture. The Pro model includes not only the shell, but the interior organizational bags too.
In order to get his waterproof backpack into production, Sun is looking to raise $12,774 on Kickstarter. If successful, the Inrigo will begin shipping in May 2018 at a price of $249 and $299 for the Lite and Pro models respectively. Early bird supporters can pre-order one now for as little as $139 and $159.
