Today’s creatives have a number of different tools in their arsenal from cameras and lenses to drones and stabilizers, and Lowepro designed its latest backpack with that flexibility in mind. The Lowepro FreeLine BP 350 AW is a backpack built to quickly adapt the interior from camera to drone and back again. Announced on June 12, the FreeLine BP 350 AW is the first in Lowepro’s new line made for versatile content creators.
The key to the FreeLine BP 350 AW’s flexibility is a redesigned interior divider, which the company calls QuickShelf. As the name suggests, instead of compartments, the new dividers create a padded shelf for gear. The three-tier shelf can also be quickly removed from the bag to move from photo bag to everyday backpack. When removed from the bag, the QuickShelf folds flat.
To allow access to that three-tiered shelf, even when using dividers for smaller items, the FreeLine BP 350 AW uses double side access panels. With two access points, each side of the shelf can be accessed while using the dividers. The new divider system can fit up to a full frame DSLR with a 70-200mm f/2.8 mounted along with additional lenses. The bag is also designed for compact drones like the DJI Mavic Pro and other gear, while a dedicated pocket also houses up to a 15-inch laptop. A gearbox allows smaller items like cords and batteries to slide into the shelf-like system.
On the exterior, the bag is made from a high-end nylon, which the company says helps resist rips and moisture. An all-weather cover is also included and the zippers are also designed to seal out moisture.
The bag’s shelf-like design is unusual and could be a plus for creatives that frequently need to adapt their bag to different types of gear, while others may prefer the more traditional bag design that allows access to the entire main compartment through one zipper instead of two at each side. Side panels also allow sling-like access, removing a strap and pulling the bag forward to access gear without completely removing the pack.
“The professional landscape is shifting with this rise of the independent content creator,” Tim Grimmer, Lowerpro’s senior director of product, said in a press release. “In collaboration with our partner brand JOBY, owner of the world famous GorillaPod, we delved deeply into the world of today’s Content Creators, vloggers, YouTubers, and storytellers. We learned more about how their gear kits and shooting locations frequently change as they produce content every day. Our goal became to create a solution that offers the freedom to carry what they need each day.”
The FreeLine BP 350 AW retails for about $260.