Which Moment Camera Backpack Is Right For You?

What You Need To Know

Introduction to Moment camera backpacks

THOMAS: Fumbling through my bag as the train rattles toward New York City, my fingers search in vain for the right charging cable. Like a true mole man, my fingers claw and scrape, trying to discern between the thickness of USB cables and headphone cords, all while keeping the rest of the contents in place. I try to remember — do I have any memory cards tucked away in the pocket where I keep my keys, chapstick, and pens?

The muscles in my neck begin to tighten. Did I even bring the right cords? Are they in another bag? Finally I land on a tangled snake at the bottom of the bag. My hands had been here several times before, but now they’ve stumbled upon the buried treasure. I’m relieved that I found my prize, yet frustrated that it took so long with no meaningful way to keep my gear organized. Well, until now.

RYAN: I spent years traveling for work and trying to fit camera gear, my laptop, and usually a set of running clothes into a traditional top-opening backpack. Don’t get me wrong — I love my Timbuk2 Parker, but it’s not exactly laid out in the most camera-friendly of ways.

Moment camera backpacks, on the other hand, are all camera, all the time. I jumped at the chance to grab the DayChaser for a week-long trip to Berlin, especially knowing that I’d need all of my camera gear with me for the week. For the most part, the DayChaser was my perfect companion, toting my camera bodies, lenses, and other conveniences like a book and my Roll Recovery R3 without an issue. However, the DayChaser isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s a photographer’s backpack through and through, so let’s get to whether or not you need its all-out setup.

Moment MTW Backpack: A little bit of everything

THOMAS: As Believe in the Run’s main shoe photographer and Reel maker, I’m constantly lugging cameras around. I’m often loading a DSLR, GoPro, Insta360, laptop, and a drone in the Moment MTW Backpack — and somehow, it all fits. Even though the backpack looks like a standard day pack, the pockets and additional Tech Organizer, Everything Camera Insert, and Battery Pouch Organizer make the MTW Backpack capable of storing and protecting the essential gear.

Every item fits into a protective pouch and is easily accessible. With all that gear, the backpack still has room for regular things like sunglasses, notebooks, keys, energy bars, books, stickers, and a water bottle. The best part is, you don’t look like you’re a guy going on safari in a photo vest. The waterproof backpack has a clean, modern look that hides its numerous pockets on the inside.

It honestly functions so well that I use it as my main backpack, even when I don’t have a camera to carry. The MTW has all the features of a regular pack, including padded shoulder straps, backing, and, of course, the padded laptop sleeve.

I mentioned the Tech Organizer, Everything Camera Insert, and Battery Pouch Organizer above. I recommend you add them if you purchase the MTW. Without them, the backpack is a nicely padded standard backpack; with them, you have a full photographer’s setup.

PRICE: On sale for $99

Moment DayChaser 35L Backpack: For the traveling photographer

RYAN: While you could totally get away with using Thomas’s MTW Backpack as your do-it-all companion, the DayChaser is a little bit more specialized. For starters, it’s huge. The 35L capacity dwarfs the MTW’s comparatively small 17L, and the DayChaser is dotted with pockets and slots for everything from your laptop to lens filters to extra memory cards. If it weren’t a massive travel backpack, Moment’s DayChaser might be the best fidget device I’ve ever met.

That said, this is a Moment camera backpack through and through. As such, everything is designed around fitting as much camera gear inside as possible and then keeping it rock solid throughout your adventures. I packed up my DayChaser for a weeklong trip to Berlin (no, not for the marathon) and had no problems fitting three camera lenses, two bodies, extra batteries, and a GoPro in the main camera compartment with room to spare. The DayChaser’s camera compartment is essentially set up with a large T-shaped segment in the middle, surrounded by three smaller boxes for lenses and spare bodies on each side.

There’s also no chance of your camera bodies or lenses coming loose during travel. The DayChaser’s camera compartment seals with a durable YKK zipper and then buckles down with a pair of sturdy (and adjustable) buckles. The added security isn’t great if you’re trying to breeze your way through the TSA line at BWI, but it’s more than welcome the rest of the time.

While the DayChaser is pretty honkin’ big with its 35L capacity, I didn’t mind wearing it throughout the day. It’s decently well-ventilated, with three large pads on the back and open mesh in between. I was able to sinch the shoulder straps nice and tight to keep the weight close to my body, and the additional waist straps helped to keep me mostly upright.

If there’s one area that the DayChaser comes up a little short, it’s, well, as anything other than a camera backpack. Sure, I had space for my bodies, lenses, and laptop, but there’s only one main pocket for anything else, and it sits on top of the large camera compartment. It’s just about large enough for a book, a small muscle roller, and maybe a folded-up flannel shirt if you’re small enough, but I’m used to fitting a full set of running clothes along with my gear.

Sure, my camera gear is usually a little more cramped than it is in the DayChaser, but I’m finding it hard to strike the perfect balance between the two. That said, if you really need a running-friendly commuter bag, maybe the Mudroom Quartable is more your speed.

PRICE: On sale for $249