After the incident with my Canon 1D MarkII camera recently, I decided I needed to buy a new backpack and so after much deliberation and research, I decided to purchase a Tamrac Expedition 7 backpack from Warehouse Express, mainly based on Andy Rouse's review. He clearly rated it very highly as he bought one for himself. When it arrived I couldn't believe how big and bulky it was compared to my beloved Mini Trekker. It was extremely well made and there are compartments for almost everything with the pockets on the front quite useful but I couldn't quite see the point of the 'Red Flag' system they market for memory cards - seems the idea is that you put a card in the slot and then pull the red tag out to show it is not to be used. I just have a piece of card which is red on one side and green on the other and I just turn it around depending on whether the card can be used or not.

I found the overall finish a little disappointing - it just wasn't as nice or as soft inside as my Lowepro bags. The inside was very rough in places with the padding actually quite hard, enough to scratch you as you reach in and out. Once the bag was fully loaded, and all the straps adjusted, it did feel quite comfortable to wear, so you felt like you could walk for hours. However, in just an hour walking around in my garden I had had enough - they just don't consider the female form when designing photo backpacks so before long, with the weight in the bag, the front straps were cutting under my arms and making me quite sore.

I reluctantly decided that I just wasn't going to get on with the bag, telephoned Warehouse Express and as usual, their customer service was excellent. They told me to return the bag and I would be refunded in full. I explained that I would want to buy another but just wasn't sure which one but they said they would refund me and then I could just make another purchase when I was ready. Excellent service - thank you Warehouse Express.

Read more about the equipment I carry in my bag or about my digital darkroom.