I just wanted to write about my impression of the Kata Bumblebee UL-222
This is a fantastic, well built, sturdy and light bag. It is also extremely comfortable to wear, most of the time. If your gear all fits within the backpack, you’ll love it and be thrilled with it.
Unfortunately for me, I have a thing about camera bags, and I’m extremely picky. When I bought the UL-222, I was hoping it would be a larger, more professional replacement for my National Geographic NG 5162 (Earth Explorer Medium)
Unfortunately, for my purposes the bag is pretty compromised…
I mention the National Geographic bag because I suspect Kata makes it. It is a fantastic bag although I had to modify it to make my 15” MacBook fit, and it isn’t quite deep enough to hold a professional SLR safely.
Here are my specific issues on the Bumblebee UL-222:
- It is about 1” too ‘thick’ (from shoulder straps to the protective ‘spine’) to fit easily in smaller airplane (ie, 727) overhead compartments. If it was just a touch shallower (or more crushable), it would fit without problems. How can someone travel with this bag if they are constantly in fear it won’t fit overhead? Its not like you can check photography equipment as luggage. This will probably be the biggest issue for most people. Don’t get me wrong, it WILL fit in the overhead compartment of a 727, but it takes a bit more coercion than I would like
- I wish the top compartment, instead of being s small rounded hatch, was an adjustable-sized drawstring-and-hood like the NG bag, or like a hiking backpack. This would allow the bag to store more stuff when needed and collapse down when not.
- The tripod attachment options are terrible. When in the centered, location, the tripod extends beyond the bottom of the bag, making it impossible to stand the bag up, and you need to leave the zippered pouch open strap the tripod top in, which just seems odd. When on the side, the tripod doesn’t extend past the bottom, but the upper strap distorts the top of the bag and the entire tripod blocks the only place for a water-bottle. On the NG 5162, I was able to use the accessory straps on the bottom or side of the backpack to attach a tripod without any of these issues.
- The bag lacks decent strorage compartments for water bottles. The NG 5162 has two large, pullout, velcro-stabilized places for water bottles, and they work great. The UL-222 has one elastic compartment, it is too small and short for any reasonable sized bottle (ie, 750ml or larger).
- The bag has no good places for attachments or accessories. I was hoping like the NG 5162 there would be strap attachments at the bottom to strap a duffle bag or sleeping bag to.
- The aluminum frame is awesome, and does a great job keeping the pack off my back, but the hip belt is too flimsy to use to support much of the weight of the bag, which can be pretty heavy when fully loaded with a camera, equipment, and a laptop. I sort of wish the bag came in a few frame sizes, the way a hiking backpack does, with a better hip-stabilizer strap.
I find myself planning to jury-rig something to attach a simple crush bag to the EPH attachment points at the bottom of the bag so I can carry some more personal gear, but I noticed the EPH attachments are only in the back, so to keep the additional bag strapped in, I’ll need to use the tripod-holder loops on the front flap of the bag, meaning I’ll need to release the attachment just to open the bag, which is annoying.
The bag is extremely well thought out, which is why all these little things add up to such a frustrating experience. If you can live within the design of the bag, and don’t need to carry water or can fit it inside the bag (near your camera?) you will really enjoy this bag. It does hold a ton of camera gear safely and it is the most comfortable camera bag I’ve ever worn.
Why are so many of the camera bags lacking water bottle nets? Drives me nuts, too. Jansport Odyssey 39 is my current solution. It’s a normal day pack but can be equipped with padding for camera equipment.
I love your review, it made me decide to get the Lowepro Pro Trekker 300 AW. It can fit a DSLR with a 300mm lense and it has a water blatter compartment. It’s a bit more heavy and $$$ but it will do everything you mentioned and I want.
I use this bag as well and I am finding that it does not distribute weight on the back that well at all. I get this nagging feeling around the middle of my back on longer hikes. At that point I start fiddling with the many straps to correct it, but it won’t get better. Maybe I just need more exercise, however didn’t have this with previous backpacks.
Regarding the water: you could use the laptop compartment for a water blatter …
Thats true, you could use the laptop bladder for water, except I want to carry a laptop too!
Amazing photographs by the way!
Hi Josh,
Just now noticed your comments. Yes, guess you are stuck if you also want to carry a laptop. Thanks for checking out my work and the compliment!
Been doing a lot of multi-day hikes in the Alps with this bag in the past month and decided I will let go of it. It is a nice backpack, but the downsides add up just a bit too much. I didn’t even load it up that much (tripod, pro-sized body and 2 or 3 lenses) and I constantly get the feeling that the hip belt it just not up to the job. As a result, I have to put too much weight on the shoulder to keep it in place. Dunno something is not right with this bag. I would rather have a backback that is just a touch heavier but more comfortable.
I will replace it with a F-stop bag now (probably the Tilopa). Obviously that one will have to prove itself as well in the field. You should have a look. They seem to be more in line with the NG one you are referring to.
Cheers, Johan