*REVIEW* Lowepro Exchange Messenger Shoulder Bag

[Zman]

Hello! I remembered Lowepro was making a small shoulder bag made out of lightweight materials about two months ago but completely forgot about it till I found this thread about a week ago.

I recently purchased a 5D classic because I needed a camera smaller than my 1DmarkIIn for walkarounds and small-time shoots. With the 5D came the need to buy a smaller bag. My Crumpler 7MDH was just right for the 1DmarkIIn, but too large and thick (width wise) for my walkaround 5D.

So six days ago, I headed down to Cathay Photo Marina to purchase the Lowepro Exchange Messenger bag. It was on offer new at SGD33 and came with a cool lowepro cap and a lanyard. Sweet deal!

Since then, I've used it for two event-style shoots and a few walkarounds. I'm very happy with this bag and so I decided to review it for you guys.



Photograph depicting yours truly with the Lowepro Exchange Messenger while shooting in a school auditorium. Photo: Ryang Ho Sung

Introduction, First Impressions, Built:



The Lowepro Exchange Messenger (referred to from now on just as "the bag") is a cheap & lightweight shoulder bag from Lowepro. It has no thick padding, and the only padding worth mentioning is found only in the two compartment dividers that come with the bag. The exterior has no padding whatsoever. It's made with cheap materials, a kind of lightweight and thin two-layer nylon, but the stiching is good.

The design is simple: a thin rectangle with a black X on the front with the lowepro brand badge. It comes in black, grey and blue. Since I was going to use this bag in pretty serious shoots, I got the black one.



The bag is a mere 14.5cm thick - just perfect for those that want a small obstuctive bag.



The back of the bag has a sewn-in loop. It's how many stores hang up their bags for display. In the event that a photographer shoots at a fenced location, i'm sure he or she could bring a strong S-hook to latch the bag to a fence.

The strap does not come with a shoulder pad. This is the only drawback because of the cost. It is often uncomfortable to use the bag without such a shoulder pad. I use my Crumpler 7MDH's shoulder pad when my gear isn't heavy (one camera, one lens) or the more padded Domke Postman shoulder pad when I bring the 70-200 along.

Built (continued)



The bottom of the bag has 2 straps with buckles on them. They're cheap, small and probably will be the first thing to break. However, they're more than adequate enough.



The interior of the bag is a smooth and bright green in color. This is to allow users to spot their gear more easily, and is especially helpful in dark locations.



At the front of the bag are two open pockets deep enough for stuff like filters and harddrives. One half of the bag also has a soft-zippered pocket that's only slightly shallower than the open pockets. I keep my keys and thin portable harddrives in here.



Interior



The interior is lined with two thin strips of female sided velcro. Obviously a design choice due to budget. However, it is adequate enough for two supplied dividers to latch onto. The velcro is quite sturdy and a little jostling about won't get them to separate. I'm sorry I don't have a photograph showing the velcro strips.

The above photograph also shows how thin the material of the flap is. Great for some, a bane to others. Your mileage may vary.



Now onto the fun part - fitting in the gear!

I'm able to fit the following inside without any issue at all:

5D classic + domke strap
24-70 hood reversed (L will fit, but I only have a borrowed sigma to show)
70-200 2.8L IS hood reversed
50 1.4 hood in position (or a 580EXII)

Misc cards, pens, remotes, harddrives, keys, 5D batteries, filters in their hard cases yadayada...



Picture shows how none of my gear goes above the height of the bag.



And a photograph of the gear in the bag from above. Right side of the bag houses a 50 1.4 which is in the shadows, but it can also fit a 580EXII no problem!

In Use & Conclusions

In use, the bag feels very lightweight. I like how the bag molds to your bottom and it feels very secure. Of course, if the flap was heavier, it would instill more confidence because the flap would close and stay closed more easily. However, that's not an issue at all for me because I don't shoot in dangerous environments at all - mostly in school.

The bag is very thin and can be compressed and rolled up. I would like to try doing this one day when I have 4 lenses to bring. I'd put everything, including the rolled up bag, into my Think Tank Airport Takeoff roller. Wheel to location, put the 3 lenses in the bag, mount one to my camera, then start rock and rollin'.

I also sometimes use a carabiner on the strap to hook my water bottle onto.

In conclusion:

• Cheap
• Lightweight
• Made with thin materials
• Stitched together well
• Slightly flimsy buckles
• No shoulder pad
• Great minimalistic no-fuss design
• Holds a lot of gear if you want it to
• Great as a lens carrier (like a shootsac)
• Easily replaceable because of the cost
• Compressible and roll-able, perfect for putting into a bigger bag

I love the bag, and I hope this review helps you

I shall be happy to answer any questions you may have.

G'day,
Zexun

[Poseidon]

Nice and comprehensive review!

[Zman]

Thanks! It really is a great bag (:

[Poseidon]

Great bag, great review; so it gets promoted to a great article!!

[willbegood]

Yes this is a great bag for not so heavy duty photoshoots. I got mine from CP Peninsula for $80.
I could have bought two at CP Marina...Ugh..

[Poseidon]

Wah how come a 100% difference in price?? 1 for the price of 2???

[Zman]

S$80?! They totally ripped you off there!

[Poseidon]

What's the usual price of one?

[Zman]

Usually S$33, ya?

[kerpalz]

now is $80 or $33??

[Archie]

Maybe should call CP for an update to find out.

[kerpalz]

okie man!~ will pop by later today!~ will update later!~~

[davey]

Hi Folks
Believe it or not the price in the uk is £49 GBP,so I have bought it from Israel for £23 GBP.
Excellent review
Davey

[Zman]

Hi Folks
Believe it or not the price in the uk is £49 GBP,so I have bought it from Israel for £23 GBP.
Excellent review
Davey

Wow, that's a heck of a lot more than what I paid for!