In my search for the best camera bag for women, I was offered a Shimoda bag to review. I have not been told what to write and this is my honest opinion. I don’t accept freebies or payment in exchange for positive feedback. This post contains affiliate links which means I make a small commission for my hard work at no extra cost to you.
As every photographer knows, there’s no such thing as the perfect camera backpack.
They’re always too big or too small, they don’t have enough pockets, or the pockets aren’t the right type or they’re not in the right places. Sometimes they lack key features like tripod straps or water bottle holders. Often they’re the wrong shape and uncomfortable to carry.
No matter how hard I try, and how many camera backpacks I buy, looking for the best photography bag is like Goldilocks hunting for the perfect porridge.
But the good folk at Shimoda seem to be determined to rise to that challenge. They offered me the chance to try one of the new Shimoda women’s fit backpacks, to see if I might declare my search finally over.
I tried the backpack out during a week-long trip to Manitoba in Canada, which is where these photos were taken.
Why I wanted a new camera backpack
For the last few years I’ve been swapping between two camera bags:
Mindshift Gear Backlight 26L backpack. This is a good bag, but it’s not big enough for all my gear. Also the zips got salty and corroded a bit when I took it to Antarctica, and they’ve been sticky ever since (no matter how much WD-40 I spray on them).
Tamrac Anvil 23 backpack. This has been my go-to for a few years – it’s big enough to take two camera bodies, plus a couple of lenses and accessories, my laptop, and has plenty of extra pockets for other stuff. But it’s still not quite big enough to also add in my drone, plus it’s pretty old and beaten up now.
Which is why I was on the hunt for something new.
What would make the best camera bag for me
Here’s my wishlist for what, in my view, would make the best camera bag for women (including me!)
- Big enough to take all my gear, including two camera bodies, three lenses, my drone, and accessories
- Laptop pocket
- Tripod and water bottle pockets
- Plenty of side pockets for extra clothes, snacks and personal items
- Comfortable to carry
- Sturdy waist belt and hip support
- Compact enough to take on a plane
- A removable inner core so I can also use it as a regular daypack
- A nice colour and doesn’t look like a fancy camera bag
With a list this long, it’s no wonder I was having a hard time finding the best camera bag for me!
So does the Shimoda women’s camera bag tick all my boxes?
Shimoda backpacks summary
Shimoda Designs is a relatively new company, founded in 2017 by a couple of photographers who wanted to create the best photography backpack on the market.
Their camera backpacks are specifically designed for adventure, outdoor and travel photographers, and have been shaped, tested and redesigned based on feedback from real photographers.
They have a big range of both men’s and women’s backpacks, all adjustable and customisable, because they recognise that every photographer’s needs are different and there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all photography bag.
Shimoda women’s backpacks
The women’s backpacks are basically the same as the men’s but tweaked to fit a woman’s shape and frame.
The harness and straps are fully adjustable for different body shapes and sizes – whether you’re tall like me, petite, slimmer or curvier.
There are two styles:
- Shimoda Action X – this has a roll top for expandable storage and comes in 3 sizes: 25 litre, 30 L and the spacious 40 L.
- Shimoda Explore – this is slightly more compact with a zip top and comes in 25L and 30L.
In addition, all the packs come with a removable core unit – the structured and padded bit where you arrange your camera and lenses – so you can choose between a smaller core (leaving more bag space for clothes or other items) or a larger one (so you can pack more camera equipment).
Shimoda women’s backpacks: the stats
If you like numbers, here are the details on both bags:
Action X 40 L
- Weight: 6lb / 2.7kg
- Outside Dimensions (cm): 30W x 53H x 20D cm
- Inside Dimensions (cm): 29.5W x 52.5H x 19D cm
Explore 30 L
- Weight: 5.5lb / 2.5kg
- Outside Dimensions (cm): 29.5W x 51.5H x 17D cm
- Inside Dimensions (cm): 28.5W x 50.5H x 16D cm
I would take the Litre sizes with a pinch of salt. My Tamrac Anvil is said to be only 23L but was more spacious than the Explore 30L. It seems these measurements can vary quite a lot between brands!
Shimoda women’s fit backpacks: key features
Here’s a handy checklist of the main things you get with a Shimoda women’s camera bag:
- Choice of sizes
- Roll top or zip top
- Choice of removable inner core
- Women’s fit harness
- Adjustable torso height
- 2 laptop or tablet sleeves
- Removable and adjustable waist belt
- Mobile phone and accessory pockets
- Suits most airlines hand luggage rules
- Pull out and removable tripod / water bottle pouches
- Strong water-resistant fabric
- Sturdy zips
- Rain cover
- Pretty teal colour (my favourite!)
As you can see, this ticks all my camera bag requirements, so I was excited to try one out.
Shimoda Action X 40 v2 vs Shimoda Explore 30 v2
The first and most important decision I had to make was choosing which Shimoda bag to get.
The Action X and Explore bags mostly have the same features including the removable core and adjustable harness and most of the same pockets and straps.
The main difference is that the Action X has a roll top and comes in the 40L option, while the Explore is smaller and has a zip top. Having a roll top gives you an extra 7 litres of space when compared with the zip top of the Explore.
I’m not actually a fan of roll tops, so that did put me off slightly. I was also worried that there might be such a thing as too much capacity – if I have space I tend to fill it and end up with a stupidly heavy bag!
However, looking at the 30L Explore, I didn’t think it would be big enough to fit all my gear. If Shimoda did a 40L zip-top bag, I might have gone for that.
But they don’t, so I went with the Action X 40L. Conveniently this does also have a zip opening at the top as well, so I rarely used the roll-top, except when I needed to expand it to have the extra capacity.
I often carry two camera bodies and three lenses, so I need a fair bit of space. If you’re only carrying one camera and a couple of lenses, the smaller bag may be ideal for you.
Shimoda camera backpacks: core units
All the different Shimoda bags come with a structured core unit with removable inner dividers. This is the main bit of the bag where you put your cameras and lenses (and any other bits you have space for.
The dividers are stiff and padded, and fix in with strong Velcro strips, This means you can rearrange the core any way you like to suit your gear and how you like to organise it. You also get loads of spares so you can configure the space in dozens of ways.
The padding on the core unit is thinner and stiffer than on my other backpacks making it a little less easy to squish stuff in. But Shimoda say this is because they’ve slimmed the padding down so it still protects your gear while not adding any unnecessary weight.
The core that comes with the bag is quite small, probably enough to fit a body and maybe two lenses (depending which ones). That definitely wasn’t big enough for me, but if you stick with the small core, you get masses of extra space at the top of the bag for clothes, a packed lunch, and other stuff.
However you can also buy a larger core. The Explore bag is slightly shallower so it will take the Large Mirrorless core, while the Action X will take either the Large Mirrorless or the Large DSLR core – which is the same height and width but a little deeper.
I currently have the mirrorless core, but since I’m still using my Canon 5D IV which is a bit bigger, I think I’ll swap to the DSLR core. There isn’t really that much in it though.
You access your gear through the main ‘door’ – which is at the back of the bag and opens from right to left like a book. Or if you arrange the internal structure right you can also get at your gear through an opening on the side.
The core unit comes with its own zip-up protective cover, so you can store everything safely when not in the backpack, and you can also use this as a packing cube when you don’t need it for your gear.
Shimoda backpack capacity: What can I fit in it?
So here’s what I managed to pack in the core section of my new Shimoda Action X 40L on my trip to Manitoba, Canada.
- Canon R5 body
- Canon 5D Mark IV body
- RF 100-500 lens
- EF 24-70 lens plus adapter
- EF 16-35 lens
- Filters, charger, card reader, camera rain cover, memory cards, spare batteries
- 14 inch laptop (which slots in the back of the ‘door’).
All of that’s just in the core, leaving me plenty of space in the rest of the bag for clothes, cables, snacks, my notebook, sunglasses and other bits.
Carrying the Shimoda bag: harness
As a taller woman, I often find that women’s fit packs are too short for me. I ended up buying the men’s Osprey wheeled backpack for that reason.
But the Shimoda women’s bags solve that issue by having adjustable shoulder straps – there are three different attachments at the top (small, medium and large) and you can remove the straps and attach them to the one that best suits your height.
I am 5’8 (172 cm) with a long torso and I have mine set to large. That does mean that if you are a taller woman – maybe 5’10 or more, you should think about getting the men’s backpack instead as even the large setting may still be too short in the body for you.
The shoulder straps are curved around the chest area to fit more comfortably to a woman’s body shape. And in a surprise bonus, they have pockets for your phone, lens cloths, or other small things you want easily to hand without having to take the pack off.
There are also two sternum straps above and below the bust – not just one that sits uncomfortably in the middle like many standard camera bags.
Waist strap
Like the shoulder straps, the waist belt is designed for a woman’s shape and can be adjusted to fit, making sure you carry most of the weight on your hips.
It’s less thick and padded than the one on my Tamrac, but it has the advantage of being removable, so if it gets in the way (or you want to check the bag in on a plane), you can take it off. I found it comfortable, supportive, and easy to clip on and off.
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Pockets and other bits
As well as the core unit, the Shimoda Action X has tonnes of other pockets. I’m not even sure I’ve found them all yet!
There are:
- One large front pocket with an inner sleeve for a laptop up to 16 inches (but you can also put your laptop inside the ‘door’ of the main compartment).
- This front pocket also has several smaller inner pockets for arranging snacks, cables or whatever.
- Two side pockets; each one has a pull out pouch that you can use for your water bottle or the feet of your tripod. I put a water bottle on one side, and the other is great for attaching my Benro Cyanbird tripod.
- At the top there’s another large storage area which is accessed either by the zip or the roll top. Inside there are fabric dividers with more pockets, but you can unzip and remove this entirely if you want.
- There are also small pockets on the chest and waist straps.
- And if you need to carry more stuff, on the outside of the bag there are a bunch of straps, clips and loops for hooking and attaching other things.
- Tucked away in the bottom of the Shimoda camera bag there’s also a waterproof rain cover.
Strength and durability
Something I noticed from the get-go with Shimoda is that these bags are really well-made. The fabric is luxurious, thick and water-resistant. The zips have firmly-stitched fabric or leather pulls that definitely won’t come off like the ones on my Tamrac have.
The zips themselves are excellent quality, open and close super smoothly, and have little tabs at the opposite end to pull against when you close them – a tiny detail but something that really helps, especially when the pack is full and you’re having to tug to get it shut.
This is just one example of many extra details that Shimoda have added to their bags to make them one of the best photography backpacks on the market.
From the addition of a front pocket for your phone, to extra loops for clipping things on, pull-out tripod pounch and more, Shimoda bags are incredibly well-designed with loads of options.
Shimoda camera bag price
All these little additions add extra cost, of course, and you need to decide if they’re worth paying extra for.
Prices change all the time, and you can often get deals, so I won’t list prices in this post as they’ll likely be out of date in weeks. But you can check current prices here.
What I will say is that while Shimoda bags are a bit more expensive than some other bags, they’re not that much pricier than other good brands, and if you have the budget I’d say it’s worth paying a bit more for a bag that’s going to last a long time.
All Shimoda bags are covered by a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty that covers manufacturing defects and original materials.
Read more: 11 Ways To Make Money As A Travel Photographer
Shimoda action x 40l in the wild
I tested out my Shimoda female camera bag during a week-long wildlife photography trip to Riding Mountain National Park and Churchill in Manitoba, Canada. The trip involved a lot of wildlife spotting by bus, whale watching from two different boats and some short walks and tours.
Here are some observations about how the backpack performed:
- I found it comfortable to carry and easy to get on and off. All the zippers and clips performed well.
- There was loads of room for all my gear, even when the weather was unpredictable and I needed to carry extra jackets or waterproofs.
- However I found that the fabric of the inner top section pockets tended to slip down between the inner core and the wall of the bag, meaning that smaller items got lost in the cracks and I had to rummage a lot to find things. This might be solved by having the bigger DSLR core instead of the mirrorless core.
- I also missed having a couple of smaller outer front pockets for small things like lip balm, tissues, lens wipes or house keys that are easy to lose inside the main bag.
- It’s big. On buses it wouldn’t fit into overhead racks or underneath the seat in front of me. I nearly always needed to grab two seats or put the bag at the front of the bus or in the aisle.
- On larger planes it fits comfortably into overhead bins but it was a struggle on smaller planes. However this is also true of my old backpack and pretty standard if you carry a lot of gear!
- The fabric is very sturdy, water-resistant, and easy to wipe clean.
- I liked the small pockets on the harness for my phone and other small bits.
- The colour looks great and it definitely doesn’t look like a camera bag.
- I struggled a bit with the rear access. My Tamrac backpack opens at the front and I prefer this. With the rear ‘door’ you get more security but the straps and waist belt get in the way when you open it. This is obviously a matter of personal preference and something I’m sure I will get used to.
- I travel with two bodies, one fitted with a telephoto lens and one with a wide lens and I like to be able to swap them over all the time. However I did find that the rear access made reaching in to grab a different camera (or some other bit of gear) a bit more of a faff than with my front-access bag.
Shimoda backpack review: final verdict
So is the Shimoda Action X 40L the best camera backpack for women?
No bag is perfect, but overall I really like it. It’s well thought-out and has loads of options to customise it to suit my needs and preferences. It’s also extremely well-made and sturdy and I can see it lasting a long time.
I especially love that they’ve thought about women and made it a fit and colour that are more appealing to female photographers.
I think it’s a great choice for landscape and travel photographers and anyone who carries a lot of gear around in the Great Outdoors. With plenty of pockets and a rain cover, it will definitely be my go-to when I need to take both bodies, lenses and my drone, and I may need to hike some distance from the vehicle to the location.
However it is quite big, so if you don’t need to carry so much gear, I would recommend the 30L version, or the Shimoda Explore 30L or 25L instead.
Ready to buy the Shimoda backpack?
Picking the best camera backpack for you is a tough thing to do – as once you’ve taken it out into the field and got it all bashed and dirty you can’t return it!
But hopefully this review has helped you decide if Shimoda bags are the right camera backpacks for you. If you’re convinced, you can click the button below to buy!
If you’re in the UK you can also buy from Wex Photo Video – if you’re a new customer and you mention me (BELLA FALK) – you get £20 off your first purchase!
My favourite travel tools and brands
To help you organise your trip, here’s a short list of some of the brands and tools I use over and over again when I’m planning my travels. You can see more on my Travel Resources page.
- Booking.com: A huge range of hotels to choose from, often with free cancellation. If you book hotels regularly you can earn discounts. I’m on Genius Level 3 which gets me 20% off!
- Expedia: Another great place to find hotels and Expedia also sell flights, car hire, and loads more all in one place.
- Skyscanner: The only place I ever go to search for flights and compare prices.
- Flight Centre: Booking a more complicated route? Let Flight Centre organise it for you (and deal with the drama when something goes wrong).
- Priority Pass: I love having access to 1600+ airport lounges when I fly, allowing me to enjoy my time at the airport. Buy through my link and you get up to 20% off!
- Airalo: Say goodbye to ridiculous mobile roaming charges. Did you know you can now buy ane-SIM, install it in your phone before you leave home, and then use data abroad at local prices? Game changer. Get US$3 credit with code BELLA5735.
- TourRadar: If you prefer group travel and organised tours, TourRadar has a huge range of fantastic tours from respected operators. They’re very helpful and have 4.5 stars on TrustPilot.
- Viator: Part of the TripAdvisor brand, Viator is another great place to search for group adventures and day trips.
- GetYourGuide: A great place to find local tours and day trips in your destination.
- Wex Photo Video: The UK’s best camera gear store.
- Ellis Brigham: Looking for good quality backpacks, travel clothes and other gear? Ellis Brigham is where I buy almost all of mine.
- Rentalcars.com: Part of the Booking.com family and the world’s largest online car rental service, with 24/7 customer service.
- World Nomads Travel Insurance: I never ever travel without travel insurance and nor should you!
Where to next?
If you enjoyed this post, why not try some of my other reviews?
- Osprey Wheeled Backpack Review: The Farpoint Wheels 65
- Antler Luggage Review: The 3-Part Clifton Suitcase Set
- Antler Suitcase Review: The Bamburgh Wheeled Holdall
- Using The Canon R5 For Wildlife Photography: A Full Review
Or check out some of my travel and wildlife photography posts
- 60+ Awesome Antarctica Photography Tips
- 40 Safari Photography Tips For Stunning Wildlife Photos
- 19 Easy Wildlife Photography Tips For Beginners
- Travel Photography On The Road – My Photo Editing Workflow Tips
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