Review: SmallRig 25L backpack

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

SmallRig is known for its video accessories. Did you know that SmallRig also makes a camera backpack? I received the new 25L backpack for review. It is a special backpack with a lot of attention to detail. Camera bags come in all shapes and sizes. SmallRig is not the first brand that comes to mind when you think of a camera bag. Even so, this company has brought an interesting backpack to market. 

As the name suggests, it is a 25-litre backpack. This may not sound like much, but appearances can be deceptive. The backpack offers a sea of space, more than enough for most photographers. A distinctive feature of this backpack is its layout. You could compare it to a shelving unit, with shelves that have a raised edge so nothing falls off.

A lot of attention has been paid to carrying comfort. There is a wide, removable waist belt and a harness that can be adjusted properly.

Lots of pockets, zips and storage options

There are flaps on the sides with pockets. There is also an extra zip against your back for papers or documents, on both the left and right. There are extra pockets in the front compartment too.

The sides have room for a tripod or water bottle. Extra straps are included that can be attached to various loops. This also allows the tripod to hang from the bottom.

The backpack can withstand a light shower. The zips let little or no water through. A rain cover is included anyway. Do bear in mind that the SmallRig name is printed on it in very large, loud letters. The side pockets and top compartment have a small loop that you can pull the zip through. This makes it almost impossible to open the zip accidentally. It acts as a kind of security feature.

The zips for the main compartment have a handy plastic loop that makes opening easier. The clip that has to be opened before you can open the compartment itself is noticeable.  This clip provides extra protection against the backpack falling open accidentally. The shoulder straps are attached to the flap, rather than to the backpack itself.

Filling the backpack

The raised edges ensure that anything you place on the dividers does not fall out. This means you do not necessarily have to put the backpack down. Even so, it is more practical to do so. The raised edges do have a disadvantage. They make the opening very narrow. Putting equipment in or taking it out becomes a struggle. An object or camera certainly will not simply fit through the available opening.

The separate pockets and zips give you plenty of options for keeping track of the contents. Special pockets for batteries or memory cards are useful. The pockets for accessory parts also help keep things organised. Making use of all those special pockets can create limitations, though. The batteries are a good example. If you put them in the pockets, there is no longer room for a water bottle on the outside. 

You are of course not obliged to use the designated pockets and opening. It depends on your personal preferences and what equipment you take with you.

Conclusion

The materials are good quality and the zips run smoothly. The number of small pockets and zips gives you the option of dividing up loose accessories practically. It is useful that SmallRig includes three accessory pouches. You can use them in all sorts of ways, both inside and on the outside of the bag. Or on the waist belt, whether or not attached to the bag itself.

The front compartment has the popular roll-top design. A roll-top is intended to give a bag more capacity when needed. Unfortunately, that is not possible with this backpack. It is therefore more of a design choice than a practical one. You access the bag from the back. The entire back opens, giving you unlimited access to the contents. That is where you find the backpack's unique layout with the three horizontal dividers. There is a lot to be said for the design of the inside. It has advantages, but it limits how you can arrange the bag. You are required to use this horizontal layout.

There are separate dividers available to divide the space further. The biggest disadvantage is the limited space caused by the raised edges. This makes it more difficult to reach your equipment. SmallRig chose to attach the shoulder straps to the back flap. They are not attached to the bag. The zip is sturdy enough that this does not cause a problem, but I do not think it is the best choice.

There is one major advantage to attaching the harness to the back flap. This allows the back to open fully. It gives you unobstructed access to the contents. 

What I like

• Beautifully designed backpack
• Plenty of storage space, including for small accessories
• Sturdy dividers
• Good carrying comfort and a highly adjustable harness
• Large plastic loops for easily using the main compartment zip
• Back opens fully because the harness is attached to the back flap.
• Separate pouches included
• Removable waist belt that can also be used with a separate pouch
• Space for a smartphone 
• Lots of handles, at the top and sides, and a loop for the handle of a suitcase
• Can handle a light shower without the rain cover
• Special holder for a selfie stick
• The horizontal dividers can be removed, turning it into one large empty compartment

What I like less

• Limited flexibility when arranging the dividers
• Raised edges on the shelves limit the space
• Harness is attached to the opening flap rather than to the bag itself
• Size of the brand name on the rain cover
• Velcro on the separate pouches cannot be covered
• Safety clip on the main compartment zip is difficult to open
• Bottom of the bag has no handle
• Selfie stick holder is only suitable for small diameters
• Using the pockets in the side flaps can limit use of the bottle holder
• The roll-top on the front compartment offers no practical advantage

The SmallRig 25L backpack costs 209 euros. For this, you get a beautifully made, high-quality backpack that should last a long time and offers plenty of flexibility and options.  I thank SmallRig for providing the backpack.

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