Last Updated on 01/28/2013 by Abram Goglanian
Think Tank just recently launched a new line of bags called the Sub Urban Disguise which is designed to be a very small option for carrying either mirrorless / compact systems or a regular sized DSLR with 1-2 lenses. I’ve had the bag in hand for a couple of days now with the intent to use it for carrying an extra lens or two when I want to go out shooting with the lightest possible kit. I will be going over the details of the bag in this impressions post as well as share some opinions, but the rest will come with the full review in the near future when I’ve had some more time to break the bag in. For now, let’s take a first look at the Think Tank Sub Urban Disguise 10.
Tech Specs
Copied from Think Tank’s Product Page
Exterior Dimensions: 10.5” x 8.5” x 7” (26.7 x 21.6 x 17.8 cm) (W x H x D)
Interior Dimensions: 8.8” x 7.4” x 5” (22.4 x 18.8 x 12.7 cm) (W x H x D)
Maximum Weight (with all accessories): 1.4lb (0.6kg)
Minimum Weight: 1.2lb (0.5kg)
Main Features
- Flip-top lid folds away from your body providing quick and unencumbered access to gear
- High quality materials, extra pockets, premium metal clips and hardware, YKK zippers
- Clean styling does not look like traditional camera bag
- Holds a standard-size DSLR with 2 – 3 small telephotos or primes. 24 – 70 f/2.8 detached
- Great for Strobists! Fits 3 pro-size flashes with room for radio triggers/receivers
Ergonomics
The Sub Urban Disguise 10 is a nicely constructed bag which is up to Think Tank’s usual high standards. It is a small bag overall and zips up nice and tight.
On either side of the bag there are slim mesh pouches which you could use to store smaller items . They are pretty snug so you can’t really fit bulky items in there.
Just like the sides of the bag, the rear has a slim pouch where you can fit papers, tickets, passports, or other slim items.
The strap is connected by a nice sturdy metal ring despite how thin the strap actually is.
The shoulder pad is pretty thin and not heavily padded, but for a bag this light I don’t think that is going to be a problem.
In the front flap there is an organizer pocket hidden behind a zipper, this can be useful for business cards, pens, memory cards or other items.
Underneath the front flap is another expandable pocket which also contains the included rain cover. Yes, even these little and relatively inexpensive bags still include the rain covers!
The main compartment is closed by a zipper which runs along the top, this keeps the entire bag sealed up but is not as quick to access as a typical bag with a velcro closure.
Once you open the main compartment there is another velcro pouch which is perfect for batteries or other similarly sized items.
Inside the main compartment there is enough space realistically for a camera body and a lens or two. This entirely depends on how large the lenses are. With this setup you can see my 5DmkII with a 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens attached to the side underneath the memory card wallet is my 20mm f/2.8 which you can see in the image below.
You can see there is still plenty of room for decent sized lens depending on how you configure the dividers.
Build Quality
Think Tank knows how to make quality products. There’s no question about that and this little bag is no exception. It seems to be just as well constructed as their other bags, though only time will tell how well it will hold up. I will report back after I’ve spent some time with the bag.
First Impressions
I was interested in having a small shoulder bag which could carry a couple lenses on the days I just want to carry my camera on my shoulder and a lens or two in the bag. The size is just right for this purpose, but I have two reservations about the bag.
- The strap length could stand to be a little longer, on all of my Think Tank shoulder bags I am able to wear them across my chest very easily with strap to spare. On the SUD10 with the strap extended all the way the bag rides at about the middle of my torso when across my chest in a very strange spot. It’s fine off one shoulder so I can adjust to that I suppose.
- The other concern is that the padding is pretty thick, this makes the bag essentially a very rigid shape and doesn’t have much pliability like the retrospective or citywalker bags do. I completely understand the reasoning behind this as it is for travel safety, but I want something with relatively minimal padding to be honest, just a soft bag to hang off my shoulder. I may try to modify it by cutting out the internal foam pads on the sides to soften it up. Maybe
Overall I think it’s a neat little bag for carrying a light load. I will check in with you all after I’ve had a chance to spend some time with the bag and see if it softens up with some use.
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