Camera bag companies make a lot of promises on durability. But, as someone who once ruined a MacBook testing a Kickstarter waterproof camera bag, I’ve long been wary of such claims. Colfax Design Works isn’t making glib promises on its new lumbar pack, however — the Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar pack is backed up with an IPX7 rating. Still, you know what they say about fooling someone twice. I swapped out my camera for a rock before tossing this tech bag into the lake. But not only was the interior completely dry, but the bag also floated too.
The waterproofing and easy access has made the Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar pack my go-to pack of my summer spent lakeside. The bag has accompanied me on hikes as well as easing some of my anxiety about bringing a camera aboard a boat. My only regret is that Colfax didn’t devote quite as much attention to detail on the straps, leaving them non-padded.
Table of Contents
The Big Picture
The Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar Pack is a tech bag, not a camera bag — which means photographers must buy a separate camera insert. However, the rare IPX7 rating will be enough for some photographers to overlook that inconvenience — particularly photographers working from a boat or kayak or perhaps hiking through rivers or downpours. The lumbar pack is about the size of half a backpack but roomy enough for a body and two or three lenses. The built-in sleeve will also hold a tablet or laptop up to 13 inches. The waist strap makes it easy to swap lenses by simply swinging the bag to the front. And there are even some external straps for latching onto a small tripod or jacket.
The TOAD’s IPX7 waterproofing is rare — but photographers that don’t spend too much time adventuring near water may want to skip the bag and opt for one with padded straps and extra pockets. The straps are just nylon webbing without padding. The waist belt keeps the weight well distributed, but on long hikes, I wished for a bit of extra padding. For the most versatility, this bag will be best paired with both a camera insert and a pouch for stashing smaller accessories like memory cards and extra batteries.
I’m giving the Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar Pack four out of five stars.
Pros
- Quick lens swaps using the waist belt
- The waist belt distributes weight to the hips rather than the back and shoulders.
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- It floats!
- Multiple carry options
- Built-in 13’ laptop sleeve
- External latch straps
Cons
- Shoulder straps are unpadded
- Lacks smaller pockets
- Material has a tendency to pick up some white marks
- The camera insert is not included
Gear Used
I used the Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar Pack with a spare camera insert I had lying around (There’s no tag on it, so I don’t recall the brand). I stashed the Canon R3, 70-200mm f4 lens, and 28mm f2.8 lens inside and used the laptop sleeve for my iPad.
Innovations
The lumbar pack, which is half of a backpack, is relatively unique in and of itself. But the big feature here is that Colfax says this tech bag is entirely submersible. But, many companies have said that their bags were waterproof — Colfax is backing it up with an IPX7 rating.
Ergonomics
A lumbar pack is like the bottom half of a backpack. That makes the Colfax TOAD a smaller bag similar to a messenger bag. But, unlike a messenger bag, the strap design means you can carry it over one shoulder or both, and there’s also a weight belt to better distribute the weight.
The TOAD is a tech bag and not necessarily a camera bag — photographers will need to pair it with a camera insert around five inches deep and 12 inches long. I pulled out an insert from a smaller messenger bag, and it fit inside the bag great. Without adding an insert, the bag has a padded laptop sleeve designed for a 13-inch laptop. Both sides have an elastic strap designed to keep a water bottle or similarly-sized item upright. Inside, the bag has roughly 13 liters of space.
The TOAD has just one large pocket — there are no smaller pockets outside. But, there are a few latch points. There are two elastic ties on the front by the front grab handle. Two velcro straps on the bottom can hold a rolled-up jacket or a smaller tripod.
The Colfax TOAD has two carry options by interchanging the two straps that come with it. The single strap loops around the top of the bag and can carry the bag over one shoulder, similar to a messenger bag. The second strap option crisscrosses, allowing it to be worn as a backpack around both shoulders. This carry option includes a chest strap, which easily slides up or down to adjust the placement. Both strap options, however, don’t have padding — they are just basic nylon strips. The back of the bag has some ventilated padding, which also hides the strap attachment points.
With either strap option, two waist straps help shift the weight to the hips rather than the back. These straps can also be worn independently without the top strap, sort of like a reverse fanny pack (but way cooler).
Build Quality
I swapped the camera out for a rock (just in case) and tucked a paper towel in the bag so I could easily see if any moisture had made its way inside. Then, I dropped it in the lake. I could immediately tell that the bag was watertight because even the air couldn’t escape the bag, which made the bag float. That was a huge relief because if I take this bag in my kayak and flip over, the bag isn’t going to sink to the bottom of the lake.
Once there was no more moisture sitting on top of the zipper to snake its way in upon opening, I unzipped the bag. The inside was completely dry. I wasn’t sure if the floatation was because the rock could have been lighter than the camera gear, so once I was sure that the bag was watertight, I dropped it in the lake with the R3, 70-200mm f4 lens and 28mm lens inside. The bag still floated. (And the R3 and lenses were dry.)
The exterior is made with Cordura that’s water sealed. Besides keeping the inside dry, this material also seemed to dry quick. I did, however, notice the material has a tendency to pick up some white marks that are difficult to rub out. The nylon straps didn’t dry as quickly, so beware that if this bag does take a swim, you’ll be dealing with wet straps and, therefore, wet clothes for a while.
The bag’s zipper is a large, clunky water-sealed affair. Like other water-tight zippers, the bag doesn’t open quite as smoothly as a standard zipper. The zipper has a large notch that it rests in when fully closed, so it’s easy to see if the bag is fully sealed. Still, I’d recommend triple checking that the zipper is in place before venturing near the water.
Comfort and Ease of Use
Most camera bags don’t need instructions, but as a lumbar pack, this bag was a little trickier. I had to look at the pictures online to figure out how the second strap was attached. Once I determined how to swap out the straps, though, using the bag was quick and easy.
I love backpacks with waist straps because many allow you to access gear without pulling the whole bag off. The TOAD has that same versatility. You can pull off the shoulder straps, leaving the waist strap intact, swing the bag around to the front, swap the lens, and swing it back around without taking the bag off. This is great for fast lens swaps.
Of course, as much as I love waist straps, I know many photographers out there hate them. If this describes you, those waist straps can be removed. However, this will put more weight on those unpadded shoulder straps.
The straps, both the single strap and the interchangeable backpack straps, are basic nylon strips. There’s no padding of any sort on the straps. The waist strap and the fact that this bag is a smaller half backpack help some. But when I wore the single strap plus the waist strap with the Canon R3 and 70-200mm lens inside for a few hours, I did wish for more padding. Even a removable shoulder pad to slide on would have increased the comfort level, taking this from a four-star to a five-star bag. I wish that, for a $300 plus bag, the company would have spent the same devotion to the straps as the main part of the pack.
Who Should Buy It?
If you shoot from a boat or hike through rivers, buy the Colfax TOAD Dry Lumbar Pack. If properly zipped, the bag will keep your gear dry and float on the water for a while. That protection is worth the cost of the bag itself. But, the waist belt also makes the bag quick to access.
While I love the Colfax TOAD and would happily buy it as my kayak bag, I wouldn’t choose it for my everyday gear bag. (Unless of course, my every day included water.) The straps aren’t padded, and there are no smaller pockets for filters or SD cards. The only thing that makes the bag worth its price tag is that waterproof rating — there are more comfortable, more organized options if your gear won’t venture near a body of water.
Tech Specs
Colfax Design Works lists the following specifications for the TOAD Dry Lumbar Pack:
- Size: 13 Liters
- Weight: 27.2 oz | 1.7 lbs | 0.77 kg
- Dimensions: 13″ x 12″ x 5″ in | 33 x 30.5 x 13 cm
- Materials: 500d Cordura© with waterproof coating, Mill-spec webbing, Ykk AquaSeal© zipper, ITW mil-spec hardware
The Phoblographer may receive affiliate compensation for products purchased using links in this blog posted.