Last Updated on 12/20/2018 by Mark Beckenbach
Weather sealed camera bags add peace of mind for when you to brave the elements with your gear.
We always talk about weather sealed lenses and weather sealed camera bodies, but what about weather sealed camera bags? Having a camera bag that can withstand the elements is a wonderful thing, especially if some of the gear you carry doesn’t have that luxury. In this round-up we’re going to look at three weather sealed camera bags with amazing build quality, can withstand whatever Mother Nature throws at them, and that are under $200!
You really don’t have to spend a ton of money to get amazing gear these days; these three camera bags are proof. All of them will keep your gear toasty, protected, and most importantly dry this winter. The weather this time of year can change in a heartbeat. You just never know when mother nature will drop inches of snow or rain on you, or if she’ll kick the wind up a notch to blow around all kinds of debris and dirt. With these bags you won’t have to worry about any of that.
The great thing is that with a weather sealed bag you can be safe in the knowledge that your expensive equipment is going to be just fine. Lets take a look at three weather sealed camera bags that will seriously impress you.
Portage Supply Mariner Messenger Bag
The term ‘bang for your buck’ gets thrown around a lot these days, but when we say that the Portage Supply Mariner is one of the best ‘bang for your buck’ camera bags on the market, we really mean it. This bag just shouldn’t be as good as it is at this price point. In fact, our editor in-chief said its the most comfortable messenger bag he has ever used, and he’s used a lot of bags!
In our review we said:
“During my testing, I took the Portage Supply Mariner Messenger Bag out into the rain and along on commute after commute. The contents inside held up just fine and the straps also didn’t suffer any problems at all.”
What makes this bag so special? Well, it matches the number one criteria for camera bags in this article; it’s weather proof. When we were testing this bag we took it out into the pouring rain and the bag shrugged it off like it was no big deal. The inside of the bag stayed totally dry, and the gear was never in any danger of becoming wet.
The Portage Supply Mariner is made out waxed canvas, leather straps, and has beautiful antique brass accents. It’s simply gorgeous to look at, and in all honesty it looks far more expensive than it is. This camera bag has enough space for your camera, a couple of good size lenses, a 15-inch laptop or large tablet, and various small accessories that can be housed in two front pockets which are located under the main flap.
The inside of the bag is completely customizable. The dividers are well padded and secured into place with velcro. This makes it very easy to make the bag fit your gear. One unique feature of this bag is the strap. There is a shoulder pad which is comfortable enough by itself, but when you wear the bag on your right shoulder to your left hip, the strap will double up on itself and provide even more padding. It makes it one of the most comfortable messenger bags around.
If you don’t want to spend a fortune on a well made, weather sealed camera bag, and you don’t need to carry a ton of gear around, you simply cannot go wrong with the Portage Supply Mariner.
Buy now ($109.99): Amazon
Portage Supply Mariner Messenger Bag Product Shots
Pro Tip: As we head into the cold, wet months of winter it’s always worth keeping some weatherproof camera and lens covers in your bag. There’s nothing wrong with adding extra layers of protection to your gear, even if it is weather sealed.
Tenba DNA 15 Backpack
Tenba has been making quality, affordable bags for a long time, and the Tenba DNA 15 Backpack is just another fine example of their work. The great thing about the DNA 15 is that you can make the bag as large or small (to a point) as you would like because of its unique roll top design. This is also another camera bag that can withstand the harshest of weather.
In our review we said:
“The Tenba DNA 15 Backpack has been with me through heavy snows in Canada, heavy snows in NYC, rain in NYC, airports, airplanes, subways, and on hikes. I’m amazed at how durable it is.”
The Tenba DNA 15 is really a jack of all trades. There’s plenty of room for a Mirrorless or DLSR camera and a whopping four to six lenses in the main compartment. The top of the bag, when rolled open, reveals a deep storage area that’s perfect for a change of clothes, a drone, or large lighting gear such as a rechargeable monolight. Inside this compartment you’ll also find a padded sleeve for a 15-inch laptop or large tablet. You can certainly carry a lot of gear around with you, and the great thing is that, unless you strap a tripod to the side, people really won’t know that you are carrying thousands of dollars worth of camera gear with you.
The bag is of course weather sealed, and it does a fantastic job of keeping everything dry thanks to a 600 denier helix treated with a water repellent. We used this bag in heavy snow, torrential rains, blustering winds, and have banged it around on planes and the subway system; it still looks like new. The Tenba DNA 15 is a really comfortable bag too. The straps are generously padded, the chest and waist straps keep the bag tight against your body, and when positioned just right the lumbar support built into the bottom of the bag feels really nice.
This is another one of our favorite camera bags for good reason. It will suit city dwellers just as much as it will suit those who like to hit the trails. It’s well built, holds a ton of gear, and when out in the elements it will turn to you and say, “You call that a storm?” (Well maybe not, but you get our point.) We definitely recommend you check out the DNA 15 from Tenba if you like backpack style camera bags.
Buy now ($198): Amazon
Tenba DNA 15 Backpack Product Images
Pro Tip: If you plan on shooting out in the snow, rain, and blowing winds it would be wise to keep a basic lens cleaning kit in your camera bag so you can wipe away those pesky snow flakes, rain drops, and pieces of dirt that land on your glass.
Oliday Journeyman
The Oliday Journeyman is just one of those camera bags that will leave a lasting impression on you for all the right reasons. This affordable leather and canvas bag not only looks stunning, it can hold plenty of gear, and it’s built to withstand just about anything thrown at it. Like the Portage Supply Mariner listed above, the Journeyman will have you asking how Oliday can create a bag this good, and sell it at such a low price.
In our review we said:
“I’ve taken the Oliday Journeyman in the rain, snow, hail, sleet, on the subways, in airplanes, into the desert; it’s been everywhere with me and I always enjoy how durable it is. Nothing has fallen apart and it continues to accumulate wear but always holds up. At such a great price point, I’m shocked it has survived this much abuse.”
The Journeyman is a hybrid bag of sorts. You can put your DSLR or Mirrorless camera in the bag along with five to six lenses, various accessories and trinkets, and it can hold a tripod. On the flip side of the coin the Journeyman can be turned into a regular weekender backpack capable of carrying a ton of clothes when you remove all of the dividers that would normally hold your camera gear.
This camera bag is made out of heavy duty 14 oz cotton and 100% full grain leather. The canvas is coated with a polyurethane on the inner side to make it resistant to rain and snow. You’ll find solid brass accents and hardware on the bag which give it a classic look, while the soft leather feels really nice to the touch. This bag looks and feels like one that should cost twice as much, if not more.
The main compartment is secured by two magnetic straps. When unfastened you’ll be able to open the top of the bag, and then you’ll see the generously padded interior where you can place your camera, lenses, and other fragile gear. As soon as you see the inside design of this bag you’ll be able to tell it was designed to be well sealed. There’s a padded sleeve where you can house a 15-inch laptop, and on the sides you’ll find two pockets where you can keep various small items. There’s no shortage of storage here.
The bag is really comfortable to carry around thanks to the padded shoulder straps, and the padded back. There is also a waist strap that you use to keep the bag tight against your body. When it comes to the weather sealing this bag is stellar. We tested it in rain, sleet, hail, and snow. We beat it around on the subway system, and shoved it in overhead compartments on planes, and the bag is still as strong and sturdy as it was on day one. This is another fantastic option when it comes to weather sealed camera bags thanks to its copious amounts of storage, and its durability.
Buy now ($155): Amazon
Oliday Journeyman Product Images