F-Stop Tilopa BC Backpack

Before leaving for Japan, I tried getting a rain cover for the Tilopa, but the company was sold out. I was concerned, but the guys at F-Stop assured me the shell’s ripstop nylon would hold up just fine in snow.

They were right. The urethane coated 330D double-ripstop nylon kept the snow out and the pack itself light.

Once I loaded it with two 5d mark II’s, the EF 24-70mm/EF 16-35mm/70-200mm lenses, two 580 EX II flashes, two Gary Fong Lightsphere’s (Fonginators), light stand, tripod, batteries, and cards, however, it was heavy as hell. But despite the weight, the Tilopa was still pretty comfortable.

F-Stop Tilopa BC Backpack, Blister Gear Review
Ryan Heffernan with the F-Stop Tilopa BC, Niseko, Japan.

The Tilopa’s “Super-Duty EVA-padded hip belt” really did work, keeping the pack’s weight off my shoulders. Couple that with the aluminum frame, and the stabilizer/sternum straps, and the pack stayed pretty well glued to me, even while chasing the BLISTER crew through Niseko’s trees.

Another quality feature of the Tilopa is the Hypalon A-frame ski carry straps on the bottom sides of the pack. While these didn’t get much use in Niseko, they were a huge help during the many ridge hikes this season at Taos Ski Valley.

Tucking my skis into the straps and cinching them down freed both my hands, which made for a much easier boot pack to the ridge. It’s a sweet system—almost too sweet, as I occasionally got stuck schlepping extra pairs of skis for BLISTER maniacs to test.

For one final testing mission, I brought the Tilopa on a recent shoot in Nevis, in the British West Indies. It handled the Caribbean humidity, catamaran wave splashes, and light rains without issue. (Although I still wish I’d tracked down a rain hood, just for peace of mind) But the YKK® Aquaseal® zippers kept water from getting into the top of the pack, and the ripstop nylon kept the cameras safe.

As you can probably tell, I was impressed with the F-Stop Tilopa pack. It’s very well thought out and built for quality. Although not cheap, F-Stop spared no expense in designing a pack to protect gear from the elements.

Bottom line, the F-Stop Tilopa pack is pricey, but worth the cost. The size makes it a commitment to carry, but great for schlepping a full load, camera gear or otherwise. The only thing I would change would be to include or add a built-in rain cover just to ensure this pack is bullet proof in all conditions.

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