As a professional outdoor photographer, I often find myself struggling with generic gear and trying to retrofit gear for a task that it was not originally intended. Carrying photography gear is one of those cumbersome endeavors. There are a handful of great bags for adventure photographers on the market for carrying photo gear, however I find most of them don't quite suit my needs Here at MtnRanks, we like to call ourselves operators. When we are out in the element of our activities, especially when we are in work mode (shooting or filming for the Ranks), we operate. We don't consciously think about the task at hand, we simply go do what we have practiced over and over for years previous. Through extremely rigorous training, Special Operations groups like Seal Team 6 for example have bridged the gap between thinking, analyzing, and doing, so that they simply react to the situation at hand. Part of what enables these forces to operate so effectively, are the tools and weapons at their disposal that they can use with their eyes closed.

I have taken the same approach with my photography, seeking out gear and bags that are reliable and can be trusted in the elements, at a moments notice. This allows me to focus on the task at hand, instead of being pulled away by unnecessary distractions, like failing gear.There is no professional level fly fishing pack on the market for photographers, so I set out to find a bag that would best cater to my photo - and fishing - needs. I like to say that "Chance favors a prepared mind" and being prepared for those epic moments from Mother Nature will help you land the photographs that only happen once in a lifetime. This is hands down the best compromise pack for fishing and photo gear that I have used. It has plenty of room to house a pro DSLR and a large lens.and allows me to carry a Nikon D3S and a Nikkor 80-200mm lens at all times. It also has a roll top waterproof closure, so this pack can protect your gear from those unexpected times you go swimming in the river. It also boasts a large shoulder strap which can easily be changed from one side to the other and helps evenly distribute the weight of a fully loaded pack.

The Tongass 650 also has a rod and reel holder on both sides of the pack that work astonishingly well, while still allowing main pocket (and camera) access. This is great when you are mid-river in the Green and want to whip out the camera to GTS (get the shot) your buddy landing a big Brown Trout.A few downsides of this pack, I wish it had a few more pockets, and maybe some external straps to attach some extra fishing accessories. spurling backpackAlthough the main pocket is big enough to fit a jacket and food along with your camera, it will be tough to quickly remove the camera quickly. swissgear laptop backpack sherpaAnd when the action is happening on the river, slow doesn't cut it when you're trying to GTS.pakhuis oost backpack

This pack is great for quick missions. You can't fit a lot of stuff in it but, but for shorter missions it works relatively well. The water bottle holder in this pack holds my 80-200mm Nikkor lens no problem (note: this pocket is NOT waterproof). I can also fit my pro body DSLR with a wide angle lens, though it's not ideal. If you are shooting with a mirrorless or a regular size DSLR, you shouldn't have any problems. My only real gripe about this pack is it only works on one shoulder, the right one. irfu backpackSo you can't switch the pack between shoulders. dunder mifflin backpackThis pack is just huge, allowing you to fit almost anything you would need while on the river. jansport backpack moaIt has plenty of pockets and straps and the main compartment fits a pro body DSLR with wide angle lens.

Unfortunately there isn't quite enough room for a long lens, and the pack has a small shoulder strap that can become bothersome during long days.Lastly, the main zipper can be a little temperamental with the added weight of a camera, however with a little fiddling it still gets the job done.You may have noticed that none of these are backpacks, and there is a reason for this. It is much harder to get in and out of backpacks mid-river. Waist packs are better work stations on the water, and you are less likely to drop anything while working in a waist pack. Hope this helps anyone out there looking for the best options to capture the moments on the water. Have a favorite pack of your own that you carry your gear in? Packrafting the Ivishak River: Day 5 of 7 Ketchikan, Alaska - The Pennock Island Challenge, an eight-mile benefit swim around Pennock Island, will take place on August 28th to raise awareness and funds for American Diabetes research. Twenty-four swimmers are scheduled to take part in the benefit

event that begins at the Pennock reef marker. travel down the west channel around the southern end of Pennock and up the east Tongass Channel. According to information provided by the Pennock Island Challenge website, the course is sheltered from large surf except at the first turn on the southern end where the Tongass Narrows meets Nichols Passage. Leaving the world behind in the first leg of the benefit swim, participants will swim down the west channel of the Tongass Narrows. Swimmers and crew will later have a fantastic view of Ketchikan's waterfront, scenic Deer Mountain and Pennock Island's rugged coast as they move up the east channel. Solo swimmers will swim the entire eight miles. and two-person teams with individual escort boats trade off swimmers after successive half-hour legs, then switch to ten-minute legs until the finish line is reached - which is estimated to be 3 to 5-hours later depending on a variety of factors.

Debby Spence and Chris Wilhelm Cheryl Elliott and Jennifer Castle Don Mitchel, Mike Elerding, Fred Jorgensen, and Bill Elberson Larry Pullin, Greg Stryk, Glyn Seaberg, and Mike Spence To raise funds for American Diabetes Research, raffle tickets were sold for the event. grand-prize winner of the raffle will receive two Alaska Airline Sponsors of the swim benefit are Ketchikan General Hospital, the Northwest Cruise ship Association, The Landing, Gilmore Hotel, Food Services of America, Madison Lumber & Hardware, Wells Fargo, First Bank, Rainforest Web Design, Cape Fox Lodge, E.C. at the Dock, Eagles Club, Ketchikan Ready-Mix and Quarry, Southeast Sea Kayaks, Alaskan Aquamarine Experience, Southeast Aviation, and Southeast Alaska Pilots' Association. Donations for the raffle were contributed by TYR Sports (60 pairs of goggles), Adolph Kiefer & Associates (Kiefer backpack and towel), Southeast Aviation