Brenthaven Shimmies into Photography Bag Market
Brenthaven is not a brand that photographers might think of when shopping for their next camera pack. I personally use Lowepro, but I know that Kata, ThinkTank, and InCase are all quite popular. Now Brenthaven, who is more known for media bag accessories for products like the iPhone and iPad, is trying to shimmy their way into this tight market with their new BX2 line.
Brenthaven has a “proprietary extreme foam protection technology” that they claim offers an extremely high degree of shock absorption and dispersion, which provides “unparalleled drop and impact protection.”
The BX2 Collection of camera bags features various styles and designs from over the shoulder cases, to high capacity backpacks and messenger bags that fit both laptops and DSLR cameras. The cases are made with a “durable and water resistant exterior body material that stays cool in direct sunlight during a long shoot.” Much like other successful bags on the market, BX2 bags include pull out rain covers, tethered LED lights, anti-abrasion materials, thoughtful organization, and quick access water resistant top zippers for easy access to gear.
All the bags come with a lifetime guarantee, which is pretty nifty if you put your bags under a lot of stress.
Brenthaven also claims that the bags were all developed along side professional photographers, which allowed them to ascertain real world needs.
I am interested to see if this collection takes off and how well it is able to compete with industry leaders like Lowepro and Kata. And Manfrotto has even recently entered the bag market, making the competition even stiffer. Bags are easy for photographers to classify as a “commodity,” making brand management somewhat of a nightmare. It’s taken years for the big boys in the market to maintain the loyalty they currently have. How do you think a newcomer to the market will fare?
The Brenthaven BX2 Camera collection is now available for purchase from Brenthaven.com. The bags range in price from $39.95 to $179.95. For more information, visit the camera bag section of their website.
