Fstoppers Reviews the Wotancraft Nomad Camera Backpack

Wotancraft’s new camera backpack gives you versatility and camera storage without looking like a camera bag.

When looking for a great travel camera bag, one of the main things people look for is that it doesn’t look like it's holding a ton of expensive camera gear. Wotancraft did just that with the new Nomad backpack. They also gave hidden tripod mounts and hidden access to all the goods. So, even if you are loaded down with everything you need, you can still fly under the radar. 

Main Features

The main element that makes the Nomad so great is the sleek exterior design that still gives you easy access to your gear. They do this by using a flap on the left and right side of the camera bag. Not only do these flaps hide the main access points of the bag, but they also hide a water bottle and tripod holder.

These flaps also have pockets inside them, allowing you to place cables and other accessories within each flap. The only thing to be wary of is that each flap is held into place with a quarter-sized magnet. So, if you place items of significant weight within the flaps, the magnets won’t be strong enough to hold the flap in place, causing it to flop around as you walk down the street.

Inside the bag, you’ll find one main compartment, along with a top compartment that is expandable. The main compartment can be accessed from both the left and right sides. This allows you to access your gear from whatever side is most comfortable. Or, you can use the dividers to separate the main compartment into a left and right side. I find this to be my preference. I have the right side for camera bodies and the left side for lenses. While shooting a motocross race, though, I needed to carry a much larger lens (the Sony 100-400mm G Master), and I was able to easily modify the dividers to hold the larger kit along with the rest of my gear.  

The main housing was also designed with vloggers in mind and is designed to hold a camera while attached to the Gorilla pod or hand gimbal. This gives vloggers easy access when traveling if they don’t want to hand-carry their kit setup, but still need quick access.

The upper compartment is a roll-top design that allows you to either access the main compartment, or when fully unrolled, you can add an extra 5 L of storage space. This is a great way to add in extra items you pick up while out exploring or a way to pack some clothes for shorter trips. There is also a nice adjustable front strap that allows you to keep everything tight and secure no matter the configuration you choose. 

The Details 

The bag also hosts an assortment of fine details that make use and customization so much easier to manage. One of the main details that stand above the rest is the use of internal aluminum bars that help the main pockets maintain their shape. Normally, when you try and access a side zipper while the bag is on your shoulder, the twisting of the bag causes the zippers to become harder to open and close. But the internal bars help the pockets maintain their shape to allow the pockets to easily open and close, no matter how the bag is being held. 

The bag also has very comfortable waist straps that are also removable. So, if the bag is fully loaded and heavy, you have the ability to transfer some of that weight off your shoulders and onto your hips. If you have the bag somewhat light and manageable, you can remove these waist straps and leave them at home. These waist straps also have pockets so they can serve multiple purposes. 

Aside from the main compartments, there are also a number of somewhat hidden pockets that give you a number of options for storing gear. The internal lining of the bag also allows you to attach dividers wherever you want instead of being locked into predefined patterns. Lastly, the bag is rated for a 13-inch laptop, but I was able to fit my 15-inch Dell XPS without too much hassle. 

What I Liked

• Easy access  
• Tons of compartments and customization options
• Doesn’t look like a camera bag
• Super comfortable 

What I Didn’t Like

• I wish the magnets on the flaps were stronger
• I wish the flap section was removable, but they can at least be tucked into the bag when not in use or needed. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, the Wotancraft Nomad is a great traveling camera backpack. It has a ton of storage options with lots of customization. It also gets bonus points for not actually looking like a camera bag and using that design aspect to give users more options.