WANDRD FERNWEH Backpack Review – TravelFreak

I used to be uninterested in attempting to suit all of my digital camera gear into my backpacking bag and never with the ability to work out an environment friendly system that was simple to prepare and saved my package protected.

I’ve been backpacking for years, and I started journey images as a technique to improve my outside expertise via this artwork kind. One of my greatest gripes all through the years was not with the ability to match all my essential gear securely in my mountain climbing backpacks—at all times risking harm or loss and by no means having quick access to all my digital camera gear.

The WANDRD FERNWEH Backpacking Bag goals to fill a unique area of interest from most different digital camera backpacks. This is the kind of backpack for the aspiring Nat Geo professional who wants to have the ability to sort out the weather and shoulder loads of journey and images gear with out sacrificing consolation, performance, or gear entry.

Robust, multifunctional, and filled with distinctive options—like a hidden passport pocket, exterior sleeping bag holder, and velcro straps to safe all of your package—it’s turn into a mainstay in our shoot wardrobe. Plus, it is available in a traditional modern black colour, with a tan possibility as properly.

I hope this WANDRD FERNWEH evaluation helps different photographers have a smoother backpacking expertise when bringing alongside their cameras. In this evaluation, I’ll information you thru every facet of the bag—what I like and what I don’t—and the way it performs within the outdoor.

WANDRD FERNWEH Backpack Review Summary

The 50L FERNWEH Backpacking Bag is a spacious, thoughtfully designed mountain climbing backpack for photographers who have to carry their images gear out within the wilderness with them. 

It’s constructed for multi-day tenting journeys and options a big important compartment that may carry your digital camera gear, clothes, and tenting gear. It additionally has exterior house for a sleeping pad or bag, and further storage within the waist belt and sternum straps.

WANDRD has lengthy been an business chief for the journey images area of interest, and it’s no shock they’ve been capable of excellent the FERNWEH Backpack. This digital camera backpack was Kickstarter-funded, and rapidly gained the help and reward of the outside neighborhood.

Since its success on Kickstarter, this bag has managed to climb to the highest of photographers’ lists of important gear for his or her adventures.

This bag evaluation will provide you with the whole breakdown of the WANDRD FERNWEH Backpacking Bag!

Capacity	50L
Materials	Waterproof Tarpaulin and Robic 1680D Ballistic Nylon. Weather Resistant Zippers.
Dimensions	S/M: 25” X 13.75” X 9.5” (63.5 X 34.9 X 24.1 CM) M/L: 26” X 13.75“ X 9.5” (66 X 34.9 X 24.1 CM)
Weight	5 lbs

The WANDRD FERNWEH Backpack: Who Is It Best For?

Before diving into the backpack evaluation, let’s be certain that the FERNWEH bag is match for you and your wants.

For years, backpackers have had to select: prioritize packing their digital camera package and double up on backpacks to make it work, or depart issues behind to suit it multi functional bag. 

The WANDRD FERNWEH goals to discover a glad center floor—providing the group to securely pack and simply entry images gear whereas sustaining house for all essential tenting gear, clothes, and toiletries.

Unlike different backpacks available on the market, the WANDRD FERNWEH prioritizes photographers’ wants. It has optimized obtainable house to make sure you’ll have the ability to carry all of the gear you want whereas summiting peaks and crossing desert landscapes.

The FERNWEH Backpack is for the avid journey photographer who doesn’t need to compromise on house or group of their package, and desires a well-made, highly-reviewed bag that’s as snug as it’s useful.

Ergonomics & Interior Features: What’s Inside?

The function that units the WANDRD FERNWEH other than different digital camera backpacks is its means to accommodate all of the gear you’ll want for a multi-day backpacking journey.

Let’s check out all you possibly can comfortably carry in its numerous inner and exterior compartments.

Space To Store Laptops

The WANDRD FERNWEH backpack options house for a 15″ laptop computer. This is ample for a lot of; nevertheless, I do want this was up to date to suit the various laptops that at the moment are 16”+. Many journey photographers edit with bigger laptops such because the MacBook Pro, which regularly exceeds the 15” pocket dimension.

But in case your laptop computer will match, the design and placement of the laptop computer sleeve are actually helpful. It’s situated behind the backpack, and it’s outfitted with a false backside that enables for shock absorption in case your backpack takes a success otherwise you drop it.

The thought of it being within the again panel apprehensive me at first, as I assumed it might make it uncomfortable or stiff, however it’s situated behind the cushions and help, so it actually isn’t a difficulty!

The laptop computer sleeve itself is doubly secured with a velcro strap to cease your laptop from sliding out should you open the zip with somewhat an excessive amount of enthusiasm.

Once you’ve opened the again panel that incorporates the laptop computer sleeve, you’ll additionally have the ability to entry all of your photograph gear inside. So, all of the tech you’re prone to want on the similar time is well accessible with out rummaging.

Space To Store Camera Gear

Let’s discuss arguably an important a part of the WANDRD FERNWEH digital camera bag: the house on your digital camera gear.

The FERNWEH Backpacking Bag is suitable with WANDRD digital camera cubes, which go in the primary compartment of the backpack. The variety of lenses and our bodies you’ll have the ability to pack will rely upon which of the cubes—obtainable individually—you go for.

If you entry the digital camera compartment from the left-hand aspect entry level of the backpack, you’ll discover that there’s a helpful pocket within the flap that makes the proper cupboard space for little equipment corresponding to reminiscence playing cards, lens wipes, and spare batteries (a function I get actually good use out of)! This aspect flap additionally has a velcro sleeve that’ll preserve your dice safe inside, guaranteeing your treasured gear doesn’t get moved round when you’re on the go.

You may instantly entry your package via the again of the bag.

When buying the backpack, there are 3 bundle choices obtainable, together with three totally different cubes: The Mini Camera Cube, Essential Camera Cube, and Pro Camera Cube.

If you’re utilizing the WANDRD Essential Cube—our dice of option to pair with this pack—you’ll have the ability to match a mid-size DSLR with a 70-200mm lens connected, plus room to stow your nifty fifty and one other compact lens.

Of course, the very best factor about cubes is their adaptability. The velcro dividers imply you could customise every of the sections to suit your particular wants.

The dice itself will be opened in two alternative ways: you possibly can both unzip its high panel to get to all of your package, or you possibly can unzip one finish of it and slide your digital camera and its connected lens out with out disturbing your different lenses.

This pocket function is ideal if it’s worthwhile to seize your digital camera rapidly and get the shot with minimal fuss!

Exterior Features

The WANDRD FERNWEH is all about performance and sturdiness. Offered in black or tan, this backpack has a easy, minimalist look.

The exterior of the backpack has a number of storage choices and different functionalities that make it excellent for backpacking.

External Storage

One of the important thing exterior storage factors of this backpack is the sleeping bag holder on the backside of the pack. It’s hidden away in a stash pocket, and when unzipped, reveals a G-hooked carry system that can be utilized for a sleeping bag, tent, tripods, coats, and different gadgets.

Within the stash pocket, you’ll additionally discover one other small compartment, excellent for maintaining a rain cowl.

All across the backpack, there are helpful spots to safe additional bits of package, from the 2 pockets on the detachable hip belt to the 2 compression straps on both aspect of the bag, which I’ve discovered significantly useful for securing a tripod or a monopod!

Other straps embrace stowable ones designed for ice picks and skis, which may also be used to hold different, similarly-sized instruments. Plus, you’ll discover numerous webbed gear loops and carabiner attachment factors, supplying you with the flexibility to hold nearly every thing you would presumably want.

There’s additionally a helpful exterior zippered pouch that’s designed to carry a jacket and has a hydration bladder sleeve with a tube routing system, which is a helpful technique to keep away from leakage into the primary compartment of your bag.

A water bottle/tripod pocket hugs the aspect of the bag when not in use, and expands to suit the gear it’s worthwhile to carry. Having the pocket flush with the bag offers it a modern, skilled look.

Practicality: Straps & Zippers Galore

You’ll by no means run out of exterior straps and loops that can assist you connect additional gear, which is a superb bonus but in addition one of many downsides of the FERNWEH for some. It tends to really feel as if there’s rather a lot occurring, and also you’ll have to just accept some quantity of dangling and enterprise as a part of the deal.

I personally like with the ability to connect my sleeping pad, hydration bladder, rain jacket, and tent  to avoid wasting room contained in the pack.

There are additionally a number of padded seize handles across the bag, so you possibly can choose it up in any state of affairs. For instance, when you’ve gotten the again open, it’s nice to have the ability to transfer it rapidly with out having to shut every thing again up first!

Internal Access and Storage: What Can You Fit Inside the WANDRD FERNWEH?

The WANDRD FERNWEH is extraordinarily useful, and there are a variety of helpful equipment and particular gadgets of package that may be stowed inside, not simply in the primary compartment.

Here, I’ll dive into the primary entry factors of the backpack and the gadgets you possibly can retailer inside this digital camera backpack.

Top Access Point

The high entry level of the FERNWEH takes you straight into the primary compartment of the bag. You can use the detachable bucket, which is roughly half the scale of the primary inner compartment, or you possibly can go with out it when you have bigger gadgets or desire one massive compartment.

I sometimes preserve the bucket in place to prepare and pack clothes. It’s very easy to take away and reinstall, for these nights the place I possibly misplaced my pair of socks on the backside of the compartment (we’ve all been there—shoutout to the infinite black holes in backpacking backpacks) and simply need to sift via that part in my tent as a substitute of tossing and turning the entire pack!

There’s additionally a small mesh pocket inside the highest flap. This pocket is a superb spot for small gadgets like a toothbrush, guide or pocket book, or your AirPods.

Front Access Point

Another technique to get to the primary compartment of the WANDRD FERNWEH rapidly is by opening up the entrance clamshell opening. This will provide you with zippered entry to the detachable bucket and digital camera dice.

If you need entry to most every thing within the bag without delay, that is the way in which to do it!

Side Camera Access

The aspect panel opening supplies entry to the underside of your bag. This helpful mode of entry is especially glorious should you’re utilizing a digital camera dice.

The aspect flap is accessible when you’re sporting the bag, supplying you with an easy-access choice to seize your digital camera on the go. It additionally gives some extra helpful storage choices within the type of a zippered pocket with three small compartments for reminiscence playing cards, battery packs, and different small gadgets.

Back Panel Access

No one desires their costly tech and irreplaceable laborious drives and paperwork on the entrance of their digital camera bag, the place somebody may simply entry and steal them. This is the place the WANDRD FERNWEH’s again panel entry turns out to be useful.

You’ll have to de-bag to get into it, after all, however when you open up the again, you’ll discover a laptop computer sleeve, full entry to your digital camera dice, and a number of other additional storage choices. There is even a hidden passport pocket that’s excellent for stashing these vital paperwork and a few emergency money.

Storing Your Camera Gear

The lodging for digital camera gear is the place the WANDRD FERNWEH actually shines for journey photographers, whether or not you utilize a WANDRD dice or a third-party digital camera bag.

There’s a devoted house inside the WANDRD bag that’s designed for digital camera luggage to fit into securely, supplying you with fast entry along with the bag and the again, too.

There’s loads of house for just a few lenses in addition to your major lens connected to your digital camera physique, which is good if you wish to flit between panorama images and wildlife or documentary images and wish the suitable selection in your package to have the ability to achieve this.

Even higher? You’ll completely have the ability to use a few of these exterior attachment factors to carry your tripod or monopod on the go along with you.

There’s additionally room for personalization right here—you should use a smaller digital camera dice should you simply have one physique and a few compact lenses, or you possibly can choose for a bigger dice that matches hefty telephotos should you want much less in a single day gear however need to have as many glass choices as doable.

Comfort: How Comfortable is the WANDRD FERNWEH Backpack?

One of the most important drawbacks of many backpacking luggage is that they’re designed to suit a particular physique sort and peak. Usually, anybody outdoors of these slim parameters has a much less snug expertise.

The WANDRD FERNWEH, although, works as properly on quick of us as tall ones, and that’s partly as a consequence of its sensible, ergonomic design options. This sort of adjustable backpack is very nice for individuals who don’t match inside commonplace measurements, and might have kind of wiggle room than the typical consumer.

Back Support

There’s an inner body that does some fairly heavy lifting: it supplies construction to the backpack and safety on your gear, whether or not the bag is full or not.

When totally loaded, the interior body stabilizes the load in opposition to your again, with the assistance of its shoulder straps, easing the load in your backbone.

Like a lot of the backpack, you’re capable of customise this body by selecting one in all two body sizes to greatest fit your physique sort.

Shoulder Straps

The shoulder straps and the again of the WANDRD FERNWEH are generously padded with EVA foam, which additional helps soak up shock, unfold the stress of a heavy load, and decrease sweat.

These are totally adjustable shoulder straps, too. There are gatekeeper buckles on the high with three attachment factors, plus load lifters you could make use of as wanted.

There is nothing worse than an ill-fitting shoulder strap that’s uncomfortable on a protracted journey! Luckily, WANDRD supplies a sort of shoulder strap that has tons of padding and is adjustable.

And, as soon as once more, you’re given preliminary dimension choices once you buy the bag, which can provide help to finetune your funding!

Padding and Harness

This is the place the FERNWEH actually stands out as a digital camera backpack particularly suited to photograph gear relatively than only a typical digital camera bag. The WANDRD FERNWEH boasts a excessive stage of adjustability, which suggests the bag is suited to any consumer dimension or form.

This digital camera backpack options breathable mesh and many padding, so it stays snug with out getting sweaty and sticky on these sizzling hikes.

You’ll discover loads of additional load lifters and tremendous safe straps within the harness system, which can assist redistribute the burden of heavy hundreds. These load lifters embrace a surprisingly sturdy chest strap and waist strap and the detachable hip belt.

The hip belt is available in two totally different sizes and consists of two exterior pockets (and a aspect pocket)—excellent on your cellphone, water bottle, keys, or a small snack. There are additionally a number of extra loops from which to hold extra package.

You may even use among the exterior attachment factors on the harness, very similar to a digital camera harness. This offers you the choice to have a second digital camera readily available for when it’s worthwhile to snag that excellent wildlife or motion shot!

Materials: What Is The WANDRD FERNWEH Backpack Made From?

With its 630D (denier) nylon and 5PM coating, The WANDRD FERNWEH is each sturdy and weatherproof. Having a backpack made from sturdy and waterproof supplies is certainly a deal breaker for me as a photographer.

It feels virtually rubbery in texture and helps give the outside of this backpack some climate resistance, though it isn’t proof against scuffs and blemishes!

Build Quality & Appearance

All in all, the WANDRD FERNWEH is a high-quality bag—and positively extra sturdy and hard than many different backpacks by competing digital camera bag producers that are inclined to create images backpacks geared extra towards city use.

Its inner body makes the construct extraordinarily sturdy and ensures you’re not straining your again even when the backpack is filled with all of your digital camera and tenting gear.

The body is balanced and ergonomic, and with the addition of snug shoulder straps, waist straps, and a chest strap that enable for distribution of weight, you’ll be snug on any journey.

The pack is the proper dimension for multi-day adventures and supplies consolation even for these with the heaviest gear. Most luggage don’t function such a supportive harness system, making this bag among the many high in consolation.

The Best WANDRD Accessories to Store within the Backpack

There are a number of equipment you could retailer on this bag, from digital camera cubes and accent straps to shoe pouches and extra images gear. WANDRD sells a ton of nice equipment that match completely inside the backpack, however when you have equipment of your personal already, these can usually work nice too!

Camera Cubes

You’ll virtually definitely need to spend money on a WANDRD digital camera dice, which can manage and safely retailer your gear within the digital camera compartment and permit for fast and quick access once you discover a taking pictures alternative.

There are a number of choices obtainable, however we like the Essential Deep Camera Cube for guaranteeing we get our favourite our bodies and lenses on board.

If you want extra digital camera package and fewer of all the opposite stuff, the Pro and Pro+ cubes are roughly 20L and 30L and will provide you with more room for a severe zoom lens in your pack.

Accessory Straps

Most of us gained’t sometimes make the most of the quite a few straps and loops obtainable on the backpack; nevertheless, should you’re into experimenting with, for instance, studio lighting out within the wilderness, you would discover you fill them up fairly rapidly with package.

If you do end up bringing alongside numerous gear and wish that additional storage in your pack, you should buy extra accent straps on your WANDRD FERNWEH!

Route Pack

The aspect digital camera entry on the WANDRD FERNWEH bag makes it simple to seize your digital camera once you encounter a superb photograph alternative. But generally you want entry even quicker than that.

That’s the place the nifty route pack comes into play. The route pack seamlessly integrates into the harness of your bag, offering a front-body pack that simply holds a digital camera physique with a telephoto lens connected.

It’s as efficient as mountain climbing with a digital camera harness on, however the route pack supplies significantly extra safety on your luggage’ treasured package.

Rain Fly

As a lot as we’d all like fixed good climate on the paths, generally we’ve simply received to just accept the weather. And, once you’re carrying images gear, you need to be certain that not one of the water is seeping into your pack.

The WANDRD FERNWEH is definitely fairly dependable as-is in opposition to rainfall, however for additional peace of thoughts throughout these heavier downpours, I like so as to add the rain fly masking to guard any zipper openings.

Shoe Pouch

Accessorizing your luggage with a shoe pouch is genuinely a game-changer. Have you ever unpacked your garments and found that they’re lined in half the path you’ve been traipsing alongside?

Especially in moist environments the place it’s possible you’ll be monitoring mud, having a shoe pouch is a sure-fire technique to preserve your clothes and equipment clear.

The shoe pouch is designed to slide simply into the primary compartment of the WANDRD FERNWEH, maintaining dust, moisture, and dodgy odors contained and completely separate out of your stuff.

I’d say that is fairly an improve from wrapping your footwear in a plastic buying bag and hoping for the very best! Plus, a shoe pouch is a staple merchandise for any journey and can be utilized in any of your journey luggage.

Alternatives to the WANDRD FERNWEH

If you need to discover your choices earlier than making the funding, listed here are among the hottest luggage much like the WANDRD FERNWEH available on the market.

Shimoda Action X50 Backpack

The Action X50 isn’t an entirely dissimilar bag to the WANDRD FERNWEH: it, too, incorporates a bucket system for inner storage and it has a aspect entry panel that allows you to into the interior digital camera compartment.

One main distinction? It has a roll-top design which suggests its inner capability is expandable past 50L.

The backpack options what they name a core unit modular digital camera insert system. Much like digital camera cubes, these padded, shockproof items present safety on your gear and assist preserve the pack organized. You can enhance your structure choices by buying extra Core Units and stacking them to greatest fit your wants.

Furthermore, its again panel is molded, which suggests it’s higher suited to winter climates than the breathable mesh of the FERNWEH, and nonetheless supplies most consolation. You’ll additionally discover superior options like simple ski attachments and a detachable helmet holder on the Action X50, which is nice for alpine explorers!

WANDRD PRVKE 41

As the predecessor to the FERNWEH, the PRVKE has pure comparisons, however is a smaller bag—its capability is 41L to the FERNWEH’s 51L.

The bag options loads of comparable choices, together with the digital camera dice system, however we’d contemplate this the city different to the FERNWEH, because it’s neither as massive nor as snug as its outdoorsy cousin.

Still, should you’re extra prone to spend your time on avenue images relatively than chasing down sprawling vistas, this extra compact possibility could possibly be a greater match!

F-Stop Tilopa-50L

As one of many OG on-the-road digital camera backpacks, the Tilopa-50L Travel and Adventure Camera Backpack has loads of the identical options because the WANDRD FERNWEH. It makes use of digital camera cubes to maximise inner house, aspect compression straps, and carries 50L.

Unlike the FERNWEH, it skips the surplus padding, which makes it a extra light-weight possibility—although whis does make it barely much less snug and gives much less shock safety on your gear on these lengthy hikes.

Like the Action X50, it’s additionally been designed with snow sports activities in thoughts, and it’s outfitted to hold skis. It additionally has exterior straps and loops to retailer additional gear!

WANDRD FERNWEH Review: Final Thoughts

Just shy of $385, the FERNWEH is a distinct segment bag for a specialised consumer—however when it’s paired up with its excellent particular person, it’s greater than value it to spend money on one.

I’ve fallen in love with my WANDRD FERNWEH (which, by the way, is the German phrase for ‘farsickness’—a type of deep ache for journey, which I like) for its performance and progressive design.

It holds numerous stuff, and it does it sensibly, compartmentalizing cameras and package so every thing is well accessible whereas additionally staying clear, tidy, and secure.

There’s little or no you possibly can’t connect to the surface of the bag both, as a result of its surplus of straps and loops are designed to safe nearly any additional equipment you would possibly need to carry on tour with you, with fast entry at all times on the forefront of the design.

And this bag actually is all about consolation. With ample padding—in addition to breathable supplies I’m—via the shoulder straps, hip belt, waist belt, and again panel, it’s not going to rub or pinch when you’re on the transfer.

Its ergonomic design, which features a sturdy inner body, gives vital weight-bearing help, spreading the load of your totally laden bag so that you don’t find yourself feeling like a pack mule (though we photographers normally find yourself wanting like one)!

Basically, the FERNWEH takes your thoughts off your bag, supplying you with peace of thoughts and the additional mind house to consider what you’re truly out and about for—taking nice photographs.