As a photographer, it’s important for me to be able to bring my camera everywhere, especially in the backcountry. Until I got the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod, I really had to baby my camera and make sure I didn’t smash it into any rocks or trees. I still baby my camera, but the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod gives me peace of mind when I’m outdoors.
I’ve had the Hyperlite Camera Pod since they released it. I’ve put hundreds and thousands of miles of hiking and travel on it. It is one of the few pieces of camera gear I own that I haven’t traded out for something better.
I hike with it unzipped for easy access to my camera when the weather and/or terrain is mellow. It gets zipped up for stressful areas, or if it’s raining. I throw it inside my backpack when I travel and it protects the camera on the go. It’s not just for hiking.
Specs
| Sizes | 2, regular and large Regular fits most smaller mirrorless and point-and-shoot cameras. Large fits most most professional mirrorless and DSLR cameras with a medium zoom or kit lens. I have the Large for my Sony A7RIII and 24-70mm f/2.4 lens |
| Material | Dyneema® Composite Fabrics (Dyneema® Composite Hybrid + Dyneema® Composite Fabric 0.75) |
| Weight | 3.7oz | 105g |
| Interior Top Opening | 6.5 × 4.3 in | 16.51 × 10.92 cm |
| Interior Base Footprint | 4.25 × 2.15 in | 10.80 × 5.46 cm |
| Interior Height | 9.5 in | 24.13 cm |
| Hardware | 2 Flat Micro D Carabiners (NiteIze #2 Slide-Lock Carabiners) |
| Daisy Chains | 8 points of attachment allow user to custom fit the pod virtually anywhere on a backpack |
What I like about the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod
It distributes the load. For years, I rocked the Peak Design Capture Camera Clip. It worked well, but it really strained the shoulder that it was mounted on. Having this clipped to the front of my pack makes it much more comfortable and gives me one less thing to complain about.
It’s waterproof. With the Peak Design Capture Camera Clip, I also had to buy the Peak Design Shell. And honestly, I hate the shell, so I never used it. It was difficult to put on, and annoying to use with it on my camera. With the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod, I zip up the pod and it’s waterproof. It’s been out in torrential downpours and unrelenting storms and comes out dry.
It’s padded. As someone who goes off trail often, I often find myself bushwhacking, crawling, and shimmying up against big boulders. This gives me some peace of mind that I’m not going to just break my camera when I accidentally smack it. I also use it to throw my camera in my backpack when I’m traveling, or heading to the boulders, or even just laying around the house.
What I don’t like about the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod
It’s bulky. Obviously, that’s just what you get for a padded camera bag, but as someone who’s 5 feet tall, with no torso, it feels like it gets in the way. Especially when I have my fanny pack on.
It makes taking a pack off annoying. Unclipping the carabiners is a bit of a pain when you’re trying to get the pack off. The carabiners are small. The legs are tired. Unhooking it from the shoulder straps is tiring. It would be super cool if someone came up with a secure, quick release system for the pod.
The interior is starting to fray. I’m going on year 5 of having the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod and the interior fabric is starting to wear and fray. I guess it’s to be expected with the repetitive motion of sliding the camera in and out, day in and day out. It is annoying because the little threads get all caught up on all protruding bits and pieces of camera.
The Verdict
As someone who’s had this since it was released and still uses it for all outdoor adventures and travel, I love it. It’s one of the few pieces of gear that’s remained consistent in my pack. I carry my camera with me everywhere. This protects thousands of dollars of camera equipment.
If you have a camera and you like your camera, buy this to protect it on backcountry trips, or even for your camera to sit in a backpack. It’s worth it. I would buy this again in a heartbeat.
Buy the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Camera Pod for $125 (regular) or $145 (large).
