Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack Review
A number of years ago, I was on the lookout for a new camera bag. Not just any camera bag, though. I was looking for a camera bag that could not only protect my gear while I was on the move, but was also the perfect companion for travel. Now, I have always tried to travel fairly light, and only tend to bring a carry-on luggage bag and backpack that I shove under the seat in front of me on planes, so any camera backpack that I was likely to purchase had to fit all of my required gear, while also meeting the space requirements for most flights. Oh, and the backpack had to look badass too, and make me feel like I was about to head out on an epic travel photography adventure. Enter the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack.
This rugged looking, heavy duty camera backpack immediately caught my eye. It’s retro looking straps gave the bag a bit more flair than standard camera bags you’d find in local camera shops, the material seemed to be durable and able to withstand treks through the jungle and along the beach, and it appeared to hold a ton of camera gear and other various items for a lengthy trip. So, after thinking and thinking about it, I purchased the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack in black, and have since carried my camera gear around the world in it for over five years. With that said, is the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack a good camera backpack? And, despite it’s “Globetrotter” name, is it a good camera backpack specifically for travel? Let’s find out.
Please note, this review focuses on the original Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack. Since I purchased mine, Langly has released a newer “XC” version of the bag. The bag, along with its features, look identical to the original version of it, so this review should still give you a practical sense of whether or not the Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack line is a good fit for travel photography.
Features
The first thing you’ll likely notice about the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera backpack is that it is quite bulky and full of pockets, providing you with ample storage space for all of your camera gear and other travel accessories. Starting with arguably its best feature, the bag includes a built-in camera cube that holds up to five lenses and one camera body. The camera cube is accessed on the front of the bag through a large zipper and provides a generous opening, allowing for easy access to all of your gear. There are also two small holes on each zipper tab so that, when the bag is closed and the tabs are pulled together, you can lock the camera cube with a small lock (not included with the bag).
There are two large pockets on the both sides of the bag that can hold small camera accessories, or even a water bottle if you leave the pocket flaps open. There is also a larger pocket embedded right on the front of the bag (on top of the camera cube) that allows for even more accessory storage. I typically keep all of my charging cables in this front pocket. If you stuff this pocket with too much stuff, though, it can be hard to slide the bag underneath a camera seat, so keep that in mind! All three of these external pockets are closed using a large flap, and held in place by a strap with a pretty slick fastening system. These pockets don’t have any zippers, which may seem kind of sketchy, as you may think that your items will fall out if the bag falls onto its side, however the way the pockets and flaps fold and snap together actually keeps everything completely safe and secure.
The top portion of the bag provides a large storage area that can hold anything from a weekend’s worth of closing to books, sunglasses and any other small accessories you need on your journey. There is also a laptop sleeve within this compartment (the laptop sits in the bag directly against your back when you’re wearing it) that closes via a zipper. There is also another small zippered pocket within this section, which I have found mainly useful for holding small and important items when travelling, such as additional memory cards and money. This large backpack section is held shut with a large zipper, similar to the camera cube section, however it is also covered by a very large flap that’s held in place by two buckles, just like the side pockets. This large flap helps further weatherproof the bag, keeping your gear and travel accessories safe.
The back of the bag features a ribbed padding that helps enhance comfort when wearing it, and also promotes airflow (carrying a heavy camera backpack can be sweat-inducing). There is also a small “secret pocket” built into the back of the backpack. This pocket is meant for passports and wallets, as the pocket’s location directly against your back makes it extremely difficult to access. In addition, there is a luggage strap on the back of the bag, allowing you to easily secure your camera backpack to your luggage while walking through the airport.
The camera backpack’s straps are also heavy duty, and feature two buckles (one for your chest and one for your waist) to help your body carry the heavy camera gear.
Lastly, the bag features two removable straps that attach directly to the bottom of the bag. These straps are for holding tripods. The straps are fairly generous, allowing you to carry tripods of various sizes. You may want to carry a fairly small tripod when travelling with this bag, as the addition of a tripod makes this already fairly bulky bag even more bulky, making it extra tough to fit under an airplane seat.
Build Quality
After travelling with the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack for the past 5 or so years, I can tell you that the bag still looks essentially brand new. The bag’s nylon coating is extremely durable, and is also covered in a waterproof coating, which should give you some piece of mind when lugging your camera gear around the globe.
The nylon fabric also covers the zippers as well, helping further prevent water from entering the camera cube section of the bag. The nylon fabric around the zippers has started to curve a bit on my bag, leaving the zippers slightly more exposed to the elements. Again, my bag has seen quite a bit of time in the field, so small amounts of wear and tear like this are to be expected. All-in-all, the camera backpack’s materials are built solidly, and truly do stand the test of time.
This is true for the hardware components as well. The buckles on the bag are made from a solid metal, and they snap together super easily and securely, allowing you to confidently fill the bag’s pockets with your precious camera accessories. The zippers are also heavy duty, and can be trusted to hold even the highest quality of camera gear.
As a whole, the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack is solidly built using only the finest materials, providing photographers and videographers with a travel backpack solution geared toward the toughest adventures.
Set up & Capacity
The Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack offers 24L of capacity - and I’d say it’s a generous 24L at that. The bag just feels big. It also seems to have an endless amount of storage sections for all of your stuff.
The camera cube section holds up to five lens and a camera body, which is likely more than most people would bring on a trip. It also comes with a number of padded velcro inserts, making it super easy to set up the camera cube to accomodate your gear.
The three external pockets are also fairly deep, allowing you carry a ton of smaller camera gear that doesn’t fit into the camera cube portion. I’ve filled these pockets with all of my charging cables and adaptors, cold shoe mounts, small lighting systems, and more. You can also fit a fairly large water bottle into one of the side pockets if your aim is to stay hydrated while out and about.
The upper compartment of the bag is downright large. You could literally fit a weekend’s worth of clothing into this space. I typically toss travel accessories in here or, more specifically, things I might want to use on the plane, such as books, headphones, snacks, etc. This section also features the laptop sleeve, along with a smaller internal pocket that’s great for storing money and / or other small items that you need to keep secure.
Travel Practicality
For a bag that is literally called the Alpha Globetrotter, it should really be built for, well, trotting the globe. But does the Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack really excel as a solid travel camera backpack?
On one hand, the bag’s built-in camera cube and ample storage means you can take more than enough camera gear, and other personal items, with you while travelling. The heavy duty build quality also means that the bag can take a beating while tossing it under plane seats, in overhead bins, or hauling it through the remote jungles of the Amazon. Being a backpack that’s equipped with multiple support straps, it’s also super easy to carry it around airports and train stations. I’ve brought this bag on multiple trips, and it is great once you get it to your chosen location.
But, if there’s a lack of travel practicality, it’s in getting it to your chosen location. Due to the bag’s size, along with the bulky external pockets that jut out from the bag, it can be hard to fit the backpack under plane seats. My advice is to limit what you put in the very front pocket, as an overly stuffed pocket will make it very tough to fully slide under the seat. The bag also just fits under the seat, meaning you will have zero leg room during your flight. This is not a big deal for short flights, but, when sitting on a long haul flight for ten hours to Europe, your legs will start to resent this bag fairly quickly.
Potential Cons
In terms of build quality and usability, there aren’t really any potential cons. This bag will last a long time, while keeping your gear safe on any adventure.
The only real con is, again, the bulkiness of it when travelling. Aside from the potential travel cons outlined above, this bag can also get pretty heavy when it’s fully loaded. It can also become even heavier when you’ve got a tripod strapped to the bottom of it. This bag’s ability to carry so much gear is definitely a positive, but it can also veer into a negative when you’re lugging it around an airport for hours. I’m not sure this is really a reason to avoid this bag, but rather it’s something you should be aware of when packing it for travel or any other day adventure.
Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack - Verdict
The Langly Alpha Globetrotter Camera Backpack is a well-built, stylish bag that will keep your camera gear safe - no matter the adventure. The bag’s built-in camera cube is a unique, well constructed feature, and the ample accessory pockets allow you to bring all of your camera and / or travel accessories with you. The only real downside is that the bag is bulky, which can make it a bit tough to stow underneath an airplane seat. But, if you pack this thing appropriately, it will definitely work as a travel camera back, while ensuring you have all of the necessary camera gear to snap some truly memorable photos of your trips.
You can grab the latest version of the Langly Alpha Globetrotter XC Camera Backpack here! Please note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.