If Fish Could Improve The Mountainsmith Tour What Would He Do? (Hint: Its Here!)
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17/08/2009 – If Fish Could Improve The Mountainsmith Tour What Would He Do? (Hint: Its Here!)
Anyone who has ever read Flying With Fish has probably encountered one or two entries extolling the virtues of the Mountainsmith Tour pack (OK, maybe like more than a dozen posts that reference the virtues of the Mountainsmith Tour pack).
Over the past year I have had the pleasure of working with Mountainsmith and offering them the insights and ideas on ways to improve how The Tour could utilized by photographers. Early in my discussions with Mountainsmith I discussed the need for a dedicated adjustable interior organizer for The Tour and set out to help them design the interior organizer.
Having used an old canvas Domke insert in my Tour for years, which has worked well, I knew there had to be a better way to use the waist pack in the field. I’ve had this internal organizer idea in my head dating back to when I got my Nikon D1 (back in late 1999) and really started to wish I had a dedicated organizer for the Tour while photographing the New England Patriots vs Oakland Raiders in a blizzard, covering the last NFL game ever played at Foxboro Stadium back in 2002.
…here we are in August 2009 and I finally have what I envisioned over the past decade…a simple insert for the Mountainsmith Tour that has flexible interior walls, lined with Velcro, that can hold a photographers essentials, without the need for a larger, bulkier waist pack.
Today…for the first time anywhere…Flying With Fish is happy to introduce to the loyal photographers who use the Mountainsmith Tour the new Mountainsmith Kit Cube!
The Kit Cube uses the familiar yellow Mountainsmith interior to increase contrast making it easy to find items in the dark, the interior walls are lined with Velcro so the two interior dividers make be positioned anywhere you’d like, the tops of the dividers are free from Velcro to allow the flexibility of placing a lens in ‘mount first’ with a bulky hood at the top…and as an extra excellent feature, the Kit Cube features a draw string storm flap. This storm flap allows you to cinch off the Kit Cube for added protection from foul weather.
My Kit Cube is currently packed with a Canon 16-35f2.8L, 28-70f2.8L and 70-200f2.8L with absolutely no width or height problems, allowing me to quickly and easily work out of my Mountainsmith Tour while out shooting.
I’d like to thank the folks at Mountainsmith for taking the time to listen to me, and other photographers, and exploring how a non-photo specific pack, such as the Mountainsmith Tour and Mountainsmith Day could be used effectively by photographers without altering the excellent product they has been producing for years.
…look for the Kit Cube to be available through Mountainsmith and retail outlets in just a few months.
Below are a few photos of one of my Tour packs with the new Kit Cube
Happy Flying!
This looks like a great solution! Any idea on the price?
It also looks like by pulling one insert – it could fit a camera + lens along with an additional lens (instead of the three lenses shown side-by-side shown) – yes?
Thanks for blogging about this I MUST have the kit cube,I have two tours one for still one for video and the domke insert is weak stuff compared to this. Any idea about the price? Is there a way to be emailed when it comes out?
Can’t wait to get a couple of them. Thanks
Eric
Great, so now I have to order yet another bag, or at least in this case in insert to go into my Tour.
Interestingly, the Endeavor (which I am guessing is the new bag you had a hand in designing) is listed as “ships in 48 hours” at luggage.com for $99.
Hi Steven,
I too use my mountainsmith for small jobs. I own the similar style Cairn. Do you know if the insert will fit this bag?
I think the KitCube should fit in the older Cairn. I don’t think Mountainsmith still makes the Cairn so check the specs against The Tour, but I think it’ll slide into the main compartment.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Any updates on availability?! Really looking forward to this.
The inserts for the Mountainsmith Tour & Day should be available in January. I’ll post an update when they start shipping.
Happy Flying!
-Fish
Hey Fish,
What are your thoughts on the Tour FX offered by Mountainsmith? I just noticed it on their website shortly after I came across this post.
You can check it here: http://mountainsmith.com/products.asp?productId=235&categoryId=13&subCategoryId=27&subCategory2Id=0
I was actually considering this bag for a trip overseas. I figured it’d be sufficient for one or two bodies and three lenses.
Any updats on this item?
I could really use this come this summer….