The Adventure K5 has been receiving a lot of praise since its first showing at PMA 08 and received the Best of PMA Award from Shutterbug Magazine.

We sent over the summer one of the first Adventure K5 prototypes to our Alaskan friend Carl Battreall and he took the time to properly field-test it. He sent in the following review and breathtaking photos for all of us to enjoy.

Here is Carl in his own words:

“As a wilderness and adventure photographer, I have always had a dilemma when it came to how to carry my photo equipment and my outdoor equipment at the same time. Camera backpacks, though convenient and great protection for my cameras and lenses, are generally uncomfortable and don’t have anywhere to store my other equipment, which for me often includes: food and water, wet clothing, gloves, hats, crampons and other climbing equipment.”

“Backpacking packs are more comfortable, have separate compartments to organize gear and are generally the preferred method for me. I usually carry one or two smaller camera bags inside of the backpack. Unfortunately, in order to take any images, I frequently have to unload half of the pack, just to get to my camera. This is not preferable since I frequently find myself in the middle of high winds, blowing snow and miserable rain and my subjects are usually not very happy standing around in such conditions, while I unload and reload all my gear.”

“When I first saw the K5, I thought it was just a classic backpacking pack, not a photography bag at all. The k5 is built on a traditional internal frame backpack design and its feels like it. During a glacier expedition in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska, I frequently carried over forty-five pounds of camera and climbing equipment each day and the K5 was comfortable and sturdy.”

“What separates the K5 from other backpacking and climbing packs is its removable camera bag. Separated in its own compartment is a square camera bag that is easily accessed via a side opening. This allows you to remove your camera and lenses from the pack without having to unpack your other equipment. This bag also keeps my camera equipment away from my wet and sharp climbing and hiking gear. I used to have to strap all my outdoor gear on the outside of my camera backpacks, looking like medusa with her serpent hair, but no longer!”

“The separate camera bag is exactly the right size for my selection of gear which includes: one pro SLR body, three lenses, flash and an array of filters and accessories. The orange interior allows for easy location of missing caps and accessories and the shoulders straps allow you to carry the pack on its own (though the straps are too big for me.)”

“Other features that make the K5 a winner are the excellent tripod holder and rain cover.”

“The K5 is a brilliant idea, something wilderness photographers have been dreaming of for years.  Is the K5 pack perfect? Almost. I would like to see more room for my climbing and hiking gear, larger water bottle holders and ice ax loops, maybe NaneuPro will a introduce a large K5 expedition version, then I would truly be in heaven.”