F-Stop Kenti: First impressions

My F-Stop Kenti arrived yesterday (see my post on deciding to order the Kenti here); here are some first impressions (sorry for the crappy iPhone photos, but my cameras were in the bag!): 

• It's really well made, and I like that it comes with a storage bag to keep it clean when stuffed in a closet (although hopefully I'll be able to use it often enough that it doesn't get tossed into the closet).
• The laptop sleeve is advertised to fit a 13" machine, and the 13" MacBook Air that I tried was a perfect fit. A 13" MacBook Pro would probably do okay, but it would be tighter. The slot is well-padded and a 13" laptop in its own sleeve would likely not fit.
• The back slot that is intended for a hydration bladder fits an iPad nicely.

 

• If you take out the interior dividers (two of them, held in place by velcro in a T-shape to create the top compartment and two side-accessed compartments), a 15" MacBook Pro in a sleeve fits in there. Of course, then you lose the well-designed area for camera gear, but in a pinch you can carry a larger laptop in the Kenti if you don't need to carry camera gear (or if you have a small amount of gear in its own padded cases). But it makes me think that the Kenti could have been designed to hold a 15" laptop without increasing the overall depth of the pack by more than an inch or so (at some point I'll post more on why I'm fixated on this point...it boils down to fact that I've got a 15" MacBook Pro although I'm trying to get to the point where I'm traveling with only an iPad and not bringing a laptop. My laptop is only a year old; if it was older I'd plan on replacing it with a 13" MBAir).
• Although I don't have any trips planned, I wanted to test it out with some gear. In addition to my iPad in the back slot, I loaded it up with my Fuji X-Pro1 and three lenses (35mm attached, 18mm and 60mm in small LowePro lens cases) on one side (with room to spare), and Fuji x100 and Nikon 10.5mm fisheye (with attached Novoflex Nikon to Fuji adaptor, in a lens case) on the other side (with room to spare; nothing in the top compartment) and walked the few hundred yards to work with the pack on my back. The Fuji gear is admittedly very light, but basically it didn't feel like there was any gear in the pack. I can imagine that even with a heavier kit (my D90 and a few lenses like my Tokina 11-16mm, Nikon 105mm micro, 50mm prime, and the fisheye...what has become my standard travel kit), it would be very comfortable. Update: See my new post on fitting my Nikon gear in the Kenti here.

 

• "Foliage green" = medium grey (with very slight green tint). I knew that when I ordered it (based on the pictures online, with are true-to-shade) and really like the color, but I don't think I'd ever say that this bag is green.
• One thing I wish the that Kenti included was a place for a water bottle, although I don't really know how I'd change the design to accommodate one. I know it has the hydration bladder slot, but I don't have a hydration system (and don't plan on getting one...it seems more trouble than it's worth, at least for my uses). I suppose what I'll end up doing is strapping a pouch for a water bottle somewhere on the pack (either the hipbelt or on the back using F-Stop's Gatekeeper system).

Comments

[Andy]

Would the 15 inch macbook pro fit in the water bladder compartment (if you dont use one)?

[Ben]

Nope, the hydration compartment is only 8.5" inches wide. Maybe an 11" MBAir could go in there, but the regular laptop sleeve would be better. My iPad (in a sleeve) does fit in the hydration compartment.

[melchandi]

hey there, did you ever try this pack out while travelling? i'm curious how convenient the side access is in terms of getting to your camera? i imagine having to sling the pack to the front to get your camera and then back before you take a photo can get kind of annoying? thanks!

[Ben]

I've hiked with the pack a bit. Yes, you do need to sling it around to get to the gear. I didn't find it that annoying; no less troublesome than taking a regular pack off to access the compartments.

[Kevin]

Can the internal dividers be rearranged or removed entirely to make more room for carrying gear in the top compartment?

[Flo]

Hey there, thank you for the review.
Do you think my T430(35x23x3cm)would fit into the Kenti?
Would a softshell, a rainproof jacket and a some snacks for a daytrip fit into the rolltop?

[Ben]

Hi Kevin-- There are two main internal dividers, set up as a "T": a horizontal one that divides the top compartment from side-accessed areas, and a vertical one that divides the camera gear areas into left and right compartments. They can be removed entirely, but then the bag is not as useful for carrying camera gear. The vertical divider can be moved side-to-side, allowing you to change the relative sizes of each of the side-accessed camera gear compartments, but there's not an easy way to move the horizontal divider down to increase the size of the top compartment.

[Ben]

Hi Flo-- How does your T430 compare to a 13" MacBook? The MacBook would fit...

Yes, there's room in the top for a light jacket and snacks.

[Flo]

Hi Ben,
thank you for your answer.
My T430 is only 1cm bigger(in each dimension) as a 13" MacBook Pro. This in mind, i think it would fit.
I think i'll order one to make sure ;)