If you’re a traveling videographer or traveling filmmaker, consider the Holdland Original backpack.

When it comes to traveling with equipment, there are two schools of thought. Some consider themselves creators who travel, and others would say they primarily travel but also create content. The Holdland Original Backpack ($249) is a great way to bridge that gap for both parties. If you’re looking for a “classic” camera backpack, check out our guide to the best camera and video bags.

Have you ever had that problem where you wanted to take all your filming gear on a trip (say, a family vacation) but couldn’t figure out a way to make that experience comfortable? This is where the Holdland Original Backpack comes in, as it provides a great experience for backpackers who like to take their gear with them. This is a 26 liter bag with unique features for accessing your valuables.

The Holdland brand is actually the house brand of Brad and Hailey Devine, owners of the Somewhere Devine vlog, covering travel and showing unique places and adventures. They took advantage of their experience in travel and cinema and “cooked” a backpack for those who share their passion. I took it with me on a trip to New York and have been using it as my daily bag ever since.

Before we even dive into the features, you’ll notice that this bag is a conversation starter. Its design doesn’t really look like a camera bag but not like a standard backpack either. Between the interesting look and my favorite color (Canopy Green), you will have some comments. Let me just say that I’m happy to report that this bag is approved by important others.

I’m not a fabric expert, but the spec says “water-resistant 600D PVC polyester material” and it seems incredibly constructed. There are sturdy handles on the top and base of the bag for when you need to move it. The padding is very firm, the kind you would trust when removing your backpack in the middle of the trail and placing it on a rock.

I also like how the Devines handled the inside of the bag. Unlike most bags, it opens on the strap side. This means it’s not as easy to choose your bag, but it also means that getting your gear requires an extra step than what you’re usually used to. (Read how they solved this problem.)

There are a few black dividers that provide structure and a few lighter dividers that provide separation – all are covered with Velcro and well padded. (One of those big black dividers separates the top half from the bottom half.) This system makes it easy to change the compartments, and you can choose the proportions between the “hiking” and filming gear parts of the bag.

I’ve found that a 26 liter capacity is absolutely perfect unless it’s extremely cold, in which case you’ll need to pack more clothes than gear. For 26 litters, it’s a fair compromise.

As I mentioned, the main compartment is only accessible from the rear, making the bag even more secure for your most valuable gear. The top half of the bag is also accessible via the top cover (lid), so you have some access to your gear. My only advice here is that you need to remember to close the lid when accessing the back. Otherwise, you will see things fall apart. The zipper is very well hidden inside a flap above the lid. This makes for a sleek back, looks-wise, but it also makes it very easy to forget to zip the bag up; then, when you put the bag down last to access your gear, things can fall out. It’s one of those features that you can either fall in love with or really hate.

You’ll also find some thoughtful pockets, like the side stretch mesh and stretch strap combined for water bottles. These are convenient and at just the right angle, so it’s easy to reach and grab without removing the bag. The dual access pocket in the lid cover is awesome. Reaching for a power bank or my sunglasses was intuitive without dropping everything in the overhead compartment.

The shoulder straps are wide and padded, and they resemble those of a travel backpack. The weight is well balanced between your shoulders and the hip strap (sold separately) does the job of holding it securely. You could say the size of this backpack is quite large, but I’m a big guy. It’s a perfect fit for me, but I wonder how a smaller torso would handle it.

As a traveler with a toddler, I had to carry the bag for a whole day at a time. But even then the bag felt very airy. Some bags will stick to your back and make you sweat, but the Holdland keeps the laptop away from your back. This not only allows for more ventilation, but also shapes the back with an S-curve that supports the lower back. Even after a long hike, I felt less sweaty and much happier. The downside to this compromise is that the weight of the laptop pulls the bag down, throwing your posture a bit off balance. (17″ editor laptops can be quite heavy).

Speaking of laptops, finding a backpack that can support a heavy, large-screen editing workstation is no easy task. The laptop sleeve holds my 15.6″ in place while having another pocket to hold my Galaxy Tab-7s tablet. It felt secure enough that, for the first time, I ditched the original Asus sleeve I received with my computer.

If you’re on the go, you can still have two lenses accessible without opening the bag. If you’re familiar with belt-mounted lens pouches, this is a similar approach. Only, instead of using a dedicated belt, the hip belt has two zippers that hide two lens pouches for easy access. This is a new approach to how one should access cinema equipment, and I liked it. I was even able to “stick” the lens while it was attached to the camera in one of these pouches. I wouldn’t recommend it while walking, but it’s definitely a “hold my beer” solution.

There are many other pockets worth mentioning: there is one for water, a secret and anti-theft passport compartment. And many other small and useful external compartments. As someone who carries their desk on their back, the conveniently arranged pockets for keys, SD cards and sunglasses make this backpack a great office on the go while keeping your camera and gear secure .

If you’re a content creator or filmmaker on the go, you’ll find this backpack has everything you need: space, comfort, and easy access to gear. If you’re a traveler looking for a secure, modular backpack to hold your sensitive gear, this is still a great option. Keep in mind that this is a bulky bag, which means you always carry a large, deep bag with you, even if it’s half empty. I’m sure photographers are used to having big bags with extra padding all the time, but for hikers looking for ultralight hiking, this is a pretty heavy and oversized backpack.

The backpack costs $249 for a “set” that includes the Original backpack, hip belt, and a flysheet. It’s really worth it.

I would say this backpack is for hikers who like to film, rather than filmmakers who like to hike. It works great as a creator’s kit packing solution, providing plenty of space for compact gear, a drone, and a few lenses. It’s even so deep that it can accommodate some standing zoom lenses. I replaced my old daily backpack because of its looks and stayed because of its versatile use case coverage.