Camera rucksac advice
 

I have recently changed from a Canon 1V to a 1DsII - a fantastic camera, but it has caused me a problem. On mountaineering/climbing trips I used to carry the 1V with lens attatched (usually something like a 28-200 to give me a lot of flexibility whilst unable to change my position a great deal!) in a long-nosed slr beltpack. Any other accessories would be inside my climbing rucksac along with the necessary climbing gear, food etc for the day.
With the new body, I cant find a bag to fit, so I think I may need a different approach. Does anyone know of a good rucksac that has a camera compartment - to fit the 1DsII with say a 70-200 f2.8 and a 28-70 f2.8 - that also has a good harness, and external fixing loops for 2 ice axes and crampons. Internal gear space - probably 30-45l plus the camera compartment.
I have seen plenty of excellent camera rucksacs, but none that would do as a climbing daysac with camera protection. thanks for any advice.

Check out Lowepro. I would have thought a micro trekker 200 would hold the camera, lens and a bit of lunch. I use this ruck sack for light camera and lens combinations D2X, 70-200 f2.8 and 28-70 f2.8. I have owned the rucksack since 2003 and its been in use every weekend and its without a scuff or pulled thread - they are very well made and worth the high price.

www.lowepro.com

I rate lowepro very highly, and use the street and field system for a lot of trips out, but I think the microtrekker isnt robust enough for the climbing kit. We are talking about quite a load here - 2 60m ropes, harness, 2 axes, crampons, ice screws, slings, various bits of rock-climbing ironmongery, survival bag, flask, food, waterproofs, map, compass ...
Come to think of it I need a sherpa, not a bag! (Failing that, some new knees would be nice:D )

As a user of a micro-trekker 200, I'd say it is nowhere near big enough for all that stuff. From what you've said, I think you'd be better off looking at climbing rucksacs that happen to be able to take a camera, rather than a camera bag that you can stuff full of climbing gear.

What would be ideal is another long-nose beltbag, but the ones I've looked at dont accomodate such a large camera (the 1V was a bit of a squeeze, and that is at least an inch shorter from top plate to base). I have a couple of street and field camera beltbags which do hold the 1DsII, but they sit very high on the belt, and would obstruct the rucksac and my arm movements.
My old beltbag was a CCS - just looking through warehouseexpress, I have found a CCS kangaroo which looks like it may do the job. Spare lenses could go in s&f pouches on the climbing sac or harness.Has anyone used one of these before I splash out on it?

I read somewhere about a photographer who makes his own camera ruck sacks from commercial walking rucksacks. He buys foam, and then cuts out holes for his lenses. I think you could do the same, using tape to hold the foam together so that it doesn't go rolling away when unpacking.

I've just remembered that the photographer is Robert Thompson and the description is in his book about photographing insects. He worked it such that when the rucksack is lying on its back, he unzips the back panel, to expose the homemade compartments. Hopefully my summary makes sense. You could make a few compartments for camera gear, and leave the rest for your climbing malarkey. It sounds much too strenous for my tastes. Now where did I put my slippers ...

Thanks for that idea Leif, it may be just the solution I need.

A quick trial didnt work as well as I'd hoped - too much metalwork too near expensive pieces of glass. I wasnt comfortable with the possible effects! I might look again at it, but it needs some more thought.
However, I have now adapted my toploader 75 beltbag to solve things. I put some fixing loops high on the back of the bag, and ran my rucksac belt through these, then stabalised it using the cinch straps on the camera bag. It's a bit slow to set up, but once in place seems to work ok, and allows access to the camera without taking the sac off. (Useful on small ledges!)