Elgol is only a few kilometres away as the crow flies form our house in Glen Brittle but an hour and a half drive. It’s a favourite spot to visit for my wife, Bridgette, and I and we’ll often spend out of season down time there visiting friends, admiring the scenery and taking photos. As such, the Explore 30 has done a lot of exploring here over the last six months or so. Elgol is perhaps best known for the “Joe Cornish Boulder” or “JCB” a perfectly situated round boulder with a backdrop of the Cuillin mountains.
Ironically, the Explore 30 has probably become my most used Shimoda pack. I say ironically, because when the packs arrived from Shimoda, I expected it to be the one that I’d use least. To my mind the Action X70HD and X50 were the potential stars and the small sized Urban Explore looked to be a handy size.
The Explore 30 seemed to sit in the middle ground, perhaps a bit overshadowed by its siblings, big and small. However, it has become a constant companion over the last six months and has accompanied me on a wide range of landscape photography missions ranging from local beaches, rivers and lochs, explorations both local and distant.
Whilst the Action series are perfect for my mountain adventures, the Explore has all other bases covered and makes the perfect pack for more general landscape photography. The Explore does all you’d expect from a Shimoda pack, being supremely comfortable to wear, superbly designed to both protect and access your precious camera gear and looking pretty chic and Gucci in an understated way.
In many ways, the Explore combines the attributes of both beauty and the beast. On the beast front it is tough and durable and can hold a ton of gear. On the beauty front, it’s slick, stripped back design infers that as a camera pack it has reached an evolutionary high point (although with new Shimoda products emerging, the evolution is, obviously, very much a continuous, ongoing process).
Being a relatively recent convert to the Shimoda brand, I’m not a 100% sure about the history of the brand but think their first product was the Explore pack way back in 2017. Since then, a lot of lessons have been learned, feedback taken into account and a whole raft of innovations implemented. New designs, new fabrics have come into play and the Explore was relaunched as a version two or V2.
The ergonomics are superb and, as such, it makes for a comfortable carry even with a relatively heavy load. The internal frame, the adjustable shoulder straps and waist belt allow for an almost infinite degree of adjustment to suit pretty much all shapes and sizes. Additionally, female specific models and a variety of additional shoulder straps are available.
Comfort is essential otherwise I’m certainly not going to use a pack and with Shimoda, comfort levels to a high degree are a given. Equally important to me is usability, easy access to camera gear and outdoor kit and the Explore uses usability from its wide opening back panel to the variety of Core Units which fit in it. The Core Units deserve a few words of praise in their own right. They are rigid with stiff, protective sides which not only look after your camera gear but add a degree of sturdiness to the overall pack.
The exterior fabric is tough and durable and seems to shed water droplets and can easily be wiped down. My Explore has been covered in sand, snow and mud yet a quick wipe with a damp cloth has it back to new looking. The pack is very protective against the elements and seems to shed sleet, snow and hail as well as rain showers. An added bonus is the inclusion of a rain cover which I’ve rarely needed to use despite the wet Scottish climate. More often I’ve used it to keep the pack clean when I’ve laid it down in mud, vegetation or snow.
Apart from space for a Core Unit with your camera gear there is plenty of space for a day
out whether in the city or countryside and I can easily take waterproofs, a spare insulated layer, food and drink. The top compartment is really useful and contains a removable hanging pouch that makes best use of the space around whatever sized Core Unit you are using.
There are plenty of pouches and zipped pockets for even the most organised of photographers, the transparent internal zipped pockets being especially useful and allow you to easily see and access their contents.
As with other Shimoda packs, the main access is via a huge zipped opening on the rear of the pack. This opens to one side and makes a fantastic makeshift workbench to change lenses, sort filters etc. Grab handles around the zipped opening allow you to swiftly and easily move locations without having to pack things away and zip up.
Whilst I’ve only used it for six months it does seem ultra durable and hardwearing with no rips or tears, no abrasion marks or stains. The pack has endured the whole gamut of torture tests that any landscape photographer might put his kit through. Salt water and sand on our local beaches. Precipitation in all its forms, be it hail, sleet, rain or snow because we live in Scotland on the Isle of Skye with its bracing and vicious maritime climate. Abrasive rocks be they gabbro in the hills and mountains, sandstone or limestone at lower level have done their best but have not thwarted the tough exterior of the Explore.
The Explore seems to be a refined beast, a subtle mark two iteration that blends style with the all important usability. It is a subtle beast with subdued and subtle looks, perhaps toned down a bit form the more adventure sport orientated Action X range. I love the subtle olive green colour but it is also available in a more traditional camera pack black. The colours are subtle as is the branding.
The exterior has nice clean, smooth lines, a clear difference from the Action range with their profusion of attachment points and straps. I like the clean lines that make travel a doddle with few things to snag or get caught. A pet hate of mine is gear getting caught on seat belts etc in cars and the smooth exterior definitely helps on this score.
But don’t think the Explore is ill equipped. Far from it. There are two clever fold out tripod holders which disappear into external pockets when not required and can also be used for drinks bottles. The pack comes with a couple of accessory straps which can be added should the need arise.
The fact that I have used the Explore so much tells you more than any review ever could. Bridgette can tell you that with me gear either gets used (if it’s good) or it is left in its box or got rid of. All I can say is that the Explore 30 has been used shed loads. It seems to be an optimal size for travel and landscape photography (25 and 35 litre versions are also available so all sizes covered for the perfect do it all, one purchase, camera pack. It’s large enough for all but major photo trips and adventures, makes a great general purpose pack and is smart enough for the office or business meetings. Form and function fused to perfection.
https://uk.shimodadesigns.com/explore-v2-25-starter-kit-w-small-mirrorless-core-unit-army-green/
