PixelatedImage Blog

Spoiler: If you’re the kind that hates it when someone reveals the ending, don’t read this part. I love this gear! Here’s why:

My Think Tank Skins came this week, and I wanted to get an initial review up as soon as I could. So, thanks to a free afternoon and a fetish for camera bags that demands I play with stuff NOW, here’s a look at the new Skins. Stretch your scrolling fingers, it’s a longer, more complete review than I’ve done in a long time.

PACKAGING
My kit came as you see it. Think Tank Photo has some nice new packaging and it adds to the feel that one is getting solid value. But I hate packaging. I loathe it. It forces me to fill trash and recycle bins and a box for bags just seems nutty to me - but you can’t fault them for the professionalism. I’d just rather not encourage this weird addiction to packaging that our culture has. (After several days I should admit that this box is pretty nice and built so you can re-use it. I store some of my Skin pieces and some other bits and pieces in the box - so at least it’s one of those useful boxes you’ll be inclined to hang on to.)

CONSTRUCTION
Every piece of Think Tank gear I have owned is built extremely well. I have yet to see a flaw in the material or the workmanship. The zippers are quality, the shock cord is beefy, and the velcro is large and sewn in solidly. Each skin has a couple large pockets, a weatherproof rain shield, a large belt loop on the back, and includes at least one adjustable foam divider for the inside.

The Skins are not padded. These are meant to be working pouches - easy-in and easy-out. If you want padded pouches, look into the Think Tank Modular System.

The Skins do not come with a belt but are deigned to be used with one. The belt is not included, presumably so you can choose one of the three excellent Think Tank belts. The Pro Speed belt, the Steroid Speed Belt or the Skin Belt. If you’re going to load these I highly recommend getting the Belly Dancer harness or the Pixel Racing Harness. I haven’t shown these on a belt/harness, but you can see them in several configurations on the Think Tank website.

Here’s a shot of the Skin Strobe with the belt loop shown. Depending on whether you use the white plastic strip or not, the pouches either remain locked in place or move (rotate) freely along the belt. I have yet to use this feature as I prefer my pouches all slidey.

The 5 Piece Skins Kit includes the following pieces.

1 SKIN CHIMP CAGE POP DOWN - For Pro Sized SLR
Shown with the Pop-Down in place. Carry your spare body on your belt. Lots of room for pro-sized bodies. Bodies without vertical grips will easily fit into the Skin 50. To be honest I’m not sure when or if I would use the Pop Down feature on this particular unit, but it’s been very handy on my holsters.

1 SKIN 75 POP DOWN
Shown with Pop Down zipped-up. More than enough room to quickly access a 70-200/2.8L IS, either with or without the hood in place. The Pop Down makes this really easy. It’s a feature I didn’t think I’d use until I began using the Digital Holsters, which have this feature.

1 SKIN STROBE
I’ve packed this to the gills to show you how volumous these Skins are. This is a Skin Strobe with a Canon 580EX and a 430EX inside. I wouldn’t work out of this configuration, but if you’re after the ability to pack alot of gear, these skins have it in spades.

1 SKIN DOUBLE WIDE
OK, this thing is huge. I put a spare 5D with grip and a 70-200/2.8L IS into this. It’s really big. I mean really, really big.

1 SKIN 50
Shown here with my 135/2.0L lens - When placed inside there is plenty of room to spare - making it easy to work quickly when on a belt or convenient for packing extras and sectioning them away with the included foam divider. The Skin 50 will also hold a DSLR without a vertical grip, where the Chimp Cage would be too large.

FEATURES

Weatherproof rain shields
Each Skin comes with a weatherproof rain shield that fits into a zippered pocket on the bottom of the Skin pouch. All are attached to their own labeled leash so when you pull the thing off and it mixes with all the other rain covers, you know which is which. These little details show again that Think Thank thinks this stuff through rabidly.

Front Flap Pockets
The front flap pocket on all pieces is large and accessible. (The Pocket Rocket is not included.) The Skin pictured below is the Chimp Cage Skin (here with the Pop Down zipped-up).

Under Flap Pockets
The pockets under the flaps are all very large. This is the Chimp Cage Skin with a loaded pocket.

Silence Tabs
Most of the time the big flaps close by means of large velcro patches, but if you want to work silently the silence tabs are easily deployed, disabling one side of the velcro. In the photo below the tab on the left is deployed, while the one on the right is not. Simple. All Skin pouches close with a elastic shock cord in addition to the Velcro patches.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
I am really impressed with this gear. I’ve been looking to get something like this for a while and unable to find it anywhere else but from the Newswear folks, so I’d nearly placed an order with them. The Skins set is well-built, full of solid features, and big. Everything fits and is easy to pull out, which is the point of this kit.

I give extra points to Think Tank Photo for resisting the urge to put fancy striping and two tone colour schemes on their bags. All I want in a bag is something professional looking, brilliantly designed and solidly built - Think Tank Photo delivers time and time again.

I’m looking forward to working out of this rig. Right now I work with a Steroid Speed belt and two Digital Holsters, and the odd Modular component. But I like these better than the Modular pieces, they fit my working style better as the additional pockets,and the flap, are more important to me than a little extra padding. I’ll pack these within my Airport Addicted or Airport Security, and use my Urban Disguise as my second carry-on. When I get where I am heading I’ll attach it all to the belt and harness and I’m ready to go.

The 5-piece Skin set costs $149, and you save 20% over buying all the pieces individually. You’ll also need a belt, and I suggest a harness too if weight on your hips for an 8-12 hour day hurts you the way it does me.

Would I recommend this gear to my closest friend? I sure would, without hesitation.

If you missed my review of the Digital Holsters, find it HERE
Think Tank Photo’s website is HERE