Gura Gear Kiboko 2.0 30L

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The quest for a better 'Wildlife Bag' described by this reviewer of the MrJanGear Boris reads as eerily familiar, especially trying out far too many backpacks to carry big lenses, which, as importantly, work well in the field. I've found the fStop Sukha performs well for carrying a pile of gear, and also flying (its removable ICU can be essential).

There're different challenges using the pack to protect 2 or 3 cameras when actively shooting. This is when hiking, and I find even more tricky when working within a vehicle. This Boris does indeed have clear advantages, including twin self closing Butterfly flaps, which crucially open the rear panel, when the pack is face down.

It should still be possible to fly with a Boris with a Guragear Chobe II in backup (as it pairs rather well with the Kiboko). The latter is well designed for accessories, laptop and even flow overs of smaller lenses etc.

www.squiver.com

Review: Gura Gear Chobe 2.0 laptop/camera bag - Squiver

Read the latest news about award-winning professional wildlife and nature photographer Marsel van Oosten. Squiver offers exciting nature photography trips to great destinations worldwide. Book your photo safari, photography holiday or photo tour online with Squiver Photo Trips. We offer...
www.squiver.com www.squiver.com
 
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I have all the 30+L backpacks that GG has made. The Kiboko 2 (BTW Kiboko is Swahili for hippo) is a bit smaller (less deep) the original bags. I can used some of the "improvements" that they made in the Kiboko 2 but my favorite bag is Bataflae 32L. I have take a 600MM, 200-400mm, 2 pro bodies, 70-200, plus a few bits of other equipment. I had the 70-200 on top of the narrow portion of 200-400.

I found the removal/repositionable center divider in the Bataflae gave me lots of flexibility to adjust the sizes. Biggest problem with the packing was lifting the bag into the overhead rack on the plan.

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fcotterill said:
The quest for a better 'Wildlife Bag' described by this reviewer of the MrJanGear Boris reads as eerily familiar, especially trying out far too many backpacks to carry big lenses and, as importantly, work well in the field. I've found the fStop Sukha performs well for carrying a pile of gear, and also flying (its removable ICU can be essential).

There're different challenges using the pack to protect 2 or 3 cameras when actively shooting. This is when hiking, and I find even more frustrating when working within a vehicle. This Boris does indeed have clear advantages, including twin self closing Butterfly flaps, which crucially open the rear panel, when the pack is face down.

It should still be possible to fly with a Boris with a Guragear Chobe II in backup (as it pairs rather well with the Kiboko). The latter is well designed for accessories, laptop and even flow overs of smaller lenses etc.

www.squiver.com

Review: Gura Gear Chobe 2.0 laptop/camera bag - Squiver

Read the latest news about award-winning professional wildlife and nature photographer Marsel van Oosten. Squiver offers exciting nature photography trips to great destinations worldwide. Book your photo safari, photography holiday or photo tour online with Squiver Photo Trips. We offer...
www.squiver.com www.squiver.com
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Highly recommend the Chobe. I had both the original and v2. The original is a bit larger so stuck with that. Every cubic inch helps.
 
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I also still use my original Chobe every time I travel and even just going to visit family via car. It is a great laptop bag that in a pinch can carry a serious kit of gear.

I actually stuck a 200-400/4 Canon lens in it to go to Antarctica where my Kiboko 30L was already stuffed with 3 bodies and other lenses.
 
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DavidT said:
So I pulled all the inserts but the middle divider and put my 400 and 600GM into the bag along with a gripped a1 that isn’t attached to a lens and it’s super tight! It wasn’t easy to get it closed. Honestly I’m a little disappointed. It’s an expensive bag and I’d kill if it was a half once deeper and wider. How you all are getting a body on the 400 with a 600 and closing the bag is beyond me.
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This was the issue I'd read about with the latest Kiboko 30L V2. They made it just a bit smaller, especially in depth. And going off of your pictures compared to mine of the original, it seems everything may have shrunk just a little bit but that little bit makes a lot of difference.

The Bataflae 32L was the deepest bag (not sure if the G32 was the same) but I still like my original Kiboko as it is a bit less stiff and just a little smaller than the 32L but still easily fits both lenses as I show above. And with body on the 400.

Mitesh's JanGear bag certainly looks like the most accommodating bag for maximum big lens carry with still a good chance of getting it on the plane.
 
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DavidT said:
I’m not showing they still make this bag. Is this true?
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Here is the link to the bag...looks like you can order it: https://mrjangear.com/shop/boris-iv/

I think the best thing about the Boris over the Kiboko (other than the extra size) is that the flaps open on the rear meaning you can lay the bag down in the muck and get to gear without getting the straps all dirty. That is my biggest negative for the Kiboko and is one of the reasons I use my F-stop bag most of the time around local areas.
 
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arbitrage said:
Here is the link to the bag...looks like you can order it: https://mrjangear.com/shop/boris-iv/

I think the best thing about the Boris over the Kiboko (other than the extra size) is that the flaps open on the rear meaning you can lay the bag down in the muck and get to gear without getting the straps all dirty. That is my biggest negative for the Kiboko and is one of the reasons I use my F-stop bag most of the time around local areas.
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I’ll have to see if I can return this bag. For $400 it’s a lot of money.
 
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Here is another option...though it shows out of stock on B&H https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1164129-REG/mindshift_gear_354_firstlight_40l_dslr.html

I purchased this to replace the Guru Bataflae 32L because it had a laptop option. Last week one of my flights on return from Scotland was an Embraer Jet. I purchased advanced seating option, keep a duel Black Rapid harness in the hydration pocket and wear a vest just in case. The rain gear for the lens is checked in luggage and this flattens the bag to fit in tight overheads even with the laptop that I was prepared to remove. Because I have to travel with CPAP, I check the Sony 600mm into a Peli Air 1535, (with Flex Shooter Pro, one extra backup body and the power brick for the laptop - all weight I can find) but leave the aftermarket smaller 3D printer hood in the backpack to provide some protection for the CPAP. I believe, wrong or right, that if I were challenged to check this backpack that medical equipment plus remaining photo gear and laptop may offer some additional sway in keeping said bag. I have never been challenged with backpack so far. As an senior female, I do a backpack hike once a week to maintain my ability to carry all this.

Truly this is ridiculous. Why can't airlines allow us to purchase a space for equipment they say NOT to check??? I watched in horror as a flight attendant insisted a friends roller bag be checked once she had boarded. Every piece of her kit was destroyed. They offered $500. I would neve use a roller bag.
 
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arbitrage said:
Here is the link to the bag...looks like you can order it: https://mrjangear.com/shop/boris-iv/

I think the best thing about the Boris over the Kiboko (other than the extra size) is that the flaps open on the rear meaning you can lay the bag down in the muck and get to gear without getting the straps all dirty. That is my biggest negative for the Kiboko and is one of the reasons I use my F-stop bag most of the time around local areas.
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Yup, re looking for a bag that rests on the ground with the straps and belt free of the muck!
 
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Just a suggestion in case: The lens hood from my Tamron 150-600mm g2 lens will fit over the hood of my Tamron 70-200mm g2 lens. Then the 70-200mm lens is on my d7200 in the middle of my pack with the 150-600mm on one side. This way there doesn't seem to be a problem getting the pack to close with the large diameter of the hood.
 
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harinderjaidka said:
I am also planning to pick up and have one clarifying question - will it take a Nikon 600 mm F 4 with hood or a Nikon 800 mm Z 6.3 with hood .. Would appreciate the guidance
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this is a late answer, but I didn't see a direct answer .... the V2 30L Kiboko fits my 800f5.6 with hood (reversed), which is larger than the 800PF so it should fit OK. It also fits my 600f4E with hood reversed. With one of those big lenses on one side, I can put a Z9 with 70-200f2.8 attached, 14-24f2.8 and 24-70f2.8.
 
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KimM said:
Here is another option...though it shows out of stock on B&H https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1164129-REG/mindshift_gear_354_firstlight_40l_dslr.html

I purchased this to replace the Guru Bataflae 32L because it had a laptop option. Last week one of my flights on return from Scotland was an Embraer Jet. I purchased advanced seating option, keep a duel Black Rapid harness in the hydration pocket and wear a vest just in case. The rain gear for the lens is checked in luggage and this flattens the bag to fit in tight overheads even with the laptop that I was prepared to remove. Because I have to travel with CPAP, I check the Sony 600mm into a Peli Air 1535, (with Flex Shooter Pro, one extra backup body and the power brick for the laptop - all weight I can find) but leave the aftermarket smaller 3D printer hood in the backpack to provide some protection for the CPAP. I believe, wrong or right, that if I were challenged to check this backpack that medical equipment plus remaining photo gear and laptop may offer some additional sway in keeping said bag. I have never been challenged with backpack so far. As an senior female, I do a backpack hike once a week to maintain my ability to carry all this.

Truly this is ridiculous. Why can't airlines allow us to purchase a space for equipment they say NOT to check??? I watched in horror as a flight attendant insisted a friends roller bag be checked once she had boarded. Every piece of her kit was destroyed. They offered $500. I would neve use a roller bag.
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I have a friend traveling internationally (in coach) w/ her violin Can only guess it would cost $50K to replace but worse it would take 1-2 years to find another instrument that she could play just as well (player / instrument need to be matched). The flight attendants insisted that she check her instrument so she finally took the instrument of it case and said she would hold it in her lap. At that point the FA relented and let her carry on her violin.
 
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The "regulations" are subject to interpretation by the individual working for TSA or the airlines. It is not something where the customer has any clout. I stopped shooting film as the TSA people would insist on xraying my bricks of film.

I see instrument cases on planes and it is up to the flight attendant to decide what is OK or not. I also have noticed that when I am in first class the TSA and the airline people have a different mindset and different set of mental guidelines.

I had a heavy duty Pelican case that the baggage manglers at Miami airport managed to crush. I could stand on the case with no flexing but I got it from the airline with it smashed as though a forklift had dropped on it. Fortunately it happened on a return leg and so did not impact my UW photo trip. It reinforced my belief that one should never check anything of importance with any of the airlines.

After a trip with the 600mm f/4 and the 80-400mm and 200mm macro and speedlights and batteries and other items my Bataflae 32 backpack weighed 37 lb and I realized that it was dumb to put everything into one bag. Now I put as much as possible in what qualifies as a "personal item" bag and have my laptop in a carry case with a shoulder strap. The Gura Gear 18L is my"personal item" piece of luggage and works in the center or window seats but is blocked by the support with the aisle seat in most aircraft. This approach is much easier on my body and I use a folding cart and bungee cord to move my 32L bag around on the ground.
 
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For what it's worth at this point, I just got the 30L + a few months back and have been traveling with it. I am transporting a Nikon Z400mm f/2.8 TC attached to a Z9 and a Nikon 100-400mm attached to a Z9 and the Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8. I usually fold up the straps when at the gate and use the very good handles to get it down the jet bridge and into the overhead and back, but I have not found it comfortable to use them for a long distance carry. As soon as into the main terminal, I stop and unzip the shoulder straps and head out. Having both hands free is frequently useful as well.
 
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I bought this several years ago at Steve's recommendation. Yes, I realize the straps can be tucked in and such...but I'm 69 and have lower back issues...so I do use the shoulder straps, the strap across the chest that holds the shoulder straps in place, and the lumbar waist strap. The lumbar waist strap is very important to distribute the weight. I have spent hundreds of hours in airports and these supports are so important to comfort and health transporting heavy gear (my bag approaches 30 pounds). I just tuck the straps under when placed in the overhead bin, or when forced, under the seat.
 
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Mitesh said:
Yeah, you brought your Ajna to FL. I've only flown once so far with the Boris, and the only flight it was an issue on was the Calm Air flight to Churchill. Of course, anything larger than your wallet is a problem on that flight. From IAD to YYZ and YYZ to YWG, I had no problem getting it into overhead.
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Haha, some things never change. Just took the Calm Air flight from YWG to Churchill & back last month and, sure enough, had to gate check the Gura Gear Kiboko 2.0 30. At least they had a fancy "fragile" tag for it - nothing was damaged.
 
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