Not too many years ago, there was a distinct shortage of options for carrying photography equipment. Shoulder bags dominated the offerings, despite the fact that — in my experience —they simply dont work that well for most photographers. While I might love my Domke, its simply not the best choice for most of the situations I find myself in as a photographer.

　　Photography backpacks are clearly the way to go, and Ive finally found one that fits (most) of my needs. This summer, I started seeing buzz about Brevitē, a newish brand founded in 2015 by three Boston brothers on a mission to create a better camera pack.

　　I decided to check one out for myself, and Im so glad I did. I opted for The Jumper, an 18L pack thats become the brands flagship product.

　　What sets this bad boy apart from the competition is a flexible design that accommodates various equipment, while also serving as a solid pack for everyday life. Perhaps most importantly: It doesnt look like a camera bag.

　　In short: The Brevitē The Jumper ($170) camera backpack is a near-perfect photo pack for daily photography, whether its on a hiking trail or at a nightclub. A side zipper pocket makes it easy to trade lenses while on the move, and its diversity of storage options makes it highly functional for dozens of different approaches to modern photography and videography. Its also discreet, so your camera gear is less likely to become a target for theft.

　　Brevitē The Jumper Check Price on Amazon

　　8 How we rate products Rating Details Value 8.0 Durability 8.0 Style 7.0 Performance 9.0 Specifications Width: 10.5” Depth: 5.5” Height: 16.25” Weight: 3.2 lbs. for regular size Volume: 18L Pros Flexibility for packing various kits Highly comfortable even when heavy Side-entry zipper pocket Discreet appearance Cons Not fully weatherproof Could have more internal zipper pockets Andrew McLemore Brevitē The Jumper: Review Its sometimes difficult to separate cool features from the ones we actually need — even for gear reviewers like myself. For me, The Jumper offers most of the design elements I want from a camera pack, without unnecessary add-ons.

　　A big plus of this backpack (and one that shows up in many customer reviews) is its discretion. The Jumper just doesnt look like its filled with expensive equipment.

　　Thats a bigger departure than many people might realize. From the leather shoulder bags of photographys Life Magazine era to the elegant Peak Design backpacks worn by Americas favorite (accused) murderer, most camera bags remain stubbornly ostentatious, announcing their pricey contents to anyone who glances at them.

　　(Photo/Andrew McLemore) The Jumper, on the other hand, will blend into a sea of JanSports. It might contain thousands of dollars worth of gear, but it presents as the pack of a middle-class high school kid. For any photographer who shoots in a range of environments (and sometimes wants to leave the bag behind for greater mobility) thats a big point in The Jumpers favor.

　　Packable and Flexible My photography life has never been more diverse. Sometimes Im shooting for product reviews like this one, venturing into the outdoors to test out gear against the elements. Other times, Im pursuing personal projects like nature photos, drone photography, or just shooting musicians performing live around Atlanta.

　　I long ago realized that my Domke was simply not the bag for any of these situations. Many photo packs are so singularly focused on gear that they dont accommodate other necessities for me, like notebooks, snacks, and a water bottle. And if they do have all those features, the bags are often larger and heavier than I want, bringing me back to the same problems I have with shoulder bags.

　　(Photo/Andrew McLemore) So the Jumpers design works great for me. Its padded lower section is made for photo gear, especially DSLRs and lenses, while the top section is a normal backpack. Those two main sections are separated by a Velcro divider.

　　Theres also a generous side pocket, buckled loops on the bottom, several internal pockets, another external zipper area for small camera accessories, and a rear zipper compartment for laptops.

　　(Photo/Andrew McLemore) A Standout for Varied Use One of my favorite features of The Jumper is its side access pocket for camera gear. I made sure to put my heavy telephoto lens near the side zipper. This allows me to quickly swap my wide-angle lens for the telephoto without taking the bag off my shoulders.

　　Its also easy to change the bags configuration for different photography needs. The variety of gear I test means I need a bag that allows me to shoot the various outdoor gear and apparel Im testing, and that means constantly changing what I bring with me. The Jumper makes that easy.

　　I often use the side pocket for a water bottle (I dont like putting water bottles in internal pockets with camera gear, for obvious reasons). But I can still insert a heavy tripod into the bags under loops and bring my large, handheld selfie stick by sliding it inside the bags main compartment.

　　(Photo/Andrew McLemore) As for wearing the bag itself, the generously thick shoulder straps are quite comfy. In general, this bag feels great to me (and I dont like feeling uncomfortable while shooting). I filled it up with 20-25 pounds of camera gear, and hiked up several small mountains in the Atlanta area, including Stone Mountain and Arabia Mountain.

　　On the latter, I actually ran up most of the way in my trusty trail runners, and never lost a piece of gear from the movement or felt uncomfortable with the added shoulder weight.

　　The Jumper: Downsides I do have a few major caveats with this one. For starters, its not fully weatherproof like a Peak Design. Instead, its weather-resistant. To test that out, I (bravely) ventured into a thunderstorm on Stone Mountain. It rained consistently, though without pouring. The bag certainly got wet, but everything inside was dry.

　　This isnt the bag to take photo gear into a Yellowstone winter or an Olympic National Park rainy season — but thats also not what most photographers are doing.

　　Though weather-resistant, you probably want to avoid taking The Jumper through anything more than light rain like this; (photo/Andrew McLemore) Id also like to see at least one additional zipper pocket for things like car keys and other small but important items. Also, the dividers for the photo gear compartment arent the best. With Velcro along the sides, theyre decently maneuverable, but not as much as many competitors.

　　They seem geared toward photogs using DSLRs rather than videographers who need a bit more flexibility in what they bring along. But given the sheer variety of photography gear available now, its hard to find a bag thats perfect for every single scenario.

　　Final Verdict: A Solid Generalist

　　(Photo/Andrew McLemore) The Jumper doesnt shine as the ideal pack for a specific kind of photographer. Instead, its specialty is being a generalist. Thats why it has become my go-to bag, allowing me to quickly and easily swap out what I need for varied photo missions. Thats much more likely to satisfy the hordes of hobbyist photographers than most photo packs, which are clearly made for full-time professionals.

　　Anyone, from dedicated content creators to casual shutterbugs, can appreciate the simplicity and ease of use of The Jumper. At $170, its slightly cheaper than Peak Designs 18L Outdoor Backpack ($190). However, Peak Designs bags only come in two colors, while the Jumper is available in 11 different colors on the Brevitē site. I went with the super-discreet gray color, but you can also choose from bright yellow, pink, and blue.

　　Once again, the flexibility is evident: You can stay under the radar with a gray pack that no one will notice — or make a colorful statement. The choice is yours.

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