Gear Review Clik Elite Hiker

[Bill]

Clik Elite Hiker


MSRP: $310
Price Paid: $200
[parsehtml]Where you bought it: <a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-5759616-10788082?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F629690-REG%2FClik_Elite_CE402GR_Large_Hiker_Backpack_Gray.html" target="_top">B&H Photo</a><img src="http://www.lduhtrp.net/image-5759616-10788082" width="1" height="1" border="0"/>[/parsehtml]Manufacturer's Specs
My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars



I originally purchased this pack for backpacking and long day hikes but it quicklybecame my day to day camera bag. Over the past year and a half I have hauled camera gear all over Utah in this pack. The only con I have with the pack is that its slightly too large and a tad heavy.

In the lower half of the pack there is plenty of room for a pro body, 3 lenses, 2 flashes, flash triggers, a blower and a filter wallet. The removable dividers can be positioned in countless ways to secure your equipment. There's also a nice zippered pocket filled with small sleeves for memory cards, battery's, remotes, levels, and all that small stuff required for outdoor photography.

The top half of the pack has plenty of room for coats, lunch, water, snacks, and maybe even a bowling ball for good measure. For winter shooting I always keep the top half filled with my light snow/wind pants, down coat, gloves, and hat so its ready to go anytime for a quick spur of the moment sunrise or sunset.

The tripod mounts along the side of the pack, I'm not really a fan on the side mount but it works.


Side note: Clik Elite's customer service is amazing. After wearing a hole in the side water bottle pocket. I sent my hiker in for warranty repair. One week later I had a brand not click hiker sitting on my door step.

Cons
Heavy and the torso is a bit short. I'm 6'2" and it fits me perfectly when set to XL. If you are any taller you may have some issues when packing for miles on end.

Pros
High quality constitution and very durable
Very Adjustable
It holds everything and is very comfy on long hauls.

The Photos












Get the Clik Elite Hiker from one of these backcountrypost sponsors:
Amazon - B&H Photo

 

[barl0w]

Great review! I've heard great things about this and other Clik Elite packs from Adam Barker on FB. I've so wanted to get something like this, but also love my Osprey packs a lot. I'm kinda torn!

 

[Nick]

I'm not such a fan of this pack but I'll chalk some of that up to the fact that it didn't fit me. For as many torso adjustments it has, it's crazy that it was stil 2" too small for me (I'm 6'4"). I ended up selling mine to wanderinfinn, maybe he has some thoughts too. I know he's quite slender and the waist belt was so big he ended up tying it in a knot on a couple of our trips. He definitely made it work for some serious backpacking though.

But I still like Clik in general. My Clik Access chest pack is SO awesome. Gonna have to write a review up on that soon.

 

[wanderinfinn]

I do have a few comments on the bag. I am 6' tall, and as Nick said, slender. The waist belt is much too large for me. I have a 33" waist. On longer trips I have had to not use the snap in the belt. I had to use the excess strap to tie a knot instead. I have the shoulder strap adjusted to XL. This was the only way I could get the waist belt onto my hips. For day trips I would just deal with the discomfort. The mesh side pockets are worth anything. They tear very easily, especially in narrow slots. My last complaint is that the camera compartment is connected to the gear compartment directly above it. This means that any dirt, food, water, etc can easily find its way into the camera compartment.
It does have some positive points though. When I am hiking in layers, it fits perfect and is comfortable. It is large enough to take on a 4 day backpacking trip. The rainfly is great as well, as I found out on out trip into the Winds last summer.

 

[gnwatts]

I bought a new "used" Hiker on Ebay a few weeks ago, it was cheap and I had heard a great deal about the quality etc. I received it, and was struck by one glaring problem. The upper compartment, which will be filled with my backpacking stuff, dirty/sandy/nasty backpacking stuff, is not sealed from the camera bay below! WTF? What were they thinking? The new hiker will have a zipped enclosure that separates the 2 compartments, which makes sense. The pack was also missing one of the vertical separators in the camera compartment. I called Clik Elite, expressed my concern about dirt and dust, and the guy said they had a fix that he would send out, free off charge. I got a insert for the top compartment that sealed it off, and they just sent me the vertical piece for the camera compartment. The bag is beautiful, quality through and through (a little heavy though). Now if I can figure out a good way to attach my tripod, I will be totally sold.
Just to say that they have a great product and company, and stand behind their work, a rarity these days.

 

[Bill]

Now if I can figure out a good way to attach my tripod, I will be totally sold.

I use the top strap and warp around the base of my head like this.

 

[gnwatts]

Yeah, I saw that. What I don't like is the off balance created by the tripod on the side. I just did a 2 day in Dominguez Canyon, very hot. I carried maybe 35lbs, half of that camera stuff. I attached my jet boil and filter in the webbing in the center, crazy creek on one side and tripod on the other. It felt great, I did maybe 15 miles. It ventilated really well on my back, which was nice.

 

[Nico]

I've got an F-Stop Satori, and I've found its a bit too small for a weekend backpacking trip, even with the smallest camera module. I've been putting the camera module into an Osprey Atmos 65L, but then it is buried at the bottom.

Can anyone compare the suspension and backpacking-fit quality of this Clik to an Osprey suspension? I wish Osprey would make a camera backpack with their new AG system...

 

[IntrepidXJ]

Yes, Osprey suspension is way better than this Clik.

I have a Clik Elite Hiker, f-stop gear Tilopa BC and an Osprey Atmos 65. Atmos wins hands down.

 

[Nick]

x2 on Osprey dominating Clik. I'd hate to use an actual camera backpack for backpacking. So much unnecessary stuff. I just put my extra lens(es) into neoprene sleeves and stick them in with the rest of my backpacking gear and carry my camera on my chest in a Clik Access (which I love).