Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 650: Gear of the Year Awards 2026 winner
Posted on Nov 2, 2026 by Lily Smith
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Lowepro’s exceptionally spacious Pro Trekker proves its staying power by winning a Gear of the Year Award for the second time.
Winning a Pro Moviemaker Gear of the Year Award once is impressive. Convincing our readers to vote for you again says something even more significant. That’s exactly what the Lowepro Pro Trekker BP 650 AW II has achieved, taking the backpack/ holdall category for the second time.
Camera bags aren’t products that become obsolete overnight. Get the fundamentals right and a great backpack can remain part of a filmmaker’s kit for years. And Lowepro certainly got the fundamentals right here.
The Pro Trekker BP 650 is enormous. Originally designed with outdoor photographers and their huge telephoto lenses in mind, its capacity makes it just as suited to filmmakers carrying a substantial production package into locations where wheeled cases aren’t practical.
When Pro Moviemaker tested it, we loaded it with a Sony 300mm f/2.8, Sony A1 with battery grip, 70-200mm f/2.8 and several more fast zooms, then added microphones, wireless equipment and a 16-inch laptop. It swallowed the lot and still had room to spare.
Its collection of padded dividers can be rearranged around different equipment, whether that’s a mirrorless set-up, cinema camera system, lenses, drone or a mixture of imaging and audio kit.
Security is also a strong point. Full access to the main equipment compartment is through the rear panel that sits against your back while the pack is being worn. Apart from making access easier when the bag is laid down, somebody can’t simply unzip the main compartment behind you.
Of course, huge carrying capacity creates another problem: weight. Lowepro’s answer is an adjustable harness system with a padded, removable waist belt. And the Pro Trekker is surprisingly comfortable when properly adjusted – an essential quality when you’re carrying kit over any serious distance. Seemingly every available piece of space has been put to work. Both sides provide compartments, straps and webbing for accessories, while the removable top pouch can even be used separately as a sling bag.
There’s provision for a hydration bladder and drinking tube, plus a side pocket for a bottle. Tripods and sliders can also be attached externally.
Being designed for the outdoors also means weather protection matters. The exterior uses coated water-resistant fabric and sealed main zippers, with an additional rain cover ready for any deluge.
This is a premium backpack. But when it’s potentially carrying expensive cameras, lenses, audio and production equipment, robust protection isn’t somewhere to economise.
More details at lowepro.com
