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Watershed Chattaooga Liner question

3K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  darinm 
#1 ·
Does anyone have any alternative ideas to using the watershed liner for the chattooga duffel to protect camera gear? The liner is really nice but adds a lot of bulk when storing in my boat. Looking for something not as bulky to use for camera protection in the dry bag.
Thanks
 
#3 ·
I have used minicell foam to make lens barrels and other small padding sections for cam gear in a watershed.

frankly though I consider their drybag liner the bare minimum, and insufficient on its own.

peli cases are just a nightware to rig.

lately I've been looking for a watershed gas mask bag. It has a relieve zipper closure for camera quick-draw. Sometimes they come up on ebay. mount it as a deck bag!
 
#4 ·
I use the liner and let a little air out of my float bag on that side. If I am only carrying one lens the liner is sufficient, if carrying multiple lenses I put them in Crown Royal bags in the liner.

Pelican cases suck ass for carrying in a kayak (yes this is the kayak forum)...

The bigger question is, what is the best tripod and method for carrying it in your kayak...
 
#5 ·
I second the watershed liner. That's what I use in a Largo. The Largo is like the Occoee bug has a larger opening. This helps when I take my 70-200 2.8. It's also talked but I just roll the top and its very close to an Occoee.

Watershed is the best system I've found! Bomber bags!


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#6 ·
I put a ~6" x 14" piece of blue foam cut from a cheap/old sleep pad in the bottom of my Ocoee. Then an old cotton t-shirt on top of that, partly for padding, partly for drying wet hands. Then burp it as you roll/seal it closed, and you've got a pretty small package.

This only gives protection from the bottom, so you need to be careful about how you place it/secure it in the boat.

I have one of the liners and I found it a bulky and largely useless PITA to get into/out of.
 
#7 ·
I am a kayaker... I use the pelican 1150 case and it holds my dslr and lense just fine. And it has fit perfectly between my legs in my shiva and in my allstar. I just sit it vertically against the beam in the front of the boat and use a cam strap or a ****** to keep it in place. As for tripods I use the Mefoto travel tripod, it goes down super small and is really light.
 
#8 ·
Right on. I made a bad assumption.... I have an 1150 also and do think it provides better protection for the camera, but I have found it quite uncomfortable when mounted vertically between my legs in my Burn.

As for the tripod recommendation, thank you. That is one of the better deals I have seen for a lightweight compact tripod.
 
#9 ·
Do you want to be fighting a pelican case between your legs if you're stuck in your boat? I just think it's more hassle than what it's worth.

The stories of boats underwater for hours and days with watershed bags returning the goods in dry condition says enough for me. Hard to beat their product. Get the Futa float bags and you won't be sorry.


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#10 ·
Getting out of the boat with a pelican case is no harder than getting out of a boat with a Jackson happy seat. I guess it all depends on your boats outfitting layout. I personally use my peli case because it provides better protection in the boat, as well as hiking around scaling rocks and such. Its all personal preference, but for me when it comes down to protecting a very pricey DSLR I am OK with the extra hassle. I love watershed products, I just prefer to have a hardshell protecting my camera.

As for a resolution for storing a camera in a watershed bag... here are a couple ideas that I have brainstormed.

1. Take a small cheap coleman camp pillow and lay the camera body and lense on one end of the pillow and fold it hamburger style. Then use like a 1-2' cam around the pillow to keep it wrapped. I just tried this and cinched down it is actually smaller than my peli case, but not very accessible. Another option would be to put the small amp pillow in a small stuff bag like a bivy stuff sack. The camera would be well padded, and be easily accessible, instead of having to undo a cam.

2. You could also use a thick hand towel or blanket, and line an inside of a small stuff sack and put your camera in there. Probably would go down a lot smaller than option 1. Here is an example with a t-shirt, sorry about the bad camera quality, was just brainstorming. I ended up using an old climbing skin stuff sack that also happens to be hydrophobic.

Room Technology Photography Camera Furniture

Vehicle Car Auto part Compact car Personal protective equipment

Automotive exterior Auto part Bumper Helmet Vehicle

Auto part Technology Personal protective equipment Trunk Vehicle


3. Use a GoPro haha
 
#11 ·
I'll throw my .02c out here too. There is nothing more waterproof than a watershed. In seven years of using a watershed bag I never had one leak. On the other hand I had issues with a Nikon D200, for sure from impact, a Nikon D700 that I'm not sure if it was impact, and a D600 from impact while in the boat.Those are all with a blue sleeping pad foam liner and or other liners for lenses ect. My last year I broke the D600, the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8, a Samyang 14mm f/2.8, and a Sony NEX-7.

Since then I've switched to Pelican. A nice mirrorless like the Sony A6000 fits in an 1150, or I can fit an A7 into a Pelican 1200. In over a year, no more broken lenses. Dryness I can't speak to yet, just one or two swims and no issues.
 
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