Despite its shortcomings, it's a bit hard for me not to love this backpack. If it weren't for these issues, this would have been easily been the PERFECT backpack for ALL my photography needs. While it doesn't work for every scenario, it does work wonderfully when I need to have a lot of my gear with me. It's nearly identical in size to my previous backpack, but its customizable internal layout, which makes use of the entire height of the backpack, makes it easier to for me to carry different selections of my gear whether I'm out shooting wildlife, landscapes, or street photography, all while keeping everything organized.The only weak point I found with the backpack is in the way it was designed to carry a tripod. The fold-down flap with a "pocket" for a tripod leg is a clever way to hide this feature when not in use, but the strap that is used to secure the tripod to the backpack could have been improved by using a quick-release buckle-type of a strap. Instead, you need to slide one of your tripod's legs into the strap and then into the pocket below, sinching the tripod in place with the strap. This is all well and good if your tripod doesn't have leg supports (generally found on cheaper tripods of the size that would fit on this backpack). If your tripod uses tab-locks instead of locking rings, you may encounter a bit of hassle getting the leg down in there, but not so much that it's a deal-breaker. It does, however, work just fine -- great, in fact -- with monopods. All that considered, I don't really have much of a problem with the tripod carrying "system" as I've been used to strapping my tripod to the bottom of my backpacks anyway, using the typical tripod "pouches" on the side for my water canteen/bottle instead. On this backpack, I usually end up carrying my smaller, flexible-leg tripod there.That said, I still find myself using this backpack more than my other backpacks even when I need to carry a lot with me. This mainly because of the versatility it provides when deciding on what gear to carry without being as big as my camping backpacks. On my last trip out with it, I was able to stow two Canon 7D's, a 70-200mm, a 24-70mm, 100mm square ND filter set, diffuser/reflector panel, 4 LP-E6 batteries, battery grip for one of the cameras, a flash and remote trigger, USB cable for tethering, as well as my 15" laptop and its charging cable. The inner pockets also provide nice, secure means of carrying my backup maps for any trails I am on. If I'm using my Capture clip on one of the straps, that frees up a ton of room inside, which I usually end up filling with my water canteen and some snacks. On the straps, there are two metal rings that I've attached carabiners to for things like carrying a torch, my tripod strap, etc. There are also a number of loops around the base of the bag that can be used for attaching items to the bag should you need them. I use these to hold things like hats, gloves, etc.As for the overall aesthetics and build quality, the grey looks great -- better than I expected even. It's not so attention-grabbing as I thought it would be, and when I don't have my camera out, most people seem to assume it's just a regular backpack. The fact that it is grey rather than the more common black also means it's easier to spot in low light conditions -- this is especially true when outdoors (e.g. in the woods). My last time out with the backpack was on a hiking trip out to a waterfall that only appears during or shortly after it rains. We started out on the trail in a light drizzle, so the bag did get a bit wet, but all the gear in the bag remained quite dry. The bottom of the backpack has a water-resistant outer lining that is also nice. It will come in handy for my trips to the marshes and I accidentally put it down in a wet spot obscured by the vegetation. Even when fully loaded, the straps never felt like they were about to come undone at the seams. The hand grip on the top is available, though, and is quite thick and comfortable in hand.All in all, even though this backpack isn't perfect for ALL my needs, it's still a worthwhile purchase. For a backpack this size, it packs a ton of storage and carrying options, and that's what I was looking for when I bought this. If, however, you need something that more easily accommodates traveling with a tripod without resorting to some other strapping solution, then you might need to look at other options.