Nest Athena A40 Professional Camera Bag Review

Features
Handling & Performance
Verdict

The Nest Athena A40 is a large shoulder bag designed to hold a DSLR with attached lens, and 4 to 5 extra lenses or a range of other camera accessories. It is part of the Athena range, which consists of premium pouches, shoulder bags, sling bags and backpacks designed for the photographic enthusiast. It is available in brown and black. More information on the range is available on the Nest website. 

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Features

The Nest Athena is quite a chunky shoulder bag. It has an adjustable strap and shoulder pad that can also be removed, enabling you to alter the fit of the bag to your liking. The bag has a bright orange interior throughout and has a waterproof cover included.

Key Features

• Fits DSLR with attached lens and up to 5 extra lenses
• Waterproof cover 
• Rubber feet 
• Can 'Piggyback' to a rolling suitcase/bag
• Adjustable strap and shoulder pad 
• YKK zips and Duraflex clip

On the front of the clipping flap there is a side zipping pocket, and on lifting the flap you'll find another zip compartment which has a velcro secured mesh section and three organiser pockets. Behind this there is another deep pocket with three more organiser slots and behind this, there is the zip to the main compartment. 

To get into the main compartment, you need to first unclip the flap and then zip around the top of the bag, making it quite a secure place to store your kit. Inside the main compartment there is space to slide up to a 13 inch laptop or tablet and plenty of dividers enabling you to adapt the bag to fit your kit. There are also two handy memory card pockets on the inside of the flap. The bag can hold a DSLR with lens attached and up to 5 more lenses. 

On the back of the bag there is a large velcro secured back pocket, and a velcro secured strap which can be undone to enable you to 'piggyback' the bag onto a rolling suitcase, so you don't have to carry it.
 

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Handling & Performance

The first thing to note about this bag is that it's very secure, with having to unclip the flap and then unzip all the way around the compartment to access your gear. The downside to this however is that we found it quite fiddly to undo the clip whilst wearing the bag, as the overhang of the flap gets in the way of your fingers. This is more of an issue for journalists and off the cuff photographers who need quick access to their gear. 

Once the bag is opened though, it's fast and easy to lift your camera with attached lens out of the bag and replace it, thanks to the sturdy and movable dividers that help you customise the bag to your kit.

The bag's strap is easily adjusted to your body, and the padded shoulder strap helps a lot with comfort. The bag is quite square and chunky, but it sits well on your side and is surprisingly comfy to wear when you're on your feet alot.

The bag has robust rubber feet, guarding against wear and tear on the bottom, and is made from 750D waterproof twill, ensuring your equipment will stay dry. If it rains heavily, the bag comes with an innovative waterproof cover that makes sure as much of the bag as possible is covered. 

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Value For Money

The Athena A40 retails at £79.99, which is quite a good price for a messenger style bag of this size. Other similar bags of a similar size to consider are the Vanguard The Heralder 38, which features a removable strap and tripod holder and retails for around £109, and the Lowepro Urban Reporter 350, which fits a DSLR and attached 24-70 lens, and 2-3 lenses for £250. 

The bag is lightweight, and seems to be made from quality materials, with a good amount of padding protecting the main compartment.

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Verdict

Overall, the Nest Athena A40 is good value for money for its size, and has many features you'd expect from a more expensive product, such as the waterproof cover and high quality materials and fastenings. 

It's surprisingly comfy to wear considering the angular shape, however you might end up with an achy shoulder if you wear the bag for a long time with heavy kit in as it is quite large for a messenger style bag. If getting your equipment out quickly isn't too much of an issue, the bag will make a perfectly adequate shoulder camera bag for about town or out in the countryside. 

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Pros

Very secure and padded
Good rain cover
Lots of pockets and spaces for equipment

Nest Athena A40 Shoulder Bag Cons

Quite tricky to unclip when wearing
Could get uncomfy to wear if carrying heavy kit

FEATURES
HANDLING
PERFORMANCE
VALUE FOR MONEY
VERDICT