Vanguard Alta Sky 68 Backpack Review

For photographers who regularly need long lenses to be within easy reach when out capturing photos, Vanguard has introduced what they describe as the 'ultimate gear carrying' backpack which has room for an 800mm super-telephoto lens alongside 7 other lenses and accessories. To find out just how much room the Alta Sky 68 has to offer, we've been putting it to the test so you can read our full opinion before visiting the Vanguard website where the backpack is available now for £259.99.

Vanguard Alta Sky 68 Backpack Features

The Vanguard Alta Sky 68 backpack is designed to carry a super telephoto lens (up to 800m) with a Pro DSLR or Mirrorless camera attached, 7 additional lenses or personal kit, an 11-inch tablet and a 16-inch laptop. You also have room for a full-size tripod on the front of the bag and numerous pockets mean you'll never be short of your smaller accessories. There's a side pocket for a large water bottle and numerous organisers/connectors are also featured. 

The interior can be re-organised to suit your needs or dividers can be removed entirely when you want to use it for personal gear rather than photography equipment and you have top front and lower rear access to what you've packed. 

Side straps can be fitted to create a top handle and on the back is Vanguard's ergonomic Air System back, harness & waist belt which should make carrying heavier loads slightly more comfortable.  For wet days, a rain cover is provided. 

Vanguard Alta Sky 68 Backpack Features:

• Space for a Pro camera with a 600mm/800mm lens attached and up to 7 additional lenses
• Ergonomic Air System back, harness & waist belt
• A side strap can be fitted to create a top handle
• Top front access and lower rear access
• A brightly coloured interior that makes finding things easy
• Numerous dedicated pockets, organisers and connectors
• A large water bottle side pockets
• Holds a 16" laptop and an 11" tablet
• Room for a full-sized tripod
• Rain cover
• External Dimensions 360 x 230 x 595mm
• Weight: 2.8KG

Vanguard Alta Sky 68 Backpack Handling & Performance

The Vanguard Alta Sky 68 is a backpack for photographers who need to carry a serious amount of kit with them and with room for an 800mm lens, plus additional lenses, you definitely won't be missing any photography equipment when taking it on a photo shoot. The Alta Sky 68 actually improves on the previously released Alta Sky 66 giving more width to the backpack so even more kit can be carried. 

Unlike some other backpacks available, the Alta Sky 86 allows a super-telephoto lens (up to an 800mm f/5.6) be carried when fastened to a pro DSLR or full-frame mirrorless camera meaning you can use the top access panel to quickly un-zip your gear, grab your camera/lens that is already attached and start capturing images much more quickly. We like that the padding for this set-up is shaped to hug your camera for additional protection in transit and that there's also space next to it for an additional lens and camera, giving you choice when you spot something to photograph. When accessing kit via the top panel, the backpack will sit up tall without the need for you to support which makes grabbing your camera and lens even easier.

The rest of your kit is accessed via the rear of the backpack from a lower access panel. Of course, you can configure the inner dividers to suit your personal set-up or indeed remove them if you want to use the backpack for carrying clothing etc. The bright orange interior is something we see on most Vanguard backpacks which makes it easier to see your kit when it's packed full. It won't be to everyone's taste but it does mean small memory cards are easy to find if you accidentally drop them in a compartment. 

Talking of accessories, you won't be short of space for these as there are zipped pockets galore both inside and out with an internal laptop space and room for your iPad in a separate front pocket that also has room for new/used memory cards.

Zips are well constructed and keep kit secure with the main compartment featuring additional toggles which make it easier to grasp the zip and open the main compartment. All of the straps, such as the ones on the front for securing a full-sized tripod are also well made and are reassuringly sturdy. Having the tripod in the centre of the backpack means it's well-balanced when out walking as weight is more evenly distributed but you can secure it to the side if you prefer. You also have room for a large water bottle on the side for days when you're planning a long walk. 

There's no getting around that this is a big backpack with it covering the entirety of your back when carrying it and when it's full to the brim, it's not a lightweight backpack either with it weighing 2.8KG when empty. Some will be able to take the payload and happily walk for miles but for most, it'll be ideal when you're working close to your car but need access to lots of kit. It'll also be a great option for those travelling as all of your kit can go in one bag rather than in multiple small ones as there's nothing more annoying than having to do multiple trips to and from your car with lots of smaller bags after a long day of photography. It's just a really smart way to pack multiple bits of photography equipment but for days when you want to capture images in a town or plan a photography walk that's quite taxing, we'd recommend popping the kit you need into a smaller Vanguard bag such as the Vanguard VEO Active 42M or Vanguard VEO Adaptor R48. If you plan on taking the Alta Sky 68 on a flight, we'd definitely recommend checking the airline's bag guidelines as we're pretty sure you'll have to check it into the hold. 

For walks where you want to take everything you could ever want with you, the Vanguard Alta Sky 68 features well-padded shoulder straps and a feature that Vanguard call an 'Alta Sky harness system' which features extra padding on the shoulder blades and the lower back which can be customised to the height of the individual via three settings. Altering the size is easy and quick so if you plan on sharing the load with someone else, it'll be easy to customise the backpack when out in the field. For added comfort, there are sternum straps, shoulder cinch straps and an extra-wide and padded waist belt that helps spread the load well across the lower body. There's also a detachable shoulder strap on the side of the bag that's actually more comfortable to hold than the top carry handle which isn't padded and makes a great way to quickly pick up and carry the bag. 

As for the overall look, the Vanguard Alta Sky 68 is smart, professional-looking and has all of the top build qualities we come to expect from Vanguard products. 

Value For Money

The Vanguard Alta Sky 68 is priced at £259.99 which, when considering the space you get, the quality build and what's on offer from the competition, makes it a reasonable price. There's nothing that actually quite matched the Alta Sky 68 from the likes of Manfrotto, Tenba and other popular bag manufacturers but the Alta Sky 66 is very similar, just slightly smaller and priced at £229.99. For more camera bag options, take a look at our accessory reviews. 

Vanguard Alta Sky 68 Backpack Verdict

The Vanguard Alta Sky 68 backpack will be the ultimate rucksack for a select group of photographers who need to pack as much kit as possible into a bag. It's well made, looks great and offers all of the protection and carrying solutions a photographer could ever need but for some, it will simply offer too much space. However, if you need your 800mm lens and camera quickly to hand in your backpack along with a selection of other lenses, accessories and a tripod, the Vanguard Alta Sky 68 could be for you. 

The Vanguard Alta Sky 68 is a camera bag that, for the right photographer, will be absolutely perfect.

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Vanguard ALTA SKY 68 BACKPACK Specifications

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