Quarks rating explanation here.
Hardware Design
This bag’s design is impeccable, as it is usually the case with Think Tank products. The main compartment is large enough to hold a mirrorless camera with lens attached (a Sony A7 with a Sony FE 28-70 mm lens in this case) plus a couple of lenses; or the camera, one lens and an external flash. There is an external zippered pocket which holds the removable rain cover and provides enough space to hold a couple of extra batteries, gray cards, lens cleaner and even a mini flashlight for night shooting. This pocket also has a magnetized flap which automatically closes when the pocket is not accessed. It’s great no seeing velcro in a camera bag. There are a couple of external pouches to the sides where you can put the camera charger as well.
Best of all, there is a slot for the iPad Air (right below the camera in the photo). This is a huge advantage over other camera bags and one feature which makes it a really good alternative when traveling. It’s really mesmerizing all that can be fit inside this little guy. There is also a small translucent pocket in the inner side of the main flap which can be used to hold filters or SD cards.
<img src=“mover_top_open.jpg"alt=“Think Tank Mover 30i Top Open.“style=“float: center”/>
Hardware Quality
Although the bag’s quality is good, it really didn’t blow my mind and I would say there is room for improvement. First the good stuff: the external material is both water resistant and durable, the shoulder strap is elegant and feels sturdy. It is also provided with metal clips to securely attaching it to the bag.
However, there are some arguably minor things that rub me the wrong way: first, the inner dividers material. While other manufacturers use fleece in their dividers, Think Tank decided to use a smooth nylon/non-woven type of cloth. Although it won’t scratch your equipment, it definitely doesn’t provide the same tactile feeling. Also, the dividers are very flimsy, not providing enough rigidity to keep certain items tightly in place. I resorted to using one of the provided dividers which has some slots for holding an iPhone and SD cards. That makes it more rigid and adequate to hold the camera on a vertical position.
General Performance
I have been using this bag for some weeks now. I took it on my two-week vacation to Canada through day-long walks and trips in boats, cars, trains and planes. I was also hauling a backpack and (sometimes) a stroller, through rain and shine, literally. I would say I put this bag through its paces, and it performed quite well.
The only thing I would improve is the zipper’s travel fluency. It was difficult to open or close the main compartment at times as the zipper would get stuck in one of the corners. Nothing that couldn’t be remedied by a strong pull, but still kind of a hassle. Also, zippers could use short strings attached to make them easier to handle.
Price
This bag is $69.75 in Amazon at the time of this writing. That’s an incredible price for such a well designed and high quality item.
What Others Are Saying
As part of the Quarks Rating System, I include ratings from other reputable websites such as Newegg and Amazon in order to provide a more objective rating scale (more information here). Although the Mover 30i has not been rated (yet) in Newegg, it has a 4.5 star rating in Amazon at the time of this writing, which is really good.
Quarks Rating & Product Information
Quarks rating explanation here.