Verdict
Pros
- Great for carrying plenty of kit, well made, comfortable over long periods
Cons
- Nothing of note
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £105.00
While backpacks are traditionally seen as the best and most comfortable way to lug around a host of photographic kit, shoulder bags offer quicker access to your photo gear.
The Heralder 38 from Vanguard is the largest in the Heralder range of shoulder bags. It’s a nice, modern-looking bag with minimal fuss to the design. It’s also well made – the quality of the overall fit and finish is very good, while the large non-slip padded shoulder strap is very comfortable. It distributes the weight well, even with a fully loaded and weighty bag. Inside, there’s plenty of padding to protect your kit, while the padding can be shifted around depending on the size and shape of the gear you’re planning to take with you.
The outside dimensions are 470 x 270 x 350mm, so it’s fair to say it’s pretty bulky and not suited for casual use. To gain access to the main compartment, the top is opened via a plastic buckle, though for even quicker access on the move there’s a Quick Top Access zip, meaning you’ll be able to get to your kit without having to open up the entire bag.
Inside and there’s plenty of space – it’ll easily swallow a DSLR or two with a grip, and three to four good-sized lenses and other accessories, such as a flashgun. The internal compartment can be entirely removed should you wish and just be used as a messenger bag. There’s also a separate padded compartment for a 15in laptop – our 15in MacBook Pro fitted in there comfortably, and a large front compartment with pockets, and a zipped pocket at the rear.
To one side of the bag is an elasticated pocket that’s designed to hold a tripod, though you wouldn’t want to stow a large 055 Manfrotto in there or anything similar, though a smaller tripod will be fine. There’s also a rain cover that fits over the entire bag to protect it from the elements.
www.vanguardworld.co.uk
Verdict
Overall, the Vanguard Heralder 38 is a well-designed and well-made bag. If you are looking for a large shoulder bag to carry some serious kit in relative comfort, then this is a great bag.
Trusted Score
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
