Review of the SmallRig 25L Outdoor Camera Backpack

5 hours ago 6

SmallRig is well known for its video-related accessories. Everyone knows about cages and all that comes with them. Perhaps also about the tripods and video lights. Now SmallRig has added a backpack to its ever-increasing product line. I’ve been using it for some time now. These are my findings.

I’ve been reviewing SmallRig products for some time now, ranging from the Tribex hydraulic tripods to the video and macro lights. Although a lot of the products are aimed at video work, these can also be of benefit to photographers, especially the batteries and lights.

If you go out for videography or photography, you need to carry the equipment. SmallRig has introduced the Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack. It offers an easy and stylish way of transporting the necessary tools for your video or photo work.

Another Backpack at First Glance

You might think this is just another backpack. However, the SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack offers some nice and handy features that make it different from its peers. It’s full of pockets and attachment points. It has an adjustable harness and a padded waistband with a pocket.

The front has a large compartment with a roll-top design. It uses magnets to close and a nice magnetic strap on both sides to secure it. A pouch for a water bottle is located on each side. The backpack offers side access as well as back and top access.

What makes this backpack different is the inside. SmallRig has decided to use a drop-proof opening at the back, with a so-called 3-layer baffle divider system. This design prevents equipment from falling out.

The material of the bag is polyester, nylon, EVA, and EPE. It can withstand some rain showers. For heavier rain, a rain cover is included. Three different sizes of accessory pouches are included as well.

The SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack measures 502 x 320 x 220 mm (19.8 x 12.6 x 8.7 in) and has a total weight of 3,410 g (120.3 oz), including waistband, pouches, and dividers. It’s designed to carry up to 15 kg (33 lb).

Inside the Bag

The SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack has a surprising number of compartments. Almost every compartment has extra compartments of its own. It offers well-organized storage of accessories like batteries, filters, memory cards, and other small items.

The front compartment, which opens and closes with a roll-top design, has a 4-liter capacity, with special pockets inside for disassembled equipment. The magnetic straps that secure the front compartment when closed are also used for fixing a medium-sized tripod, flash stand, or umbrella and collapsed softbox on the side.

On both sides of the backpack, there is a somewhat concealed zippered pocket for storing documents. The top compartment gives access to the inside of the bag. It also gives access to the laptop compartment, which is large enough to hold a 16-inch laptop. The laptop compartment is located in the back panel and also becomes accessible when the bag is opened at the back.

If the back panel is opened, you see the back baffle panel. It offers an extra layer of protection, preventing equipment from falling out. It is closed with Velcro. It is possible to attach the accessory pouches to this panel as well.

Three removable dividers are secured with loops. The design makes sure nothing will fall out if you open the back panel when the backpack is placed upright. Extra dividers allow for personalized compartmentation.

One thing that makes this backpack different from lots of other bags is the design of the three horizontal dividers. They are reinforced to prevent sagging due to heavy equipment. However, the distance between each divider cannot be changed. It is possible to remove one or two dividers if more height is needed.

The backpack is deep enough for vertical placement of a camera body or a lens. A telephoto lens can only be placed horizontally. The raised edge prevents anything from falling out. It will make access to the equipment more difficult. If you want to use side access, the divider design and raised edge make it impossible to grab your camera from the back access.

The front pocket is not intended for bulky things. It has some flexibility but is not made from stretchable material. The roll-top doesn’t offer more storage space. It’s a design choice rather than a functional design.

A fully loaded bag can become heavy. The SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack is designed for loads up to 15 kg, which is a lot. However, SmallRig has added a good harness with padded S-curved shoulder straps and enough adjustability to make it comfortable to wear. There is lumbar support and an adjustable chest strap. The removable 11 cm-wide waist belt is also padded and offers a lot of support. The back panel is designed to prevent sweat from building up. As far as this is possible.

If you are someone who makes use of action cameras or 360-degree small-planet video, you will welcome the specialized pocket for a selfie stick or monopod. It is limited to just one inch in diameter, but it is a nice addition to the bag.

Using the SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack

I’ve been using the SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack for some time now. I took it with me to Spain for the 2026 solar eclipse and for summer and autumn photography. I used it for different setups to find out how it performs in day-to-day use.

The backpack offers a lot of space, which feels like more than 25 liters. The number of different compartments is very convenient, making organization a breeze.

The included accessory pouches and removable waist strap are very welcome. They offer a lot of flexibility. The ability to remove all dividers makes it a spacious backpack that can be used for many other purposes.

The three main dividers are somewhat limiting. SmallRig should have added more loops to give control over the height between the dividers. The raised edge that makes everything drop-proof has a downside. It makes it much more difficult to access the equipment.

The design may be perfect if you keep the backpack upright when accessing the gear. If you place the backpack down, the risk of equipment falling out is almost completely absent. In that case, the raised edges make it less ideal. However, it all depends on your personal preference.

The roll-top of the front compartment is just a design choice. Don’t expect it to offer more space, as you might with roll-top designs. The included accessory bags do offer extra storage space. They can be used inside the backpack or on the outside. Extra loops are available on the side or on the waist belt to attach the pouches.

The zippers are of excellent quality. Small loops can be used to secure the zippers against unwanted use. The zippers of the main back panel have a nice handle, making it easy to open and close. Be aware that the harness is fixed to the back panel and not the bag itself. This makes it possible to open the backpack completely. The chance of zipper failure is slim, but if you are worried about that, a small clip on the top of the bag keeps it closed.

My Conclusion

Although SmallRig gave me the backpack for free, my opinion is not influenced or edited by SmallRig. It’s my honest opinion with the intent of giving you a good idea of the strong and weak points of the backpack. However, keep in mind that it is also a personal opinion, and you might not agree with some conclusions.

The SmallRig Outra 25 Outdoor Camera Bag 25L Backpack is a well-thought-through backpack with a lot of design choices that make it stand out in a lot of ways. This relates especially to the so-called 3-layer baffle system.

This 3-layer baffle system could be improved by adding more loops for greater flexibility. Since I always place a backpack down on the ground, the raised edge design is not needed. It would be great if an extra set of dividers without this raised edge was included. Speaking of which, it is admirable that there are three different-sized accessory pouches included.

Despite my lack of need for a drop-proof design, I do like this backpack a lot. It offers a lot of space and organization. The removable waistband, accessory pouches, and overall design of the bag make me want to use it a lot. It’s not perfect, but no bag is.