I have used a few bags in my day, as I am sure we all have, since they are a necessary piece of gear for pursuing outdoor life. Taking a quick tour of my garage will immediately give away my bag-hoarding problem and reveal that I have more devices to carry more crap than any human needs. The chase for the perfect setup never ends.
As a photographer, part-time sawyer, and passionate fly angler constantly chasing fish, I have always opted for fully waterproof offerings to store my gear. And finally, after years of modifying basic camera bags into fishing packs and trying to craft the perfect safe haven for my varying array of lenses and camera bodies, I’m done. At least for now. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s necessary to have a fully dry bag, but not a hundred percent of the time, and now I’m genuinely focusing my attention on the form and function of a bag over waterproofing. I just never quite found something that checked enough boxes for me to really be stoked about, and some bags that claimed to be waterproof ended up being far from.
The requirements for my dream bag include the following attributes: extremely durable, weather resistant, clamshell opening for easy access, adaptable and modifiable, small enough for a carry-on, and also fits snuggly and securely in my most frequented mode of transportation while shooting, which is my truck.
When I recently outfitted my Ford F-150 with the Decked drawer system, I also opted to try out one of their D-bags that complements the system quite nicely. The D-Bag is a military-grade hybrid hard and soft shell pack that fits directly into the drawers. With a clamshell lid, rigid ballistic cloth cover top and bottom, TPU-coated sides, and weatherproofing, it was looking to be a real contender for the title of dream bag. The contents of my D-Bag stay secure in the fully lockable Decked drawers, and it’s doubly safe with the tailgate up. Having experienced a smash-and-grab last year on a camping trip far from home, I’m now wary of where I store my cameras and gear when not in the line of sight.
After fitting it with a simple camera organizing cube and some Velcro straps for security, it’s become my number one soft-storage choice for the last six months. I have flown with it, camped with it, hauled it all over, and it endures all the abuse I can throw at it. I love this bag so much that I picked up another one to toss in an old 1980’s Jeep I keep for the dirtier parts of my job. I pack the D-Bag with all my sharp tire chains, extra gas and oil, backup chainsaw chains, and files—gear I don’t want to injure my dog, who’s constantly jumping around inside the Jeep.
Decked offers a nice system that I believe in. Are there ways to build organizers in the back of your truck in cheaper DIY fashions? For sure. But you won’t get a product made in the USA using recycled materials that support a local community and economy in Ketchum, Idaho, and has a whole line of products that can make your life easier and more organized.
I’m down with these D-Bags from Decked and my bag dream list has finally been satisfied.
Decked D-Bag | $200
