Initial review of "The North Face Jester Crossbody" bag

[courtlandre]

I was looking for a small bag that would fit the drone, smart controller and an extra battery. I found The North Face Jester Crossbody bag and think it will work wonderfully. The bag itself has one large pocket on the inside (controller), along with a small pocket on the inside (operator's license, paperwork), a medium pocket on the outside (extra battery), and a small pocket on the backside (phone or ND filters). It also has mesh netting on the outside (drone).

The controller fits well enough in the main pocket but does NOT fit on the mesh netting on the outside. For it to fit in the main pocket you'll either need stick protectors or will need to remove them. The drone itself fits really well on the outside mesh. You can see in the pictures that the string of the mesh fits around part of the arms and then around the gimbal cover. It holds it pretty tight and shaking it doesn't seem to do anything. An extra battery can fit in the outside pocket right under the drone, Some accessories can be put into the other small pockets.

Obviously, this won't be winning any awards for protection, but for quick trips, it should work well. My biggest complaint so far is the lack of buckle on the strap. I may cut it and sew a buckle on.

Edit: Added prop holders so the props don't swish around when moving. I also have a screen protector on the RC as the screen may get scratched when taking it in/out of the bag. It's a pretty tight fit.

 

[mcsenerd]

Thanks for your thoughts and review. You’re kind of onto exactly what I’m looking for is which is the ultimate in minimalism for carrying the drone and necessary equipment. No more, no less. I’d personally like to find something a bit larger though that would include being able to transport the drone itself in some sort of protected area. I’m on the hunt now and I’ll post here when and if I find something to my liking.

 

[scro]

Thanks for your thoughts and review. You’re kind of onto exactly what I’m looking for is which is the ultimate in minimalism for carrying the drone and necessary equipment. No more, no less. I’d personally like to find something a bit larger though that would include being able to transport the drone itself in some sort of protected area. I’m on the hunt now and I’ll post here when and if I find something to my liking.

I am after something similar: small, compact and space for drone, controller and 1 spare battery. Maybe a charger and cable too. I've been eyeballing small dSLR/mirrorless camera bags and there are a few potential contenders. I quite like the idea of top-loading bags as you can launch the drone without laying anything on the ground.

 

[globetrotterdrone]

It's a nice bag but I wouldn't want to leave the drone on the outside.
But that's probably due to my routine of flying: I take my bag and often roam around an area on foot for quite some time, probably hours when it's mixed with hiking, city discovery etc.

Therefore storing it inside is a better protection for me personally.

 

[mcsenerd]

I just dug through my tons of old gear bags…and found one that I had forgotten about. I had an old caselogic camera bag stuffed in the closet and I thought I’d see if could squeeze the stuff in there. It’s not perfect, but it’s dang close to what I’m on the hunt for. The smallest bag possible that will hold the drone and controller… Ideally, I’d appreciate being able to carry at least an extra battery or two, but size and compactness are the two top priorities for me. I’m including some quick photos here just for an example. Is there another similar bag out there that’s a bit larger (but not too much?).

 

[scro]

That looks pretty snug! and no need to buy anything! I'd be quite keen to get the controller to fit with sticks still on, for quick deployment and no dropped sticks in the long grass.

Hama seem to do a few small budget friendly bags for mirrorless cameras like the one below. I've not checked specifically for dimensions to see what size in the model range would suffice. Not sure I'm totally sold on the looks, but it may be a potential option:

00185086 Hama "Samara" Camera Bag, 110, black hama.co.uk

Hama - Perfect accessory for mobile phone, tablet, TV, notebook or pc

uk.hama.com

 

[SethB]

After a lot of research on specs, I went with a Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover 25i for my Mini 2 with accessories. Is the Mini 3 of similar size?

I always carry everything with me except the battery charger. The deciding factor for me was being able to fit an iPad Mini 5 and a small folding launch pad, with just enough space for the drone, controller, & accessories.

Think Tank makes great stuff!

Mirrorless Mover® 25i

 

[globetrotterdrone]

Think Tank makes great stuff!

Indeed they do.
They also sell more stuff under their MindShiftGear label, which is equally good. I have 2 backpags from them, which store DSLR and drone equipment for trips. Both labels are highly recommendable.

 

[ed956]

I use one of these, perfect size if i do not want to carry a daysack.

Mountain Hip Pack 3.5L

It's a hip pack. It's a sling bag. Its Mountain Hip Pack 3.5L. MHP3.5 brings ultimate versatility, breathability, and durability to your daily active pursuits. EVERGOODS breathable back panel is more breathable and more durable than spacer mesh. 3D patterning allows for locked in...

evergoods.us

 

[DroneSketcher]

From where did you purchase your stick protector?