The Urban Explore with a mountain backdrop taken on a drive to the post office. The Sea Pinks or Thrift caught my eye and, as per norm, my camera gear was in the car.

“Urban Explore” might be a misnomer but it lends an element of city chic and hipness that reflects the sleek simplicity of this newest addition to Shimoda’s stable of thoroughbreds.

In many ways it combines much of the goodness of Shimoda’s Explorer and Action ranges and throws in a stripped back simplicity that would work well in an urban environment. But, and it’s a big but, it works equally well in non urban environments.

Here in Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye, urban environments are scarce, Portree and Broadford, the principal towns probably being significantly smaller than many villages off island and down south.

The original Explorer range seems aimed at landscape photographers, the Action range  is geared towards mountains and adventurous activities. The Urban Explore retains much of the Shimoda DNA already imbued in their existing ranges but delivers a pack that has a wide ranging appeal.

Whilst trips into the Cuillin, mountain adventures with photography in mind, would have me reaching for my Action X50 or X70HD, for more general activities and trips, the Urban Explore has become a no brainer go to pack. It’s the pack I store my camera kit in so it’s always good to go. For an early morning mountain mission, gear will be decanted to an ranges and throws in a stripped back simplicity that would work well in an urban environment. But, and it’s a big but, it works equally well in non urban environments.

Here in Glen Brittle on the Isle of Skye, urban environments are scarce, Portree and Broadford, the principal towns probably being significantly smaller than many villages off island and down south.

The original Explorer range seems aimed at landscape photographers, the Action range  is geared towards mountains and adventurous activities. The Urban Explore retains much of the Shimoda DNA already imbued in their existing ranges but delivers a pack that has a wide ranging appeal.

Whilst trips into the Cuillin, mountain adventures with photography in mind, would have me reaching for my Action X50 or X70HD, for more general activities and trips, the Urban Explore has become a no brainer go to pack. It’s the pack I store my camera kit in so it’s always good to go. For an early morning mountain mission, gear will be decanted to an Action pack but for anything else, the Urban Explore makes perfect sense.

Over the almost six months that I’ve had the Urban Explore it has proved its worth on low level walks, trips down to our local beach, loch side rambles but it has proved far more useful than this suggests. As my go to grab bag, I pretty much never leave the house without it. Trips to the shops, visits to clients, pub nights out, trips to the gym or climbing wall are all covered and means that I have my camera gear should that chance in a million opportunity arise.

Photo opportunity on the way to the shops. Living on Skye, I never leave home without a camera so the Urban Explore travels with me a lot.

Whilst the Urban Explore might have been perfected for a day in the city, it works equally well in the rural environment. In fact, it works well for anyone wanting a super rugged camera pack that is equally at home in rural or urban areas. Being a mountain guide and photographer, I can only guess that it would work well for those trips to the office where you want to be ready for whatever urban photo opportunities arise. It is versatile enough that your intrepid urban explorer could use it for weekend breaks and holidays away from the metropolis. There is so much to like about the Urban Explore from its design and looks, its feel and tactileness right through to how well it does its job; after all, let’s not forget it is a camera pack.

First impressions are great. My Urban Explore is in the Boa colourway which is basically a tan colour. It’s a nice change from the (seemingly omnipresent) black or grey camera bags and packs. Should you wish, then the Urban Explore is also available in “Anthracite” which sounds far superior to bog standard “black.”

Boa is quite a light colour yet not too bright, not a screaming, in your face, red or orange. Like everything about the pack, it is subtle.

In many ways, the Urban Explore distils the essence of all the good things in Shimoda’s exiting camera packs into a minimalist design. As is often the case, less is very much more and the Urban Explore is fine example of combining form and function. It is equal parts beauty and functionality, a winning combination.

At a guess, I think Shimoda will sell a lot more of these packs than their more specific Action and Explorer ranges and deservedly so. Check out Shimoda’s website for all the specs and info.

https://uk.shimodadesigns.com/shimoda-urban-explore-25-backpack-boa/

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