Embrace the Tactical Lifestyle for Outdoor Photography
Photography hobbyists and tactical enthusiasts have much in common. Both value the benefits of high quality equipment. It’s common for them to carry their gear everywhere they go. They need to be able to deploy their gear at a moment’s notice.
Many photographers love exploring nature as part of their hobby. Both the thrill of adventure and the rush of capturing amazing nature shots can be prime motivators.
If you’re planning to explore the outdoors for your photography hobby, you can learn a lot from tactical lifestyle experts. They know all about proper gear handling and storage while adventuring outdoors.
Hiking and Outdoor Photography: A Perfect Blend
Hiking is often a part of the tactical lifestyle, and it’s an activity that holds great appeal to photography hobbyists. The outdoors offers a world of marvels worth capturing with your camera, from beautiful landscapes to fascinating creatures to thrilling moments of adventure.
Even hikers who aren’t full-on photography enthusiasts will frequently bring a camera along on a trek. They’ll need to plan for the storage and care of photographic equipment as well. That includes deciding which camera backpack is most suitable for their purposes.
Tactical Solutions for Hiking with a Camera
Nature trekking can be a rugged activity. Add a piece of delicate equipment to the equation and things get tricky. No problem! With the tactical mindset, you can come up with a good solution. And no surprise, it involves getting the right piece of gear.
You can’t be carrying a camera in your hands all the time while hiking, after all. And relying on a camera strap alone is tactically unsound. Those straps are designed for convenience, not for the rigors of outdoor photography. It’s better to use gear that’s designed to let hikers carry their camera through the wilderness with ease.
We recommend a heavy duty camera sling that securely hooks onto your backpack. Another good option is a camera holster or bag that attaches via a MOLLE matrix to the hide of a tactical backpack.
Choosing Tactical Gear for Outdoor Photography
You can see that carrying camera equipment requires a sturdy backpack. Whether you’re using a camera sling, straps or a pouch, your camera is hanging from your backpack one way or another. A hiking pack is one of the essentials for outdoor photographers.
You definitely need to choose wisely when getting a tactical backpack! Look for one that provides durability and protection from outdoor conditions including dust, dirt and wetness. The 14er Tactical Backpack is made from ultra-thick 600D polyester that is tough yet lightweight. It holds up nicely against rips and punctures, and provides great splash resistance.
The 14er Tactical Backpack supports pack customization through modular design. Its MOLLE compatible straps will accept an add-on camera pouch or holster, which will be securely fastened to the back.
Safety Essentials: Protecting Your Gear in the Wild
Protecting your camera and other gear should be second nature to the tactical hiking enthusiast. After you have acquired a top quality tactical backpack, you need to ensure the safe handling of photography equipment.
Given that a camera will often be carried out in the open, you should always have it attached via sling to your backpack. Or if you need to set down the backpack, hanging from a strap around your neck. You don’t want to drop the camera, right?
Don’t forget to bring a waterproof dry sack! Outdoor adventures can get very wet, and camera bags are rarely water tight enough to deal with that. A dry bag will keep your camera safe even when you have to wade in or even make a quick swim crossing.
Tactical Gear Essentials for Outdoor Photographers
Trekking in the wilderness comes with many challenges. As a photographer, you may want to hit certain spots on the trail to capture specific environmental features. This requires good trek planning, scheduling and research. All of that should be bolstered by using navigational tools such as an electronic map and a compass.
These tools can be considered tactical equipment, and should be easily accessible from your pack. The 14er Tactical Backpack has quick-access pockets and pouches that can be used to carry navigation equipment. These pockets can also be employed for other things, such as self defense tools.
Another important piece of 14er Tactical gear is an IFAK pouch. Despite your best efforts, you may experience a mishap while hiking, requiring some degree of emergency medical care. You don’t want to go on a trek without an individual first aid pack. Keep it protected from the elements inside an IFAK pouch attached to the hide of your backpack.
Leveraging Tactical Gear for Outdoor Photography
On an outdoor trip, 14er Tactical gear can do more than provide secure storage for your camera equipment. Due to its durability and modularity, a tactical backpack can be helpful in many ways, especially during an outdoor photo shoot.
You’re probably going to use a tripod to take some shots. In the wilderness, it can be tricky to secure the tripod so that it won’t be in any danger or falling over. If you’ve got a tactical backpack, it becomes easy to resolve such an issue.
Using Velcro straps to attach the tripod legs to the backpack allows you to weigh it down. With the tripod securely strapped and the backpack serving as an anchor, you can be sure of keeping the tripod stable and steady. It will be in less danger of falling over or wobbling during the shoot.
Where to Source Your Tactical Gear
You’ll want to source your gear from a dedicated tactical gear supplier, like 14er Tactical. These are businesses that make it their business to know what tactical hobbyists need. They’ll offer products of the right type and functionality, and top notch durability—almost certainly better than what you’ll get from a non-specialist supplier.
Whether you’re looking for an IFAK pouch or a tactical backpack, you can’t go wrong checking out the 14er Tactical gear collection. You might even grab some morale patches, too! They’ll liven up your hiking gear when you’re out exploring the wild. Enjoy your adventure and bag some great photos!
