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Reviews > Cameras > Photography Accessories > Lowepro Dashpoint 30 > Owner Review by Andrea Murland

Lowepro Dashpoint 30 Camera Case
Owner Review by Andrea Murland
April 30, 2017


Tester Information

Name: Andrea Murland
Email: amurland AT shaw DOT ca
Age: 31
Location: Elkford, British Columbia, Canada
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Weight: 130 lb (59 kg)

I began hiking frequently in 2006 and have since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent two months backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on 2-3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, and prefer to be hut-based for overnight trips. Elevation is typically 500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk, Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t consider myself a lightweight backpacker.

Product Information

Manufacturer: Lowepro (DayMen US, Inc.)
Manufacturer's URL: www.lowepro.com
Model: Dashpoint 30
Year of Manufacture: 2014
MSRP: $19.95 US
Colours Available: Galaxy Blue (mine), Slate Grey, Pepper Red
Listed Weight: 0.1 kg (0.22 lb)
Measured Weight: 110 g (0.24 lb)
Listed External Dimensions: 12.3 x 11 x 14.3 cm (4.84 x 4.33 x 5.63 in)
Measured External Dimensions: 13 x 12 x 14.5 cm (5.1 x 4.7 x 5.7 in)
Listed Internal Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 12.3 cm (3.94 x 3.54 x 4.84 in)
Measured Internal Dimensions: 10 x 9 x 13 cm (3.9 x 3.5 x 5.1 in)

Description

The Lowepro Dashpoint 30 is a lightly padded camera pouch with multiple attachment options. The single compartment is lined with smooth nylon, with padding on all sides. The underside of the lid has a small, stretchy holder that is large enough for a spare memory card, but not large enough for my camera battery. The outside of the pouch is constructed from a durable-feeling nylon. The front of the pouch has the Lowepro logo screenprinted across it. A two-way zipper wraps around the sides and back of the lid, allowing the top of the pouch to flip up towards the front.

The back of the pouch has all of the attachment options. Two loops of nylon, one on either side of the back panel and towards the top of the pouch, are for clipping the removable strap to. The strap itself is nylon and has a buckle for adjusting length. At each end of the strap is a snaphook on a swivel for attaching to the loops on the pouch. Also on the back of the pouch is what Lowepro calls the “t-lock attachment system”, which allows the pouch to be attached to vertical and horizontal straps. Against the back of the pouch is a vertical piece of nylon webbing with hook & loop closures on the bottom of it. A small flap (also with hook and loop closures) folds over the bottom of the strap to keep it in place. Overtop of this piece of vertical webbing are two flaps of stiffened nylon which open horizontally and close with hook and loop fasteners as well.
Lowepro Dashpoint 30

Field Conditions

I have used the Dashpoint case anytime I was carrying a backpacking pack or hiking/backcountry skiing in winter since 2015 (my summer day hiking pack has alternate means of carrying a camera). That totals about 25 days in the field. I have carried it in temperatures ranging from -20 C to 30 C (-4 F to 86 F), and in weather conditions ranging from sunshine to rain to snow.

My camera is an Olympus E-M10 with a 14-42mm pancake lens. The camera measures 12 x 8 x 7 cm (4.7 x 3.1 x 2.8 in).
Field Use

Review

I purchased this case specifically as a case for hiking for my camera, and that’s what I’ve used it for. I carry it attached to a gear loop or a strap on the waist-belt, using the attachments for horizontal straps.

This case comfortably fits my camera/lens combination, with the camera strap. The camera slides easily in and out of the case. I generally don’t take a spare memory card with me while on a hiking trip, so I have never used that feature. I do wish that the case had a place to store a spare battery, though I rarely carry a spare battery on a hiking trip either. The zipper slides easily and I like that it’s a 2-way zipper. With the case on a pack waist-belt, the zipper faces my body (the lid folds up away from me), and it can be a bit difficult to get the zipper open and closed with one hand. This is partially because it’s close to my body, and partially because at some points in the zipper’s path I’m not pulling against any resistance. It’s a minor inconvenience to need to hold the case with my other hand.

The attachment options on the case are great. I have rarely used the strap, but it is easy to put on and remove, and the swivel attachment means that the strap untwists itself. The strap length is easy to adjust with the slide buckle. The attachments on the back of the pouch itself are where this case really shines. I typically have the case attached to a horizontal strap, and it is easy to take the case on and off. The case feels quite secure once I have it attached, and I have never had it come off or start to loosen.

The padding of the case is good. It isn’t so thick as to be unnecessarily bulky, but it has served its purpose. Although I’m somewhat careful with my camera swinging on the outside of my pack, the case protects enough that I don’t worry about setting my pack on the ground or in the back of a truck. In the winter while backcountry skiing I sometimes worry about falling on my camera and if the case will be enough protection, but so far I haven’t had any catastrophes. The padding helps with water resistance as well. Even once the outer material appears soaked through, it takes a long time before water starts to reach my camera. Only once, in a full-day downpour, have I felt the need to put my camera away in the body of my pack to protect it from rain.

Summary

The Dashpoint 30 is a great case for a small to mid-size camera with a compact lens, or for other small-ish electronics. The padding makes me comfortable using it outdoors, and the multiple attachment options allow me to make the case work with any pack setup.

Thumbs Up:
Great attachment system
Takes a while to soak through in the rain
Padded enough that I don’t worry about my camera when putting my pack on the ground

Thumbs Down:
A bit hard to get the zipper open & closed with one hand when on my pack waist-belt
Wish it had a place to store a spare battery


Read more reviews of Lowepro gear
Read more gear reviews by Andrea Murland

Reviews > Cameras > Photography Accessories > Lowepro Dashpoint 30 > Owner Review by Andrea Murland



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