RuXpod

One of the most frustrating aspects of outdoor photography has nothing to do with photography.

It's having to lay my expensive gear down in the dirt after setting up my tripod.

It took years (literally) of experimentation, but we finally fixed that.  The idea sounds simple: design a backpack that can mount easily to the tripod. Not only does it keep your equipment out of the dirt, it's also far more convenient.  No more bending over, digging through the bag for that lost filter, while the perfect sunset fades away.

After numerous attempts to create our own frame, we realized that the US Army has already solved this problem. So we modified their MOLLE frame so it could mount the rucksack directly on a tripod.

Then we designed a camera bag optimized for use in the vertical position.

Setup your tripod and mount the RuXpod using the two handles to set it on the legs. 

Here's a sneak peak at the RuXpod.   (Rucksack x Tripod = RuXpod.)  More info will be published soon.

Notes:

• Overall size is about 14" wide x 6" deep x 22" high. Should meet most airline requirements for carry-on (without the frame).

• Shoulder straps and waist belt not shown in the above rendering.

• Frame can be easily removed, allowing you to use the camera bag by itself.

• Handle/brackets are adjustable for different tripod legs (angle and diameter.)

• MOLLE loops hold any accessories you want: water bottles, film holders etc.

• The first version will probably be the Coyote Tan shown below but we'll offer various color schemes in the future.

Here's are some photos of the RuXpod in its natural habitat. 

After over-thinking the design, the pre-production sample was professionally constructed by an industrial sewing firm.  It features MOLLE webbing on the sides and bottom; the velcro hoop lined interior allows you use custom modules for your particular mission; the fabric is 1000 D Cordura fabric.  Frankly, it's tougher than the ones issued by the military.

The frame was printed in-house on a monster sized 3D printer. (This is version six, each one takes 30-40 hours to print!)  We printed from PET-G, while PET-G is more brittle than other options, it's far easier to print with than say ABS.  Don't worry, the production units will be injection molded from Poly-carbonate (think bullet proof glass). 

We've already found some minor thing we'll be changing for production but overall, everyone who has tried it, loves it. 

Questions we know you're going to ask:

Price? Retail will probably be around $350. That would include the camera bag, frame, should straps, etc.  

Can I use any tripod? It should work with most tripods with round legs between 25 mm and 36 mm. We will probably offer a tripod optimized for it separately.

Delivery? That's a tough one! We are still optimizing the design, searching for a production house for the actual bag, sourcing other components and accessories etc. If all goes reasonably well, we should be in production in August/September of this year.
Note: a pre-sale website will be launched soon.

Can I see it?  Certainly! Contact us if you want to come and check it out in person.  We'd appreciate the feedback before we start machining the mold, finalizing the patterns etc. We're just north of Denver Colorado.

The concept is "Patent Pending".