Dakine Mission Photo 25L

The Dakine Mission 25 Litre backpack made for photographers who snowboard. It sounds like a pretty specific market, but there are more of them than you think.

After buying this backpack without seeing it in real life, I was very happy on how it turned out to be. It has a removable camera block, which can handle a fair amount of camera gear. I was able to fit in two bodies, with 4 lenses and a battery grip and a few odd cords with no problem. Though I don’t have any super long lenses that take up a lot of room.

Camera block inside the backpack

Camera block with adjustable sections

Camera block removed from the backpack

Lots of room in the backpack when the block is out.

To give a better idea of the size, here is a photo from the Dakine website that shows how much room you would have if you are carrying a couple of larger lenses.

You can arrange the sections/compartments in the camera block in a million different ways. They can be a little bit fiddly to move around with all the velcro, but once they are in place that stay there, and it is easy to get a really snug fit so none of your gear is going to move around.

There are a couple of velcro sections on the outside of the camera block which lock it in firmly when it is in the backpack, and there is also a little carry handle on the top. Although I wouldn’t have expected it, I have used the camera block separately as it is a nicer way to move my gear around than anything else I have.

If you want quicker access to your camera than opening the backpack, then opening the camera block, you can leave it open and then connect it to a loop on the inside of the backpack. That will give you quick access to everything and you only have to open the outside layer.

The outside of the backpack has straps for carrying a snowboard vertically, and it is reinforced with rubberish stuff to stop the edges of a snowboard cutting or wearing through it. The tags say that it has a Tripod Carry System, but I am not really sure what/where that is. When I have had to carry a tripod, I just hooked two legs through the outside board carrying straps.

Snowboard Carry straps

There are a bunch of outside pockets, one that has a mesh and a drawcord that can hold a water bottle, and another two that can hold a few small things.

Close up of the water bottle pocket

On top there is a large access pocket, that I used to putting goggles and sunglasses, but now I have had a look through the Dakine website, all their photos have a camera going in there, so maybe it is meant for that. Either way, the pocket is big and it could fit a camera in there as long as there isn’t a huge lens on there.

Large goggles/top access camera pocket

On the bottom of the backpack is a small zipped section that holds the rain cover, it is pretty quick and easy to put on and keep tight.

Rain cover section

To keep it tight while riding it has upper and lower straps, and the upper straps have a whistle, which I guess is for avalanches.

Close up of the whistle

In the front section there are a a few little sections for small things, would fit phones and other small things. There is a decent sized sleeve in there, which can fit a Macbook Pro 13 in there without a problem.

Overall thoughts on the Dakine Mission Photo 25l

It is a comfortable backpack while riding, even when it is fully loaded. I personally wouldn’t need to get one that is bigger than 25L, it has plenty of room for all of my stuff. The camera block is great, easy to adjust to fit all of your gear and very handy when it is separate from the backpack.

I am happy that I bought it, and if you can get it on special even better, it is a good buy.