Morally Toxic - Valkyrie
I always knew Danny Lenihan was cool, but this guy is seriously making some moves now. He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s an author, a businessman, founder of 3 Legged Thing, and has now launched a range of camera bags that are extremely well suited for their purpose.
The line-up of brand new camera bags from Morally Toxic showcases two different designs, each available in two sizes. I’ve had the large Valkyrie, the backpack of the range, for a little while now and I’ve messed around with it, taken it out shooting, and tried to break it.
I love the thought that has gone into these bags. Like so many photographers, I tried and tested a lot of bags before landing on something that actually fulfilled my needs. I have a cupboard full of bags. There’s rollers, hard cases, shoulder bags, messenger bags, backpacks, all sorts. The thing I’ve found in over 10 years in professional photography is that when it comes to camera bag design the manufacturers tend to get just one thing right rather than nailing it with an all-rounder. Morally Toxic have finally proven that it is possible to get everything right with their new gear.
The Valkyrie has plenty of space in the main compartment, not dissimilarly to other camera backpacks, but it packs and extra feature in there - a ‘Frog Pocket.’ There’s a waterproof , collapsible pocket in the main body of the bag that flattens out of the way and has it’s own separate access from the outside, which is great for me because when I get my gear wet or covered in snow when shooting the northern lights or in sideways rain in the arctic I can keep my wet gear away from everything else until I get it back into the cabin to dry off. This will prolong the life of everything I own, so it’s an awesome feature.
The pocket dividers in the main body of the bag also hold an extra little touch within them. They’re double-layered, so the bit in between the divider (correct grammar, trust me) becomes a little stowage area for cables, cloths, or whatever else you can squeeze in there. Take a look: -
The Valkyrie comes in two sizes - 25l and 20l. There’s space for a laptop or tablet in its own soft-touch, protective pocket. There’s also water bottle storage in the form of a large side pocket. All the compartments are protected with either YKK or Aquaguard zippers, and there’s a tripod stowage strap which is removable if you want it out of the way when it’s not in use.
In terms of the ergonomics, there’s clearly been a lot of consideration put into the comfort of the wearer. The shoulder straps are padded nicely with extra padded support in the form of scapula pads and a lumbar pad. There’s air mesh in all the right places to keep a good airflow when hiking or when out in the heat, which is a nice touch.
Overall, the Valkyrie is a great bag. It’s staying in my gear arsenal and I’ve already had good use out of it. I’ve also tried the Wraith, which is the messenger bag from the range, and it also features awesome design elements and great functionality.
You can learn more here.
Much love
Dave