Taking the Moment Sequence 23L Backpack Into the Mountains | Hands-On Review

Anyone who has any experience with me knows that I LOVE outdoor backpacks…

My wife says I have more of a bag problem than she does, which is 100% true. Backpacking bags, hiking day packs, rugged camera bags, I definitely have too many. But that gives me a unique perspective on what I like in outdoor camera bags.

The moment Sequence 23L is a great all-in-one backpack that is at home both on hikes in the mountains and in everyday use around town.

I headed up towards Lewis Pass near Christchurch, New Zealand, for some quick landscape photography and I packed up the Sequence 23L with my Lumix S1ii, Lummix 24-60mm f/2.8, Lumix S9, Lumix 28-200mm, and Sigma 35mm f/2 as well as some water, snacks, and a rain jacket and set off for a quick hike.

Trails off into the wilderness of Lewis Pass, New Zealand | Lumix S1ii + Lumix 24-60mm f/2.8

Moment Sequence 23L in Black hanging on a New Zealand alpine Beech Tree | Lumix S1ii + Lumix 24-60mm f/2.8

Lewis Pass, New Zealand. Chilly Autumn Afternoon hiking and landscape photography.

Usability

One thing I really love about the Sequence 23L is that it is simple, no frills, and lightweight. Its perfect to grab and go with a camera, couple lenses, and maybe an extra jacket, some snacks, and a water bottle.

The shoulder straps are well-made in a running-vest style, which really works for my frame since I’m on the taller side. I like the wider straps to better spread the weight across my shoulders and collarbones than the thinner straps in some other bags I have.

Vest-style straps is really great for weight distribution.

Pockets on the shoulder straps allow for easy access/storage

Load lifters at the top of each shoulder strap aide with weight distribution as well

Water bottle pockets on each side can easily hold a 1L or larger bottle. I greatly prefer having 2 water bottle pockets.

I also really like the ease of use of the magnetic sternum strap; it makes clipping and unclipping easy and remains very secure while scrambling over rocks and through trees. And I do love a convenient place to stash my phone so I don’t have to constantly dig it out of my pocket when I see something I want to grab a quick snap of, without having to dig my big camera out.

Now the main camera compartment is fairly good sized, with some built-in, collapsible dividers in it for easy customization based on your needs in a bag. I could fit my Lumix S1ii with a 24-60mm f/2.8 S attached and have space for an additional 2 smaller lenses, batteries, and memory cards. And a HUGE feature for me is the bright colored interior which made it easy to find things in both of the main compartments, especially when I accidentally dropped a memory card down in there when changing cards…

Customizable divider shelves allow for quick changes to the layout in the field.

The Top compartment can hold a decent amount of additional stuff, in my case I fit 2 jackets, some snacks, an extra hat, and a headlamp.

Lewis Pass is one of the less traveled major passes in New Zealand which means it was pretty quiet while I was out on my hike around. That meant I could really take some time to pause and think about my photography and composition and pay attention to the details that really build out a scene for me.

I love the gnarly nature of alpine New Zealand so much, and having a lightweight kit really helps me to get out and appreciate it more.

While the hip belt on the Sequence 23L isn’t really made for carrying and weight, I really don’t mind that at all since it is a lighter bag that won’t be loaded down too much. It is much better for adding stability to the bag again for those times when you are scrambling across rocks, through trees, or across rivers.

Overall I am pretty impressed with the Moment Sequence 23L backpack, and I think it fits pretty well within their ‘Fast and Light’ collection.

I appreciate the simplicity in use, everything on the bag has a purpose and it does that purpose well. Yes, it is not as full featured as some other more intense outdoor bags, but it really doesn’t need to be. If you are looking for a lightweight, simple, functional backpack for daily use with or without a camera then definitely check out the Moment Sequence 23L.

If you are visiting New Zealand and want some beautiful hiking when you can get up into the Alpine relatively easily, I can highly recommend Lewis Pass. While I didn’t get all the way above tree line on this trip due to impending weather I am definitely going to head back to get up in the mountains again. And I’m pretty sure the Sequence 23L will be there with me.