It's extremely waterproof and rugged. No exterior pockets, really streamlined. Fits really well to your back. I find that when I use a pack specific to photography it will often have an opening in the back that compromises the packability and harness system. I like to have a backpack that can haul up the mountain and take wherever I'm going. I tend to find that if I use a backpack dedicated for that use it's going to help me along the way, instead of using a camera bag that is sort of meant to go into those situations.