Lowepro Backpack vs. the Yosemite Bears

Sean Scanlon is a travel and landscape photographer based in Southern California. Waiting for the sun to rise is one of his favorite ways to spend time. And such was the case on a recent trip to Yosemite National Park where Sean, his camera and his Lowepro CompuTrekker Plus AW backpack encountered some curious park residents.

"I was shooting up on Washburn Point along Glacier Point Road overlooking Half Dome and the Mist Trail — right inside Yosemite National Park. As usual, I was waiting for the sun, but this morning, not much was going on. My camera was set up on its tripod. My Lowepro backpack was on the ground. And I was ready for something exciting to happen. And it did!

Two bear cubs appeared on the staircase above and started to walk towards me. I know that bear cubs usually mean a mother bear is nearby, so I grabbed my camera from the tripod, left the bag and moved a safe distance away. Moments later the mother bear arrived and sniffed my Lowepro backpack. Next, she pulled at the pack and tore it open. What was interesting at first became potentially troubling; I had three valuable lenses, 10 memory cards, several high-end filters and my travel journal inside that pack.

So I raised my arms and yelled at the mother bear. I hoped that would scare her off. It worked. She scampered over the wall and down the hill, but dragged my Lowepro backpack with her. I kept yelling — louder. I practically begged her to stop. She continued to tear at the pack with her claws and teeth. I saw stuffing fly out. I felt pretty devastated. Eventually, she stopped — it seemed she couldn't completely break through it. She abandoned the pack, but her cubs gave it a quick shake and then lost interest and followed their mom.

I hopped the fence and walked down the hill to find my beaten and battered backpack. Some stuffing was on the ground. The front pocket was ripped and the zipper broken. Teeth and claw marks adorned the front and back...but amazingly, my equipment was safe and sound.

I feel very comfortable saying that I'll always use a Lowepro bag for my valuable camera gear. After a harrowing morning at Washburn Point, the score was: Lowepro 1, Bears 0."

View Sean's work at http://www.redinkphotography.com/