Traveling with Viking Cruises recently, I knew there would be plentiful photo opportunities. Sailing the rivers and oceans of the world with Viking, this has always been the case.  Our 14-night itinerary from London to Bergen delivered all the photo wonder I had anticipated and much more.  That made our sailing Into The Midnight Sun a nearly perfect testing ground for a number of travel products. Let’s start with the Tenba Messenger DNA Camera Bag which I am not sure how I lived without before this trip.

The Tenba Messenger DNA Camera and Laptop Bag ($159/Amazon) replaced/supplemented a TUMI Backpack I have used for years, ever since traveling to Egypt with Abercrombie & Kent. So why change?  Frankly, I ran out of space.  I had reached the point of deciding which cameras & lenses to bring along based on how much space I had left. You see, the goal is to travel with carry-on luggage only so every square inch of space must be accounted for.

What hooked me on the Tenba bag?  The impressive list of features

• A tapered front flap with a sewn hinge ensures easy closure and excellent weather-proof coverage at the corners.
• Military-quality Quiet Velcro makes getting things in and out of the bag easy.
• Wearing the bag, I can slide it around it front of me to change cameras or lenses
• Removable and reversible WeatherWrap cover that’s silver on one side to reflect the heat, and black on the other side for a bit more stealth and subtlety at night
• An adjustable security strap connects to D-rings on the back of bag anchor it in position behind me.
• Fidlock patented magnetic clips allow blind, drop-on attachment and a fast slide release. This is the quickest clip in the world. It can be both secured and opened with one hand, even when wearing gloves, or when the bag is behind you.
• Holds a professional DSLR with 2-3 lenses, flash and audio gear.
• It will fit a DSLR with an attached 70-200mm 2.8 lens…like ready to go at any time.
• Two padded interior sleeves: one for a laptop up to 15 inches, and another for an iPad.
• Quick Access top zipper lets me in the bag without setting it down as I would have to do with the backpack.
• Heavy Duty Body Armor base is water resistant
• Trolley Strap lets it be securely fastened to my overhead carry on bag
• The small size makes it a perfect ‘personal item’, allowed by most airlines
• Removable inner sleeve carries all the camera gear, batteries and other stuff TSA wants to see for easy inspection

Take a look

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Bottom Line: I kept it.
Leveraging the refund policy of Amazon Prime, I know I have 30 days to try a product before making a final decision. This one is a keeper for sure.

Also tested on our 14-night sailing of Viking Star:

• K&F Concept DSLR Camera Tripod 66 Inch Magnesium Professional
• Nikon 85mm f/1.8G AF-S FX NIKKOR Lens
• Nikon D-750 Full Frame Camera
• K&F Concept Multi-Functional Camera Backpack 600D
• AF Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8D Lens

Reviews are in the works!