Billingham Mini Eventer Bag First Impressions

Billingham Mini Eventer Bag First Impressions:

If you’re a photographer, and you want a bag that pretty much covers all the bases, Billingham probably has something for you.  As some of you know, they have been making some of the best bags out there for decades, and recently, they introduced something new to their line: the Billingham Mini Eventer.  Thanks to Billingham, I was able to get one to review, and here are my first impressions of it.

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As many of you know, I am a huge Billingham fan, and besides reviewing nearly the entire line, I’ve also collected quite a few over the years (I couldn’t resist 😉 ).  They are just such great bags, and every single one has seem hard use yet are still just as dependable as the first day that I bought them.  My most used bag now is the 307, which is pretty much the perfect bag for my needs.  I use it with my Leica SL2 during my model shoots.  However, I’ve been looking for something to replace my over two decade old Hadley, and I can see this new Mini Eventer being it.  My Hadley is still going strong but back when I first bought it, there weren’t iPads or anything like that, and the new Mini Eventer has features that will cater to my modern needs :).  Plus, I seriously love this new bag.  Besides the slot for an iPad, there’s just so much it has going for it.

↑ Here’s the new Billingham Mini Eventer in Black FibreNyte and Black Leather.

For one, the build is exactly what you would expect from Billingham.  The quality is phenomenal, and overall, this is just such a beautifully made bag.  The craftsmanship like the stitch work, for example, is perfect.  The raw materials used are some of the finest available.  There’s beautiful full grain leather trim, waterproof zips, and solid brass fixings throughout the bag.  You can even choose between 3-layer waterproof canvas or 3-layer waterproof FibreNyte, which feels similar to canvas but is a bit lighter and resistant to wear.  The middle layer in both materials is made of butyl rubber, which prevents the fabrics from ever needing to be reproofed.  Trust me when I say these bags are the best out there when it comes to protecting your gear from any harsh environment.  There are also several choices in terms of color.  As you can see in the photos, my example is Black FibreNyte with Black Leather.

↑ Waterproof zips are found throughout the bag including one for the main compartment.

↑ The Mini Eventer is beautifully made.

↑ The Mini Eventer is understated, and not designed to attract unwanted attention.  The only label on the outside is this small one found on one side of the bag.

There are other great features that I want to mention real quick, which I will also go over in greater detail in my full review.  The Mini Eventer features a 2” wide adjustable shoulder sling, and the padded leather SP50 Shoulder Pad is also included.  Like the larger Eventer, the lower third of the bag is covered in top-grain leather.  In addition to looking pretty cool, this helps give the bag some structure, which is nice.  As you can see in the photos, this bag doesn’t really tip over as easily as the Hadley Pro, for instance.

↑ The SP-50 Shoulder pad is very comfortable and supportive.

↑ Here’s the back of the shoulder pad.

↑ The bottom third of the bag is covered in leather, which helps add structure to the Mini Eventer.

As for size, the Mini Eventer fits right between the two best selling Billingham Bags, the Hadley Small Pro, and the Hadley Pro 2020, so I can see this bag appealing to quite a lot of people.  To me, the size of the Mini Eventer is really just right for those who want something that will fit a good amount of gear but at the same time, still something that is more portable.  According to Billingham, this bag will fit small-to-medium sized mirrorless, DSLR, and rangefinder cameras with 2-3 lenses.  In the photos below, I have a Leica MP and a bunch of M lenses in the Mini Eventer.  As mentioned earlier, there’s also a padded slot for an 11 inch iPad or similar device like a smaller laptop, and two dump pockets in the front.  There’s a zippered pocket in the rear along with a Luggage Trolley retainer strap for added convenience.  Lastly, there’s also a top handle.

↑ Here’s the main compartment.

↑ From left to right: 35mm Summicron f2 Version 4, Leica MP with the Summilux-M 50mm f1.4 ASPH Black Chrome, and the 75mm Summilux.

↑ In this photo, I stacked an Leica SF-20 flash on top of the 35mm Summicron, and a Summicron-M 35mm f2 ASPH on top of the 75mm Summilux thanks to the two extra padded dividers.

↑ The back of the bag has a zippered pocket and a Luggage Trolley.

↑ There’s also a top handle.

As for the padding inside, it’s as good as it gets.  The padding is thick, and soft, so your camera gear will be well-protected in this bag.  There are also four padded dividers that are included, so you can customize the inside of the bag to exactly what you need.  Best of all, the entire padded insert is removable, so in addition to this being a great camera bag, you can use the bag casually as well.

I absolutely love the Mini Eventer.  I’ve always been a fan of what Billingham makes but this one to me, is particularly special.  The list price is currently $460, so it isn’t cheap but it’s also not outrageous when you compare it to other high end camera bags on the market.  Some bags are roughly equal in price or cost vastly more but in my opinion, they don’t all necessarily offer the same quality or dependability.  The Mini Eventer is easily one of the nicest bags out there, regardless of manufacturer, and I know from experience that Billingham bags will last what feels like forever.  In other words, seeing the overall design, and quality of this bag in person plus adding my own experience with Billingham products in general, I think this is worth the asking price.  So, I hope this first impressions helps.  Stay tuned for my full review.  Thanks for stopping by!

For those who are interested, you can find more info on Billingham’s site.