Welcome Dave, stoked to have you on the team!

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So when we embarked on our Iceland adventure at the end of last year, we decided to test this lightest of options in the cold, wet and windy landscapes of the Land of Fire and Ice. This trip that was months in planning. We spent days laboriously altering packing lists deciding what to bring and what not to bring. Being the gear addicts that we are, there were countless hours of deciding what would be making the cut for our trip to the small Atlantic island which is the third windiest place in the world.

However, while we deliberated over much of our gear, we very quickly settled on what photography and film making equipment we would be bringing. In the same breath, we also knew that portable coverage would be key for us, there would be moments where whipping out a full rig would be impractical, dangerous, or just not timely. Enter iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.

The #shotoniphone craze has taken off in the last few years, so we documented our trip on our iPhone’s alongside our film-making equipment. Could the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro handle the brutally cold, wet, and windy elements? Could it help us create professional content? Could it compete with our camera equipment worth tens of thousands of dollars? We would find out.

Did Apple’s iPhones help us nail professional content? Well, you be the judge. What you see below is a collection form our twelve day trip around the Icelandic Ring Road in a 1993 Land Rover Defender 110, camping at night. Everything that you see here was shot on a iPhone 13 Pro Max or iPhone 13.

You’ll find a small taste here, along with a link to the full gallery. At the bottom of the article, we’ve included our top 5 iPhone Photography tips!

Awesome iPhone Photography Accessories for Adventures

While the iPhones themselves are no doubt impressive tools, there are always a couple of add-ons that can elevate your experience. We picked out a few accessories for iPhone that we found particularly useful and awesome during our trip to Iceland.

Peak Design Mobile

There’s a reason that the new Peak Design Mobile line is in our Carry Awards Top 5 Accessory, and a big factor in its nomination was our trip to Iceland with the prototype. The moment we saw the tripod at Outdoor Retailer in the summer of 21, Brandon, Taylor and I all lit up with excitement. This precision engineered tripod has to be seen to be believed. With a fully articulating ball head, multiple viewing options, adjustable tension, and magnetic connection, this mobile tripod is as good as it gets for a mobile accessory in my eyes. We took multiple long exposures on this, from varying angles, all with the simple adjustment taking mere seconds. Many of our single shot images came from this tripod too, which corrected for the traditional hand shake of phone photos, least of all when it’s 10ºF! Not only is this tripod clearly a static tool, it works well for selfies or unique angles where the tripod essentially becomes a handle and gives you the ability to either get closer/further away from a subject, or presents unique perspectives with the ability to put the phone in places that might be a little cumbersome to reach usually.

While the tripod works with most MagSafe accessories, it works flawlessly with the Peak Design Everyday Case. Adding protection, great materials, and a clean understated look that matches the iPhone aesthetic, this case is a great hybrid. It has the style, it has the robustness, and it has the functionality. The nylon canvas shell is weatherproof and a 100% recycled from Bluesign materials. It’s slim enough that it doesn’t add a huge amount of heft to the phone (the iPhone 13 Pro Max is already a larger piece of equipment) but tough enough to take a few tumbles–mine certainly has! I like this case so much, it has lived on my phone 90% of the time over the past six months. The other 10% is when I’m using the case below for drone work, or when I’m running case free carelessly like a rebel.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max Silicon Case

While the Peak Design case became a go to favourite, I mentioned that for another 5% of the time, I was flying with my drone. When that’s the case, I want to use something smaller and slip resistant. This is where the silicone case really came into its own for me. It has an excellent texture that is both comfortable in hand and works very well with gimbals or controllers providing great grip. I chose Carryology orange for both safety (easy to spot!) and style , but there is a whole array of colours to suit your needs. I love their leather cases too, but the silicone proved more useful for me in the field.

Otterbox Screen Protector, Power Bank, and Charging Cable

It’s important to keep your electronics safe and well charged! Otterbox are masters of protection, and they were crucial for us on this expedition. Firstly, I always have a screen protector on my phones, you never know when a rogue stone is going to ping up, or when you’re going to clumsily let your phone slip out of a pocket/hand! My iPhone actually ended up in a hot spring for a quick dip! This tempered glass screen protector saves your beautiful display from unnecessary dings and scratches, and is super easy to install thanks to the included tool!

Out in the wild, shooting on a phone, you need power! The Otterbox is everything that I want in a power bank! 20,000 Mah (3.5/4 charges of my iPhone 13 Pro Max), rugged construction and fast charging that gets my phone going again quickly, even in the cold. USB-A and USB-C charging options mean you can support the whole team. A must have in any travellers kit! A good battery pack is only as good as the cable you charge with! The Premium Lightning to USB-C cable from OtterBox is an excellent 2m cable that can be relied on whatever the weather. The 2m length is perfect for car use, while the braided nylon provides great bend resistance (rated to over 10’000 bends!) that will stop the cable fraying or tearing. It is also a fast charge cable which means it will charge four times faster than the average cable provided with your phone. These two are a great duo for travelling photographers!

Carryology iPhone Photography Top Tips

Shoot RAW

I know this is a contentious one for many photographers out there, but simply put RAW gives you more options. Particularly on a smaller sensor like the ones that you’ll find in an iPhone camera. A RAW file (sometimes called a digital negative) is lossless and captures all of the data available on your camera sensor, whereas a JPG is a compressed, digitally altered version of that. With the excellent dynamic range on iPhones, shooting RAW will allow you to capture some magnificent colours, shadows, highlights etc. It also allows you to rescue photos that might have been over or under exposed at the time of shooting. To turn on RAW shooting in your iPhone settings follow this process. Settings > Camera > Formats. Once here, toggle Apple ProRAW to on. You’ll also want to make sure ‘High Efficiency’ is toggled on the same screen to save your memory! Apple RAW photos can come out large (25MB+) so be sure you have the storage or a good cloud service.

Use the Grid

Similarly to above, be sure to have your grid setting turned on. This helps with composition, in particular your image balance or focal point. The grid helps you follow the rule of thirds which is always a good starting point for interesting photos. Not only that, it helps you keep your horizon straight which is important for landscape photography, as you don’t want to lose too much of your frame when cropping or straightening in post. In the photo below, I chose to focus on the light coming from the surface of the glacier, so that became my focal point, and the grid allowed me to be sure I had roughly equal amounts of darker ice on either side while maintaining focus on the halo.

Clean your lens!

If you’re anything like me, your iPhone bounces between pockets, bags, car consoles, sofas and many other dirt filled places. Heck, even your finger might spend time on that lens when holding your phone! To really maximise the impressive lenses, be sure to keep your lens clean when you’re about to shoot your next masterpiece. Out of habit, I always have a microfibre cloth with me, it takes two seconds to clean off any smudges or dirt, and once every couple of weeks I’ll give it a little spray of lens cleaner to keep it spotless. Look after your lenses, and they’ll look after you!

Use your feet!

Sure, the iPhone has great digital zoom, portrait mode is powerful, yadayadayada. However, nothing can replace actual physical separation when it comes to zooming or creating better depth of field. By using physical distance, you’ll get better natural lighting and more authentic images. Digital zoom and digital computation (portrait mode) are great in a pinch but you’ll lose image quality or in the case of portrait mode, the ability to edit a RAW photo (portrait images are .jpgs). I understand the irony of this next sentence in an iPhone article, but try to rely on manual rather than digital when it comes to zoom! Besides, you can create much more engaging compositions by physical movement, both distance and height wise.

Process your photos

Now I’m not saying you need to spend hours at a computer like I do, but we live in a world littered with apps for our phones, and a lot of them are really excellent. Lightroom is free, easy to use, and it even has a library of tutorials and editing suggestions to help you get the most from your photos, even if you’re a complete novice. The best thing about learning to use an app like Lightroom is that you can either just use it to tweak your exposure, or you can get deep into it and use geometry, lens corrections, presets, masking and the like. Because you’re now all shooting RAW, using a good post production app will help all your photos reach the next level. It can also help you “rescue” photos that you previously thought lost. I edited our #shotoniphone photos in Lightroom, on my iPhone. You have a mobile studio ready at your fingertips!

The iPhones proved to be an impressive creative tool, and when paired with the right accessories, they’re elevated even further. Carrying and creating but want to stay light and agile? Look no further than your trusty phone.

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As Carryology readers, most of you have likely been bitten by the G.A.S. (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) bug. It’s a slippery slope at times, as we hunt for our “grails” or “perfect” systems. 

As a photographer, writer, and designer, and Carry obsessive – I too am afflicted. It feels like I’m always on the hunt for the next bit of tech to make my travel simpler and my work easier. 

When I began working in the movie industry 10 years ago, I’d been using a PC for most of my tasks. However, my technology allegiances quickly changed. In a short few years, I found myself the proud owner of multiple iMacs, MacBooks and – the real game changer for me – iPads. 

I remember when the iPad first came out. I was excited by the possibilities. However (as with all fledgling technology) it’s never perfect to begin with. While I loved using my iPad for media consumption, it never really fulfilled a purpose for me in a professional sense. I always found myself back at my iMac or MacBook to finish up projects. I’d resigned the iPad to being a useful part of my quiver, but not a machine that could become an extension of my creative ideas – all input but no output.

A few years later, with the advent of the iPad Pro, my hopes reignited. Some of the iPad’s potential was being fulfilled! While teaching, it proved to be a great tool for live editing with students in my journalism class and working with creative suites on the fly. However, as great as these advances were, I still found myself finishing off work for both my students and private clients on my computer.

In April 2021, Taylor, Brian and I began to plan our Iceland adventure in earnest. Over the next few months, we went back and forth in great detail about what gear to use, what to bring and most importantly, what to leave behind. 

Very quickly, it became clear that a laptop wouldn’t be the best idea. Laptops are cumbersome, easy to damage, and extra weight we didn’t want on the road – particularly while camping. In this three month planning period, what caught me off guard most was the big leap forward that Apple had announced with their most up-to-date iPad Pro – with an extensive list of impressive upgrades.

I’d read all the comparison articles in previous years (“Can you replace your MacBook with an iPad Pro?”) and had never been convinced. This version, this 2021 update, sparked my attention. Could this be the year I change to an iPad Pro instead of my MacBook? I went all in, I sold my MacBook Pro and committed to using the iPad Pro as my main computer, with only an older Mac Mini as my storage management. My day-to-day and content production was going to come from this 12.9” tablet. Would it pass the test as a professional tool for travelling to the ends of the earth and creating high quality content in both the field and the proverbial office?

Under the hood

It doesn’t take much to look at the iPad Pro product page and be impressed. The specs speak for themselves on paper – Thunderbolt port capable of 40gb/s transfer speeds, incredible 1,000,0000:1 contrast ratio from the XDR liquid retina display (which also has a peak HDR brightness of 1600nits!), an Apple made M1 silicon processor, speedy 5G cellular connectivity – the list goes on. However, I’m not going to get into the weeds about these features in technical terms. You won’t hear me talking about how it performs on GeekBench – there are hundreds of YouTube videos and articles on Tech Blogs that will compare those metrics and go into more detail than I. What I will talk about is how those technical advancements make a difference to this as a professional tool and importantly, if they elevate the iPad Pro to a computer killer for travel, adventures, and everyday use.

Daily Use

These days, most use technology for a large proportion of the work day, and then again at home. There is no doubt that portable technology has become ubiquitous the world over. In the age of tablets, that now means you can theoretically work on the go easier than before too. There is no doubt that laptops started that trend, and continue to be used as mobile workstations, but a tablet is often cited as a more intuitive and interactive experience. For media consumption, emailing, and web browsing – tablets lead the way. I personally find it hard to go back to a laptop for those tasks once you’ve become accustomed to the ergonomics of a 1.5lb, ¼ inch thick tablet – certainly far preferable to a 5lb laptop. The iPad Pro slips into backpacks, slings, and totes with ease, and doesn’t weigh you down throughout the day. It’s easy to pull out on a train, in the back of a car, or at a coffee shop with a moment’s notice! I find for my job, where I’m on the go to different places all the time, that my iPad Pro is the perfect tool for the job – it doesn’t take up as much space both in my bag, and on any surface that becomes my desk for an afternoon. Video conferencing is a joy on the iPad Pro, especially when using their centre stage feature – which keeps the iPad camera focused on you – no need to worry about a messy office anymore.

The standard Apple apps that come preinstalled on the iPad Pro such as Mail, Safari, and FaceTime are continuing to evolve and they make your daily tasks a breeze and dare I say an enjoyable experience. Apple continues to make the touchscreen interactions significantly more intuitive than a mouse click, and I often find myself feeling more efficient in tasks such as email responses than I do on a desktop or laptop. The ability to drag and drop with the touch of a finger is a great example of this.

Is it truly Pro, though?

Physical attributes aside – the biggest debate for tablets has been if they can truly replicate the suite of programs that desktop computers and laptops have thrived on for the last twenty years. That answer was a resounding no for many years, and while they showed promise – they never matched the output one could achieve with a laptop or desktop. I’m happy to say that the tide is turning, and quickly. 

Every article of mine that you’ve seen since June 2021 has been written on this iPad. Every photo that I have edited and posted in either an article, on our social media, or in our group, has been refined on this iPad. Even some of our patch designs have been drawn and vectorised on this iPad.

When I look at the above paragraph, that blows my mind. Even a couple of years ago – to make a statement like that would have been incomprehensible to me. Sure, the iPad Pro range has shown promise, but I honestly feel this is the first iteration that has given me the freedom to create on the road, and not worry about what I have to do when I get home. Many of those edits and creations that I speak of have happened in places that I would have traditionally considered inconvenient. I’ve edited on trains, planes, and automobiles. I’ve knocked out photo edits on the side of a hiking trail while having a sandwich stop or popped through a quick drone edit while sitting on the beach. Taylor and I have drummed up many edits and ideas quickly in the moment, rather than waiting until we get home when we’ve forgotten half of the details that were so exciting just hours before.

All of our content from Iceland was edited through this iPad Pro. Every photo we shared, and each update we posted was from this machine, in the middle of winter, on a remote island in the Atlantic ocean. This is what matters to me as a creator. Sure, the specs and stats sound good on paper, but do they deliver when the time calls? As I’m sure you can imagine there were parts of our Icelandic adventure that were incredibly remote – our LTE service from the iPad Pro saved our bacon on more than one occasion, directing us to the nearest campground, updating us on weather conditions, helping us fuel up and, of course, allowing us to share it with you. Thanks to the iPad Pro – all from the back of a 1993 Land Rover.

There were many moments in Iceland where the hardware proved itself exceptionally useful. We visited Dettifoss – often known as Europe’s Niagara Falls. This place has to be seen to be believed. Deafeningly loud, and gargantuan in every sense of the word – including how much water it sprays everywhere. Combine this with a snowstorm – it’s safe to say that my cameras took a beating. These are high end, weather sealed professional cameras, and the iPhone 13 Pro’s that we were using are also water resistant, but you never know what can happen under that volume of water and pressure. We scrambled back to our Land Rover and whipped out the iPad – I was able to transfer 20GB of footage and photos in about 90 seconds. The peace of mind that gave me was astonishing, I could transfer the footage, and quickly focus on maintaining my gear to make sure it was ready for the next task. Not only that, thanks to the iPad’s large storage capacity, I could edit on the road to the next stop, while also backing up quickly to an external SSD. This speed of transfer (40GB/S) was a revelation. On previous iPad’s, and even computers there is often the moment of leaving said machine to one side and allowing it to “do it’s thing”. Not with this iPad – lightning fast and reliable. It’s worth mentioning that the same Thunderbolt port allows you to use the iPad Pro in conjunction with a compatible monitor. I hope that this is something Apple leans into further from a software perspective – it would be great to be able to use a monitor as a secondary display as opposed to the current mirroring situation.

Maximise Potential

As with all high end technology – you can always eek out a little more performance by choosing the right accessories. These are the main tools that I’ve been using in my eight months with the iPad Pro.

Apple Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard is, in my opinion, an absolute must for the iPad Pro. The adjustable cantilever design allows for a multitude of viewing angles depending on your workflow. It is a fully functional backlit keyboard, touchpad, and protective case – all-in-one. I was worried at first that I wouldn’t enjoy the typing experience, but hundreds of thousands of words later, I’m still pleasantly surprised at how usable it is. The touchpad turns the iPad Pro into a genuine tool and makes most tasks easier on the iPad Pro, but I noticed it made the biggest difference in File Management – organisation is critical for me as a photographer. This keyboard elevates the iPad Pro experience. It also has USB-C pass through charging which is great for when you may be utilising the Thunderbolt Port.

Apple Pencil (2nd Generation)

If you intend to use the iPad Pro for any level of graphic design or photo editing, the Apple Pencil is for you. This is a stylus that gives you incredible control and minimal latency while in use. As the applications from third parties catch up, this is going to continue to open up the creative possibilities on an iPad Pro. I now exclusively use Lightroom Mobile, Photoshop, ProCreate, and Illustrator on my iPad to create and edit – this adoption is down the Apple Pencil. Plus the magnetic charging feels like something that Iron Man would love.

Matador Laptop Baselayer

As with all tech products, there are a million case options for each and every model. I always like to try and keep my product as true to the original design as possible. I.E. Not bulky. The Matador Laptop Baselayer is all that I want from a tablet sleeve and more. Lightweight, protective, waterproof, with simple organisation. While I never intend to submerge my electronics, this can handle some serious weather/situations. IPX6 rated, this’ll keep your goods dry, and the mesh pocket on front is the perfect size for a charger, a couple of cables, and a backup SSD. I love that this allows me to keep all my iPad Pro accoutrements together. As with all of Matador’s products – this is exceptional value for money too.

Laptop or iPad Pro?

It has been a unique experience using my iPad Pro as a primary computer for the last eight months, and one that I have enjoyed more than I anticipated. While there are certainly areas that I hope see continued growth (namely software adoption and improvement from both Apple and third parties) – I have been astonished at the iPad’s ability to stomach my highly varied workload. The hardware is magnificently powerful, I haven’t found myself wanting in any of my high output situations yet. There have been countless occasions where I’m relieved at its size and weight, and it’s ability to slip into almost any bag. I have found renewed enjoyment when editing my photographs with a touch of my finger or the end of a stylus that works so smoothly. I can connect almost anywhere in the world and work freely from spaces that were off limits to me before. In short – I can create in a way that feels authentic and in the moment rather than trying to recreate or remember the intention when plonked at a desk a few hours or days later. Personally, that is invaluable to me. 

Of course, your mileage may vary. This is an expensive investment for anyone, and there are times where I long for a larger screen or a perfectly seamless OS. However, I’ve honestly found those concerns to dissipate the moment I’m on the move, with a pro studio slipped into my bag, ready to create. 

Can the iPad Pro replace a laptop for professional creative work? Absolutely. The real question is will it replace yours?

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Bellroy Mod Phone Case + Wallet

Starting off with the Mod Phone Case + Wallet; coming in at $89, the one I’ve been using is designed to fit the iPhone 12 Pro. But there is now an updated model to fit the iPhone 13 series. The primary material is a flexible polymer that snugly covers all edges of the device. It also provides a slightly raised lip to protect your screen when placing the phone face-down. The back portion of the case is covered in eco-tanned leather. This is lightly textured and also features magnetic rails to attach the 3-card wallet with a snap. Leather will naturally take some scuffs and scratches over time and that is evident on my case. But it has kept my phone protected every day and has shown no sign of coming apart despite the constant use and occasional abuse.

The case itself is slim and adds minimal bulk to my phone. This was really appreciated as I tend to prefer no case at all. Additionally, I also like that branding is pretty minimal; just a debossed Bellroy logo on the bottom portion of the case. 

The case still gives clear access to the switches, buttons, and ports on the iPhone, though I do wish that they had a slightly more positive “action” to them. It can feel a bit spongy to press the buttons, though I’ve found in use, it always registers the press. The case also maintains compatibility with Apple’s MagSafe chargers and has worked with every third-party wireless charger that I’ve tried. But it is worth noting that you of course maintain unrestricted access to the device’s Lightning port for wired charging or accessories.

The primary party trick of this case, aside from the obvious protection of your device, is the magnetic rail system that allows you to quickly attach and detach a slim wallet that is able to carry 3 cards comfortably. It’s also made from the same type of leather as the case and minimally increases the bulk when in use. 

The wallet is designed to only carry cards. While I’m sure you could fit some cash in there, it might be a little troublesome to retrieve. The exterior face features the primary access slot, and you can store two more on the inner face. When I first received the case, I found it a bit difficult to retrieve my cards from the inner face. But with time and use it has become very easy to do (though nothing has ever fallen out accidentally). Though I have used the case and wallet daily for months now, there has been no sign of the magnets weakening or becoming loose in any way. The wallet always firmly attaches every time it’s in use and has never once disconnected without me specifically doing so. 

Bellroy Pod Jacket Pro

Moving on to the Pod Jacket Pro which retails for $39; it’s a one-piece design to cover the case of Apple’s AirPods Pro. It makes for a precise fit on the case and features the same quality of materials that are found on the phone case and wallet. The case is designed in a way that supports wireless charging and has an opening to allow you to plug in a Lightning cable for wired charging if needed. In use, I appreciated the fact that the Pod Jacket Pro has kept my AirPods case from getting scuffed or damaged (because my AirPods go with me everywhere). But there was a notable flaw in the design that made it frustrating to use. 

The single-piece construction means that there is a thin leather hinge that joins the top and bottom sections together. This hinge would often (but not always) bend in a manner that prevented the case lid from opening fully. Bellroy was aware of this design issue and has since released an updated revision; a two-piece design that removes the hinge altogether. The original version still serves its purpose as a stylish and protective cover for the AirPods Pro case. But I would choose the newer design in this instance purely from a usability perspective. 

Despite my complaint about the hinge, I have kept the Pod Jacket Pro on my AirPods case all this time and it has done its job admirably. My case has taken no damage, despite a couple of accidental drops and frequent handling; my AirPods are no worse for wear.

Bellroy Watch Strap

Let’s finish up by talking about the Watch Strap. It comes in at $69, and is, in my opinion, one of the best third-party Apple Watch straps that I have ever used. It’s available in two sizes to support the various sizes of the Apple Watch and the length should support most wrist sizes. The blend of leather and polymer allows the band to hold up to daily wear and tear remarkably well. Despite a few superficial scuffs, there has been zero separation in the strap pieces. And the fit is perfect for the curved design of the Apple Watch itself. It’s available in multiple leather finishes, based on your personal preference, and features subtle and minimal branding.

I was particularly fond of the small orange accent on the buckle, which doesn’t functionally enhance the watch strap in any realistic manner, other than showing me that this is a considered and intentional design choice, which I appreciate. 

Another design choice I enjoyed was the decision to blend leather and polymer together for the band; this gives it excellent durability. Not only that, the lightly textured underside helps reduce sweat buildup (I can attest to the validity of this claim). Over time, the leather will develop a natural patina (along with all the other products mentioned in this write-up) and take on an individual character based on how you use it. I like that. 

All in all, Bellroy is known for making quality bags and accessories that feature a considered design. But their roots began with focusing on the small daily carry items we usually have on our person. The Bellroy Tech Collection (which features more items than just those highlighted in this review) is a stylish addition to their existing line and provides you, the user, with some great options to protect your tech.

The post Bellroy Tech Collection Review appeared first on Carryology - Exploring better ways to carry.

We took a Moment lens setup (for iPhone) out to Joshua Tree National Park to see if it could be a suitable travel photography setup that could replace a Canon R5 professional grade camera setup. So, how do the Moment kit hold up to the 45 megapixel monster?

(Note: This video is not paid for or sponsored by Moment in any way. These are my actual thoughts based upon my experience out in the field.)

Products in video:

https://fave.co/34pBmUv Weatherproof Travel Case

https://fave.co/31vfOom Dual Mobile Lens Pouch

https://fave.co/3sZDigL Tele 58mm Lens

https://fave.co/3EQQE17 Anamorphic Lens

https://fave.co/3HGQRpt Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

https://fave.co/3EW4hMk Moment Case for iPhone 13

https://fave.co/3JUA8B1 Moment Tripod Mount

Some of the above links are affiliates and when you purchase through these links you help support our channel.

Devin Fell: https://instagram.com/dirt_wolf?utm_m…

Video edited by Walter Miranda: https://instagram.com/mirandamedia.sa…

The post Can the Moment Lens Kit Replace My Canon R5? appeared first on Carryology - Exploring better ways to carry.

Personally, this has been a huge positive; I love the variety of being able to work from anywhere. However, in my job where I’m always on the move, I’m looking to optimize my mobile workflow. That doesn’t just mean dongles, backpacks, and travel jackets; it means my mobile office. 

Laptop sleeves and phone cases no longer just need to be neoprene sleeves or plastic cases. Now, thanks to thoughtful origami-inspired design by the team at MOFT, your mobile office experience can be a productive, lightweight, and elegant one. These three items have genuinely enhanced my work as I edit photos on my lap, take video calls in coffee shops, and slim down my phone and wallet combo to bring less with me.

Sit-Stand Laptop Desk

A red dot award winner, the MOFT Z is an ingenious tool for anyone who works from a laptop or tablet, and particularly for those on the move. This portable Sit-Stand Desk provides five different angles to suit your working style, or your location. While comfort is a key part of this design, so is your health! You can vary your posture throughout the day to stay active and healthy!

The MOFT Z is only 0.5 inches thick when folded (around the thickness of an iPad Pro with case) and is a lightweight 30oz. That’s impressive considering that it can give you an extra 10 inches height when using the full stand mode and hold up to 22 pounds in weight! It slides into my laptop sleeve in my backpack alongside my iPad easily and doesn’t make a noticeable difference to carrying weight for me. Made out of vegan leather, fiberglass, and some magic magnets, this is a premium product.

One of the most obvious benefits of the MOFT Z is just how stable it is; not once did I have concerns about a freefalling iPad. You can adjust your angle from the full stand down through a 60º, 45º, 35º, and 25º range. I found them all to be useful in different situations. But I mostly found myself using the full height and 25º angles most of the time; occasionally the 60º for reading or consuming media. However, the 45º and 35º didn’t work for me with my iPad Pro Magic Keyboard, as the angle on the keyboard doesn’t adjust to that level. On my wife’s laptop, I didn’t run into any issues. 

What is most impressive about the MOFT Z though is how quickly you can adjust your working situation with a few folds! The origami-inspired nature makes it swift to adapt on the fly. I can go from writing or editing to video calls in seconds. It takes a couple of days to get used to the different folding patterns, but once you have it down, it’s hard not to love. I’m a bit of an efficiency fiend, so this is the ultimate addition to my working setup. 

iPhone 13 Case with Snap On Phone Stand and Wallet

To complement the MOFT Z is the 0.2” thick Snap On Phone Stand and Wallet. This simple yet elegant accessory is made from vegan leather and comes in a variety of colors to complement your style or your actual phone. This stand and wallet combo connect with great ease to the impact-resistant (5-foot drop protection) TPU phone case. As with all of MOFT’s products, the case is understated and the white will match any color iPhone.

The vegan leather wallet and stand combo allows you three ways to enjoy your content. Streaming, browsing, and video conferencing. In reality, they all work very well! I find myself mainly using the horizontal video conferencing mode as it provides the best marriage of angle and stability. Thanks to the MagSafe connection, it is incredibly easy to switch up on the go. The origami fold also makes for a very comfortable hold; your fingers naturally find their way into the gap provided by the stand. 

The wallet portion can hold three cards, you can choose what combination that is! I still prefer to carry a separate wallet most of the time, but I do find it useful for an ID/credit card when running short errands. You could comfortably fit a few folded bills in there too. The microfiber lining makes it easy to get cards in and out, particularly after the leather is broken in from a few uses. The Snap Stand and Wallet are also a great office tool. They allow you to continue to charge your phone while using the stand, and you can easily place a MagSafe charger between the stand and the phone. This provides you both accessibility and the power that you need to listen to your podcasts and host your video calls while keeping you topped up for when you’re on the go again!

Laptop Carry Sleeve

Available in 13”, 14”, and 16” variations, the laptop carry sleeve is the final piece of our portable office puzzle. As you remove the laptop or iPad from the sleeve, a quick pull on the corners gives you two viewing angles based on your needs – either 15º or 25º. 

Made from vegan leather, with a soft microfiber lining, this is a slim and lightweight case. This makes it perfect for local commuting or a little extra protection and organization in your usual travel setup. 

The expandable neoprene storage sleeve (accessed internally) held my iPhone 13 Pro Max with ease, and could comfortably house an external SSD, cables, and charger. There is also a small sleeve for a business card or two! For iPad users, it’s worth noting that the 13” sleeve I tested did not close around my iPad Pro and Magic Keyboard combined. This is easily remedied by going to the 14” case, but worth bearing in mind!

These MOFT products have made quite the difference to my mobile office during testing, more than I expected them too. These three products are intelligently designed, made from thoughtful materials, and they’re excellent value for money. You could own all three for the price of one luxury laptop case. When used in tandem, these three fold-away accessories help you transform any surface into a sleek, modern, and functional workspace at a moment’s notice.

This article was sponsored by the fine folks at MOFT. Thanks for the support!

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I first met Adam, the owner, at an expo. His booth was slammed the entire time, and he sold out of everything. Every show since then, this theme repeats. Mario at AT Overland even designed the storage of his new camper around Step 22’s Stingray Flatbox. The thought and quality behind every pack Step 22 makes is outstanding. Having had the opportunity to have my hands on each of his products, you could pick up any of them and be amazed.

Once it was back in stock, I picked up the Step 22 Tenkile Tech Pouch in Multicam Black. I needed to organize all of my batteries and cables when traveling for shoots and was tired of having 2-3 pouches to hold everything. The first trip with this pouch was on a two-week work trip, and I needed to pack efficiently, so I was excited to have it in hand.

Who It Suits

At 9″ x 4.75″ x 5.5″, the tech pouch can hold quite a bit. For this trip I condensed my previous three pouches into the Tenkile for a more organized process for charging and storage. I was holding 2 Mavic Pro batteries, 2 Nikon DSLR batteries, 3 mirrorless batteries w/ charger, the charger for my gimbal batteries, Rode wireless Go mics, and all of the cables needed for each charger, as well as a few extra cables. So if you need to hold a lot of tech, this is an excellent pouch for you.

At the last expo, Adam had his Mavic Mini drone and controller inside the Tenkile with room to spare. You can also use a small strap to carry the Tenkile as a small sling. Depending on where I’m headed and what I’m shooting, this may hold audio equipment or my GoPro and accessories. If you like high organization with room to spare, this pouch is one to pick up.

Who It Doesn’t

For those with minimal carry needs this pouch might be a little overkill. With the shape of the Tenkile, it might be bulky in some bags and just not fit in others.

The Good

There is so much good about the Tenkile it is hard to know where to start. The build quality is impeccable; not only can it take a beating, but the design, sewing, and lines are beautiful for such a rugged piece of gear. The internal organization is thoughtfully laid out. The rear of the bag is MOLLE / PALS compatible so that you can mount this in your bag or on an organization panel.

There are slightly padded pockets that are organized to accommodate a variety of items, as well as a hook and loop center point to adjust the main compartment even further. There is a mesh zipper pocket on the opposite side of this compartment to keep some items separate. The zipper pull for this compartment has a micro SD card slot. So if you are like me and occasionally forget to put your card back in your drone or device, you can store a backup for those moments.

The front panel has a mesh zipper pocket that allows charging cable access to the pouch’s exterior.

The lid portion also allows for cards/batteries to be placed and organized so you can remember if they are spent or fresh. I used this to help organize cables so they were not bunched up in the other pockets. When the pouch is open, it clamshells and keeps things off the ground if you’re shooting out in the field.

Not So Good

There’s not much to say here when it comes to this pouch – it’s a very well-executed tech pouch. My only complaint has been that the battery/SD card slots on the top only fit specific dimensions. Out of all my cameras, the only batteries that will fit in these slots are the GoPro batteries. So I have some extra space that is not utilized unless I stash cables in this area.

Verdict 

Step 22 nailed it with the Tenkile. Not only is it versatile, but it is well made and well organized. I am looking forward to the future adventures that I can put the Step 22 Tenkile Tech Pouch through. 

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I received the 13″ just in time for a two-week work trip, and I needed to have all of my cables and computer items organized in an excellent compact carry. The short of this is, the Tech Folio delivered.

For my average carry in this folio, I had:

– Laptop

– Charger and cable

– Mouse

– SSD hard drive

– Journal

– Phone charging cable

– Headphones

– Pen

– Knife

– Energy bar 

There was room for everything and possibly more if needed. With the journal removed, the bulkiness decreases quite a bit. The laptop compartment is separate from the admin pocket and lined to keep everything pampered. This folio will be my primary work/travel carry for quite a while.

After about a month of using the 13″ I bought a 15″ MacBook Pro and started to use the 16″ folio. 

Who It Suits

For this folio, it really depends on how you will carry it. Once packed out, it fills up a 21L pack pretty well. If you want to carry it alone all packed out, then you are good to go. I used this folio in several different setups over the past few weeks. For the most part, I had been carrying this as my personal item on a flight. It was great since everything I needed for work I could pack in both the 13″ and 16″ folio with ease.

Not only did it protect my laptop while stuffed in a pack, but I was able to carry everything that I needed to a coffee shop or bar to work. If you have a pack that you like that does not have a dedicated laptop compartment, this is a great addition. But with packs where you have a dedicated laptop sleeve or compartment, this can add bulk to areas where it is not necessary. If you want an all-around carry for your laptop and accessories, this is for sure your go-to item. 

Who It Doesn’t

If you don’t like organization or have a pack and various pouch setups, this is not for you. This is a great all-in-one. I can fit everything that I usually include in my 21L pack (minus a water bottle) in this folio. The expansion seams allow for added bulk so that you can pack this out. If you want a simple sleeve for your laptop, this is not for you. 

The Good 

The overall layout is pretty damn near perfect. Everything that I usually carry within my pack and a pouch can be held in this folio. If I didn’t feel like a middle schooler with my Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper, I could probably just carry this when working off-site. But alas, I still often need a backpack with a few extras like my water bottle and snacks for when I am working at a coffee shop or somewhere else. 

With the ballistic Cordura® fabric and waterproof YKK zippers, you know that this will last for quite a while and will take some abuse. One thing that I liked was the corners zip very easily. Some laptop sleeves struggle with this and catch when coming around the corner, but this folio does not have that issue. 

The front pocket is only half the size. At first, I thought this would be a miss as some extra real estate could be used in the folio. However, after traveling with the folio, I used this to carry my passport and other quick-access essentials without issue.

Not So Good

There is not much that the Aer Tech Folio misses. If there was one thing that I think some people would like, it would be a strap attachment point to sling it over a shoulder. But this was not something that I found was needed for how I would use the folio.  

Verdict

The Aer Tech Folio can seem a little bulky when packed out, but the fact that this can carry nearly everything one needs for a workday is pretty great. I would love to see a future design with more fabric options as well.

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