Billingham has launched a new Pro version of its popular Hadley Small camera bag, which is designed for mirrorless or rangefinder cameras, or mid-size DSLRs.
Made by hand in the UK’s West Midlands, using weatherproofed canvas or FibreNyte materials, brass fittings and leather straps, Billingham bags are built up to a standard rather than down to a price. They’re not cheap, but most buyers end up becoming long-term fans. They might look traditional, even old-fashioned, but they are definitely up to date with materials, modern camera gear and the habits of modern photographers.
The Hadley Small Pro is an addition to the range. It doesn’t replace the Hadley Small, but adds new features in response to feedback from customers.
These include a new reinforced leather top handle to make it easier to manoeuvre the bag in tight spaces, for example on a train, or getting out of a car, and the shoulder strap is now removable, so that the bag can be used as a briefcase style messenger bag, so it’s easier to use as cabin baggage, for example. Keeping the travel theme, there’s now a rear pocket with a water-repellent zip for safely stowing passports, tickets and other documents, and a new rear luggage strap so that you can attach it to a trolley suitcase handle.
Inside, there’s a full-size padded compartment for camera gear, with two movable (and removable) vertical dividers and two smaller dividers so that you can stack lenses within a single compartment. This compartment has its own padded flap on the top for further protection – or you can remove it altogether and use the Hadley Small Pro as a regular day bag or travel holdall.
Round the front, there are two expanding pockets for extra storage – and they do open out a long, long way – and the buckles on the the leather straps are adjustable so that you can keep the lid snug against the contents. At the same time, these straps use a Quick Release System that lets you release and secure the top cover with one hand. This top cover is ‘sculpted’ to hug the top corners of the bag for extra weather protection.
Billingham bags are made from durable canvas or the company’s own FibreNyte material. The weatherproofing comes from bonding two layers of fabric with a layer of butyl rubber between them to produce Billingham’s ‘Stormblock’ material. This is designed to stay water-resistant for the entire life of the bag and will never need ‘reproofing’. Billingham bags come with a five-year warranty.
The Hadley Small Pro will be available from the end of March 2018 in six colour combinations:
- Khaki Canvas/Tan Leather
- Khaki FibreNyte/Chocolate Leather
- Sage FibreNyte/Chocolate Leather
- Burgundy Canvas/Chocolate Leather
- Black Canvas/Tan Leather
- Black FibreNyte/Black Leather
The UK price will be £200, US prices to be confirmed.
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