Nya-Evo Fjord 60-C ECONYL backpack review

For

+Superb design and construction
+Carries mid-size tripod with ease
+Room for lots of kit, clothing and supplies
+Modular RCI camera inserts you can swap in seconds

Against

-Regular ‘consumer’ camera backpacks are cheaper
-RCI insert dividers can be frustrating to arrange

The Fjord 60-C is the largest of three camera backpacks made by Nya-Evo, which specializes in rugged adventure gear for photographers. The ‘ECONYL’ in the name refers to the new recyled nylon waste ‘regenerated’ and used for the main construction. The company says it’s just as strong as regular nylon and helps reduce plastics pollution. An environmentally aware theme runs through all of Nya-Evo’s communications.

Nya-Evo Fjord 60-C key features

The key features of this backpack are its 60-liter maximum capacity, its multiple pockets and attachment points, and its clever use of snug-fitting ‘RCI’ camera inserts in three sizes. These have zip-on lids, so you can store camera gear separately back at base, or even pre-pack inserts for different shooting scenarios and load up your backpack in seconds rather than packing items individually.

The Fjord 60C itself is a heavy-duty all-weather backpack built around an aluminium frame with very well padded shoulder straps and an equally well padded waist strap that helps shift weight from your shoulders to your hips. There’s also a sternum strap to keep it the backpack stabilized if you’re doing a lot of clambering.

My packing list

I tried the Fjord 60-C out on a hike with the medium (RCI-M) insert holding:

• Panasonic Lumix G9 with Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 fitted
• Olympus PEN E-P7 with EZ 14-42mm lens fitted
• Olympus 7-14mm f/2.8 ultrawide
• Panasonic 35-100mm f/2.8
• Laowa 6mm cine lens
• Panasonic Lumix 25mm f/1.8
• DJI Mavic Mini and controller
• Insta360 One RS 1-inch 360 edition
• Insta360 One RS with 4K module

There’s a zip-up laptop and accessory compartment in the front where I stored a 13-inch Macbook Pro, a mid-size power bank and an external SSD, and in the top compartment I stored the Macbook charger and some spare clothing.

Finally, I strapped a Ulanzi Zero F38 travel tripod to the side, with its feet in the handy elasticated side pocket. In fact, it turns out the Fjord 60-C is built for bigger tripods than this (folded length around 42cm) as the top strap was positioned just a little too high so I had to extend the legs a little (!) – this backpack is easily capable of carrying a serious mid-sized tripod.

Build and handling

The all-up weight came to around 14kg, or 30lb. That’s heavy enough to strain your arms lifting it out of a car but, once on my back and adjusted, it was really comfortable and made light work (sorry) of all that weight. The only time I realized the weight properly was when I had to take it off and put it back on – and also when climbing steep slopes (but that’s gravity and unfitness, not the bag).

There are a lot of pockets, flaps and zippers to explore and memorize, but that’s the same for all backpacks. It didn’t take long to figure out the best place to stow things away, and the capacity is just awesome. And it it’s not awesome enough, there’s a zipper to expand the front pocket and a zip up, roll-up compartment in the lid for a helmet (say) or any other gear you need to carry.

The Fjord 60-C holds A LOT. To be honest, for my needs, the smaller Fjord 26-S (for Sports) would probably be fine. It’s big enough to hold the largest RCI insert, but if you use the medium or small options, you’ll get space above for other items. Alternatively, there’s the mid-size Fjord 36, available in either regular or ECONYL versions.

The Fjord 60 is a terrific backpack. It has a huge capacity, but can fold down really flat when empty for easier transport or stowage. I can find no fault at all with the backpack – but I did find the RCI inserts occasionally irritating.

One issue is that the internal dividers are held in place by very strong velcro strips, often on three sides. It can take a while to figure out how to organize the sections for your own kit, accompanied by a soundtrack of ripping velcro and increasingly loud cursing. I also couldn’t find a use for the L-shaped dividers, which were the devil to fit and then closed off whatever was underneath.

That was just a temporary niggle. Once I’d got the dividers where I wanted them I’m pretty sure I would never need to move them again. And the RCI inserts aren’t hugely expensive, so I could see myself ‘hot-swapping’ them ahead of different photo expeditions and using them for general camera storage too, especially with the zip-on lids. You can buy the full set of three inserts at a discount, incidentally.

Nya-Evo Fjord 60-C pricing and verdict

You can see the pricing for yourself at the Nya-Evo website (I’m quoting euros, my local currency), and the Fjord 60-C ECONYL I tested is €458,00 with a small RCI insert or €399,00 on its own – all the inserts are available separately.

That’s not cheap by camera backpack standards, but this is expedition-quality gear that’s extremely well thought out, and it does feel like it’s worth it.

Remember too that this is for the top model. The smallest Fjord 26-S on its own is €199,00 or €258,00 with an RCI-S insert, while the mid-size Fjord 36 is €259,00 on the regular version, €299,00 with the ECONYL fabric and €358,00 for the ECONYL and RCI-S insert. Looking at the prices, it doesn’t look as if you save any money getting a backpack and insert together – and if you choose the insert separately you can choose the size you want.

Overall, I’d say the Nya-Evo Fjord range is very good value, given its quality, design and versatility. You can get cheaper camera backpacks than this, to be sure, but the further you go, the more you carry and the tougher the conditions, the more likely it is that you’ll be glad you chose a backpack like this.

• How to choose a camera bag
• How to choose a tripod