In a world where some gear companies feel like they have to make everything, Lowepro have just picked a single thing and done it really well. Since mountaineer and adventure photographer Greg Lowe knocked up his first backpack in a Colorado shed in 1967, they’ve become the world leader in camera bags for outdoor photographers.

Lowepro were the first to introduce innovations like soft-sided foam-lined camera bags, ergonomic shoulder straps and lightweight buckles, and their products have averted many a camera catastrophe over the last 50 years.

These days the bags are designed just outside San Francisco, and their focus is still firmly zoomed in on adventure photography in the great outdoors. Unlike so many other camera bags and backpacks, theirs are built to be rugged, comfortable and weatherproof – and every new bag or innovation gets properly put through its paces in the mountains before it finds its way onto your back.

What’s more, they’ve recently been putting a lot of work into their use of more sustainable materials, and some of their products are now made from up to 85% recycled fabric. So as you capture the world through your lens, you’re also doing your bit for it with your gear choices.