Vortex Storm Jacket
3 Jun
By Jonathan Lawton
If you spend any time outdoors taking photos, sooner or later you are going to find yourself in inclement weather. For years I’ve kept a small garbage bag and some rubber bands in my camera backpack for the sole purpose of protecting my gear in case of a sudden rainstorm. While it worked in a pinch, trying to secure my makeshift rain cover in a timely fashion was always a precarious situation. Vortex Media offers a more dependable and equally compact solution for anyone who needs to protect their camera equipment while out in the field.
The Vortex Storm Jacket is a one-piece camera and lens cover made of a flexible and waterproof nylon fabric. Setting up the Storm Jacket is a quick and easy task. The front cover features an adjustable bungee drawstring, allowing you to cinch the cover to the front of your lens. From there you simply pull the jacket over the back of your camera body to complete the setup. The Storm Jacket’s rear opening is large enough to allow you easy access to your camera controls and viewfinder. My test unit was the 17 inch model and was large enough to accommodate a Canon 70-200mm 2.8 mounted to a Canon 1D.
The Vortex Storm Jacket comes in four colors (black, red, yellow and camouflage) and is available in five sizes, from 11 inches to 31 inches. To figure out what size is most appropriate for your gear, just measure from the back of your camera to the front element of your lens when the zoom is fully extended. The Storm Jacket also comes with its own zippered carrying pouch for easy storage. The Storm Jacket ranges from $36 to $46.
It’s small enough that you won’t mind carrying it with you, and in the right conditions, it just might be the most valuable piece of equipment you have in your camera bag. ◊
Jonathan Lawton is a 2003 graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he studied photojournalism. He operates a photography business, specializing in wedding and portrait photography, www.jonathanlawton.com. Contact Lawton at jlawton@wbhunt.com.
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