Shimoda Urban Explore 25 review: hit the streets in style

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Specifications
Price
Design & Handling
Performance
Verdict
Alternatives

When it comes to reviewing Shimoda backpacks this is not my first rodeo – with my reviews already featured in our best camera backpack buying guide including the excellent Shimoda Explore V2 35L. That backpack is designed for adventure photographers who want to photograph the great outdoors. The Shimoda Urban Explore 25 L is targeted to meet the needs of city-dwelling photographers who are into street or architecture photography and don’t need something as bulky and robust as the Shimoda Explore V2 35L to lug around town.

The Shimoda Urban Explore range of backpacks comes in three sizes - 20L, 25L, and 30L.  I chose the midrange 25 L version to review because when I’m on a city-based shoot I don’t tend to need a massive pile of kit. When reviewing the more capacious 35 L Shimoda Explore V2 for our buying guide I felt obliged to fill it to capacity with a DSLR and multiple accessories - causing it to weigh in at a massive 12 Kg! I used the Shimoda Urban Explore to carry a much lighter payload as you’ll discover in this review (and supporting video).

Shimoda Urban Explore: Specifications

Shimoda Urban Explore: Price

At launch, the Shimoda Urban Explore 25Lx costs $319.95 / £305 and is available now from Shimoda’s own site – though other stores are still awaiting stock at the time of writing, with a rough date of May 2024 currently given. So keep an eye out in the next few weeks for it to start appearing in your favorite store.

Shimoda Urban Explore: Design & Handling

Sometimes when you buy a backpack you need to pay an additional cost to purchase a camera core unit (basically a camera bag with dividers to store within your backpack). When inserted a core unit turns the everyday backpack into a dedicated camera backpack.

Fortunately, this additional cost is avoided with the Shimoda Urban Explore as it ships with a light blue core unit. The core unit consists of a padded box that will keep your precious kit safe from bumps and bashes. The compartment’s hook and loop straps are initially arranged to fit multiple lenses but you can easily re-deploy them to fit a DSLR and combination of lenses.

In the case of our Shimoda review, we filled it with an underwater camera housing and its range of accessories! The core unit can be easily removed to turn the Shimoda Urban Explore into a general everyday backpack when you need one.

The Shimoda Urban Explore’s main compartment can be accessed from the side or the rear. We found rear access to be the most convenient because when you unzip the side panel you’re faced with another zipped flap that you need to open before accessing the core unit.

As it's a shorter backpack than the longer cross-country Shimoda Explore V2 35L, the Urban Explore doesn’t have hip straps, just a small chest strap. This strap has a magnetic clasp that takes a bit of getting used to - I fumbled to unclip it when all you need to do is pull it apart to release it.

The Shimoda Explore range is available in Anthracite (that’s marketing speak for ‘dark grey) or Boa (sandy yellow?). I chose an anthracite-colored backpack to test because I usually go for black backpacks. However, the Boa version looks a bit more distinctive while black makes the Shimoda Urban Explore look more generic as a camera backpack.

As with most backpacks, the Urban Explore has two side pockets that will accommodate a short tripod or a water bottle to keep you hydrated as you stroll about town. Oh - it also accommodates a 16-inch laptop in a padded sleeve so you can digitize and review your shots from the comfort of a coffee shop (or write up a review after testing the backpack down the park).

You don’t need to hide in a coffee shop if it rains as the backpack’s material is water resistant and the zips on the exposed areas have protective seals that help keep your valuable kit dry. There’s also a hidden passport pocket (which is handy as the backpack’s size meets aircraft carry-on regulations) and a hidden AirTag pocket (which I confess I’ve yet to find!). For faster navigation through airports there’s a luggage handle passthrough strap that makes it easy for you to mount the backpack on a wheeled suitcase’s extendable handle.

Shimoda Urban Explore: Performance

To test the Shimoda Urban Explore backpack I used it to transport other items I needed to test and review including the JOBY SeaPal waterproof case for smartphones. I used the core unit’s hook and loop straps to create padded spaces for the Joby SeaPal, as well as its optional acrylic dome and Bluetooth shutter grip. I also made space for a Godox WES wireless mic kit that I needed to test (review coming soon), plus the two iPhones and tripods that I use to record my reviews.

The Shimoda Urban Explore was comfortable to carry thanks to generously padded shoulder straps and a supporting chest strap. A cushioned yet breathable mesh stopped me from getting a sweaty back as I walked into town.

Detaching the bag and placing it down on a park bench was made easier thanks to handles on both the top and bottom of the backpack. I did find that the anthracite material of the backpack tended to show off dust and dirt after I’d laid it down. Large textured tags made it easy to grip the zips when unzipping the bag from the rear.

There’s also a compartment at the top of the backpack that gives you a padded storage area for smaller accessories, plus a zipped section for loose bits and bobs such as cables and SD cards. There’s a handy key clip in here too which is a nice attention to detail. And it’s in this section that you can access the laptop sleeve which was perfect for safely storing my 15” MacBook Air. It’s worth noting that the smaller 20L version can only accommodate a 14” laptop.

Shimoda Urban Explore: Verdict

I liked the fact that the Shimoda Urban Explore 25L  is capacious enough to carry a wide range of kit without being too heavy - making it a useful accessory for a typical wander around the city on a day-long shoot. Thanks to the ‘hook and loop’ system in the removable core unit I could make it accommodate devices of different shapes and sizes. This customizability means I’m likely to make this my ‘go-to’ backpack when reviewing other gadgets for Digital Camera World. I tend to travel as light as often focus on smartphone photography.  However, if you have a large mirrorless or DSLR camera and multiple long lenses you may want to consider the 30L option.

✅ Buy this if...

• You need to transport a medium amount of kit

• You require the ability to customize a bag’s interior

• You’re a street or architecture photographer

🚫 Don't buy this if...

• You need a more robust mountain backpack

Alternatives

Gomatic McKinnon Cube Pack
If you want to travel as light as possible when you fly off for a city break then the 21 L McKinnon Cube Pack is worth considering. This collapses into a small but sturdy cube (filled with your camera gear) when you need to fit it under your seat on a flight. It then unzips and expands into a mini backpack for storing extra items (such as food and water) when you wander around your destination.

STM Dux 30L Tech Backpack
This is a more capacious backpack than the Shimoda Explore 25L so will suit a city photographer who needs to carry a bit more kit, including clothing for extended stays. It’s not targeted specifically at photographers but you can rearrange its hook and loop shelves to customize the layout of the main section to better suit your kit’s specific storage needs. It’ll also accommodate your laptop in a dedicated storage area (and it’s cheaper than the Shimoda Urban Explore).