Belt System: Modular or Skin?

Dan Navarette, our head of Customer Service, reports that one question we receive is about the difference between our "Modular" and our "Skin" modular systems.  In this month's newsletter we shed some light.  (BTW: click here if you want to see a really great thread about Dan on Sportsshooter.) Belt System: Modular or Skin? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Modular belt systems are an excellent, versatile way for you to pack your camera bodies, lenses and accessories.  With our Modular system and our Skin system, you can select how lightweight and how much protection you desire based on your preference.     With both systems, with our "Rotate and Lock" design you can either lock the pouches "in place" or you can us the hook and loop fastener on the flap of the pouch to secure it to the belt line.  Keeping the pouch "in place" has the advantage of securing the pouch to a specific location on your Skin Belt, Pro Speed Belt, or Steroid Speed Belt.  Once in place, you now have your gear in the exact location of choice.    Attaching a pouch solely with the hook and loop fastener allows you to rotate your pouches freely around the belt to change the weight distribution on your waist.  One of the greatest benefits of our belt systems is that they keep the weight of your gear on your waist and off your back.  You also have the added benefit of greater mobility and quick gear retrieval when you need it.   We have designed two distinctive modular belt systems.  They are:     Modular Set (right) -- We have produced a wide variety of pouches and cases for this belt system to accommodate the lenses and accessories most often used by photographers.  These pouches and cases can be bought individually or in our 6-piece Modular Set.  This set includes the Large Lense Drop In (holds an ultra wide-angle lens), the Lens Changer 35 (holds a 24-70 mm 2.8), and the Lens Changer 75 Pop Down(perfect for a 70-200 mm 2.8 lens).  Have a flash?  You also get the Lightning Fast for your SB-800 or equivalent.  You also receive the Lens Changer 50 (holds zoom lenses, such as the 16-35 2.8 and 17-40, with the lens hood attached) and the Speed Changerfor all of your accessories.  Overall, this 6-piece set is an excellent way to get started on building your modular belt system Skin Set (right) -- This non-padded, lightweight, 5-piece modular system allows you to organize your gear on all Think Tank belts while working quietly.  With the Silencer Flap there are no hook and loop fasteners "scratching" when you open them.  In contrast to the Modular system, these bags have no foam.  The set includes the Skin 50 (for zoom lens such as the 16-35 2.8 with hood in position), Skin 75 Drop Down (holds larger lens such as the 70-200 2.8 with hood reversed, or "pop-down" for hood in position), Skin Double Wide (holds two larger lenses such as the 70-200 2.8 with hood reversed and 24-70 2.8 with hood in position, in one unit), Skin Strobe (for your SLR flash), and Skin Chimp (the perfect solution for carrying one digital SLR body, as well as other SLR equipment).   While the bags are interchangable on our belt systems, photographers tend to select one style of modular system or the other.  Those who seek that extra layer of protection for their expensive gear prefer the Modular system because of the foam padding.  Those who prefer being able to "compress" their belt system into their travel bags so that it takes up the minimum amount of space while in transit, prefer the Skin system.  It really depends on your personal preferences.   One secret professional photographers use with both belt systems is that they figure out what shooting situation they are about to enter and pre-load it with the gear and bags they anticipate needing.  That way when they hit the ground they just extract the belt system from their roller or transportation backpack and strap it on, ready to shoot.

We Use Your Photo. You Get A Free Gift!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Share the Moment -- Get a photo of yourself or a friend using our products out in the field (like this Gavin Newman shot in Antarctica of Daniel Beltra using our Speed Racer beltpack) and, if we post it, we'll send you something fun as a "thank you" in the mail. Attach your image as a 72 DPI, JPEG at 8 inches wide or tall and send it to:PixelParty@ThinkTankPhoto.com Looking for a way to supplement your income? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's no secret that the photography industry is among those being impacted the economic recession.  If you are looking for a way to generate extra income during this period, contact brian_erwin@thinktankphoto.com.  We have created a very easy way for you to do so. Looking For Product Photos  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We have started work on a new project and are very interested in receiving photos of our gear in action.  These can be shots of our gear on photographers while in use, or just great shots of our gear.  If you have high-quality shots you think might be of interest to us, please contact Larry Atil at larry@thinktankphoto.com with the name of the product featured in the shot (don't send photos yet).  Larry will send you more details about the nature of the shots he seeks.  If we end up using your photo we'll send you a free gift in gratitude.

Quick Links... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Our Website Our Products Where to Buy Our Gear (Our retailer partners worldwide) Our Philosophy (For the full story, move your cursor over each image) Share the Moment (Share your photo with us and receive a free gift if we use it) Despite these hard economic times, we at Think Tank remain committed to designing and manufacturing the highest quality gear and to providing equally high quality and personal customer service.  You can continue to count on us.   Doug Murdoch President and Lead Designer