Before leaving on my recent trip to Ethiopia, fully knowing I would be spending about two weeks in the bush, many nights at campsites. I wanted to put together a music system with which I could share my Playlists with my guides and any locals that might want to sit around the campfire, have a glass of wine and share stories.

Just before leaving I was lucky enough to be at the Apple Store where they had just got a new product by the most popular maker of discreet Bluetooth headsets for the iPhone, Jawbone. Their newest product is a small portable speaker system that can connect via analogue cable to your iPodnano, shuffle, or smartphone. Not only that, but it is blue tooth friendly with such devices as an iPhone or iPad. Testing it out in my house with multiple walls I could connect my iPhone and iPad and walk more than thirty feet away. Well enough, the name of the device is the Jambox. It’s also rated up to 85 db.

Just to give you an idea of it’s small size I took a picture  next to my iPhone and connected via the analogue connector (which is supplied) to my iPodnano. (Below)

Jambox with Nano

It also comes with a very slim-fit durable neoprene like case with magnetic flaps to keep the doors shut (below).

Case

To round out my system I bought a pair of the Klipsch in-ear headphones. It comes with a nice felt bag in to which I can also keep my analogue connector, iPodnano, as well as the ear phones. Just to keep my traveling music bundle as small and portable as possible.

Klipsch felt bag

All in all, I found it to be an excellent as well as durable system. The charging time for the Jambox is less than 1 hour and gives up to 6 hours of playtime before a new charge is needed. You can adjust the volume from your music device and/or the top of the Jambox with a simple + and – raised buttons. I think this is a must get item for any of our travelers that miss the high quality of their music systems at home. At around US $200, it may not be the cheapest alternative out there but it could be the best based on sound quality, size and ergonomics.

One of my favorite line of bags to travel with my Leica M-system as of late is the fairly new line of Retrospective Bags from Santa Rosa Camera Accessory maker Think Tank. My newest acquisition is their smallest in the series, the Retrospective 5. Perfect for an M9 with lens along with two additional M-lenses. However, the weak link in this particular bag line is the padding and the very thin dividers that are provided. maybe 3mm thick at the widest.

Useless Dividers

So what I did with my larger Retrospective 10 (Pinestone) is take the thick and plush inserts provided with my Artisan and Artists “Oskar One Day Bag”, which I wasn’t using and put it in the Retrospective Bag (see below).

Unfortunately, this particular insert is way to big for the much smaller Retrospective 5.

While reading the Leica User Forum I was informed of a fairly new line of products from bag maker Crumpler in a Thread started by Forum member MarkP. The Australian Camera Bag maker has recently introduced the Haven line, a kind of sack with well padded inserts in sizes Small, Medium and Large.

San Francisco actually has a Crumpler Boutique about two blocks from my gym at the Four Seasons, so I brought my Retro 5 in for a quick fitting. I found that the Medium or (M) size was perfect for the bag. I could easily get the M9 with lens attached along with two other M-lenses in the bag (below).

Empty Retrospective 5

Camera on Top

Sack Closed

Once you pull the sack string tight, the Retrospective Bag easily closes with it’s velcro fasteners.

Haven Closed, Front View

Retrospective 5 Closed

Here’s a shot of the Haven outside the Think tank Bag with multiple elastic pockets for SD Cards and extra batteries.

Haven Sack

Now you might think, “Why is this guy obsessing over dividers in his bag?” Good question! I like to think of the padding in my bag as sort of an insurance policy. Sure you might of thought ahead and packed all your gear nice and tight so that you can carry it into the aircraft cabin, but if something gets broken or misaligned along the way, well…… their aren’t a lot of Leica stores or camera repair shops in the Lower Omo, Ethiopia (actually NONE).

I just put this system together and haven’t really field tested it but I think Crumpler has come up with a great product at a fairly reasonable price ($50 US). As a warning, i just want to state that both people working at the boutique that these items are selling out as quick as they come in. They come in neon green or orange. I would have preferred the orange but they have no idea when the next shipment is coming in. “A Bird in the Hand….”