Kata Auxiliary Pouch System review

AB-302 Guide: £55  Street: £45
 AP-321 Guide: £50  Street: £36
 AP-323 Guide: £50  Street: £36
www.kata-bags.com

Camera bags are great. They do a terrific job at holding and protecting all our camera gear. The problem is, in some situations, you simply can't get to your kit fast enough. Kata has recently released an auxiliary system of pouches, sold individually, that can be attached to a padded belt.

The advantages of this system are immediately evident. There’s no fumbling around, removing your bag from your back. Everything you need is on the belt, so you’re quite literally shooting from the hip.
We tested the AP-321 pouch, made to hold a mid-range DSLR, the AP-323 pouch for 70-200mm lenses (or similar) and, of course the belt and addition harness accessory (AB-302).

Like all Kata kit, we found the belt, harness and pouches to be incredibly well built. The belt, which can be bought separately without the harness, fits waist sizes 34in to 60in and is very well padded. The add-on harness spreads the weight from your hips to your shoulders and is equally as comfortable. Perfect for days when you're on your feet and carrying kit for hours. The harness can be removed if necessary and the belt works just as well without it.

There are six pouches available so you can build up your collection over time and we recommend placing them to the front of the belt rather than the rear as this makes them more accessible. This system is perfect for photographers at sporting events, concerts, weddings or even protests where you need to be more aware of your surroundings. Using the belt pouches, changing lenses takes just seconds and sometimes, that’s all the time you have to grab that perfect shot.
Considering the value-for-money price tag, I can see this product becoming very popular.

Verdict:
As belt systems go, this is up there with the best in terms of build quality and overall usefulness.

Like: The comfort 
and secure fit of this useful auxiliary system.
Dislike: Attaching 
the pouches for the first time can be tricky.

Rating:  5/5