Stuff: TDBT x Yanco Quick Draw Pouch

Like cycling, like pictures, or been on the internet lately? If you've answered yes to two or more of those then you're going to have come across Team Dream (TDBT) and or Yanco before. Now here's a story of what happens when good things come together. 

At times it seems like the popularity of cycling, photography, and social media are playing off each other. A bit of a perfect storm which as a photographer has been beautiful to watch. I'm all for anything that gets people excited about photography, doing more photography, or sharing creative ideas. All good things, but there are challenges. 

Camera phones are incredible. Think about it. First, one of the greatest barriers to photography has always been accessibility. To capture a moment you must have a camera on hand but that required you to carry two things. Second, consider that the image sensor in a camera phone is tiny and the lens is even cruder. But great software and hardware advances have been made. The result of converging a camera into a phone and eking out incredible mobile images despite its size has completely revolutionized two industries. And now camera phones account for nearly 99% of consumer camera sales. For the popularity of photography this has been a great thing, but for anyone who is serious about photography, camera phones can only do so much. 

Resources: more info on 2016 consumer camera sales.

Where camera phones reign supreme in portability and accessibility, they fall very short in true image quality. There's a whole other conversation on the technically reasons but that's not what this is about, so I'll skip the reasons why. Where this is leading to is that anyone who wants to capture quality images while cycling, they face challenges and dilemmas about how to ride with and use a compact camera. Searching for solutions to this challenge myself is what connected me to something I'm pretty stoked on. Enter the Team Dream x Yanco Quick Draw Camera Pouch. 

In the most recent release of Team Dream apparel and accessories they partnered with another Los Angeles brand, Yanco Customs, to produce a handy camera pouch. What makes it so special is that it was designed by cyclists for cyclists. The size perfectly fits around the powerful and popular Sony RX100 series cameras. Most Yanco pouches are made with 1000d nylon cordura but each TDBT Quick Draw Camera Pouch is handmade in the US by Yanco using medium weight canvas. Overall the construction of the Quick Draw Camera Pouch is robust. It's well made and all the edges are covered with sturdy bias tape for a clean finish. The product details on the TDBT page are a bit light so if you're looking for details, here's what you need to know. The exact dimension of the pouch are 16cm x 12cm, it weighs ~45 grams, and when they were in stock they were available in 5 colors, including the waxed grey canvas. That's what I ordered. The waxed canvas provides a bit of protection from the elements as wax is a natural water repellent treatment and can be refreshed as needed. (Fjallraven Greenland Wax is my favourite)

Made to fit the Sony RX100 series of pocket cameras, the TDBT x Yanco Quick Draw Pouch keeps you 'gram cannon clean and protected, but always at hand.

The Quick Draw Camera Pouch is not only perfectly sized to fit the Sony RX100 (or similar sized cameras), it is well suited to easily slip in and out of jersey or jacket pockets. Speaking of easy access, the pouch also has a fast access opening. A zippered closure may be more secure but when quick access is critical, the overlapping flap is ideal. There's no chance it's just going to fall out of the package. To keep your camera and the pouch partnered together, the pouch includes a plastic D ring which you can/should tether to your camera. This not only keeps them together, it also makes the whole package a bit more substantial and therefore easier to hold onto while riding. For me, I chose to forgo the tether my favourite pass my favorite DSPTCH wrist strap through the D ring. It does well to tether the two together but also provides better security as the camera is also attached to my wrist when I need or want it to be. 

Since my Team Dream x Yanco Quick Draw Camera Pouch arrived a few months ago, I've been riding winter with it and look forward to doing so all summer long. But the Quick Draw Camera Pouch isn't just for cycling photography. It works just as well off the bike too and has become a daily staple because it does well to keep the camera protected while it's floating around a backpack or in the door pocket of my car. 

If you've got a Sony RX100 or comparable compact, want to start riding with your camera, or are just looking for a quick draw case, check out the Team Dream x Yanco Customs Quick Draw Camera Pouch. They are all sold out right now but the listing is still up, so hopefully it will come back again.

For anyone who may have been watching the stories on my Instagram feed, you may have noticed a few special Yanco products pop up. When I realized that the Quick Draw Pouch was truly legit, I reached out to Yanco to see if he'd be interested in a special custom project together. Keep an eye out for more coming soon.