features you want to consider imho are, size the pack to the trip, no sense having a pack larger than you need, security of the contents, the mec sling is what was reccommended to me for europe, worn over my left shoulder puts the zippers when closed up towards my face, i'm looking into maybe a tsa or cable lock, for when i don't actually have the camera out in use, all the web tips i find constantly repeat that your camera should come out, be used and immediately put away
this is a small pod, but most of my trip will be in cities or landscape work while on shore excursions from the ship, so i really can get by with 2 lenses much of the time, 10-22 for city plazas and some landscapes, 17-55 the walkaround solution, i may get the 70-300 IS if i feel it can fit in the pack easily, or karen consents to carry it in her magellan city pack, a zipper secured, wire in the strap small shoulder bag we may get for her to carry, i'd prefer the 70-200 f4 and tc, but it's white and just screams out LOOK EXPENSIVE GEAR TO STEAL
lowepro makes a couple of different size sling pods, i haven't had any opportunity to see them in person, one of the advantages to living where i am is that it's only a 1hr 20 minute train ride and a 10 minute walk straight from penn station to b&h, the new york superstore where they pretty much have all the lowepro and tamrac and domke products on the display floor
i have put quite a lot of time and research into just what gear to take on this upcoming trip, it's our first trip to europe and it's a combo trip, 3 days in barcelona, followed by 11 nights cruise on the dcl magic, so it took a bit of decideing, but i've made myself adjust to the fact that you can't get all the shots all the time, to do that requires your own private gear porter
b&h website does have some good pictures of the lowepro slings, they make 3 that i know of, aw100(smallest) up to the 300 which i believe just came out,
once again, i am fitting the bag to the situation, i believe after looking at the pictures that the aw200 is too large for comfortably wearing in front all day, which is what this particular trip calls for, link to mec pod below
www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp? ... 2245596582
sorry for long split post, hope some of this is helpful