I bought this bag a couple of weeks ago for the sole fact that it's a vertical format sling. Camera packs and bags tend to be in a box shape, or a rather bulbous protrusion when worn. They're obvious and cumbersome when walking around.
However, after a time of searching for a new bag, the moment I saw the F-5XC, I knew it was the bag I was looking for.

I love canvas. I find that leather bags can be too "executive" or bland. Nylon bags can feel artificial and sporty. To me, canvas is the material to own because it has a fantastic natural, quality feel. That said, the F-5XC is made of canvas from top to bottom. It features a layer of weatherproofing on the inside followed by a soft plush covering for the inserts to attach to.

The front of the bag is a giant flap that stays closed with a giant strip of velcro. This front flap can be very useful if you have a small lightweight tripod. In a previous review of mine, I reviewed the Sony VCT-1500L tripod. To carry this tripod around, I close the flap over the folded up tripod and fasten the velcro. I then take the panning handle of the head and lock it down over the bags flap securing the tripod in place. The velcro is strong enough that the tripod doesn't fall out. This was a rather lucky surprise!

The bag comes with two three-section inserts for you to organize your equipment with, and Tiffen/Domke has more inserts available to buy just in case your desired setup needs them. The inserts are sized for the bag in a way that if you place one completely vertical or horizontal, it will divide the bag in half if you desire. You could actually use one to create a horizontal shelf and insert another beneath it in a "U" shape to create three divided sections.

Speaking of beneath, there's actually a thoughtfully implemented zipper opening located on the bottom 1/3rd of the front of the bag. When opened, you can get access to equipment stored at the bottom of the bag. This is indispensable to quickly access a selection of two or three lenses or a flash, depending on how you use the inserts to divide the space.

The bag features two smaller open pockets on the front which are good for holding a spare battery and charger or other smaller accessories. The back of the bag is also a large pocket which is good for holding folded papers, lens caps, etc.

The bag's construction is among the most solid I've encountered in a canvas bag. Its padding on the inside gives the bag a more dense feel than just a thin layer of canvas between the world and your camera and lenses. The bottom of the bag has a flat, harder piece of padding that will keep the bag standing up when placed on the ground. The padding on the bottom is sufficient, but you may want to put your own strip of soft padding to give whatever is down there even more protection in case you drop the bag or set it down on the ground a little too hard. The strap features metal latches and an integrated rubber no-slip strip on the underside. The strap does not come with an in-line shoulder pad, so if you're a person who needs one take note on that. The strap latches onto thick metal rings stitched very thoroughly to the sides of the bag. These feel like they won't be tearing off any time soon.

Wearing the bag not only looks good, but it's comfortable as well. I can wear it for hours on end without a hint of soreness. I also feel confident that while walking around the city, (I live in Boston, MA,) the bag appears discreet enough to look merely like a messenger sling. Most people probably wouldn't first guess that it's carrying expensive camera equipment, perhaps the only exception if they know what "DOMKE" is.

I own the Sand colored bag, which has a pretty average, natural tan canvas color. The olive bag looks equally great, and contrary to photos on the internet, the olive color is not as dark as it looks. If you like olive drab colored canvas, you'll enjoy that one just great.

So, what do I use in my bag?
Here's a list of everything I manage to fit comfortably inside:
A Canon EOS 40D body [with strap]
A spare battery and its charger
Two Hoya filters [in their cases]
an EF 85mm f/1.8 [and its hood]
an EF 50mm f/1.8
an EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6
an EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5
a Sony VCT-1500L tripod under the flap.
[note: In my arrangement, I keep either the 50mm or 85mm prime attached to the camera since there's enough room.]

Overall, this is a bag I see myself using for years and years to come, even after I've finished with my current camera body. If you have anything up to the size of a Canon EOS 5D or Nikon D700, you'll be happy with this bag.

Recommended: Yes