The Auxiliary Pouch System from Kata offers photographers with a pick and mix way of choosing their carrying equipment. The system centres around one of two products, either a combined belt and shoulder harness called the AB-302, or simply the belt on its own (this is called the AB-301). 

The shoulder harness offers maximum support to those carrying heavy loads. It works by attaching the two shoulder straps to the front of the belt. These then narrow into a single strap at the back, which also attaches onto the belt. The wide, padded straps make this extremely comfortable to wear, even when loaded up to the max.

The belt itself is adjustable to suit all waistlines and fastens using a large, robust plastic clip at the front. If you’re lucky enough to have excess strapping, then this tucks neatly into the belt loops.

Once you have chosen your base piece of kit, the fun begins as you can pick and choose individual pouches and add-ons to attach onto the belt. There are six different pouches to choose from – each of which varies in size, weight functionality. They are designed to carry lenses, flashes and camera bodies, as well as smaller items like cleaning kits and memory cards. The AP-321 is the largest of the pouches and will accommodate a full size DSLR body. It comes with separate shoulder strap in case you want to use it sans belt, which is a great addition. An internal mesh pocket is ideal for storing extra cards, lens cloths or batteries.

The other pouches are built to house your various lens from a 70-2000mm f.2.8 lens through to small macro lenses. As your lens collection grows so too can your pouch collection. These attach to the belt using adjustable strong Velcro straps and can be placed anywhere along the belt.

This is a fantastic system that will be useful to so many photographers. It’s comfortable to wear, although we recommend wearing the belt around the waist as opposed to the hips so as to avoid your pouches bashing on your thighs. It’s a neat and tidy package that works like a dream.

Final Verdict A fantastic system, which you can build up slowly to meet you exact carrying needs. OVERALL

Rosie’s big passion is travel photography, with a love of capturing different cultures on camera, from scenery and landscapes through to people and food. She studied photography at college and hopes one day find time to submit her images to the Royal Photographic Society for accreditation.