About Us

Renaissance Photo Tech, Inc. (RPT) and its retail partner Photobackpacker have been formed to bring to market a new and different selection of field photography backpacking gear.  The patented RPT LightGear backpack system offers lightweight, adaptable protection AND a custom fit at an off-the-shelf price.  This system has been designed specifically for the needs of the Large Format field photographer who routinely carries a staggering array of delicate, expensive and inherently heavy gear over terrain that is challenging even without the load.

Bruce Laughton, the founder and President of RPT, comes out of a manufacturing background.  He has also been shooting Large Format almost exclusively for 18 years as a passionate semi-pro.  He understands the needs of the Large Format field photographer.

The idea for the LightGear system has its roots in the pursuit of “best practices” gathered through the observation of top working pros.  Bruce was struck by the fact that these respected professionals, who could have chosen any photo backpack, chose instead to use an off-the-shelf *technical pack and then adapted it to meet their photographic needs.  The result was a no-nonsense design that emphasized order and workflow simplicity, equipment protection, and aggressive weight reduction – creating a beautifully utilitarian item which became a tool in its own right.

The LightGear system represents a unique confluence of best practices, mass-customization, world-wide sourcing and an uncompromising drive for quality and value.  The end product represents the results of 9 months of design refinement which saw no less than 7 rounds of prototyping - working with vendors on a world-wide basis to create this unique and elegant product.

We are excited about the results of these efforts and we are confident you will be too.

Welcome to Photobackpacker – the idea spot for uncompromising field photographers!

*A technical backpack is one which has been engineered to optimize the weight distribution – shifting portions of the load to the lumbar curve, the hip shelf and off of the shoulders.  This allows the load to be carried by the skeletal frame and the strongest muscle groups in the body - easing fatigue dramatically.