Peak Design Travel Backpack Review
Peak Design has a long-established reputation for quality.
In fact, the company has won many awards and accolades for their camera straps and camera bags alike.
The question is, has their tradition of excellence continued with their Travel Backpack 45L?
In this hands-on review, I offer my thoughts, insights, and impressions about Peak Design's big camera bag.
Peak Design Travel Backpack: Features and Benefits
I'll come right out and say it - Peak Design engineers have thought of just about everything when it comes to the Travel Backpack 45L.
This bag is stuffed to the gills with features that make it a highly functional product.
I've been using this bag for nearly a year now, and it's a perfect setup for short weekends traveling. I can put all the gear I need to take photos, and still have room left over for clothes and other necessities.
The obvious benefit of that is that I don't have to carry multiple bags - the Travel Backpack 45L can do it all on its own.
The modular design of the bag is really its best feature, in my opinion.
There's a zippered dividing panel that separates the bag into two compartments, and if need be, they can be merged into one large compartment.
Peak Design has an array of optional packing tools that extend the functionality of this rig as well.
That includes packing cubes for your clothes, shoe cubes for your kicks, wash cubes for your toiletries, and, of course, camera cubes for your gear.
What's more, this bag meets carry-on size requirements, but can expand to haul 45 liters of gear when necessary.
Even when it isn't expanded, this bag carries 35 liters of gear between the inside compartment, the four zippered mesh pockets on the front, and the array of internal pockets too.
Organization of all that gear is aided by rigid sidewalls that help the bag keep its shape whether it's full or empty. A full-back access panel makes it easy to grab gear out of the bag, as do the top and side access panels.
There are many features related to the construction of the bag that offer you benefits as well.
The zippers are weatherproof to keep the rain and snow out and your gear dry inside.
On top of that, the exterior of the bag is constructed of 100 percent recycled 400D nylon canvas that is also weatherproof.
Add in tuck-away should straps and hip belt, unique magnetic catches, and 360-degree grab handles, and you have a bag that can meet any weather situation and any airport.
I've taken this bag all over the country, in urban areas, rural areas, in the car, on trains and planes, and everywhere in between. In a word, it has been a joy carrying this bag.
Peak Design Travel Backpack: Dimensions
This bag is a big rig at 22-inches tall and 13-inches wide.
In its normal and compressed states, the bag has a maximum depth of 9-inches. However, when it's expanded, the bag has a depth of 11-inches.
As for the interior dimensions, the bag is 21-inches tall, 15-inches wide, and 5.75-inches deep.
All told, the empty bag weighs 4.52-pounds and can carry 30L of gear in its compressed state, 35L of gear in its normal state, and 45L of gear in its expanded state.
Needless to say, my Nikon D850, 70-200mm lens, 14-24mm lens, 28-300mm lens, NiSi 150mm Filter Kit, Sony Alpha a6300, and Andycine 5-inch Field Monitor don't even come close to filling this bag up.
Peak Design Travel Backpack: Colors Available
The Peak Design Travel Backpack comes in two colors: sage green and black.
Peak Design Travel Backpack: Price and Worth?
This bag isn't cheap at $299.95. However, you get a lot of bang for your buck at that price.
Not only is this a great bag to use for short weekend trips, but it's also an ideal companion when it's trade show time and you need to haul a bunch of stuff.
As noted earlier, by meeting carry-on guidelines in its 35L state, you don't have to worry about checking your bag with all your expensive gear in it, either.
With a highly functional design that allows you to tailor the bag to your specific needs, high-quality construction, and functionality that's off the charts, this bag is worth every bit of its price tag if you ask me.
Peak Design Travel Backpack: Summarizing This Review
Does everyone need a big camera back like the Travel Backpack 45L? Definitely not.
But if you do a lot of traveling or need a bag to carry your gear from one photo shoot to the next, I strongly suggest giving this bag a long, hard look.
I appreciate the weatherproof design that keeps my gear dry when I'm out shooting landscapes. I also appreciate how comfortable the bag is to carry, even when I have it loaded for bear with gear.
All the access points are a Godsend as well - from the front, side, or back, you have easy access to your gear for getting quick shots.
As I said before, Peak Design's engineers really seem to have thought of everything with this bag. It really can be everything to everyone because of its modular design and top-quality construction. If you're in the market for a new bag, check out the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L.
