Peak Design Travel Backpack (30L + 45L) Review

"Intelligent Design."

The Travel Bag from Peak Designs is an extremely well designed, quality bag for modern carry-on adventure, business travel and large camera carry.

  • Extremely well built and thought-through — There are tons of unique features for modern travelers and they’ve all been thought through, designed and executed at a level that means it will work smoother for you most of the time. External lash straps, stowable hip straps, quick access pockets, expansion, contraction to a smaller bag for daily carry, water bottle pockets, etc. And all the basics of the bag (straps, stitching, stress points, comfort) are utterly solid.
  • Massive capacity for carry on travel — they utilize every inch of this bag for cargo and even have an expansion feature to give you an extra 10L. The bag is well padded, however, so it’s a little less capacity than, say, the Heimplanet Monolith 40L or tortuga setout.
  • The accessories are really damn killer — The packing cubes, easily my favorites, the tech pouch, easily favorite, the wash kit, a little less my favorite, but still a favorite. I wish the last two had a more flat dimention to them to be easier to get into any bag, but these things are utterly well designed. And that’s not even to mention the camera cubes they’ve made.
  • The bag is rigid and hefty, but not uncomfortable — the materials are sturdy for protection of your stuff and durability, so this bag comes in heavier than many other bags. The rigidity is not my favorite feel (though it’s better feeling than the nomatic and wandrd travel bags), compared to a more soft bag feel. However, the bag is more comfortable than many other bags because the straps, back padding and stowable hip straps are well executed.

Compare this bag to others:

In this video I compare this bag to several others. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhSmF5-SEbU

More on the Peak Design Travel Backpack (30L + 45L)

What I like

  • Thoughtfully designed and executed. Tons of features and they all work smoothly in travel, even the zippers glide around corners
  • Excellent build quality: handles, stress points, materials all built to last
  • Shoulder straps hide away behind magnetic flaps, and the 45L's hip straps fold out when you need them and tuck away when you don't
  • Side access into the main compartment from both sides, plus structured sides that stand up while you pack
  • Great top and side handles and massive dual water bottle pockets
  • 45L front admin compartment: lovely stretch mesh pockets, and I get my laptop and tablet without opening the whole bag
  • The 30L is sleek and simple: one big bucket, expands for travel, compresses down so it's almost a daily carry when you get there
  • Carries well even for smaller frames, the structure pushes the weight onto your hips

Watch for

  • Rigid and hefty. The 45L is 4.5 lb
  • 45L quick access pocket is small, about phone size. The 30L's is more useful
  • Straps can feel firm with a heavy load if you're not an athletic frame. They've softened them over the years
  • 45L expansion goes into the front compartment, not the main one, and the snap-down "daily carry mode" still leaves a massive bag
  • On the 30L you lay it on its face to get into the main compartment, and the strap magnets felt weaker than on the 45L

Specs

  • 45L: expandable (35-45L), about 4.5 lb, hip straps included, fits up to a 16 inch laptop I believe
  • 30L: expands about 6L (27-33L), just over 3 lb, no hip straps
  • Water-sealed main zip
  • Recycled 400D nylon (30L) / 900D nylon (45L)

Where I've covered it






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