After years of not owning a camera bag, I now own a Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L. I used it for traveling because it is very safe. Unusually, I was carrying a lot of expensive equipment. Here's what I concluded about it:
I live in a small fishing port called Amble near the mouth of a river on the coast of Northumberland, a very beautiful part of England. It is approximately an hour's drive from the Scottish Borders. When I moved here nearly 20 years before him, Amble was one of his little secret places to escape to, but no one had heard of it. It has now been featured on TV shows and the area is recognized as one of the best places to live and visit in the UK. As a result, it attracts significant numbers of tourists and retirees from further south who seek a quieter life and benefit from much lower house prices.
I hear the question, “What does this have to do with photography and my backpack?” Many people come here to take pictures. They can be spotted from a distance because they are usually hunched over under the weight of their bags, resembling a turtle trying to stand upright. Their bags are packed full of gear with interchangeable lenses, just in case they're about to miss a shot.
Like anywhere else, crime occurs here, but it's rare. Nevertheless, camera bags identify people as targets of crime. They advertise to the world that you have expensive equipment.
I rarely carry more than I plan on using. If he gets robbed, he could probably lose $4,000 worth of kit. But on a recent trip to Finland, I unusually took the best part of my gear, worth $12,000. Finland is a safe country. Nevertheless, I didn't want to advertise what I was carrying.
Beware of baggage handlers
I also didn't want to leave everything to the baggage handlers or the plane's cargo hold. As with Schiphol Airport, I was also unable to get my luggage to my connecting flight to Helsinki. My concern is that airlines are getting picky about carry-on bag sizes. I've seen people whose luggage was sent to the hold of an airplane and charged a fee because it was a little too big. Additionally, airline rules have recently changed so that people returning from vacation are now required to check their baggage on the outbound flight and are charged exorbitant fees.
Additionally, when I looked out the plane window, I saw the handlers tossing bags onto the conveyor belt with no regard for the passengers' belongings.
That's why I traveled with the Peak Design Travel 30L Backpack
The Peak Design Travel 30L Backpack has an understated design that doesn't make it obvious that it's a camera bag. Additionally, it also offers some very secure features.
Standard external dimensions are 53cm x 34cm x 18cm, and when the extension is opened, it becomes 53cm x 34cm x 20cm. At the time of writing, the maximum allowed size for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is slightly larger at 21.5 inches x 13.5 inches x 10 inches (55 cm x 35 cm x 25 cm). These are internationally agreed carry-on limits, but not all airlines offer the same limits. See who you're flying with.
Bag features
The 30L title is a clever misnomer as it is the average size of the unexpanded size (27L) and the expanded size (33L). Even the expanded size is fine as carry-on luggage on a plane.
At first inspection, it clearly has a high quality construction. It's rugged and packed with great features that are well thought out for ease of use and security. Here's a guided tour of the bag.
rear facing front panel
I've read confusingly different descriptions of backpacks. Some people call the side facing outward when wearing a bag the “front”, while others call it the “back”. It's called the front panel.
The top has a large double zippered padded pocket. The zipper is sturdy and has a wide metal ring attached to the pull. Large enough to attach a padlock.
The inside of the pocket is lined with light gray ripstop material. Additionally, there are three small open-top pockets that are large enough to hold your passport, keys, etc. The fourth internal pocket is zippered. It's large enough to hold my large smartphone and has four small slots that hold two SD cards in each case.
The back panel of the case has four strong eye loops that can be used to attach straps to carry extra items on the outside or to secure the bag to a boat or canoe using the included compression straps. can. Then, at the base of the panel, there is a deep inverted sleeve that is closed with magnets. It's great for carrying things like cagoules, tissues, and a rain cover for your bag, but it's not too bulky or heavy.
side panel
The bottom of each side features reinforced open pockets large enough to hold a travel tripod or water bottle leg. Another eye loop further up allows you to attach the included compression strap to keep the top of the tripod in place. I think this pocket could have been a little deeper. However, it will impair the functionality of the carrying handles that are equipped on both sides.
The sides are mirrored to each other, allowing both left- and right-handed people to benefit from the design when accessing their gear.
base panel
This is reinforced with an extra layer of thick waterproof fabric, making it ideal when placing the bag on wet surfaces. There is also another carrying handle on its end.
rear panel
The back area is thickly padded to ensure a comfortable fit. A clever feature is that there is space in that area and on both sides of the bag. You can hide the shoulder straps. If you need to leave your luggage in the hold, we recommend doing so, as the straps can get caught on the conveyor belt.
A narrow side pocket with Velcro closure is designed for name or address labels. A small ribbon loop makes installation easier. I've seen reviews about that pocket being used for credit cards, but I don't think I would use it for that purpose as the Velcro seal is small and could be easily accessed by pickpockets.
In addition to the two shoulder straps, there are two more carry handles on the back panel and two more eye loops at the base.
carry a bag
The shoulder straps are well padded to keep the bag comfortable to wear, even when packed with 12kg of gear. The strap attachment is very strong.
The quick release buckle on the strap didn't slip at all during use and was easy to release and loosen by pulling the buckle upwards. To re-tighten it, all I had to do was pull the tail down. I wish the sewn-in tail end was a little longer so it would be easier to grab when wearing gloves.
The two shoulder straps can be connected by a chest strap. The bag does not have a hipbelt attached, which is useful when moving quickly through the airport or carrying the bag in the trunk of a car where straps can easily get tangled. However, you can also purchase Peak Design's Everyday Hip Belt to add to your bag. That's a good idea if you're going to be walking with your bag for a long time.
The shoulder and chest straps are retractable to prevent tangling.
No matter how you want to carry the bag, it has a handle that makes it easy to carry. In addition to the shoulder strap, there are five discreet external carry handles. The long top handle is long enough to pass through the handle of a roller bag carrier.
inside the bag
One thing I look for in a backpack is secure access to the main compartment. Many years ago, I had something stolen from my backpack while I was wearing it in Nairobi. It happened without me realizing it. The thief then zipped his bag as well.
Access to the main compartment is via a very strong double zipper on the back of the bag. These zippers can be locked together with a padlock. The inside is light gray, making it easy to see inside.
There's a lot going on inside the bag. Inside there are four mesh pockets and a webbing loop. However, the main compartment is designed to hold Peak Design's camera cube, and the loop is designed to secure the camera cube, making it an open space. There are many options for how to divide compartments using cubes. Mel Martin wrote a great review of these last October, so I won't go into details.
I packed two Smedium Camera Cubes. This was enough to carry two bodies, three lenses including a large telephoto lens, and I also squeezed in a gimbal.
Using cubes makes the system very flexible. If the backpack needs to be placed in the cargo hold of the plane, he can take out one or more backpacks along with his most valuable belongings and take them on board.
The cube comes with a clip to attach it to your bag. When the bag is open, the bag is on its back and the cubes remain stationary anyway, but the clip will prevent a thief from stealing the cubes from the bag.
I removed the cube pad from the lid pocket. Anyway, that was redundant since I have enough on the top cover of the bag.
Similar to the top pocket, the main interior of the bag is lined with ripstop material, has four internal mesh pockets, and is light gray in color.
Inside the lid is a double sleeve that can hold a 16-inch laptop and tablet.
I am currently using a Peak Design travel backpack.
I found the Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L to be comfortable to wear and the design is discreet. At first glance, you can't tell it's a camera bag. You can use it with confidence while traveling without having to fumble around to access content. If you don't look confident with yourself or your belongings, you may become a target for thieves.
It's designed with multiple layers of ripstop nylon to hold your camera equipment, making it difficult for thieves to quickly cut through the bag and grab your gear. Similarly, the lack of openings on the sides and back means there's less chance of someone catching sight of your precious camera.
Camera Cube inserts and thoughtful pockets make it easy to organize and access your gear.
What we liked and what could be improved to travel safely
Fstoppers writers have previously reviewed this bag and camera cube. They mention all the environmental benefits of using Peak Design's equipment. Therefore, this review is purely from a security perspective.
What I liked
- Durable construction.
- Discreet design, especially the black model.
- The durable zipper can be locked.
- It is easy to hold as it has many carrying handles.
- Strong 400 denier nylon with a waterproof 900 denier base.
- Multiple layers prevent thieves from tearing through the fabric.
- There are many places to hide your air tag.
- Space for 2x Peak Design Smedium camera cubes.
- It can be used with the Peak Design Travel Rain Fly, which is designed for a 45 liter bag but will still fit.
What can we do better next time?
- Using Kevlar or steel wire for the straps will prevent the bag from cutting off your shoulders.
- Similarly, using impact-resistant materials in the most vulnerable areas provides even more protection. Perhaps a blade-proof rain cover?
- Adding strong magnets or Velcro to the upside-down pockets will make them more secure.
The conclusion is
I don't use camera bags every day, but I've owned camera bags in the past, including high-end models, and this was better than any of them. After returning from Finland, I tried it out to carry gear I don't use, and it was comfortable. However, we recommend the optional hip belt for that purpose.
I was able to carry more equipment than I needed. It is also independent, safe and easy to use. This is a great backpack and I found the higher than average price to be reflected in the quality. This was the perfect solution for people who travel with a lot of expensive camera equipment or want to carry all their gear with them.
Still, from now on I won't be carrying as much camera equipment as I did on my last road trip. However, the versatility of the Cube system makes this the ideal bag for my carry-on.
The Peak Design Travel Backpack currently retails for $229.95.
The Peak Design Rain Fly Cover and Hip Belt v2 both retail for $29.95.
