Recently, I was asked what piece of photography equipment I use the most. At first, I almost said “my camera”. But then I thought about it and reconsidered my answer. While it is true that I use my camera for 100% of my photographic work, there is another piece of equipment that I use even more often – including on those days that I never bring out my camera. The headline already gave it away, so you’ve probably guessed correctly that I’m talking about my backpack. For the last two years or so, I’ve been carrying everything I need in a Peak Design 45 Liter Travel Backpack. Today, I’ll share my thoughts on this backpack in an extensive review.
Spencer reviewed this backpack over five years ago, so why am I reviewing it again? The bag itself has not changed much, if at all, in the intervening years. But Spencer’s impression of this bag was only a 4.3/5 star as a landscape photographer, and mine is a 5.0/5 star! It’s not that I disagree with the negatives that he discusses, but I find that they don’t matter for my needs, and the positives far outweigh them. I wanted to write this review to give you a second perspective on the bag and share why I consider it such a useful product.
Table of Contents
Technical specifications
- Maximum Volume: 45 L / 11.9 gal
- Dimensions: 55.9 x 33 x 24.1 cm / 22 x 13 x 9.5″ (exterior); 53.3 x 33 x 16.5 cm / 21 x 13 x 6.5″ (interior)
- Weight: 2.05 kg / 4.52 lb
- Outer material: Weatherproof 100% recycled 400D nylon canvas shell (Durable Water Repellent impregnation) with 900D bottom liner
- Inner material: Nylon
- Number of main compartments: 2
- Number of internal pockets: 3
- Number of outer pockets: 3
- Bottle / Tripod pocket: 2
- Hydration Bladder Compatible: No
- Laptop/Tablet Compatibility: 2 compartments – 40.6 x 30 x 2.5 cm / 16 x 11.8 x 1″ and 23.9 x 19.1 x 1.5 cm / 9.4 x 7.5 x 0.6″
- Type of Closure: Weatherproof #8 and #10 UltraZips
- Sustainability: Fair Trade certified and 100% carbon neutral
Modular System
As I mentioned in the introduction, the Peak Design Travel Backpack is without a doubt the most used piece of my photography gear. This is largely due to its versatility, which goes far beyond that of a traditional photo backpack. Peak Design has achieved this versatility by making the travel backpack not a dedicated photo backpack. You have to turn it into one by inserting one of the five Camera Cubes. (Or you don’t have to, allowing it to be a more general-purpose bag.)
The idea itself is not revolutionary. A similar solution can be found in backpacks from Shimoda, F-stop, and others. Even so, it is relatively uncommon – but it’s certainly my preferred approach to a backpack.
What is the benefit of a modular system like this? Simply put, every photographer is different. Some have a small kit with just a few lenses. Others have multiple lenses, or a single large telephoto. For this reason, Peak Design has created a fairly wide range of Camera Cubes to cover most needs.
I emphasize the word “most,” because the largest of the currently available Cubes has internal dimensions of 43 x 29 x 13.5 cm. This means that it will easily accommodate, for example, a camera with a Nikon Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR zoom mounted. However, for really large, exotic super-telephoto lenses, you will have to look elsewhere. But more on that later.
Appearance
I’d like to say a few words about the overall appearance of the Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack. The backpack comes in two standard colors – black and sage. In a very limited edition there was even a brown version. I have the sage version, which you can see in the photos throughout this review.
Although the appearance of the pack is a matter of personal taste, I find that it looks a lot nice than typical photo backpacks. My wife, who compared my old photo backpack to a birdhouse, agrees.
At first glance, the Peak Design 45L Travel Backpack looks like a normal all-purpose bag. I think that’s a great advantage, especially in risky areas where you don’t want to be too obvious that you’re carrying expensive photo equipment.
Features and Use
The first part of any backpack you come into contact with is probably the shoulder straps. The ones on the Peak Design backpack don’t look very padded at first glance, but practice has shown that even a load of almost 20 kilograms won’t cause any major problems for your shoulders.
It is a relatively minimalist bag on the outside, but accessories can be attached to it with Peak Design’s own Capture Camera Clip. With this, I hang a lot of gear on the outside of the pack, including my camera, phone, and binoculars.
Peak Design uses slim metal loops rather than traditional buckles, as you can see in their their product image:
The metal buckles are also used on other parts of the pack, including the sternum strap. I like the design and find it easier to buckle and unbuckle when wearing gloves. Compared to a traditional plastic buckle, it’s also quieter and feels significantly more durable.
The level of padding on the hip belt is similar to that of the shoulder straps. There is a zippered pocket on the left side. It’s not very big, but you can fit a lens cleaning cloth, money, or a credit card in it. The right side has slots where you can attach the aforementioned Capture Camera Clip or a lens pouch.
One feature that I really like is the ability to rotate the shoulder straps and waist belt, thanks to how they’re secured to the pack with a massive metal pin. It makes the straps and belt easy to stow into pockets under the back padding. I will often retract the hip belt when my pack is light or when I’m traveling in cities, and I’ll retract all the straps when throwing the bag under the seat of an airplane. (Even then, the backpack has five different handles that you can grab it by, so it’s easy to pick up and carry around.)
With all these features, don’t expect too much padding or a sophisticated ventilation system. But practical use has shown that neither is a problem in my experience. Once you get the pack on your back and adjust the straps, it is as comfortable as it can be, even with a fairly heavy load. I’ve even climbed some pretty difficult terrain in the Alps with the Travel Backpack on my back, and it didn’t bother me much (I won’t deny that I would have found it even more enjoyable to climb without a pack).
A closer look at the outside of the pack shows that it has a total of fourteen loops. These are sewn very tightly into the construction of the pack and each one is supposed to be able to carry an adult. I preferred not to try. After all, their purpose is different from hanging from them. They are intended to attach a tripod, clothes, or anything else to the backpack using straps with hooks that can be securely clicked to the loops.
An essential feature of any backpack is the zippers. I’ve had to throw away many packs because the zippers wore out and stopped working. That isn’t a problem with Peak Design’s Travel Backpack.
First and foremost, all the access points to the pack use really good quality weatherproof UltraZips. On my copy of the bag, they look and work like new even after years of use. If the zippers do fail in the future, Peak Design will give you a new pack right away. So, you don’t have to discard an otherwise functional pack because of the zippers.
On the outside, you will find several smaller pockets. The largest and most obvious one is on the front lid. It can hold things like glasses, filter pouch, keys, or a headlamp. Inside the two bottle pockets are a pair of hidden pockets. They are also covered by a weatherproof zipper and are surprisingly spacious. They’re also in a place where even an experienced pickpocket would not expect them.
Meanwhile, the the zipper sliders to access the interior of the backpack are are equipped with rings that allow you to lock it. It won’t stop a potential thief, but it will slow them down. Why do I care so much about theft protection? Well, I’ve already lost some gear before because of an easily accessible backpack (and my carelessness).
If you prefer to access your camera and lenses from the rear panel (the one that touches your back), that’s possible, too. This portion of the bag can be opened almost as wide as the main access point. Again, the zipper has an anti-theft “decelerator.”
I usually don’t access my gear this way, however. The main reason is that you need to put the whole backpack on the ground to open it this way. No problem on a park bench, but in the mud at the edge of a swamp?
The final way to access your photo gear is through the side entrances. These connect to the zippered openings in the Camera Cubes so you can quickly get to your camera without having to put the pack on the ground. This solution is more suitable for setups with shorter lenses, up to about 70-200mm.
Open the front lid, and you’ll find plenty of room in the backpack, plus a padded sleeve for a laptop up to 16 inches. I’d also like to mention that the interior compartment of the backpack can be expanded by unzipping a separate zipper, giving you several more liters of space. There are a variety of other small pockets for storing accessories like batteries or SSDs.
The interior compartment isn’t just a big empty space. You can attach Peak Design’s Camera Cubes so they’re fixed in place, thanks to loops throughout the interior of the bag. You can see that in Peak Design’s product image below:
When the Cube is inside the pack, the lid can be folded underneath it to provide an extra inch of cushioning. The interior of the Cube is divided by gray dividers. These are fairly rigid, so they hold their shape well. At the same time, they are adequately padded and, what’s nice, their entire surface allows for Velcro attachment. This allows you to configure the interior in almost any way you like.
Summary
The Peak Design Travel Backpack is a modular backpack system for versatile use. I find that it’s not just a photography bag, but really a general-purpose travel backpack with some excellent features for photographers.
The design of this backpack has been thought out down to the smallest detail. It is worth mentioning the great number of ways to access the backpack, the protection from pickpockets, and the clever system of Camera Cubes to organize your gear.
I would also like to highlight the quality of the materials, which are remarkably well-made. Peak Design stands behind by them, offering a lifetime warranty on the pack. Once the product is registered, the warranty can be used wherever Peak Design has an office. If you buy in the US, and the zipper breaks in Prague, you can get a new backpack in Prague.
If, in addition to the materials and the product itself, you care also about the environmental impact, the backpack is Fair Trade certified and 100% carbon neutral. You can learn more about this on Peak Design’s YouTube channel or website.
But even the most thoughtful design and quality materials wouldn’t matter if the pack wasn’t comfortable to wear. I’m happy to say that the Travel Backpack does not disappoint in this regard. For the past two years, I have carried this backpack with me everywhere I go. I wear it on my back when I go to a lecture as well as in the jungles of South America. After all this time, there is virtually no wear and tear on it.
Of course, in the course of using it, I have come up with a few little things that I would like to see improved. I would like to have some kind of cell phone pocket on the shoulder strap (maybe as an optional accessory?) and a loop where I could attach some small items with a carabiner. I would also make the Camera Cube a few centimeters deeper and longer. For a camera as large as the Nikon Z9, I can just barely squeeze it into the Cube right now, and I’m a few centimeters short of fitting my Z9 + FTZ adapter + Nikon 500mm f/4 lens into the largest Camera Cube.
But these are complaints that come from the excessive size of my gear rather than the backpack’s design. You can also see Spencer’s perspectives on some of the positives and negatives of the bag in his review of it. But despite any of these drawbacks, I would rate the Peak Design Travel Backpack as the best pack that I’ve ever carried on my back.
Competition
Some models from Shimoda (Action X50), F-stop (Tilopa) or Gitzo (Adventury) can be seen as competition to the Peak Design Travel Backpack. All of these brands, like Peak Design, offer a modular backpack system with optional inserts.
For photographers with larger photo equipment, you may be pleased to know that Shimoda and F-stop offer a wider range of inserts, some of which are deeper and therefore more suitable for large professional cameras with long telephoto lenses. The secret workhorse for users of really big telephoto lenses like the 600mm f/4 is the Gitzo Adventury, which retails for $458 even with a removable insert. On the other hand, Gitzo only offers this single extra-large insert.
Pricing and Availability
You can currently purchase the backpack alone or as a discounted bundle with selected Camera Cubes:
- Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L ($300)
- Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L + Medium Camera Cube ($356)
- Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L + Small Camera Cube ($350)
Individual Camera Cubes are sold separately:
- Large: 43 x 29 x 13.5 cm ($110)
- Medium: 29 x 29 x 13.5 cm ($90)
- Small/Medium: 22 x 29 x 13.5 cm ($70)
- Small: 13 x 29 x 13.5 cm ($60)
- X-Small: 10 x 21 x 13.5 cm ($50)
For rainy days or use in mud, the Travel Rain Fly can come in handy ($30)
Thank you for buying your equipment through the affiliate links above, whether it’s this backpack or anything else! When you do, Photography Life gets a small percentage of the sale without costing you anything extra. It goes a long way to help us test more equipment.
25 Days in Japan with it. Great features; no issues. Carried a Z9, 100-400, Plena, 14-30, and 26 and also an iPad. Also accessories. Love how it contracts and expands. For trip home no problem expanding it with things we bought. While on the trip I didn’t bring the 100-400 every day. All of this fit in the medium cube, leaving the top portion for other things.
I agree with the folks above it may not be the best of heavy hiking multiple days but the flexibility is great. I used both side and back access.
Everyone has to find what works for them. And some are never satisfied. At 65, life is too short to acquire 162 bags looking for perfection. This one just works.
Looks like you also use the Peak Design tripod. Just curious, what is your go to tri-pod head for your setup? I’ve been using the tripod head that came with the original equipment, but when taking recent photos of the eclipse, I noticed I get too much drift on it after trying to tighten it down. Looking for some other options. Thanks.
Hi Shawn, I only use the original Peak Design head when I really need to travel light. Even then, I’m considering using my standard head instead. Which one is it? I’ve fallen in love with the FlexShooter Pro Tripod Head. I wrote a detailed review about it: photographylife.com/revie…ripod-head
Thanks for the review Libor!
I would not have expected this product to work in the field, especially when used deep in the outdoors, but you proved my expectations to be wrong and seem to have found the pack that suits your needs!
I searched a long time for my ideal backpack. So long that people close to me were sure I build a camera backpack collection… I needed a satisfying solution to transport a 500mm F4 lens, camera body, 1-2 smaller lenses, teleconverters and other small gear as well as a tripod/monopod PLUS clothing, camo gear and personal equipment for a day in the field. There are backpacks that fit more lenses than you can carry (e.g. Lowepro Pro Trekker) or some that emphasize personal space over the camera compartment (Lowepro Photo Sport). But if you want to climb a mountain and photograph wildlife there, your options become very limited.
I tried the Gitzo Adventury 45 and really liked the combination of a big camera compartment and lots of gear storage compressible by the rolltop design. But I could not get it to work as a backpack. Once loaded with a long telephoto lens, tripod and other gear, the load was far to unstable and swung around like crazy. Short, you could really tell that it was Gitzo’s first try at a backpack.
I liked the F-Stop packs that I tried, and while lowepro is always a solid choice there is no option in the lineup that fits my needs. Long story short, the Mindshift Backlight Elite 45 is designed to do exactly what I want, really well thought out and constructed to the highest standard from really nice materials. The FTZ adapter makes my setup a few mm to long to comfortably fit 500mm lens with body attached but apart from that, I could not be happier!
This is an in depth review that also explains many of the design choices:
shuttermuse.com/minds…ck-review/
Thank you for the tip, Michael. I’ll have to look for something bigger for my Nikon 500mm f/4 as well. My favorite so far is the Gitzo that several people around me have and are happy with. I’ll have to try it myself. Another strong candidate is the Shimoda, which I mentioned in the review. And now the Mindshift Backlight Elite 45 has been added to the list. I’ll have to check it out. How much interior space does it have in length? I’d need at least 48cm.
Thanks Libor for the great review! I’ve been using this as my primary bag for about the past two years and my experiences pretty much mirror yours. In fact, I am packing it for a trip right now!
Regarding size of lenses, I would like to add that the large cube just barely, barely fits the Z 400 2.8. Anything bigger than that and you’ll need to look elsewhere. Also, that 400 takes up about half the bag :)
Thank you for your comment, Adam. I’ve had this lens in my backpack a few times too, but if I owned the 400/2.8, I’d probably look for something where it would feel more comfortable.
Was the trip a success? Where did you go to shoot, if I may ask?
I’ve owned the PD 45 pack for several years, since buying mine on their Kickstarter, which earned the company a few million $$.
This PD pack is a fairly useful travel luggage solution. I find mine is ideal for car trips/ flights to manage some clothes, toiletries, and electronic items, including laptop, chargers, batteries etc etc. I find the packing tools work well to manage clothing items and compress similar & compartmentalize items. As you described well, the quality of manufacture and innovations for travellers are important positives.
I quickly discovered the PD 45 is a most poorly designed photography backpack, especially for the outdoors. The inability to access gear through the top lid of a Backpack is infuriating for wildlife photography. It gets worse….
Compared to well known known backpacks of similar volume, the worst features of the PD 45 are its thin shoulder straps and flimsy waist strap. Perhaps okay to carry a load in an airport or walking to urban accomodations but not for longer hikes. That this shambles made it through to final production reflects very badly on PD’s arrogance in ignoring constructive feedback in the Kickstarter online sessions. Their representatives misrepresented the comfort of the carry harness in the feedback videos. They also ignored other important criticisms on the bag’s features.
At a push, I’ve learned this PD Travel pack can handle a small ILC kit eg Nikon Zf with 2-3 smaller zooms/ primes. There are far superior packing cubes aka ICUs, let alone backpacks available. The PD packing cubes are too shallow, especially given their high prices. This design failure weakens the longest PD packing cube in particular. It is too shallow to protect large telephotos. In fairness the folding dividers (types origami) are a neat idea. I use them in f-Stop ICUs
An important lesson from the negatives of this PD 45 Travel pack is there’s no perfect all rounder backpack for outdoor photography, especially for carrying big glass… Being 1 or 2 large telephotos with 2 more cameras as the largest items plus everything else on a trip. As choices stand, the best solution is select the most comfortable hiking pack – the harness especially – with sufficient volume and well designed compartments for accessories. Rear and Top Lid access are priorities. Buy the best ICUs to prepack your respective gear systems.
The large to medium sized backpacks by f-Stop, Vanguard, Shimoda, Mindshift Elite 45 are far superior designs. These are good investments for packing and protecting a wildlife kit when hiking and also on flights or driving. The upgraded f-Stop Dura diamond packs are especially excellent. The older 70 litre Shukha f-Stop is my biggest carry all solution, but the Tilopa Dura Diamond is my main workhorse, or sometimes a Vanguard 51D for a smaller day wildlife kit.
That was closer to my impression of it as well. Excellent materials, but over-engineered in some areas and not as comfortable when fully loaded. But I also feel similarly (at least regarding comfort) with most of the alternatives, even F-Stop. I strongly prefer dedicated hiking backpacks which are designed to carry heavy loads comfortably. I still use Peak Design, Shimoda, or F-Stop camera units in them, though.
Thanks Spencer, it’s interesting how different owners experience the same backpack so differently, but not surprising. I fully understand why some hikers modify a commercial pack to their specific needs, or even commission a bespoke hiking pack.
Arctic Pro, Morten Hilmer put out an informative video in 2022 – “The Best Camera Backpack – Custom-build your own!” – in which he described his experiences with different packs including fStop. Many of his criteria make sound sense, although he carries heavy loads, but has the strength and leverages his unique experience in the Greenland Sirius patrols.
One of these soldiers skills is learning to sow tentage and dog harnesses, which can be vital to survive. So understandable that he modified a couple of his packs, and prefers the huge military packs used by Special Force operators, including the legendary Bergan….. And selecting ICUs of choice to protect his photo gear.
I agree with both of you that there are certainly better alternatives for heavier gear. I honestly never thought about a custom modified pack. It’s worth considering, especially now that my gear has gotten a little bigger. For me, besides the classic requirements of comfort, it’s very important that the backpack doesn’t look too much like a photo backpack and that it’s easy to transport on an airplane. Larger backpacks would probably meet the more demanding comfort requirements, but the increasingly tighter restrictions at airports could lead to arguments with ground staff. So I always pretend my 16kg backpack is featherlight, and so far I’ve gotten away with it.
Have not tried this pack, thank you for the review.
Have gone through a variety of packs, including the 60L from nya evo and the 37L (anja) from fstop. Some really good ideas and strong points to each, BUT at this point have limited each of these to lighter loads / shorter trips.
Basically have yet to find one that carries any load as well as a really excellent general purpose hiking back, such as the mystery ranch bridger series. These have access from side and outside, but nothing from the inside (against your back). In exchange, truly superior carrying ability.
One benefit of having tried so many packs is a lot of camera inserts to choose from … so mix and match with one of the bridgers to carry what’s needed.
Same story for more everyday use, but with an edc pack of one flavor or another. This weekend will be trying a gr1 heritage from goruck. The advantage of rucking style packs is a very open interior, which matches well with the camera inserts. Also really great shoulder carrying without a hip belt (rucking style packs carry higher than normal backpacking packs).