Customer Reviews Peak Design 45 L Travel Backpack

I travel extensively for work, and the flexibility of this bag is what makes it for me. Having the option of a large, open bag for packing cubes often means no in-built organization, but this bag still gives you quite a few smaller, zippered compartments. The quality is standard Peak Design, which is to say flawless. No loose stitches, flimsy materials, or sloppy craftsmanship to be found. My only complaint is the shoulder straps could be a bit thicker and wider. Fully loaded it's not quite as comfortable as my similarly sized Lowepro 45l. I know there are definitely engineering tradeoffs with how smartly engineered the strap stow system is, but for longer walks it gets a bit uncomfortable.

I haven't used it much yet, only having it for a couple months, but it has plenty of space to pack for a 3-5 day trip. There are lots of storage options with zipper pockets, some meshed see-through, others not. Lots of areas of entry which is helpful when you need quick access. The straps aren't very cushiony and the bag can get super heavy when loaded, so keep that in mind. The straps do have the innovative feature to tuck in the back panel which is super handy. The laptop pocket is big enough for my 16" MacBook and safe and secure. It opens clamshell to the main packing area, but the bag has to be placed on its front to access the full back which can be awkward at times. I have yet to travel with it on plane, but it says it's rated for carry on storage. It's not a backpack I would use for a day trip or on a short hike, but for a longer trip where you have to pack 3-5 outfits and maybe a camera and other small items, it's great!

I haven't used the bag for travel yet but I'm excited for it! Plenty of space and options for managing everything in your bag is great. One thing I had noticed and am hoping will change as it wears in is the material is fairly stiff. My old bag is quite flexible and easy to open at the top whereas this bag is a bit difficult or uncomfortable to reach into from the top in the main compartment.

Amazing features, great design. The only drawback is that its heavy! The backside of the bag is really heavy in comparison with the rest of the bag. Can easily shed 500 grams to become 5/5

Overall this bag is incredible - its fits the most of any cabin bag I've tried, is incredibly smart with its design, and they've thought of almost everything. The big thing holding it back for me however is the shoulder straps and waist belt are pretty thin on the padding and don't offer a lot of support - the bag itself weights 2kg then when you add in your clothing, shoes, laptop and camera - carrying the bag for a few hours, queuing at airports, walking to your accommodation etc gets pretty uncomfortable. Once they solve this it's perfect.

excellently constructed item. 45L mode was excellent for long distance travel with my things and camera gear. 35L mode was perfect for flights and fitting it under the seat. 30L was excellent for on-campus commute as a college student. The only two downsides are, one it is very heavy. Two, the backpack straps aren't very comfortable.

I already own the smaller sibling and needed just a little bit more space. (Or that's my excuse for another pack) This is a great quality backpack with unique features. The swivel on the backpack straps help to fit a wide variety of shoulder widths. I like the waist strap on a swivel. The swivel point fits around my spare tire better than a standard waist strap. The adjustable space fits all my gear. The small zip pocket on the front is a great size. All of the zippers are top notch and do not get caught on corners. The material so far seems very durable. Having multiple access points is very convenient. I like having the zipped divider for front or back access depending on what I'm carrying. I bought this almost exclusively for my camera gear, and it holds everything I own. Things that could use some tweaking The g buckle on the waist belt needs to go, it is difficult to use The adjustment in the straps, waist and shoulder, are difficult to adjust. I appreciate that PD likes to try different things but you already designed perfect adjustable buckles that you use on the camera straps and the slings. A dual pull waist adjustment would be appreciated as they are just easier to use. (Sometimes the wheel is a perfect design and doesn't need to be re-invented) I have to be careful with how much weight I load up. This bag can get a little heavy an awkward to carry with a lot of weight. I need to use this as more of a lighter carry daybag and remember that it's not a full hiking bag. Even though the straps are a little more padded than the 30, the 30 is more comfortable to carry. Last negative the chest strap is useless to me. It is very difficult to use it is also not nearly long enough (I'm not a small man). Even though it is hard to buckle it, I also found it laying on the seat of my car, just fell off. I wouldn't mind seeing the side stretchy pockets a little looser, it is difficult to get a bottle back in without taking the pack off. Rumor has it that PD is designing a hiking bag, I will probably be first in line when it comes out but I hope you are taking customer feedback for it.

brought this bag to a 2 week amsterdam and tromso backpacking trip and this bag held its own despite the rain and the snow. (I got the rain cover, but never felt the need to deploy it). knock off 1 star for: shoulder straps tends to slip off my waterproof jacket while carrying heavy load, and the detachable chest straps has came loose a couple of times, increasing the chance of loosing it.

I purchased this pack for long term travel. Was attracted to the size 45L as many are only 35 to 40. I like the open compartment with zippers that open fully out, love the sage green color, but dislike the straps. The shoulder straps dig into my shoulders and the chest and waist straps have buckles that are challenging to use.

Great features. Wish had a shoe compartment . Slick but boxy

I bought this for an east Asia trip , very well thought out and great material. Would be 5 stars if I didn't loose sternum strap which I repurchased, don't know how I lost it, almost lost one of the tie down straps as well but heard and seen it fall to my feet , but still very happy with purchase .

The backpack is amazing. Sturdy, well built. It is a bit on the bulky side I'm always scared when going to take an airplane but no issue so far. It is also on the heavy side. But the functionality is amazing. The snap system for 30-35L does not work if the bag is packed though. Would have been much better with another zip.

You wont know the value of this bag until you get it. The storage is amazing and to access the storage pockets is so convenient so you never have to worry on where you will place items. It has different types of pockets such as washbag type pocket and then standard zip pockets. There are plenty of zips to secure your items and a main zip in the section to keep your items tidy organized.

THIS BAG is spacious! I love how it opens wide like a suitecase. If your looking for a carry on size bag for flexible 1-3 week travel, pick this one. I am an avid user of my roller 4 wheel hard shell carry on suitcase, but the suitcase is not the ideal travel bag for crowed city, older cities with out elevators, and snowy or rain terrain. I'm a petite person, so a smaller version would work a little better. I bout this bag to clip my camera on it, it works great. The chest strap is a little tough to toggle compared to the click in version. But I like the material.

I recently bought the 45L Travel backpack along with a set of packing cubes (small, medium, and shoe pouch). My experience so far has been great. I love the material of the bag, and the features and size. It will fit all the gear that I have and allows me to travel easier with my camera. I have several trip planned this year to truly put it through it's paces, but I do have one concern. I did a lot of research regarding this bag before jumping in, and one thing I didn't think of checking was how heavy the bag is by itself. When geared out, it's not as comfortable. I understand that this bag is designed for travel and is not best designed as an everyday backpack, but putting the same amount of gear I normally carry using my LowePro everyday bag (Fastpack BP 250 AW III) is significantly heavier. Something I didn't expect. With most load outs, using the waist belt reduces the strain on my shoulders but isn't viable in most cases. While the weight is more than expected, the peace of mind of being able to carry all your gear with one bag and have additional space is worth the price. But for an everyday bag usage while traveling? You might want to travel lighter when you out and about. I'll know more when I travel again this year.

The modular design and utility of this pack are excellent. Well placed pockets, reinforced zippers and the ability to accept camera cubes make the interior a very capable travel companion. It fits easily into overhead bins on most aircraft too. Unfortunately the thin shoulder straps take away from the overall experience - especially when fully loaded, which this pack is totally capable of being. A slightly larger shoulder strap with better padding and anti-slip would be a very welcome upgrade to what's otherwise a stellar design.

Great features, especially the side access to the main compartment is incredible helpful. I miss a key chain to secure a key inside one of the many pockets. The secret pockets on the outside extensions are good but would better be positioned on the main body and not on the extensions. Been using the backpack now for 4 weeks and so far, I am very happy despite the price tag.

I bought this bag especially for trips that last a couple of days. I really love the extra straps on the front and use them in example for ski gear that I only need to transport a short distance. Overall quality is great an feels sturdy. Only issue found so far was a magnet that is not perfectly sawn in. AirTag pocket would be nice.

I purchased this backpack for consistent travel and it is great. I was concerned because I am a smaller person so I would need a smaller leader of backpack, but condensing the backpack down is enough for daily travel specifically for me if I don't over pack it (I am 5'6' and 105lbs). It is also amazing for airport travel with the magnetic straps which are my favorite feature. If you consistently overpack or like a super lightweight backpack or are going backpacking, this might not be the best option due the thicker weight of the bag. However, if you are doing daily travel or travel consistently, this bag is sleek, extremely convenient and easy to use without having too many pockets which is my pet peeve (I prefer internal small bags). I will definitely recommend this back back to others, and I have gotten compliments on it even from only three trips so far.

I weekly travel for 3-4 days for work. Sometimes with camera, other times with 2 kids worth of goodies, always with the travel cases. My only complaint is the strap couplings. Although really nicely finished and I love the machined aluminum, they are not more efficient to use than conventional buckles. Its a challenge to engage with one hand. Tightening and loosening could also be improved. I would pay to swap for aluminum conventional buckles.

I so wanted to like this backpack, and in many respects I do! It's thoughtfully designed, practical, and sturdy. Tragically, the straps just don't sit right on my bust (38DDD) and cause the straps to abrade the sides of my neck when I walk. If there was an option to add "s" curve straps, that would make this bag perfect.

There are so many good points but still i would like to see some improvements / changes for V2: - Shoulderstraps should be wider / thicker - Thicker and more structurized backpanel - As the overall used fabric has some kind of protection included; the usage of the camera cubes sometimes feel like a overkill. I would suggested a thinner structure minimizing the weight and make the Backpack overall more flexible. Reducing the bulckyness when using as edc + small camera setup. - Change the compression mechanismen. The snaps for compression aren't really reliable. - Extend size of the front pocket

I love this bag for just fun travel, especially when using packing cubes I have all the room I need on the inside for a weeks worth of clothes and my "light" travel items, but the one thing that irks me is that if I try and use this for everyday travel and I button it up to make it smaller, the buttons always snap loose. Also it is kind of awkward to stick my hand into the main opening when using for everyday carry. But for travel, this backpack rocks, and I will probably ask my gf for the 30L travel backpack for Christmas for my everyday carry over the everyday pack V2. I currently have the V1 everyday pack but I would prefer the travel backpack over it for everyday carry even with it's quirks.

Overall very happy with the backpack. I like traveling light and previously used a smaller backpack as my sole luggage on numerous month long trips. This bag delivers in durability, organization, space and convenience... Which it needs to for the price. I'm hoping this will last me at least a decade so it's a worthwhile investment.

The backpack is solid, but the weight seems excessive at 2 kg+. Most flights only allow 7kg for the carry-on bag, therefore are not many lenses and cameras to be able to carry on board. A medium size camera pouch full of gears is almost 5kg+, so there is 1/3 of the bag space that is go to waste. I suggest using some lightweight material to keep it around 1.5kg then it will be better.