It doesn’t matter whether you are a Hiker, a Photographer, or even if you don’t travel much, having a good backpack is very essential. The ability to store a lot of items and be able to have them organized properly is something everyone wants. If any of these things make sense to you or is appealing to you, then the Peak Design Everyday Backpack is the perfect bag for you.
In this article we will be reviewing the Everyday Backpack and go through all the different aspects of the bag and see whether it’s worth your money or not. But before we begin, let’s take a look at what we should be looking for in a backpack, be it for normal traveling purposes or a camera pack to store your camera accessories.
Things To Consider Before Buying a Backpack
No matter which backpacks that you choose, there are a few things that a backpack should have. Having all these features separates a good backpack from an average one. So before you select a bag you should make sure it has a few of these features. Knowing these will also help you make a better choice. So here a few things that make a good backpack:
- Storing Capacity: This is the most important aspect of a camera backpack. You are opting for a bag because your work specification might require you to travel a lot. Even if it doesn’t, it still makes sense to be able to store and carry a lot in a single backpack. You might have to carry a camera, a tripod, multiple lenses, audio equipment, and other small accessories. And not to forget other storage devices and maybe even a laptop. With time your equipment collection will keep expanding. So you must make sure that the backpack should be able to store all these and if it were capable of even more then it would be a bonus.
- Additional Compartments: A backpack having extra storing capacity doesn’t necessarily make it a good backpack. In addition to a large storing capacity, a backpack should also have a lot of additional compartments. There are two main benefits of having extra compartments. Let me explain those benefits. The first one is an improved organization. Having extra compartments would mean that there would be separate space for every accessory, and they could be stored in separate compartments. There can be pouches that are designed to store camera lenses, batteries, audio equipment, and other accessories. This helps you tidy things up and also store even more things in smaller spaces. It also means that you can easily access these things if you want. These things improve the functionality of the backpack. Another advantage is that because the accessories are in their separate compartments, they won’t be clashing against each other when they are stored inside. This ensures that the accessories won’t be damaged or have spots and scratches on them. The extra compartments mean that you can carry everything you might need and not miss out on the perfect opportunity.
- Laptop Compartment: Not everyone prefers carrying their laptop on their camera backpack. But having a laptop might be necessary for your workflow so you do post-editing and share them with others. So it would be good if it had a laptop compartment and you don’t have to carry separate bags. However, the way camera backpacks are designed, they aren’t compatible with laptops. Generally, camera backpacks are partitioned into several individual sections, which makes it very hard to store a laptop without damaging the laptop or some other gears. So backpacks that have a secondary compartment for storing laptops would be preferred. It isn’t everyone’s top priority but if in case you might need this then you should keep this in mind.
- Accessibility: One thing with photography is that you always need to remain alert. You never know when you might get the perfect shot and if you aren’t on your feet then you might miss the opportunity. So having a backpack that allows you to easily access anything that you want would be a huge advantage. So the perfect bag should let you access the gears very easily and should also keep the gears protected. Having quick-access panels or customizable internal compartments can be a bonus. How the bag opens is also very important. Some bags open from the sides while others open completely flat. I would prefer the latter as that gives you much easier access. However, that would also mean that if you require to quickly access just one particular thing, then you would be at a disadvantage. So you should choose a bag that is very accessible and allows you to quickly access the gears. Having external pockets and added compartments would also help in that matter. So while choosing a camera backpack you should keep in mind its accessibility.
- Comfort: There are chances that at times the backpack might get a bit heavy because of all the different accessories. Carrying such a heavy bag will not only be painful but will have some effect in the long term. For this reason and more, we want a backpack that is comfortable to carry. For this purpose, we would prefer a bag with extra padding on its straps and handles. Another important factor is how the bag fits around the body and the way the weight is distributed. A more comfortable bag will have extra padding, great fit, and even weight distribution. These are a few things we should look into in a backpack along with the quality of its material. This will ensure that carrying the bag would be comfortable and not cause any pains. This will be beneficial in the long run.
- Price: With all said and done, the final factor in choosing a backpack is its price point. There are some expensive backpacks as well as some mid to lower budget backpacks. It isn’t always necessary that the higher-priced bag will be better. Most camera backpacks have the same foundation. The only difference is the quality of materials used. The pricing also depends on other features like rainproof and shockproof. But in some cases you might be paying additional bucks just because of the brand name whereas you could get a similar backpack from a less reputable company at a much lower price. So consider all these factors and see if the backpack is providing a good price to performance ratio. Then choose a backpack that meets your requirement and fits your budget.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Review
About The Peak Design Everyday Backpack
The Peak Design Everyday Backpack is an award-winning backpack that has been designed for perfect every day as well as photo carrying purposes. The bag has a slim design but can be expanded to store even more. It has been built keeping in mind the accessibility, organization, and protection requirements of a backpack. It comes with MagLatch hardware that gives fast and secure one-handed top access. The two weatherproof UltraZip also allows dual side access to the backpack. 3 easy-to-configure FlexFold dividers make it easy to organize everything inside. Everyday also comes with multiple pockets on the interior as well as the exterior as well for even more organization. There’s also a dedicated sleeve for storing laptops up to 15”, tablet, documents. The breathable mesh padding on the back and the extra padded shoulder straps, that pivot at axial points, provide optimal comfort for all body types. The included Luggage pass-through and 3 padded grab handles make it very travel friendly. The Everyday backpack is made of a 100% recycled 400D nylon canvas and is also Bluesign certified (except Black variant).
Highlights of the Peak Design Everyday Backpack
- Expandable: The Peak Design Everyday backpack can store a lot more than one might assume at first glance. This is thanks to the innovative MagLatch hardware that it comes with. Due to this the backpack is capable of internal expansion. This means that because it provides an internal expansion so when you need to pack some extra items, you can easily expand it. The 20 L backpack can be expanded to store an additional 3L while the 30L bag can be expanded to store an additional 8L of stuff.
- CUSTOM ORGANIZATION: The Everyday backpack comes with 3 easy-to-configure FlexFold dividers. So you can customize the internal compartment of the bag as per your requirement. This allows you to have a much better internal organization in the backpack. And since all the gears will be in their separate compartment, they will have even more protection.
- MULTIPLE POCKETS: The Everyday backpack comes with many different pockets so that you can easily store everything that you want. On the internal part of the bag there are pockets on both the side and the top. They are stretchy pockets, so you can easily store items like power banks, mini tripods, cables, and other similar things. There are also internal slip pockets for you to store the important stuff like your wallet, passport, etc. On the exterior, there are pockets on both sides. Like the internal pockets, these are also stretchable and you can store your tripod, water bottle, etc in them.
- LAPTOP SLEEVE: Even though the primary purpose of this backpack is to store your camera and all its accessories easily in an organized manner, it isn’t limited to that. It also comes with an additional sleeve to store your laptops. You can store laptops that are 15″ or less. It also has additional pockets. So you can store your tablets and other documents as well. The sleeve is adjustable which means you can adjust it to fit even smaller laptops and gadgets perfectly. It also means you have easier access to them as well.
- EXTERNAL CARRY: There are also 4 carry straps on the Everyday backpack. These straps are placed beneath a magnetic sleeve on the front of the bag. The straps operate alongside the Cord Hook system of the Peak Design everyday backpack. You can use these straps to easily clinch bulky accessories to the backpack. There’s also a stowable and quick-connecting sternum strap included with the bag.
- ULTIMATE COMFORT: The Everyday Backpack has loads of additions that make it very comfortable to carry. The backside of the bag consists of a vented and quick-drying mesh padding. The mesh padding ensures that the back is breathable and comfortable. You can also adjust the shoulder straps, which pivot at multiple axial points so that it can have a better, optimized, and comfortable fit with all types of bodies. Finally there’s also a stowable sternum strap that provides support to the rest of your body.
- TRAVEL-FRIENDLY: The Everyday backpack has been designed to be very easy to travel with. For starters, there’s a magnetic luggage pass-through on the back so you can easily carry it alongside your suitcase. You will also find three padded grab handles so that you can grab the backpack anyway you want. Be it upright or sideways like a briefcase.
- DURABLE & WEATHERPROOF: The backpack is made of 100% recycled 400D nylon canvas shell material. The shell also has a Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating and a double PU coating. The Everyday Backpack is Weatherproof and is also Bluesign certified( excluding Black variant).
What is in the box
Other than the Everyday Backpack, there are a few other things that come with the box or package or whatever. There are 3 FlexFold dividers that you can use to organize the internal compartment of the bag. You will also find an Anchor Link key tether to attach your keys to the bag. There are also four Cord Hook external carry straps as well as a Sternum Strap in the box.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Build and Design
The Peak Design Everyday Backpack is available in four different colors right now. The colors are subject to be changed anytime. The four colors available now are Black, Charcoal, Ash, and Midnight. The Charcoal, the Ash, the Midnight, and any other color except the Black one is a part of Peak Design’s Climate Neutral initiative which means that they are made up of a 100% bluesign®-approved recycled material.
Coming to the size of the backpack, the dimensions of the 30L backpack is as follows: 20.5 in x 14.2 in x 7.8 in (52.1 x 36.1 x 19.8 cm). It weighs about 1.8 Kg ( 3.88 lb ) without the dividers. When the bag is not expanded then the dimensions are 18” H x 12” W x 6.75” D (46 H x 30 W x 17 D cm). The backpack is constructed from a 400D nylon-canvas blend with a double-poly DWR coating. The DWR-coated nylon canvas gives a lot of weatherproofing to the bag. Along with making the bag very rugged and water-resistant, it also gives a rubbery feel to the bag. The 400D nylon-canvas blend fabric also makes the bag more durable. On the interior part of the bag, the surface has a cotton twill weave lining all along with it. The cotton weave gives a soft and comfortable feel to it. Depending on the color of the bag, they either come with a Hypalon or have leather touchpoints. For example, Hypalon is used in case of the charcoal-colored bags whereas there are leather touchpoints on the Ash color bags and the special Huckberry edition bag. The Peak Design Everyday backpack can store a lot more than it might seem to be capable of at first glance. This is thanks to the innovative MagLatch hardware that it comes with. Due to this the backpack is capable of internal expansion. This means that because it provides an internal expansion so when you need to pack some extra items, you can easily expand it. The 20 L backpack can be expanded to store an additional 3L while the 30L bag can be expanded to store an additional 8L of stuff. So, no matter how much you wanna pack, the Everyday Backpack got your back.
The Peak Design Essentials Everyday V2 has a very sleek and modern design aesthetic. It has the same slick look that is associated with most Peak Design Bags. The Peak Design Everyday Backpack is available in four different colors right now. The colors are subject to be changed anytime. The four colors available now are Black, Charcoal, Ash, and Midnight. The Charcoal, the Ash, the Midnight, and any other color except the Black one is a part of Peak Design’s Climate Neutral initiative which means that they are made up of a 100% bluesign®-approved recycled material.
There’s not much in terms of the branding on the Everyday Backpack. On the front of the bag, there’s a tiny Peak Design logo on the tab. Other than this, there’s another logo on the leather straps on the backside of the bag. To complement it all there is some nubuck leather on the handle and other small accents to add to the design aesthetics. The front panel of the bag is very minimal. On both sides of the bag, two adjustable water bottles can get bigger depending on the size of the bottle stored. The back panel has nice padding which helps with airflow to some extent. There’s also a luggage passthrough behind the back panel which has built-in magnets so it sticks to the surface and doesn’t become bulky when not in use.
Coming to the shape of the backpack, it is somewhat rigid but can’t be considered as hard as a plastic shell. Instead, it’s more like a type of a bendable shape which is somewhere between a firm and stiff shell. Peak design used compression-molded high-density EVA foam to construct the bag which makes it dense. Like the outer part of the bag, the interior dividers of the Everyday Backpack are also made up of high-density EVA foam.
The Everyday Backpack has what it calls it’s Super-durable UltraZips. These zippers come with aqua-guards which makes them extremely durable. Peak Design developed these in collaboration with Zoom Zippers who are known for their superior zippers. These UltraZips are not only looking with very pleasing aesthetics but they are also very smooth to operate. The beveled edges on the zippers add to the design aesthetics. With these zippers you can easily glide around the difficult corners of the backpack with minimal effort with almost no sound at all. The sternum strap and shoulder strap adjusters on the bag have some aluminum hardware on them. Finally, Hypalon is used on the zipper pulls and reinforcement areas like the back of the strap. Along with that, the dual-layered coating and double layer of materials make it very waterproof. So, the bag will easily hold its own in case of drizzles and slightly heavier rainfall. Your inner accessories will be protected.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Organization
The organizing capabilities of a bag is one of the most important aspects of any bag. And boy did Peak Design completely nail it with the Everyday Backpack. They seem to have found the sweet spot that most consumers are after. What Peak Design has managed is very advanced organizational capabilities in the Everyday backpack. In case you don’t know, the Everyday backpack comes with 3 easy-to-configure FlexFold dividers. This is a very innovative approach that all good backpacks seem to be taking these days. And this is something no one will complain about. The dividers let you customize the internal compartment of the bag as per your requirement.
There’s Velcro lining on the main interior compartment. These Velcros allow you to attach the Flexfold dividers at any position and height. This lets you achieve a much better internal organization in the backpack. The built-in crevices in the dividers enable you to fold them as you want. Hence you can come up with various arrangements of the dividers. The flexible nature of the Dividers also ensures that it manages to retain the shape you want it to. There are many configurations you can play with which will let you create multiple arrangements. So, no matter what kind of accessories you have, you can store them. And since all the gears will be in their separate compartment, they will have even more protection.
The Everyday backpack also comes with many different pockets so that you can easily store everything that you want. On the internal part of the bag there are pockets on both the side and the top. The pockets on the side panels are covered by a zipped cover. This gives it some additional organization and also makes sure that the items don’t fall out on opening the flaps on the side. The size and number of small pockets are different on each side panel. They are stretchy pockets, so you can easily store items like power banks, mini tripods, cables, and other similar things. There are also internal slip pockets for you to store the important stuff like your wallet, passport, etc.
On the exterior, there are pockets on both sides. Like the internal pockets, these are also stretchable and you can store your tripod, water bottle, etc in them. YOu will find one pocket on each side of the bag. They have built-in magnets and the lay flat when they are not in use. However, the pockets are also elastic in nature and the elastic loop at the top lets them easily stretch out when required. You can easily hold standard 1L bottles without any problems. You also get a little more room thanks to the mesh along the back of the pocket. So, you can also stretch them out even further to fit other accessories like a tripod or even bigger bottles. When not in use, it will lay flat and hence match the slim structure of the bag.
The Everyday backpack also comes with an additional sleeve to store your laptops. You can store laptops that are 15″ or less. It also has additional pockets. So you can store your tablets and other documents as well. The sleeve is adjustable which means you can adjust it to fit even smaller laptops and gadgets perfectly. The sleeve is located on the back panel of the backpack. So you can have faster access to them and easily take them out when required. In addition to this, there are also two small Hidden pouches on the front of the backpack. These hidden pouches are magnetic and can easily be hidden. They are very flat and can’t store any bulky items. But you can use them to store your wallet or other important documents like your passport. The hidden magnetic nature of the pouches means that these documents stay safe and protected.
Accessing Stuff
How you access the contents inside a bag is a very important aspect that most backpacks don’t take seriously. I for one would love to have multiple ways of taking out stuff from my bag and also have the ability to access the times quickly and easily. I am sure you would agree with this. Well, turns out Peak Design does take it seriously. There are multiple ways of accessing the items inside. Along with top access you also get dual side access for easily reaching out for the accessories.
The Everyday backpack completely unzips on both its sides. This makes it easy to quickly access all your stuff in an easy way. It means that you can easily take off one of the Shoulder straps, rotate the bag and swing it on around your front, and access all your accessories, for either of the side access points. To make it easier to understand, let’s just consider it as a messenger backpack that you can sling and swing around. Only much bigger and can be accessed from both sides. Both side flaps also come with pockets on the inside. They are stretchy pockets, so you can easily store items like power banks, mini tripods, cables, and other similar things.
The other way of accessing your stuff in the Everyday backpack is from the top of the bag. The top Access Point on the Everyday Backpack has a flap style opening. This is the main access point through which you can access your stuff. The flap on the top is fastened with the Mag Latch system. The Mag Latch is a Peak Design proprietary system. This gives you a fast and secure one-handed top access. The opening on the top is closed using a magnetic system. There are different points where you can latch the magnet on. Depending on the point you latched the magnet on, you can either get more or less capacity. The Mag Latch also makes it easy to access the bag one-handed. The MagLatch hardware also makes it easy to expand the bag. So, when you need to pack some extra items, you can easily expand it.
Removable Straps
The Everyday backpack also comes with 4 modular carry straps that give it the capability of some external carrying. These straps are placed beneath a magnetic sleeve on the front of the bag. The straps operate alongside the Cord Hook system of the Peak Design everyday backpack. The straps can either be attached to the bag using the tying slip knots to the grab handles or via G-hooks. You can use these straps to easily clinch bulky accessories to the backpack. There’s also a stowable and quick-connecting sternum strap included with the bag. The sternum strap can be adjusted to four different heights for more comfort. Hooks are used to attaching both ends of the sternum straps to the shoulder straps. There’s also a nylon pull tab on one end that allows you to detach the strap easily. The sternum strap helps in providing support to the rest of your body while the waist strap helps in managing heavier loads. All of the straps can be stowed beneath a magnetic sleeve. For even more comfort, there is a padded, stowable Hip Belt accessory available for purchase. Using this hip belt you can get more stability and comfort with much heavier loads.
Comfort and Carry
With the capability of storing all these stuff, the Everyday Backpack is bound to get heavy at times. Carrying this can be tough. To make it easier, Everyday backpack comes with an innovative Shoulder design to carry it. The Straps have extra padding which makes it very soft and comfortable. But that isn’t the only great thing about the straps. In fact, the most important feature of it is the mechanical axial joints on both straps. This is something different from normal backpacks, which generally have the straps stitched to the bag. The Everyday Backpack, on the hand, has pivot points, on each strap, that has a mechanical axial joint. The axial joint allows the shoulder strap to rotate around it. What this does is that it automatically adjusts to the width of the shoulder. This adaption of the straps to shoulders of different width ensures that the backpack adjusts to the body shape without it getting deformed which makes it comfortable to carry. Thus the pivoting shoulder straps provide optimized comfort to all types of bodies.
The back panel of the bag is also padded for additional comfort. The back padding also has an airflow channel that lets it breathe. This vertical airflow channel is located in the middle of the back panel. Like the shoulder straps, the backside also has the contoured dense EVA foam. This makes it very easy to carry all the stuff around even when the bag is filled up to its capacity. The extra padding and the axial joints ensure your back is comfortable. There are magnets on the shoulder straps of the Everyday Backpack. This allows you to criss-cross the straps by latching them with the magnets in the back panel. This helps it in keeping it compressed and in its place.
The other way to carry the Everyday backpack is by using the Grab handle on the backpack. There are three different handles. One on the top and the other two on the sides of the backpack. All the handles have some padding which makes it easy to hold. SO, you can carry the bag either using the top handle or the ones on the sides. Just how you would carry a suitcase.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Verdict
The Peak Design Everyday backpack is one of the best backpacks available. It is built from high-quality materials, is waterproof and weather-resistant, and solid build quality. It is a solid feeling bag that does what it is designed to do. The shoulder straps and the back panel are all padded and provide added comfort. The Mag Latch system lets you expand the bag and store more when required. There are multiple access points so you can easily reach for the stuff inside. The 4 carry straps on it that let you attach any bulky accessories to it like a tripod. Hence, the Everyday backpack provides you with customizable storage, easy access, tough build, and a slim body, all in one backpack. So, if you are looking for a backpack, then the Peak Design Everyday Backpack is the perfect backpack for you. It might be a little expensive, but it is worth your money.
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Review Reddit
u/papasmurf – Love mine, but don’t disagree with the cons others have listed. Bottom line: if your travel is oriented around tech/camera gear, it will be hard to find a better option. If you just want to pack your clothes, and maybe a small camera or go pro, there are better, lighter, less expensive options.
u/epcrct – Used mine 3 weeks in SEA. They bag should have broke with as much stuff as I was stuffing into it (a whole other story) but it worked very very well for our trip
u/Netcooler – Dunno about the travel backpack, but I have the everyday backpack. I abuse it day in day out and I’ve worn one of the zippers to the point the bag was unusable. This happened twice already (they refuse getting YKK zippers), but their warranty and service is unparalleled. I’m on my third backpack from them, and didn’t need to put up a fight for it. Their word is their bond.
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