Peak Design has built a reputation for developing photographer’s tools that translate to just about anybody, whether you’re carrying a camera or not. The company is now releasing a new series of outdoor bags specifically designed for photographers – or anybody – to get on the go with comfort, ease of use, and versatility. They have succeeded.
The PD Outdoor Backpack – 25L and 45L
On a personal note, I love being outdoors. Backpacking, fishing, kayaking, and more are all up my wheelhouse. With that, I’m always drawn to gear bags that can handle the terrain they’re forced to traverse. In the backpacking industry, there are a lot of great brands that bring innovation and quality to the wearer, but that’s hardly seen in the commuter and photography world.
The Peak Design Outdoor Backpack brings that missing innovation to more people. This is a photography bag, yes, but so is the PD Everyday backpack. Yet, that bag is highly recommended by just about anyone who wears it. By the same stretch, the PD Outdoor Backpack is a hiking backpack for photographers, but I have no issue making this my go-to commuter/travel backpack on top.
The build of the bag is great. It’s structured so that there is one large compartment topped by a roll-closure. That compartment can be accessed from the rear panel zipper or from the top. Between that compartment and the outer shell are two extra large side pockets lined with stretch mesh and a large pocket sandwiched between the outer durable fabric and the wall of the inner compartment.
The outer front material is a coated ripstop fabric that can absolutely take a beating. While I was reviewing the backpack I took it to Scotland and Germany through soft wet conditions and into city traffic. Through all of that, I did it no favors. I dropped it in the mud, on hard rocks, and on tough concrete. No matter what I did, a simple wipe-down with a wet towel cleaned the front fabric and left the bag looking new.
As for comfort, I was shocked at how comfortable carrying the pack was. The 25L does not come with a hip belt, but it can be purchased separately. Even without it, I didn’t feel like my shoulders or back was incredibly strained. Peak Design structured the new Outdoor Backpack shoulder straps to be extra cushioned yet breathable – a rare combination. The padding is also designed in a way that allows air to travel through to your back, which helps in warmer conditions.
As the bag is meant for photographers, there are a ton of features built into the comfy design. The main internal compartment is pretty big, with nothing to break the space up. It’s meant to house a smedium camera cube at most, with the large being a little too big for my liking. The 45L version of the bag can fit the medium or large camera cube, which is great for those who need to bring a lot of gear. In the 25L version, the smedium cube leaves a little space at the top for more gear.
That’s where the magic of the roll-top comes in. You can pack gear all the way to the natural top of the internal pocket if you want, or you can overload it and cinch it down with the specially designed closure system. The roll-top is magnetic and perfectly secure as long as it’s tightened with the cinch system.
To add, the internal pocket can fit my 16-inch laptop, though it is a bit snug. The 45L version can obviously accommodate a 16-inch laptop much easier.
Of course, up until this point these have all been normal features not unique to Peak Design’s outdoor bags. Where the backpack shines is in the small details. For instance, the shoulder straps each have mesh stretch pockets that can easily fit a phone. Those pockets, however, are only attached at the top and bottom, allowing you to slip something behind the pocket itself. That’s where you can fit a Peak Design Camera Clip with ease, giving you a much more comfortable way to lock your camera into place on your bag.
This little change in design is perfection, and it works so well in practice.
On top of that, Peak Design added gear loops all around the bag and included several stretchy cord hooks. Those can be used to attach other small bags to the 25L or 45L version, or to cinch and tighten the bag down. These loops are legitimately everywhere on the bag with endless possibilities.
Another great feature is in the side pockets. They’re stretchy and large enough to fit the PD Travel Tripod easily. This is extremely handy if you don’t want to strap it to the bag externally or fit it inside.
The entire bag, down to the metal hardware in the straps and durable outer fabric, is just a superb addition to Peak Design’s lineup. I haven’t enjoyed using a backpack in such a long time and I’d have no problems using this bag on a daily basis.
The PD Outdoor Sling – 7L
Just about everything that’s said about the Outdoor Backpacks can be said about the Outdoor Sling. It uses the same types of materials and brings the same functionality, albeit on a much smaller scale.
At its core, the Outdoor Sling – both 7L and 2L versions – is built for those who want to bring as little as possible. The 7L version can fit one x-small camera cube from Peak Design. Doing so parititons it so a camera and a couple of accessories can fit inside.
Be warned, if you like to use larger lenses like the Sony A7III and Sigma 24-70mm lens combo I use, you will be able to barely fit it into the x-small camera cube. however, if you use literally any lens that’s barely smaller, you’ll be fine.
Inside is a slew of small pockets that fit anything from batteries to SD cards and odds and ends. Peak Design does small gear pockets so well, and it shows in this bag. The front of the bag also has its own compartment for more gear, which comes in handy often.
The back of the bag houses a special phone pocket that shuts magnetically. It sits securely against your body when the sling is over your shoulder or around the waist. This frees ups space inside the bag itself.
As simple as the bag itself, I found it to be one of my favorite slings. The strap is well-designed and comes with a quick-release clasp if needed. Extra strap material tucks away into little pockets, and the strap itself can come off of the bag since it’s only attached via more gear loops – surprise!
The bottom of the bag also brings cord hooks that can store a jacket or other little bags if necessary, and it became very handy when we wanted to shed rainjackets in Scotland every time the sun poked through.
The bag is just comfortable and so easy to use. It’s quick if you need to pull your camera out, and it doesn’t feel like you’re ever carrying a larger bag. it does its job, and it does it well.
Final thoughts
Peak Design has always been an innovative brand, even if that means its gear is a little pricier than other brands. At $329 for the 45L Outdoor Backpack and $249 for the 25L version, these aren’t exactly budget options. The Outdoor Sling even comes in at $89, though that’s much better than I’ve seen other designer brands land at. However, I’ve enjoyed using these bags more than any others recently, and a good, durable bag can be worth that investment.
Peak Design just finished its Kickstarter campaign for the outdoor lineup, but you can still get rewards by backing the project.
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