Peak Design Black Everyday 20 Litre Backpack

This was a hard review to make, because I had to divorce my needs from the design. I bought an Everyday Sling- 5L Ash. I bought it right after I bought the Aer Day Sling, because that's a little too small for an A5 notebook, though it does fit. This does fit that notebook. But unlike the Aer Day Sling, it doesn't quite hug my body when on my back, but sags a bit. I tried to tighten it, and I was choking myself that way. I think it's because of the depth of the bag. But it's quite functional, and a well designed bag. I still use it- I just find myself falling back on the Aer Day sling more, even though I have to be conscious of the zipper when closing it. I don't regret purchasing it, and it works well as a bag- just not so well for me as a sling.

This Peak Sling 10L is definitely an upgrade from my Kata 3n1 sling. The walls are thinner but more rigid/stiff and "formed". This means the bag feels smaller and lighter (less bulky) carrying the same gear, but still provides adequate protection with denser padding. Because the pockets, compartments, and dividers are more formed, and less spongy and soft, it's easier to take gear out and put it back.The shoulder strap is comfortable, but I can't convert the Peak sling to backpack for long hikes like the Kata can. BUT, the slide mechanism makes up for this. With a flick of the latch the strap can be lengthened for easy access hanging in front of you. When you pull it back snug and lock it, the bag hugs the small of your back, instead of bumping on your butt. Very ... MoreThis Peak Sling 10L is definitely an upgrade from my Kata 3n1 sling. The walls are thinner but more rigid/stiff and "formed". This means the bag feels smaller and lighter (less bulky) carrying the same gear, but still provides adequate protection with denser padding. Because the pockets, compartments, and dividers are more formed, and less spongy and soft, it's easier to take gear out and put it back.The shoulder strap is comfortable, but I can't convert the Peak sling to backpack for long hikes like the Kata can. BUT, the slide mechanism makes up for this. With a flick of the latch the strap can be lengthened for easy access hanging in front of you. When you pull it back snug and lock it, the bag hugs the small of your back, instead of bumping on your butt. Very nice!The appearance gives the impression that the bag opens like a typical messenger bag. But it has a main zippered compartment which is accessed from the top. A second, expandable pocket on the front is also accessed from the top via a zipper. The straps you see on the bag serve the function of compressing this secondary compartment to keep your filters or other gear from rattling around. The inside of both of these compartments have lots of handy, smaller pockets for holding cables, memory cards, and other accessories. It's no small benefit, as far as I'm concerned, that my accessories are held firmly in place and not jumbling around against each other in a larger, looser pocket.Here's what I carry: A Sony A7 III, EOS-to-FE AF adapter, EF 70-300mm f/4L IS, EF 16-35mm f/4L, EF 50mm f/1.4, Rokinon 12mm f/2.8, 2 lens hoods, 10-stop neutral density, circular polarizer, close-up filters, infrared 830nm filter, charging cable and charger, cleaning cloths and brush, extra memory cards... (Yes I recently jumped the Canon ship for Sony, but I'm still using my old Canon lenses. )I love the material and appearance. Looks very nice, and they obviously put some serious thought into the both function and fashion.

I have a hard time imagining a better bag. I got the everyday backpack (30L) and my wife got the tote. I am able to quickly and completely reconfigure my backpack:carry my laptop, notebook, camera, and other what-nots for daily trip to workreconfigure for workout gear as neededa two-night overnight bag for a recent work tripIt's hard to overstate how configurable this bag is. My wife has reported a similarly positive experience with the tote. Bravo, Peak Design!

Wore my 5L sling daily on a 3-week trip to 3 different Asian countries. Intend to continue using it as street photography bag and for running errands.A wonderful bag. So happy with the purchase.Pros:Looks great. I have the Ash, but all of the color ways look great.Felt great wearing it. Shoulder bags typically mess with my back. This bag did so only minimally, and only toward the end of the trip.I own a Capture Clip as well, and having both worked out very well.Top handle is great. The hidden pocket in the main compartment is very tight, but was very useful.Love the pockets on the two sides of the main compartment.Love the divided pockets at the top; was great for multi-backup-battery mirrorless kits.I linked up the tamper prevention once or ... MoreWore my 5L sling daily on a 3-week trip to 3 different Asian countries. Intend to continue using it as street photography bag and for running errands.A wonderful bag. So happy with the purchase.Pros:Looks great. I have the Ash, but all of the color ways look great.Felt great wearing it. Shoulder bags typically mess with my back. This bag did so only minimally, and only toward the end of the trip.I own a Capture Clip as well, and having both worked out very well.Top handle is great. The hidden pocket in the main compartment is very tight, but was very useful.Love the pockets on the two sides of the main compartment.Love the divided pockets at the top; was great for multi-backup-battery mirrorless kits.I linked up the tamper prevention once or twice... I guess it's a bit of extra peace of mind, but it was a bit fiddly.Cons:A bit worried for the front pouch. I think using the zipper will, over time, wear the fabric fold around it. That, and the zipper pouch is too small and tight when the bag is filled up. Not sure what I would put in there.It's a smaller bag, so it becomes a bit fiddly (read: takes time, patience, problem-solving) when you are trying to optimise the flexifold dividers so the bag can contain everything you want to bring. Trade-offs, I know.Tried Bum-bag configuration maybe once? It's just a bit too fiddly for me.Carried:Fujifilm X-T20, 18-55mm kit lens, 27mm pancake lens, rocket air blower, Tascam DR-05 voice recorder, travel documents, extra batteries, the tiny Manfrotto tripod, bracket/adapterto hold mobile phone on tripod.

Decent bag, still needs refinement before it can be the one to rule them all.

This bag tries to do it all. It comes close, but misses in a few areas. The dividers are unique, but they dont support the heavy stuff well. The bottom needs improved padding. The zipper pulls feel cheap. Could use a zippered storage that doesnt require exposing main compartment. The bag is well made, and I like the minimalist styling. I just think some of the features are more design school solutions than real world ones.

Great backpack for carrying SLR and 2 lenses.

When one has a certain amount of camera gear, it becomes an issue about how much to carry and how to carry it. I have a Sony a77, a Tamron 16-300 lens, and a Tamron 150-600 lens. I bought the 20L Everyday Backpack after buying 4 photo backpacks. Some had access issues. Others were too big. This bag fits everything plus a binoculars This is best photo backpack ever. I like how I can access everything easily. Because of the way the adjustable dividers can be bent, I can carry the camera attached to the big lens which really works for me because I love to photograph birds. Importantly, there is something in the shape and padding of the shoulder straps so that I can comfortably wear this loaded backpack comfortably for 3-4 hours.

Great look and feel but.....

Design is amazing but the use from side to side is very difficult to manage. If you are constantly in and out of your bag then this bag is not for you. You will have to develop a system of slinging it off your back and opening up the right side hoping nothing falls out. You cant just open one section you have to open the entire side. Also, you cant really sit this bag down especially if you are a street photographer because your bag will get dirty or scratch up and its too good looking of a bag to have that happen. This is a pretty camera bag but if you are a street guy who is dealing with some unclean environments then this isnt the bag for you. Especially if you have to keep it on you.

Great pack

Simply a great pack. I think this is a bit more flexible than other photo packs that have more dividers and structure. The dividers in this make it easy to change your arrangement on the fly, whereas other packs are much more complicated to re-arrange. Lots of subtle features that are tucked away so it's super functional while also looking nice and without a bunch of stuff dangling off the sides. Others have criticized that the dividers don't completely hold things in place, and I suppose that's true (there's space for a spare lens to jostle a little bit), but I don't think there's significantly more movement than in other packs. Plus, other packs with more dividers end up wasting more space, as you divide everything up and have more cumulative unused space ... MoreSimply a great pack. I think this is a bit more flexible than other photo packs that have more dividers and structure. The dividers in this make it easy to change your arrangement on the fly, whereas other packs are much more complicated to re-arrange. Lots of subtle features that are tucked away so it's super functional while also looking nice and without a bunch of stuff dangling off the sides. Others have criticized that the dividers don't completely hold things in place, and I suppose that's true (there's space for a spare lens to jostle a little bit), but I don't think there's significantly more movement than in other packs. Plus, other packs with more dividers end up wasting more space, as you divide everything up and have more cumulative unused space throughout (even if you give every little thing its own compartment, you'll still have unused space in each compartment).

Poor quality control 4 the $ but amazing features

Plenty of pockets and amazing features like magnetic closure for pockets and clasp. Hidden straps everywhere for when you want to carry things externally or strap down a tripod. Comfortable and can fit many things. The internal organizers are amazing. you can arrange them to hold things snug, or open them up to have an huge area for storing large items. Every feature of this bag is great, the only issue i have is that quality control is very poor. the stitching can be hit or miss, and alignment of panels can be off as well. I recommend it, but expect that you'll use the lifetime warranty it comes with.

Robust Camera Pack

I admit to being biased because I like the thought put into Peak Design products and their unique but understated look. I really like the look of this bag, the access, and expandability. I didn’t feel like I had to be extra careful with using it full of camera gear and misc travel stuff. I would say the one down side is the weight of the bag on it’s own, but that’s the “cost” of so many features and apparently premium/robust materials. I bought it knowing that. I am very happy with the bag for when I need to carry and access this much gear.On another note, one of my friends was concerned about it out on the beach in Hawaii because she felt it “looked expensive”, so that’s might be a consideration.