Best One Bag Travel Backpack for Photographers 2021

Peak Designs has created a great backpack with their Travel Backpack. With add-ons sold separately by Peak Designs, the pack is easily the Best One Bag Travel Backpack for Photographers in 2021. This designation is due to the clean design, multiple access points to the main compartment, and amazing stowing system for the harness. The technology that they were able to incorporate really shows in the final product of the Travel Backpack, even if they couldn’t come up with a catchier name.

Compare to Similar Products

See Our Best Travel Backpack Review 2021

If you are on Instagram and follow even just one travel account, you have heard of this pack. I don’t know if they paid off Mark Zuckerberg or what, but I only see this pack on my ads. With that out of the way, Peak Design was created from a single product. Their product, called Capture, is an innovative way to keep your bulky DSLR camera snapped to the shoulder strap of your pack and easy to access. Since then, they have created hundreds of products and have done most of their funding through Kickstarter—not a bad creation story.

The Travel backpack is as innovative as the company that created it. This pack is able to be accessorized with Peak Design photography “shelves” and other packing cubes (sold separately). Peak Design has done well to create a family of products that can all fit seamlessly together. This backpack was made for a traveling photographer, which is why it earned our award as the Best One Bag Travel Backpack for Photographers.

Storage

The main compartment of the pack is accessible in three ways: a full clamshell opening on the back, a side access pocket, and a traditional top loader style. The side access and back access work with Peak Design accessory items (again sold separately) that will keep any photographer very organized.

The pack itself is initially set at around 35l of storage but has expansion zippers that will take it to around 45l, which would come in handy if you can’t help but purchase Mickey Mouse ears at Disney World while traveling. The top of the pack will also snap down to create a 30l day pack set up, giving it a more urban look versus the boxy carry on look.

There are dual water bottle pockets on the side of the pack, a small top pocket, and a hidden side pocket. These are both great little touches to help keep you feeling safe and organized on your travels. Lastly, there are hidden straps that can be used along the front of the pack to hold additional equipment like a tripod.

Laptop Sleeve

The laptop sleeve in the Travel Backpack will accommodate a 17” laptop. The access for the sleeve is best accessed through the back zipper as the sleeve is a part of the main compartment. Though it is not as individually protected as other laptop sleeves, having the addition of clothes along the laptop will add some cushioning.

Comfort and Harness System

The shoulder straps on the Peak Design Travel Backpack are a bit thin but use stretch mesh to help with ventilation. The thin straps are mainly due to the stow system that they have adopted. The straps are able to be hidden beneath “wings” on the backpanel that are sealed with magnets, creating a flush backpanel for easy storage in overhead compartments.

There is a thin hipbelt as well that is adjustable and easy to stow away. The hipbelt will add some load support but not as much as the Tortuga Outbreaker’s hipbelt. The harness system is not the most comfortable of the travel backpacks, but it is easy and convenient to hide away

Security and Material

Peak Design has created its Travel Backpack with a 400D weatherproof and 100% recycled nylon fabric. There is also 900D nylon along the bottom of the bag that is also weatherproof, though I wouldn’t set your bag down in a puddle.

The zippers are weatherproof and lockable for added security. Unfortunately, with three ways of accessing the main compartment though, you will need to invest in a couple of travel locks to keep the thieves at bay.

The Bottom Line

There is no question that this pack was made with photographers in mind. With the availability of adding Peak Design camera accessories (sold separately), the Travel Backpack becomes a highly functional travel camera bag. At the end of the day, I still think any traveler would enjoy the storage and durability of the pack as well.

At $299.95, it is an expensive backpack, and if you were thinking of purchasing additional camera inserts, the price would inevitably increase. Peak Design has done a great job of building this pack and making it usable for any traveler. I especially enjoy the “daypack mode” so I don’t look like I jumped right off a plane and began walking around town. It was easy to pick the Peak Design Travel Backpack as the Best One Bag Travel Backpack for Photographers.

^ Back to Top ^