Become a TechRadar Insider
- Peak Design’s new bag series, initially exclusive to Kickstarter backers, is now available to all
- The new range consists of two backpacks, a crossbody sling bag and a duffel-style bag — and the new 2-in-1 backpacks look particularly interesting
- All are carry-on friendly, and compatible with Peak Design’s Camera Cubes
Travelling with photography gear can be a huge pain. Whether you’re someone who carries multiple camera bodies and lenses, or keeps it light with a single slim compact, keeping your gear safe and protected is hugely important and can be a great source of stress.
Step in Peak Design’s new series of travel bags for photographers, funded on Kickstarter and on general sale from today, which looks like it could be a great solution for a host of different types of photographer. The series consists of two backpacks, a crossbody sling bag and a duffel-style bag — and as someone who’s looking for a better travel solution for my cameras, one of the backpacks has grabbed my attention.
The Travel Backpack 2-in-1 ($399.95 / £349.99 / AU$$779.95) consists of a 34L main backpack and a standalone 16L daypack, which can also be zipped into the main bag for a combined 40L of capacity. I’m someone whose gear needs are quite elastic when I travel — on different trips, I’ve been both a ‘two bodies, four lenses’ guy, and a ‘single point-and-shoot’ compact guy. So the idea of a bag that could flexibly accommodate both of those scenarios is massively appealing to me, as is the idea of having a single bag where I could keep everything photo-related in one compartment, and everything else in another.
The rest of the series looks pretty cool too. The Travel Backpack 20L ($199.95 / £169.99 / AU$389.95) is a more straightforward and smaller 20L backpack for those who don’t need the 2-in-1 functionality, with a simple and clean exterior design that’s smart enough to get away with being business/casual, but still packing useful features like an expandable main compartment and a weatherproof shell.
For those using ultra-lightweight travel photography setups — a single slim compact like the Ricoh GR IV or Fujifilm X100VI — the Travel Crossbody 3L ($99.95 / £89.99 / AU$199.95) looks like it could fit the bill. It’s designed to be an essentials-only pouch for nimble, lightweight daytripping, with an eight-pocket internal layout allowing for clear organization, and a clamshell-style opening that makes it easy to pull out and access your camera at a few second’s notice.
And finally, there’s the Travel Weekender 25L ($199.95 / £169.99 / AU$389.95). As the name implies, this duffel-style bag is designed for trips of a few days, but it could also work as a carry-on companion to a larger roller bag, since its dual grab handles and removable padded shoulder strap mean it can be carried in a number of different ways.
All the bags are compatible with standard carry-on dimensions, and can also be used with Peak Design’s Camera Cubes, further isolating and protecting important cameras and lenses.
The Travel Backpack 2-in-1 is the most expensive of the lot, and I think it brushes the upper limit of what I’d be willing to spend on a camera bag. But quality is something you pay for, and I have to admit — I’m tempted.
Kickstarter-funded
Back in March of this year, Peak Design unveiled a Kickstarter campaign for a set of four travel bags for photographers. The series was billed as being designed to meet the hectic demands of modern travel, based on feedback and experience of users traveling with Peak Design’s previous products.
The campaign was a huge hit — as we would have expected. Peak Design funds all of its new products via crowdfunding campaigns, and it’s about as close as you get to a completely safe pair of hands on the crowdfunding platform — TechRadar has previously reviewed multiple Peak Design products, including the 5 star-rated Pro Tripod, the Roller Pro wheeled-case, Slide camera strap and a rugged Outdoor Backpack 25L.
At time of writing, the latest campaign has secured $2,428,996 (about £1,811,168 / AU$3,401,716) from backers who will already be getting their bags. The rest of us will be able to order from Peak Design from today.
Keen on exploring further options? We have an in-depth camera bags buying guide which covers a range of styles and needs for every kind of use.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.