When you travel as much as I do (I was gone from home for half of 2022), you start to develop a special relationship with certain pieces of gear that act as your constant companions along the way. I upgraded my camera from a beat-up Sony a6000 to a shiny, new Sony a7 III at the top of last year, and with it, I decided that I wanted to upgrade my camera bag to something befitting my new toy. Peak Design’s Travel Backpack has been my ride-or-die ever since.
Not only is this sleek backpack stealthy and stylish enough to tote around cities when I’m traveling abroad or commuting with my laptop, it’s also durable and weather-resistant enough to take on day hikes and into the wilderness on longer photo expeditions.
I’ve trekked this pack across the Alaskan tundra, along sandy beaches filled with sea lions in the Galápagos, on game trails in Tanzania and through ice fields in Antarctica. Every step of the way, it has impressed me with its convenient, intuitive pockets and strong outer shell. Below, I’ll get into what makes this baby my go-to adventure photography backpack.
Stylish enough to use as a commuter bag or an airplane carry-on, yet rugged enough to take on remote photography trips in the wild, Peak Design’s Travel Backpack 30L is the ideal blend of interior space and thoughtful pockets for mirrorless and DSLR photographers of any skill level. Plus, it’s awesomely weather-resistant for when the unexpected shower strikes.
What we liked about it
From its recycled waterproof outer to its interior zippered mesh pockets for stowing SD cards and chargers, there’s a lot to love about Peak Design’s Travel Backpack. It blends photo-specific features (think tripod carry options and a full-zip back panel) with sleek, carry-on-friendly aesthetics for a go-anywhere backpack solution.
Plenty of stash pockets
Sometimes, backpacks seem to miss the mark when it comes to providing thoughtful, intuitive-to-use pockets. Not so with the Travel Backpack 30L. This baby comes fully stocked with a zippered, weather-resistant upper section (filled with smaller, elastic pouches for storing a wallet, keys and small gear), plus four interior mesh pockets that make for easy stowing of SD cards, microfiber cloths, chargers, cables and spare lens caps. Best of all? The pack’s main compartment features a U-shaped zipper for fully-open gear access.
Photography-specific features
It’s nice when I feel that a brand really knows its audience, and Peak Design did not spare any expense when it came to adding photo-specific features to this bad boy. Not only is there a pass-through on the back panel to carry a large tripod with ease, there are also two elastic side pouches for stashing water bottles or smaller gear outside the main compartment. Mesh internal pockets mean that you can see and access your batteries and cleaning wipes at a moment’s notice (no more fumbling through opaque fabric). Lastly, a padded laptop/tablet sleeve and stow-away backpack straps make this an excellent and worry-free pick for frequent flyers.
Excellent weather resistance
Let’s get one thing straight: I did not select this backpack hoping for a waterproof marvel to take into heavy downpours. That being said, the Travel Backpack 30L has over-delivered at every turn when it comes to weather resistance. I’ve fumbled it on a sandy beach in the Galapagos, trekked through mellow afternoon showers in Alaska and set it down on a snowbank in Antarctica to get a better shot of some nearby penguins, and I’ve never had an issue with water seeping through to my precious cargo. That doesn’t mean you should stand in a rainstorm for an extended period of time and expect your belongings to be bone-dry, but for those unexpected showers, the Travel Backpack 30L does great. Not only is this thing practically bomb-proof after two years of heavy use, it’s also Fair Trade Certified and carbon neutral.
What we didn’t like about it
Nothing is perfect, and there are a few areas where Peak Design could take a great pack and make it truly world-class. The main annoyance that I’ve had with this pack is the fact that it doesn’t come with a hip belt to help offset the weight of a 400mm lens and a larger mirrorless camera, which can add up quickly. Also, at this price point, it would be great to see at least one camera or packing cube included.
No hip belt
When fully loaded up with my Sony a7 III, cleaning kit, snacks, jacket and a couple of zoom lenses, this pack starts to get heavy quickly, and it’s surprising that Peak Design doesn’t include a thin (or padded) hip belt to offset most of the weight to users’ legs for a more comfortable carry. You’ll have to buy and install this add-on hip belt ($30), sold separately. It’s not a deal breaker for me, but it does mean that I sometimes toss my camera cube into an Osprey day pack if I’m going to be hiking big miles.
Camera cubes not included
Coming in at $230, Peak Design’s Travel Backpack 30L is one of the more expensive packs on the market, and as such, I’d love to see it come with at least one camera cube or packing cube so that it arrives fully ready to go. I understand that this is, in part, the point of having a highly customizable, roomy interior space, but sorting through the website’s long list of add-ons can make your head spin.
How it compares
For $230, the Peak Design Travel Backpack 30L is on the higher end of its competition, price-wise. However, with such excellent durability and weather resistance, I feel it’s a worthy investment. Still, if you’re seeking something cheaper or more lightweight (the Travel Backpack also comes in a larger 45L size for $300), there are a few other photo rucksacks worth looking at.
Trying to find something a bit more ultralight (or high-visibility)? The Dalston 21L Roll-Top Camera Backpack ($170) weighs in at a mere 1.8 pounds (compared to 3.2 pounds for the Peak Design’s 30L) and is also water-resistant. Another great, smaller option for camera-toting travelers is Lowepro’s ProTactic BP 350 AW II 16-liter backpack ($230), which can stow two DSLR cameras, a few accessories and a laptop. Sadly, the latter only comes in a standard black hue.
Another brand that’s made a big splash in the camera backpack scene is Wandrd, which, like Peak Design, offers colorful, stylish bag options designed specifically for photographers and frequent travelers. A bit more spendy than the Travel Backpack 30L at $299, Wandrd’s All-New Prvke comes in three sizes, all with weather-resistant outers, fleece phone pockets and a wonderfully padded back panel.
Lastly, if you’d rather simply make your existing hiking pack more camera-friendly for hiking and backpacking and leaf-peeping, you can tack on this awesome, sturdy Capture Clip by Peak Design for $75.
Bottom line
Peak Design is a top-of-the-line camera bag company dedicated to providing sustainable, Fair Trade wares for adventurers and world travelers alike. I’ve had the Travel Backpack 30L for two years and have brought it to the ends of the earth with me on wildlife photography expeditions and burly day hikes in the mountains. Not only is it ideal to use as a carry-on personal item, with its myriad pockets and elastic stash pouches, it’s also blessedly durable, padded and weather-resistant, meaning I don’t have to worry about my precious electronics when I’m on the go.
