This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on a link, we may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. Please read our full policy below, thank you for your support!
Peak Design Travel Backpack Stats
Cost: $299.95
Capacity: 35-45 Liters (Expandable)
Dimensions Unexpanded: 22”x 14”x 9” (56 x 36 x 23 cm)
Dimensions Expanded: 22″ x 16″ x 9″ (56 x 41 x 19)
Style: Panel Loading Travel Backpack
Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Laptop: 16” x 11” x 1” (40.6 x 30 x 2.5cm)
Materials: Weatherproof 400D and 900D nylon; EVA foam; metal components
Origin: Manufactured in Vietnam
The Peak Design Travel Backpack is nothing short of fantastic. It checks almost all the boxes for what I’m looking for in a travel bag. It’s carry-on sized, but can be compressed or expanded. It has a large capacity, great organization, waterproof fabric, and high quality hardware. And the attention to detail Peak Designs puts into the Travel Backpack is exceptional.
Materials, Colors, and Size
Material, Hardware, Zippers
The Peak Design Travel Backpack is made from a combination of 400 denier nylon on the main bag. On the bottom of bag where it gets more wear has a thicker, 900 denier nylon.
Both fabrics are weatherproof, impregnated with DWR and PU coated for high level of waterproofness. It’s a very sturdy fabric, with a tight weave, and kind of a rough texture.
Even though it’s coated, it doesn’t feel plasticy. And if you look closely, you can see the green is interwoven with a subtle white. Fabric, giving it a slightly lighter, heather color.
Zippers and Hardware
They use Large #10 and #8 zippers on the outside of the Peak Design Travel Backpack. The interior and small exterior pockets use smaller #5’s. All of the exterior zippers are waterproof.
They chose not to go with YKK brand zippers, and instead use a zipper by ZOOM. There’s some “zipper snobbery” in the backpack community, with some people thinking only YKK zippers are good. This just isn’t true. I’ve seen great zippers by SBS, and now these by Zoom, and poor quality YKK zippers.
I’m going to back up Peak Design in their decision to use Zoom zippers. The quality is just as good as anything I’ve seen by YKK. Zoom allows more customization, allowing PD to use some hardware (and I’m guessing coloring) for these zippers.
The other hardware is way better than you see in most travel bags. All of the adjustors and hooks are custom made aluminum. Sturdy steel rivets secure the backpack straps and hip belt. And leather accent tabs on the front and back of the bag,
Size, Dimensions
They don’t actually list the external dimensions on their website. They only mention that it’s “carry on approved” dimensions. So I measured them. And they’re right, it comes it at exactly 22” x 14” x 9”. Which is the max carry on size for most airlines. However, if you expand the bag, it’s going to be a few inches too wide to count as a carry on.
External Components
There’s a lot going on with this bag. The front has a large access organizational panel, and a small top access stash pocket. On the sides there are, two large expandable water bottle pockets. Each with a small hidden pocket behind it. Two large side zippers allow access into the main compartment.
On the back there is a large back panel access into main compartment. As well as stowable backpack straps, and hip belt, and padded top and bottom grab handles. And then you’ll also notice, a ton of fabric loops. These go around the outside of the bag, as gear attachment points.
Compression and Expansion
The “natural state” of the Travel backpack is 35 liters. But it has the ability to expand to 45 liters, using these side expansion zippers. Also note that the extra capacity of the expansion, comes primarily in the front access panel.
The Peak Design Travel Backpack also has the ability to Compress to 30 liters. By securing two interior buttons located inside the top of the main compartment. However this only works when you have nothing in the top of the backpack. I found this gives the bag a slightly slimmer profile, but it doesn’t do much to really compress the bag.
Water Bottle Pocket
The pockets on the sides of the bag can be used to store water bottles, or larger items like tripods. They’re pretty low profile when you’re not using them, with an expandable stretchy fabric.
These things are DEEP. This is one of the few bags I’ve reviewed so far that can hold my large 1L water bottle.
Additionally there are two small hidden zippered pockets, located behind the water bottle pocket. These are barely noticeable, and a great place to store things you don’t want being seen, like extra cash.
Security
With a ton of exterior pockets, it seems like the Peak Design Travel Backpack’s primary focus is on easy access. However, there are quite a few security options for this bag. But it’s kind of a complicated procedure to completely lock the bag down.
To lock the main access compartment, use a nylon loop to run through other zipper pull, button it on itself. Or you can use a traditional TSA padlock. Front panel zippers, can also lock together with a travel lock. Or you can pull the zipper slide pull behind this fabric loop, making it difficult to open quickly. You can also use a double cable lock, to secure both the of the main zippers together with one lock.
The side access panels, are a little trickier. You have to open the backpack, and put zipper pull inside bag, and loop it through toggle.
All of these security measures are effective. But I find it takes several minutes to get it all together. You’re going to want to decide which side access you will use, and get it all set up before you head out of your room.
Carry Options
Backpack straps
The backpack straps on the Peak Design Travel Backpack are moderately padded with a fabric backing. All of the adjustors are aluminum, and you can completely remove the sternum strap, and stow it on the shoulder strap.
The straps attach to the bag, with metal rivets that allow them to swivel. The hip belt attaches with a metal hook, instead of a plastic buckle. One side has a small low profile stretchy pocket. The other side has two thick fabric loops, which you can use to attach additional Peak Design Pouches.
About the only thing this bag is lacking is top load adjustors on the backpack straps. But it’s pretty comfortable to wear without them.
You can stow away the shoulder straps and hip belt, behind a magnetic flap. I’ve seen a few bags with this style of stowable backpack straps, and I think it’s a really great design.
Most bags you either see the straps hide behind a large fabric flap, like on the Osprey Farpoint. Or they hide away in a top zipper compartment, like the Standard Luggage Carry On Backpack.
The straps on the Peak Designs bag instead, fold behind a flap secured with magnets. It’s really easy and quick to hide the straps away. You just fold the hip straps in, then flip the backpack straps around, and tuck them under the flap.
Back padding
The back back padding that you tuck the straps behind is a thin, firm foam with not a lot of ventilation. With one of the Peak Designs Backpack travel hacks, you can fold the sides of the magnet flaps in. Which doubles the padding, and opens up the side to allow more air flow on your back.
Carry Handles
In addition to the backpack straps, the Travel Backpack has 4 carry handles, and 2 thinner side carry handles. The comfy padded top handle, is made from foam filled nylon tube webbing. And a handle on the back of the pack, let’s you carry it like a duffel bag. You can also use it as a pass-through over the handle of a rolling suitcase.
Comfort and Fit
I’ve been carrying the Peak Design Travel Backpack around for a few weeks, and so far it’s been pretty comfortable for me. The shoulder straps aren’t huge, but they’re good for carrying the bag long distances, as long as you don’t have it packed too heavy.
The hip belt is a perfect size, not too small, but not too bulky. And I like how the shoulder straps and hip belt swivel. It feels like it conforms to my shoulders, making it more comfortable to carry.
Interior Components and Design
Front Access Panel
The front of the bag has a large organizational panel, which runs most of the length of the bag. There are a ton of smaller zippered pockets in here, to store your smaller items. The top side has a large fabric pouch, as well as a silicone mesh pouch, with further interior dividers. The other side has two more zippered pockets, which you can also access from the inside of the bag.
The whole front compartment is maybe 2” thin. Making it a good place to store large flat items, like a light jacket or a dress shirt. And if you remember the expansion zipper, primarily expands this front panel. Adding a few extra inches of space, and making it big enough to store larger items like the PD Tech Pouch or a pair of shoes.
If you don’t want to use the Front Panel as storage, you can fold down the panel that separates main compartment, and tuck it inside the flap. It opens up the front panel to access the entire main compartment.
Main Access Compartment
The main access of the Travel Backpack is through the large zipper on the back. The panel opens completely to the side, giving you full access to the interior compartment, similar to a duffel bag.
The bottom has the pockets separator panel from the front pocket. There are no interior compression straps, but it has a bunch of fabric loops, which you can use to attach the camera cubes.
Laptop Compartment
The Laptop compartment is located on the top lid of the main compartment. I really like this design because it offers you as much protection, and the same access as a dedicated laptop compartment. But it doesn’t take up any extra room if you aren’t carrying your laptop. If anything, if you don’t put a laptop in here, you just have more padding on the backpack.
Summary
Pros
- Fabric, I LOVE this fabric. The heather green is one of my favorite colors, it’s a very pretty bag, not to mention it’s highly water resistant.
- Design. Peak Designs has outdone themselves with the fanatic attention to detail on the Travel Backpack.
Cons
- Security, you can get into this bag from all 4 sides, and while you are able to lock all the zippers, it’s cumbersome and time consuming
- Cost. The features justify the cost, but the Travel Backpack is still almost $300. Not to mention the accessories, which can drive the cost of fully outfitting yourself with packing cubes, wash pouch, and tech pouch, close to $600.
Affiliate Disclaimer
I run One Bag Travels as an independent website, I am not directly associated with, nor do I take payments from any of the companies featured on this site. My opinions are based on my personal experience with these products, as well as years of experience as an independent traveler.
Any revenue I receive from One Bag Travels is from affiliate marketing relationships, meaning if you click on one of the product links, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you. I strive to review products that I like, or are popular in the one bag/minimalist travel community, not just brands that I receive a commission on. Sometimes a company will send me a free product to review, I am however under no incentive or obligation to give them a favorable review.
The continued existence and success of One Bag Travels relies on the support of my readers. I believe providing thorough, honest, unbiased information is the best way to grow this support. I put a lot of work into my reviews, if you find this information was helpful in your decision, we encourage you to purchase through one of our affiliate links, at zero extra cost to you. This support allows me to continue providing the best reviews and content for you. Thank you for your support!
[…] https://onebagtravels.com/peak-design-travel-backpack-review/ […]
[…] sternum strap, and hidden waist straps. It can expand from 35 to 45 liters by unzipping the expansion zipper. It weighs 4.5 pounds and measures 22 x 13 x 10 […]