Review: Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

There’s one thing that I do not like to do when traveling or going anywhere. Is when I have to carry anything with me. In most cases, if I didn’t have to take money, credit cards, or a phone, I would travel empty-handed. Maybe it was due to bad memories of high school lugging all my books around, but it seems like such a literal drag on me physically to have to bring anything with me. I just got to the point where I avoid bringing anything at all.

However, after moving to New York City and realizing that you need to carry stuff with you, you don’t have to go all the way back home or purchase a missing item. I know that I need something to carry all the stuff I’ll use throughout the day.

I did try fashionable messenger style bags and backpacks and things like that but found that they were not any better than anything else I used during my high school days.

I was recently involved in a work project that required me to be in a different location every day. I needed to carry specific gear that would be provided to my customers and my employees, and a tiny briefcase would not do it, and I did not want to take a wagon with me wherever I went.

Thankfully I had the opportunity to give a specific backpack a workout. It was the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L.

 When I first saw this piece of equipment, I thought to myself, this has to be for some serious backpacker. It looked like it was equivalent to a turtle having a shell. Being able to have the room for trips 4 days and longer. There was so much room in this backpack it was unreasonable. Usually, a pack with this stability and size of 22″ x 13″ x 9.5” is cumbersome. However, when I picked it up, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it’s 4.5 lb was not as heavy as you would think.

As I searched through the backpack, I saw all of the little zippers and compartments and areas built to be used to pack away all the necessary items you have. Now I usually know and have seen other backpacks, you have a lot of places you can put things. Still, you have to sacrifice one location for another, meaning that if you used a spectacular pouch or pocket, it would genuinely protrude into the next section, so that is as if you were putting it all into one single bag. However, with the peak design travel backpack, 45LD pockets and pouches maintain their own space in the backpack, and it really intruded on the space of another backpack area. In all honesty, I think they could call this the Mary Poppins of backpacks because it has so many places you can put so many things in it maintains its shape and provides enough space in each compartment to keep things organized.

Another thing that I notice about mini backpacks is that they may be large, but they are not easy on the back because they have no shape to them. They have no internal structure to hold them up, and your back is the one that holds all the stuff straight up in the backpack; however, in the peak design travel backpack 45L there is a reinforced side that sits right on your back to help keep the load supported.

I felt that the peak design travel backpack 45L didn’t just hold my items, but it supported itself and carried the items I needed.

The backpack was genuinely comfortable to wear. I usually would wear it with dress clothes, and it did not make me feel uncomfortable or ruin my clothes because the two straps that fit over my shoulders are padded. They were strong, provided support, and evenly distributed the weight on your shoulders and across your back. Another aspect I truly appreciated with the peak design. Because we all know how important hydration is, and sometimes in a bag, you will have a small pouch that allows for maybe a tiny bottle of water to be carried. However, with the peak design travel backpack, there were not just one but two places on either side of the pack that allowed nearly 2 -1 L bottles of water to be put on either side of the backpack or both. Most of the time, on many of the bags, The first thing to go would be the zipper that either the little tag on the zipper or the zipper itself would fail or fall out of the track; however, the zippers on the peak design travel backpack are rugged they’re made to last for as long as the backpack itself lasts.

Even though I’m not a hard-core backpacker. I can see the versatility built into the design of the travel backpack. That the 45L is genuinely versatile between being an outdoor item or simply a travel piece of luggage. One of many examples first is that it has cord hook carry straps where you can put the small bungee cords to strap down objects that may become loose and the number of handles built into the backpack. They were not add-ons. Still, they are integral and secure straps for carrying your bag. The shoulder straps,  as well as on the side and even on the back if you wish to create like a traditional duffel.

One very convenient feature is two of the hidden locations on the back part of the backpack itself. The part that touches your back contains two secret compartments. They are small flat pockets that are held shut with magnets. One side having a small Velcro pocket where you can place your ID or card-sized items, and the other side has a space where you could stow your passport or some other relatively small but significant travel items.

Even the straps that go around the waist to provide additional support and stability have a zipper pocket where you can keep items stowed away securely without adding to the bulk of the luggage.

Despite my disdain for having to carry some type of bag for travel. The peak design travel backpack 45L is an excellent option to use in your travels. It is stable and comfortable, but the size and weight also allow it to be carried with ease throughout the day. Additionally, for your commercial travel and be able to put carry-on to have it as carry-on and put it in the overhead compartments with ease.

I have to admit If I had the peak design travel backpack in high school. I would’ve had a different opinion altogether about carrying things with me.

You can pick up this super functional and stylish Travel bag directly from The Peak Design Web site and for just $299 it is a smart buy for the serious backpacker, regular traveler or just the normal person needing to carry around the necessities