The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L (ASIN B087MQHXWR) is a premium travel pack with MagLatch magnetic compression buckles, side-access camera cube compartment, and 400D recycled double-weave nylon construction. Available on Amazon.ca, it compresses from 45L to approximately 30L via front straps and meets carry-on requirements while integrating Peak Design's camera ecosystem.
7 mentions · 3 threadslast mention Aug 2024
Real comments from Reddit, linked to the original thread. Nothing paraphrased.
As a fellow owner of a heavy travel backpack, I would urge anyone who strictly wants to fly hand luggage to look into offerings from ultralight companies dipping their toes into travel gear instead... For the more lenient European airlines, this bag weighs over 25% of your allowed hand luggage weight before you put anything in it. If you travel with a laptop and a few other bits and bobs, you will get to the 8kg limit easily and be SOL once you do get flagged for a weigh-in.
**Heavy** - not just in its actual weight, but how it _**feels**_ - the weight distribution is terrible so it **feels** really heavy... **Uncomfortable** - not just from the weight but from the straps and padding - for some reason, not comfortable for me - the straps also dug within my neck... **Expensive** - as with all Peak Design products - it is a durable product no doubt but it is outrageously overpriced... **Over-engineered** - you'll probably only use a fraction of its features
I would go with the Eagle Creek. It has good carry on proportions and feature set. PD is overpriced, heavy and comfort compliants have been posted.
its supposed to be a camera bag afterall so it has a lot of padding everywhere to protect the interior. I ultimately swapped back to a farpoint 40 just for the comfort. I do miss how the PD45 is laid out though, if they made a non padded lighter version with a better harness system I would jump on it.
One thing to remember is that 45 L of gear/clothing is not light. That much weight on your back may negate the mobility benefits of having a backpack over spinner/roller.
For example the Osprey Farpoint ways a pound less and costs half the money... at least in my country... and weight really matters on the plane and later on...
45L just feels too big to me. If you had some serious discipline and stuck to a base weight it might be fine. I tend to pack too much when I have these bigger bags. 35L is really my sweet spot, fits my stuff and less risk of killing my back.
7 owner mentions have been collected for the Travel Backpack 45L, and 6 are negative with 1 mixed. Weight and comfort dominate: one detailed review calls it 'heavy' both literally and in how the weight distribution feels, says the straps and padding were uncomfortable and dug into the neck, and calls it 'outrageously overpriced' and 'over-engineered' for features most owners won't use. Multiple owners note the bag eats into strict international carry-on weight allowances before you've packed anything, and several recommend cheaper, lighter alternatives like the Osprey Farpoint or Eagle Creek instead. A mixed comment acknowledges the padded, camera-bag-style construction is well suited to gear protection, but the owner ultimately swapped to a lighter, unpadded bag for comfort. Photographers who specifically need padded camera-gear organization in a carry-on may still find it justifies the weight and price; weight-conscious travelers and one-bag minimalists are better served by lighter, cheaper alternatives.
