Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L review: a versatile backpack that's great for commuting and outdoor adventures, as well as for stowing camera gear

There's overmuch to for illustration astir Peak Design's caller Outdoor Backpack series. The 25L type being reviewed present is well-made, durable, and has plentifulness of clever creation touches, and it's besides super-comfortable to deterioration for agelong periods, moreover for running. You'll request clip to familiarize yourself pinch nan backpack and customize it for you needs, but nan reward is simply a versatile container that's awesome for each kinds of scenarios, provided you person nan correct accessories. It's not perfect: I'd for illustration due retention and speedy entree to cogwheel specified arsenic a side-access pocket, nan cords tin beryllium fiddly and get successful nan measurement astatine times, positive nan roll-top pouch isn't waterproof truthful you'll request a rainfall screen for dense downpours; and some nan container itself and nan add-on accessories are pricey. However, while it's taken maine a while to admit it, nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L has go my go-to regular bag.

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Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L: two-minute review

Peak Design's Outdoor Backpack scope is nan latest bid of bags from nan US-based camera accessory maker. It's disposable successful 3 colors and successful 25L and 45L versions, and is owed to deed nan marketplace successful November 2024 aft a successful crowdfunding campaign, pinch retailers already taking preorders.

I was among nan first group of reviewers to person a reappraisal sample, and I've been utilizing nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L, successful white, arsenic my superior container for nan past 3 months up of its launch. I've recovered it to beryllium a highly versatile container that has rewarded nan clip I've invested to customize it for my needs.

I'm a photographer, commuter and serial outdoors adventurer, and Peak Design's Outdoor Backpack and has proven itself to beryllium apt companion for each these scenarios, becoming my first-choice container these past mates of months. It's not a dedicated camera bag per se, but it'll do nan instrumentality for a small spot of camera gear, pinch nan correct Peak Design accessories.

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L: value and availability

• Two sizes: 25L and 45L
• Three colors: white, achromatic aliases acheronian red
• Preorders now, world motorboat owed precocious November

The Peak Design Outdoor Backpack is disposable successful 2 sizes: 25L and 4L, and successful 3 colors; Cloud (white) Eclipse (dark red) aliases Black – nan achromatic 25L type is pictured passim this review. The 25L type costs $249.99 / £249.99 and nan 45L type is $329.99 / £329.99. The container is owed to spell connected waste globally successful precocious November.

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L: specs

Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L: design

• Daisy-chain loops to fasten cords to
• Weather-resistant exterior but not waterproof
• Accessories see raincover, hep loop and more

For commuting, I usually battalion a 17-inch MacBook Pro laptop, mirrorless camera pinch lens, a spare alteration of clothes, arsenic I often tally to work, positive a fewer accessories (in a Peak Design Camera Cube), each of which fresh snugly into nan 25L type of nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack. I gaffe a h2o vessel and a recreation tripod into nan elasticated broadside pockets and I'm bully to go.

There's nary dedicated spot to shop camera cogwheel – nan Outdoor Backpack's main compartment is azygous unfastened space, without nan padded dividers you typically get successful a dedicated camera bag. If you want to battalion you camera and accessories you tin prime up 1 of Peak Design's Camera Cubes, which will slot successful nicely to securely clasp that pricey gear. You conscionable request to guarantee that it's nan right-size cube for nan size of container – there's guidance connected Peak Design's website, positive caller soft-shell Packing Cubes. A decent replacement to a Peak Design Cube is simply a cogwheel wrap for illustration 3 Legged Thing's Wrapz.

For regular usage complete months, nan Outdoor BackPack 25L has proven itself durable, comfortable, and versatile. Its enarthrosis straps are good padded, and are fastened to nan container done a loop alternatively than being stitched on. This fantabulous creation touch removes nan stitching accent constituent (lesser-quality straps tin go un-stitched) and should guarantee that nan straps past for galore years of dense use.

Both of nan straps besides characteristic an elasticated pouch that will comfortably fresh a ample telephone – my Pixel handset slotted successful comfortably and securely.

Elsewhere connected nan extracurricular are nan aforementioned elasticated broadside pockets, and what I've seen Peak Design telephone a 'daisy chain' of loops on astir of nan bag's seams that you tin provender cords through, respective of which location are included, to unafraid larger items specified arsenic a recreation tripod. The ways to customize nan Outdoor Backpack based connected what you're carrying consciousness endless, moreover if immoderate are a small fiddly.

I person regularly utilized nan container for short runs (around 6km) from a train position to my workplace, and moreover pinch a afloat load it sits comfortably connected my shoulders, particularly pinch nan optional hep loop successful spot for further lumbar support. However, connected my runs, and connected hikes successful basking weather, I recovered that sewage much sweaty than I'd for illustration to; it would beryllium awesome to person amended breathability connected nan back.

I besides recovered nan 2 zips to nan main compartment, erstwhile closed together astatine nan apical of nan bag, came loose during moving and connected a mates of occasions I had to rescue nan contents arsenic they spilled out. Closing nan zips towards nan bottommost of nan container connected erstwhile broadside alternatively avoided this issue.

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

There are 2 ways to entree nan main compartment: nan zips, which unfastened nan full back, aliases nan soft roll-top magnetic-clasped opening. For nan former, you dishonesty nan container down connected its beforehand to unfastened it up and entree nan full contents, while utilizing nan second you tin support everything wrong and rummage done nan contents via nan apical opening.

The roll-top pouch is fitted securely wrong nan bag's weatherproof exterior pinch a cord, which is released for entree via a neat pull-tab. To battalion nan apical away, you propulsion astatine nan cord to adjacent down nan opening (see assemblage below). It's a very clever spot of design, and reassuringly robust, locking nan cord securely pinch immoderate hostility you like. I regularly crammed a sweater aliases ray rainfall overgarment extracurricular nan main compartment but wrong that adjustable weatherproof exterior, securing it successful spot pinch nan cord. It's conscionable a shame that there's nary evident spot to put that cord erstwhile nan apical is closed off, arsenic it simply dangles and is astatine consequence of snagging.

There are nary interior pockets successful nan main compartment, conscionable a laptop sleeve. Peak Design says nan 25L container tin clasp a 16-inch laptop, but I recovered nan stretchy sleeve snuggly held my 17-inch MacBook Pro.

There are nary dedicated padded dividers, which I understand helps to support nan container ray and customizable. However, moreover pinch 1 of Peak Design's (add-on) Camera Cubes successful spot to unafraid cogwheel successful its padded dividers, entree to cogwheel is slower than I'd like.

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

(Image credit: Future / Tim Coleman)

Speaking arsenic a photographer, I would emotion quicker entree to gear, opportunity done a side-access zipped opening. A fewer creation tweaks for illustration these could recognize nan Outdoor Backpack arsenic nan cleanable versatile camera bag.

With a afloat loaded container and a Camera Cube positioned wrong astatine nan top, it doesn't return excessively agelong to entree your gear, but you will person to return nan container disconnected your shoulders.

I wouldn't picture this arsenic a dedicated camera bag, nor would I specifically telephone it an outdoors bag; but it does a decent occupation of both, moreover if location are amended alternatives retired location that are focused connected 1 aliases nan other. As an all-in-one option, nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack has served my regular needs, photography and otherwise, amended than immoderate container I've utilized for rather immoderate time.

Should I bargain nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L?

Buy it if...

Don't bargain it if...

How I tested nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L

• Two months of regular use
• Commuting, outdoor hikes and photography walks
• Paired pinch Peak Design Camera Cubes

I utilized nan Peak Design Outdoor Backpack 25L arsenic my superior container for a fewer months up of its charismatic motorboat and penning this review. It has been connected my shoulders for commuting, moving and hiking. I've paired it pinch Peak Design's Camera Cubes to amended nan wide handling of nan container for securely storing camera gear.

First reviewed November 2024