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The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

In October 2016, Peak Design released the Everyday Backpack, a pack that has become iconic and ubiquitous among photographers and non-photographers alike. You might recognize this bag by the MagLatch and unique design that doesn’t scream, “I’m carrying tons of expensive camera gear!” Three years later, Peak Design updated its Everyday Bags to V2, and added brand new bags to the line including the Everyday Zip. In this Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip review, I’ll discuss some of the unique features of this bag and who this bag is for.

Everyday Zip 20L specs

Even though its formal name is the Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip V2, this is the very first iteration of this backpack design. Its design borrows heavily from the original Everyday Backpack, but there are a couple of key differences. First, the Everyday Zip is only available in 20-liter or 15-liter versions, while the Everyday Backpack can be either 20 liters or 30 liters. This review is of the 20-liter version of the Everyday Zip. Second, the Everyday Zip does not have the MagLatch and instead is secured via the wrap-around zippers.

• Weight: 2.91 lbs (1.3 kg) without dividers, or 3.42 lbs (1.55 kg) with dividers
• Maximum laptop carry: 38.1cm x 25.4cm x 2.5cm (15″x10″x1″) – Holds 15/16” Macbook Pro
• Maximum tablet carry: 30.6cm x 22.1cm x .7 cm (12″ x 8.69″ x 0.27″) – Holds 12.9″ iPad Pro
• External dimensions: 48cm x 31.5cm x 23.5cm (18.9” x 12.4″ x 9.3″)
• Internal dimensions: 45cm x 28.5cm x 20cm (17.7” x 11.2″ x 7.9″)

What’s new?

If you’re familiar with the Everyday Bags V1, here are some of the V2 changes:

• More streamlined seams and rounder profiles.
• Softer, more comfortable bag straps.
• New UltraZips that are 20x stronger than standard zips.
• Sleeker and more ergonomic MagLatch (on applicable bags).
• New colors (navy and cream) and two new bags: Everday Backpack Zip and Tote.

Who is this bag for?

I originally purchased the Everyday Backpack V1 (20L) as a daypack for shooting and working in the city. The features that most appealed to me was the ability to carry my full-frame DSLR camera, 2 lenses, and flash, plus my 15-inch MacBook Pro in a low-profile bag to fit my 5’2″ frame.

Many other camera backpacks out there are either too big and bulky or have an outdoorsy design that doesn’t fit well in corporate photography settings, which is where I often find myself. I also appreciated the fact that the bag dividers are not specific to camera gear and you can even remove them if you want to use the backpack for non-photography purposes.

If you can relate to my situation above, then the Everyday Backpack might be right for you.

Is the Everyday Zip better?

Throughout my 2 years of using the Everyday Backpack V1, the main thing that I disliked about it was also its main selling point: the MagLatch.

It gives the bag a unique look and makes it very easy to access the top portion of the bag, but it was not possible to lock or secure. In many of my photography settings (corporate events), I empty my camera bag of most of its contents and walk around to shoot, while leaving the bag in a semi-secure area. Oftentimes, my laptop and a spare lens are in the bag, and it is unnerving to leave the bag unlocked. While I haven’t had the bag or its contents stolen before, I am often pushing my luck.

My hope with the Everyday Zip was that all of the big compartments could be locked and secured. While it takes a little DIY work to secure the 5 zippers on this bag, it does indeed live up to this standard.

Other positive points

Another great feature of the Everyday Backpacks is that you can access your camera gear (or chosen contents) via the side zippers. This means you don’t have to empty the entire contents of your bag to reach things sitting on the bottom.

Given the wrap-around zipper on the Everyday Zip, side access requires a bit more attention to detail to avoid accidentally opening your entire bag, but it is still a nice feature.

The Everyday Zip also has side pockets for stowing things like a small tripod, monopod, water bottle, etc, and a back panel for easily attaching the bag to a rolling suitcase.

There are also straps for attaching a tripod or large item to the outside of the bag, but I always find that a cumbersome and impractical way to carry a tripod.

Another selling point of the Everyday Backpacks is their ability to carry a 15″ or 16″ laptop, or so Peak Design claims. A lot of modern bags have sized down and only carry 13″ laptops or tablets. On the Everyday Zip, my 15″ MacBook Pro from 2015 fits, but it is very tight and leaves no room for adding anything else to that pocket, even though there are dividers for adding other items such as documents.

Modern laptops are getting thinner and will likely fit more easily, but be wary if you have an older computer.

The final selling point of this bag and Peak Design products in general is the overall aesthetic and attention to detail. This is a really unique and modern-looking bag with tons of storage pockets throughout. Peak Design values not wasting any space and that rings true for the Everyday Backpack Zip. It’s easy to pack this bag full and not have any loose space anywhere.

However, the maximization of space comes at a cost, which echoes my original complaints about the Everyday Backpack V1.

When filled with heavy contents, this definitely is not the most comfortable backpack out there. Sure, the bag has sternum and waist straps to distribute the weight more ergonomically, and the shoulder straps are noticeably more padded.

But the comfort problem stems from the ultra-stiff back padding, which seems to be there to allow the bag to attach to rolling luggage. This is indeed helpful if you travel a lot, and is a feature lacking on my favorite large camera backpack. But in general, this bag still feels like a pair of stilettos – you sacrifice some comfort for the sake of fashion.

Let’s end this on a positive note by talking about the real reason why I’m sticking to Peak Design: there’s a lifetime warranty on all of their products.

My Everyday Backpack V1 was a trooper for 2 years, but the zipper came apart recently, rendering the bag useless. Upon realizing there was a lifetime warranty, I contacted Peak Design via their website, and within days organized for a replacement bag to be sent my way.

I could not arrange for a new style of bag as the replacement and paid for the Everyday Zip out of my pocket. I still have a brand new version of my old bag that I can give away or sell, and I know that my Everyday Zip is covered under a similar warranty.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a sleek, modern backpack to hold light camera gear and a laptop, this might be the camera bag for you. Because this bag is uniquely structured when compared to other camera backpacks on the market, it can take some time to get used to if you’re new to Peak Design backpacks.

Given its compact size, thorough utilization of space, and that lifetime warranty, this is a great bag to consider. It’s not perfect, but then again, what bag is?

The post Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip Review appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Suzi Pratt.

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If you’re on the hunt for a stylish camera backpack, look no further than the Peak Design Everyday Backpack. Peak Design is well known for supplying photography accessories that not only look good but function extraordinarily well. The Everyday Backpack is no exception.

Despite being designed for photographers, the Everyday Backpack doesn’t look like a camera bag. This acts as both a deterrent to potential thieves, but also makes the backpack great for use even if you’re not intending to fill it with camera gear.

There are many reasons to use the Everyday Backpack, but unfortunately, it’s far from perfect. In fact, there are some quirks that could make an unideal bag for you. Read on for my take on what’s great about this bag, and what needs to be improved.

Why the Everyday Backpack?

First off, here’s how this backpack ended up in my camera bag collection. I’ve spent 7 years carrying my camera gear in a Think Tank Retrospective Messenger Bag and hauling a separate laptop bag. It was a lot to carry, and I wanted to consolidate my gear into a single bag. A backpack was key to balance weight, but most backpacks are too bulky.

Until recently, the InCase DSLR Pro Backpack had been my camera and laptop backpack of choice. It’s incredibly comfortable and spacious and was great when I was shooting primarily with Canon DSLRs. But when I switched to Sony mirrorless cameras, I wanted a smaller backpack. Enter Peak Design!

Here’s a quick video overview.

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Pros

Stylish Design

True to its name, this backpack is full of stylish design touches that truly stand out. Composed of several different materials including leather handles, anodized aluminum clips, and weather-resistant fabric, there is lots of visual appeal to the Everyday Backpack.

During my one month of traveling with this backpack from California to Florida, I’ve had multiple people stop me on the street just to inquire about the bag.

Sturdy, weather-resistant material

The Everyday Backpack is composed mainly of a weatherproof nylon canvas shell. It’s a nicely textured fabric, and it’s available in four different colors (black, tan, ash and charcoal). The two zippered side pockets are also reinforced with weatherproofing material, preventing liquid from entering. As a result, this bag is reasonably weatherproof without having to put a protective coat on it.

Flexible dividers for safely stowing gear

Inside the backpack are three of Peak Design’s FlexFold Dividers. These unique dividers aren’t flimsy like the ones you find in most camera bags. Instead, the FlexFold dividers are quite rigid, giving you peace of mind that your gear is being protected and not rattling around when being transported. Best of all, these dividers can also fold down to secure your gear and give you an added layer of space for stowing extras such as a small monopod or tripod.

Side zippers for easy access to gear

Unlike conventional backpacks that only give you access from the top, the Everyday Backpack gives you three points of entry. You can access your stuff from the top via the MagLatch flap, or from the two zippered side flaps.

This helps you better organize your gear and find it without having to rummage through the entire bag.

Lots of pockets for stowing gear

Besides the main compartment, the Everyday Backpack has several extra internal spaces. Each side flap is lined with a spacious internal pocket for storing small accessories like batteries and memory cards. Within the MagLatch flap, there’s also a small magnetized pocket that’s the perfect size for sticking your keys or wallet (be careful you don’t demagnetize your bank cards though!) for quick access.

On the outside, there’s a separate laptop compartment and two expandable side pockets. Finally, the back panel slightly detaches to allow for the backpack to slide easily onto a luggage handle, but I like using this area to secure bulky items like a reflector.

Discrete carrying straps

Thankfully, the Everyday Backpack comes with straps to help you carry heavy loads or bulky items. Specifically, there is a chest strap, waist strap, and tripod straps. All the straps are quite thin and easily tuck into the bag’s external pockets when not in use.

In practice, the chest strap does come in handy, but the waist straps are too thin and not padded, making them uncomfortable. The tripod straps are quite sturdy and reliable, but I find very few instances when I want to add the weight of a bulky tripod to this bag. More on that below.

Zippered pocket inside the side panels, very handy for small items.

Cons

All in all, the Peak Design backpack looks great and functions really well. But there are some problems that arise mainly when the bag is packed to capacity.

No wiggle room for extra gear

If you’re like me, your camera bag is often stuffed to the seams with gear. Most camera bags are built with expandable sections so you can add a few extra items to your bag. This is not the case with the Peak Design bag. It’s designed to snugly hold a set amount of gear.

From then on, there’s really no room to throw in extras. This is due mainly to the fact that the bag’s material is really rigid, probably to add support and protection to your gear but at the expense of flexibility.

The backpack is really uncomfortable when too heavy

At the expense of looking pretty, the Everyday Backpack fails at one basic thing: making the back panel and backpack straps consistently comfortable. Both the back panel padding and straps are rigid and they cut into your back and shoulders when the bag is heavy.

This isn’t a problem if the bag isn’t weighed down with tons of gear. But it’s unwearable for long periods of time when filled with too much gear.

Compromise – use this backpack with a belt pack

Since the backpack is comfortable when not packed to the brim, my compromise has been to use the backpack in conjunction with the Think Tank waist pack. The belt pack is typically what I’ll wear during shoots anyway, so I stick my extra lenses and flash in the belt pack.

My camera body, laptop, and computer accessories go into the Peak Design bag. I simply carry them both to shoots. So far it’s been a much more comfortable way to carry my gear without feeling too bulky or weighed down.

Zippers tend to slide open if not secured

Another problem that results from the backpack being too full is that the side zippers tend to slide open. Luckily, Peak Design did supply a solution. All zippers are equipped with little black loops that can connect to each other and prevent accidental spills.

Not possible to lock or secure bag when not in use

One of the key points of the Everyday Backpack is the “revolutionary closure system” called the MagLatch. According to Peak Design, it is the only bag closure system that is “no-lock, one-handed, quiet, and secure.”

In practice, the MagLatch is a unique way to quickly access to the top section of the backpack. But the fact that the MagLatch doesn’t lock makes the bag questionably secure. I wouldn’t leave this bag unattended since there’s nothing to prevent a thief from reaching in.

Expensive

At $ 259.00 a pop, there’s no denying that this a pricey purchase. Compared to the myriad of comparable camera laptop backpacks out there, this backpack might seem too expensive. However, the Peak Design Everyday Backpack truly has a standout design and high-quality design touches that could justify the price.

In Conclusion

The Peak Design Everyday backpack is a truly stylish bag with some great features. I use the backpack often when carrying mirrorless camera gear around and absolutely love it. But if you plan to carry heavy camera gear or stuff this bag to capacity, consider another backpack such as the Incase DSLR Pro Pack for a more comfortable experience.

The post Review: Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L appeared first on Digital Photography School.

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