Peak Design, based in San Francisco, creator of one of our of all time favorite backpacks — is back with its first new range of bags in five years. PD says its new line of Outdoor backpacks and slings can be worn together for use off the beaten path. They feature the company’s “most advanced soft-shell design to date,” with multiple adjustment points for a variety of body types and loads. The new bags are compatible with the company’s modular packing cubes, which make it easy to organize and quickly access camera gear, clothing, and other equipment.
“Peak Design is synonymous with ‘outdoor photography,’ but we’ve yet to create a true outdoor bag… until now,” said Peter Dering, founder and CEO of Peak Design, in a press release. “The Outdoor line is not only the culmination of everything we’ve learned as bag designers, it’s also a giant nod to our most loyal and long-standing customers.”
The Outdoor Backpack is available in a 45L (L for liters) model with an internal frame for heavy loads and a smaller 25L version for shorter excursions. Both offer quick roll-top access as well as the ability to open the bag almost completely from the back for easy storage and “full visibility” of your gear. The bags also feature laptop and hydration sleeves (with hydration hose pass-through), cut- and weather-resistant construction (with an optional Rain Fly sold separately), and a promise of “superior comfort and fit with significantly less bulk” than other backpacks (including PD packs, I hope). The bags also offer several external carry options, including deep pockets and a cord system for carrying items like tripods, sleeping pads, jackets, and water bottles.
It’s worth noting that the 45L Outdoor Backpack weighs 3.97 pounds (1.8 kg) while the 25L model weighs 2.54 pounds (1.15 kg). That’s heavy if your primary goal is to trek through open terrain where massive 60L packs often weigh less than 3 pounds (1.36 kg). Still, the 45L Outdoor Backpack is definitely an upgrade from Peak Design’s previous flagship, the 3.88-pound (1.76 kg) 30L Everyday Backpack.
Besides the internal frame and the extra carrying capacity, the 45L bag differs from the 25L bag by the delivery with a removable hip belt sold as an add-on to the 25L outdoor backpack. Both bags are available in black, white “cloud” and purple “eclipse”.
Each backpack is compatible with Peak Design’s packing and camera cubes, which come in a variety of sizes and fabric choices that prioritize weight or weather resistance. The camera bags are designed to carry everything from small mirrorless systems to multi-accessory drones to full-featured professional rigs. Only the 45L bag fits the largest packing cubes sold by Peak Design.
Outdoor Slings come in 7L (weighing 0.74 pounds) and 2L (0.39 pounds) sizes and quickly convert from a sling to a waist pack. The larger 7L pack features storage loops for external gear and can also hold PD’s smaller Camera Cube. Both can be worn across the chest when mounted on the shoulder straps of Outdoor backpacks for quick access to your most important gear.
Given Peak Design's crowdfunding history, it's no surprise that The Outdoor range is launched exclusively on Kickstarter today through October 15, with an expected ship date of January 2025. You'll find discounts of 20 to 25 percent off retail prices, according to PD, before the bags finally ship. peakdesign.comAmazon and other global retailers as early as late November 2024.
Retail prices will be as follows:
