Peak Design Everyday Backpack (20L) Review: Bordering on Perfection

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90%

90%

The Good

1. MagLatch is incredible
2. LOTS of room

The Bad

1. No zipper in main opening

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I’ve become rather obsessed with whatever backpack I’m currently using for my daily carry. And for anyone who doesn’t like the term ‘daily carry’ this really is the most appropriate place for it. Sorry.

But I do love a good, comfortable, and smartly designed backpack these days. I use mine to carry all of my important stuff to and from the studio and the gym, and it also joins me as my carry-on for the considerable amount of air travel I now undertake. Oh, and it’s always by my side on the equally voluminous amount of UK train journeys I have to endure.

Recently, I switched from the Waterfield Pro Executive backpack to the Peak Design Everyday. The former had quickly become my favourite backpack of all time thanks to its tardis-like carrying capacity and beautifully aged leather patina look.

Peak Design, therefore, had its work cut out.

Specs and pricing

The Peak Design Everyday backpack comes in two sizes – 20L and 30L. I opted for the former, in black (although there are several other rather pleasant colour options from which to choose).

It’s made from 400D double poly-coated DWR-impregnated nylon canvas. I have no idea what any of that means, but I can confirm that it’s pleasantly tough yet comfortably soft to the touch – no doubt in part because of the use of glass-reinforced nylon. There’s a 900D waterproof bottom liner, as well. Once again, answers on a postcard, please, but the presence of the ‘w’ word is reassuring.

The metal hardware on the Everyday is anodized aluminium, and the nylon interior is deemed ‘high-visibility’ by Peak Design. Add to that super-durable UltraZips with abrasion-resistant UHMPE thread, and you’ve got quite the impressive-sounding package.

There’s the usual stuff included – a detachable sternum strap and integrated luggage carry (where you can slide the Everyday down onto the extended carry handle of your suitcase), but some Peak Design specials are thrown in for good measure. These include a MagLatch top access (I’ll get to that in a moment), three velcro FlexFold internal dividers, and four straps for external carrying.

Price-wise, you’ll pay £259.99 for the 20L version, and £279.99 for the 30L version.

Good stuff

MagLatch is an utterly brilliant invention. The Everyday has provided my first experience with this form of backpack access and it is ingenious. The opening flap features a magnetic clasp which can be pulled and extended for attachment to four different horizontal metal latches. The idea is that you immediately gain extra internal space if you attach the clasp to the upper latches, as the top half of the backpack has more room to jut out. It’s simple, effective, and incredibly satisfying to use.

The Everyday is clearly aimed at photographers, thanks to those FlexFold dividers, but that doesn’t mean it should be given a miss by everyone else. I only carry one compact camera around these days, yet I’ve still found the internal carrying capacity and organisation of the Everyday incredibly useful.

If you’re interested, I’ve managed to fit the following into my Everyday backpack for quick access:

• 14-inch MacBook Pro
• reMarkable Paper Pro
• Three pairs of earbuds
• Wallet and passport
• DJI Osmo Pocket 3
• Fujifilm X100vi
• Two battery packs and one camera battery charger
• Multiple cables
• Bose QuietComfort headphones
• Glasses
• Sunglasses
• DJI Osmo Action cam

That still leaves enough room for any miscellaneous bits and pieces I need to stow away. It’s quite a heavy carry, but comfortable once on my back. The Everyday is also an immensely satisfying bag to pick up and move around. I can’t explain why – it just feels tight, well-packed, and high-quality.

The laptop compartment is superb – particularly given the fact that it can be adjusted to fit either a 14- or 16-inch device. My MacBook feels perfectly snug and protected in there.

There are just enough pockets – both accessible and hidden – to make the Everyday similarly tardis-like to the bag it replaced for me, and the addition of on-body side access to the main compartment is eminently useful. I like the side pockets, too. They’re not weather-sealed, but there’s plenty of room when extended for large water bottles and travel tripods.

Peak Design has added some nice touches, too. The magnetic arm straps, which attach themselves to the back of the Everyday once it’s off your back, are a bit gimmicky, arguably, but result in a tidy, smart-looking package.

Not-so-good stuff

I’ve seen some user reviews of the Everyday backpack which suggest it might be uncomfortable to wear for some people during long journeys. I’ve already done a lot of travelling with mine, and I’m yet to experience serious discomfort, although I can’t escape the fact that the Waterfield was slightly better overall in terms of long-duration comfort.

There are some minor niggles, too. To ensure full waterproofing, you need to tuck the side zips up as far as they go, and when you’re in a rush to grab stuff out of the backpack, it’s easy to forget to do so.

The lack of a zip for the main opening may also be a concern for some, although I’ve had no issues with water ingress thus far; the flap appears to do a stellar job of diverting rainwater away from the opening. And it rains a lot in England.

The on-bag sternum strap stowage system is also fiddly and nothing like depicted in the included instructions, which means you’re far more likely to end up detaching it entirely and stowing it in the bag. Along with the four external carry straps. Which is precious bag space that could be reserved for something more useful.

This isn’t a cheap backpack, either. But it’s not supposed to be. Regardless, I’m pretty sure that anything above £200 is going to be scrutinised by all but the most ardent backpack fans. Which I think I am, now.

Conclusion

I knew it would take a lot for me to be tempted away from the Waterfield Pro Executive backpack, but the Peak Design Everyday has managed to do just that.

It’s beautifully designed and highly functional, and the MagLatch system is one of those ‘how did I cope without this before’ additions to your day. The 20L also appears to be the sweet spot. Peak Design sent me the 30L edition, too, and I can confirm that it’s considerably bigger than the compact 20L version which is yet to cause any trouble during my regular planes, trains, and automobiles adventures.

If you use your backpack daily and do a lot of travelling, the Peak Design Everyday needs to be on your list.