Peak DesignTravel Line Backpack 45L (Sage) (Expandable 30-35-45L)

This item gets a lot of returns, and I bet it's because people get it to try it out but end up going with something that better suits their uses and is cheaper. The quality is obviously very high so I doubt it's due to defects.The biggest flaw (no comfortable handles) is easily fixed. While it has great "grab handles" in strategic locations for putting it on, taking it off, and getting it in and out of vehicles, it doesn't have good handles for carrying when you're not using the backpack. Simple solution: use any shoulder strap clipped to the handy attachment points. They're not intended for that, and look like it might be off-balance, but it turns out it works quite well.It's narrow, so you'll tend to use it with smaller compression sacks.While it's a decent packpack, it doesn't have load lifters, so while the hip belt is good enough to carry the load, your shoulders will always carry part of it -- how much depends on your torso length. I'm 6'1" but long legs so medium male torso, but my shoulders carried about 1/3 to 1/2 the load. I tried to rig up some load lifters using the attachment points and it almost worked -- it would have worked had my torso been an inch or three shorter. So, this is NOT a long trek hiking backpack. Almost but not quite.The pockets and access points are nicely laid out and useful.It does weigh an extra pound or two, but once I get 30-40 lbs of stuff in it, that doesn't matter to me.

I purchased this bag for myself to take on our trip to Japan. I don't know how I used my previous bag for so long. This bag combined with the tech pouch, wash pouch, and the 3l sling fit perfectly with room for my over headphones and a 16inch Macbook pro. All the organization and quick access made travel better than I have ever experienced. With the expansion capabilities, I was able to expand it enough to fit additional purchases made on the trip but still have easy access to my belongings. A larger bag but still got it to fit underneath all of our airplane seats. Once we got back my wife purchased the bag as well cause she saw how nice it was.The build is great, I got black and love how sleek it is. A phenomenal travel companion

It's a great bag, very well-made and thought out albeit possibly just over-engineered for my needs. The materials are premium and the features like the magnetic stowaway straps and hip belt are genius. The hidden lash straps are also a solid feature. The main reason I returned this bag was that I found it to be a much heavier/ less-comfortable carry when fully packed out with clothes + 13" MacBook Pro and iPad Pro. Without load lifters you can really feel that weight on your shoulders. At 5lbs when empty, it isn't a light bag either.

I’ve been using the Peak Design 45L Backpack, and I’m really impressed. The look and feel are fantastic, with a sleek design and high-quality materials. One of the standout features for me is the abundance of well-thought-out pockets and compartments, which make the bag extremely user-friendly. Previously, I used the Nomatic backpack, but I found its pocket placement awkward and hard to access, especially on the go. The Peak Design bag completely resolves that issue, offering better organization and easy access to essentials. It’s a great upgrade for anyone seeking a more functional travel backpack.

Sometimes you want to wear it like a backpack, and sometimes you need to put it somewhere (in my case, an overhead rack on Amtrak or an airliner). When you need to stow this, the straps hide behind a cleverly engineered panel with a few magnetic catches to keep the result flush and tidy. The straps don't catch on anything. Then, to wear it again, just pull the straps out in literally three seconds and shrug it on.Genius.The rest of the design is simple and effective. It's mostly a one-big-bag design but you do get water-bottle pockets on each side and a slot for a laptop.The fabric and stitching feel sturdy and abrasion-resistant.It's not cheap! But it's a high quality piece of travel kit, and its thoughtful design means you will want to use it, and you will appreciate its better-than-most utility.(I also bought Peak Design's matching Wash Pouch to replace a 45-year-old Dopp kit that was fraying and disassembling itself at last. The Wash Pouch is, like the backpack, a clever critter. It has just the right combination of small and large interior spaces to hold deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shaving essentials and smaller stuff like wipes, Q-tips, nail nippers, whatever... while keeping wet and dry things separate. )

Love this bag and its my go to as a carry-on for travelling. Combined with a medium packing cube, tech pouch and wash pouch from Peak Designs, I've travelled all over Asia and Europe.

I'm 50 and have a little more time and $ to travel so I decided to invest in a good bag I can carry anywhere. This bag does the trick. Good solid build, strong materials, plenty of room, thoughtful features without overcomplicating.I just got back from a week in Yellowstone and the bag was flawless with plenty of room for all my gear. I love how easy it is to access any compartment. The convenient and comfortable stowable straps are a great feature. On this trip we had to take a smaller jet (2 seats on each side) and the overheard space was tight. Everyone boarding before me was given a tag and asked to leave their bag to be stored with the checked luggage. I simply pulled out the shoulder straps and put the bag on my back and the gate attendant didn't require me to take the tag. My wife, who had to check her bag, scoffed and said it would never fit. When we got in the plane, I quickly stored the shoulder straps and slid the bag into the tiny overhead to her surprise. It was nice to not have to wait for my bag to be delivered with everyone else. I definitely got a few looks as I stepped by with my bag on my back. I'm next off to Panama then Europe and I can't wait to take the bag out for another run.