Peak Design 30L Travel Backpack In-Depth Review - IS SMALLER BETTER?

I carry a lot of tech and their storages to the office every day. Do you think the 45L is too big for edc or will the 30L suffice? I read that the 45L can compress to a tighter form in 30L so that seems like a better longterm investment for both travel and work?

Excellent review with great packing examples. Thanks.

Great review, 45L has hidden pocket on the side pocket，does this 30L have this feature？

Great video but most of the liter volumes you mentioned are incorrect. The “30L Travels Backpacks” native state is 27L and expands to 33L. The “45L Travel Backpacks” native state is 35L, when snapped it “compresses” to 30L and expands to 45L with the expansion zips open. All listed on PD’s website.

Great quality review!

Your 40L looks like it took some usage. :)

Interesting to see that you can actually fit both a small and a medium camera cube in it. I just received the 30L and when I mount my medium camera cube I can barely squeeze in my tech pouch at the top. Yes, I’ve expanded the backpack. But mine looks smaller than yours.

设计太棒了！！

Best review for this bag

Thank you so much for referencing the 6L sling. Bummer on that but I still like the review of this bag.

Great video review. You provided a lot of necessary information. Thanks

Great review, especially the size comparison for the full view of it on the back. Every reviewer should do this!

U answered all my questions! Thanks for this informative vid 😊

This is a really great review - thank you!

I like your presentation !

Don't have the 30L, but the 6L sling fits quite well at the bottom of the 45L (I guess it would fit into the 30L as well). Just not at the same time as with the medium cube, but I have all/most of my camera gear inside the sling anyways. Adding 2 small packing cubes and maybe a tech pouch, it's the perfect travel combo :)

hi do like you, I have all 3, and I find they have different use cases. The everyday is great for photography trips or summer edc, 30l is great for a winter edc where I also have a coat, gloves etc. Also for tube travel where hands may try and get in the back of my everyday backpack. 45l is all about the 3 day to a week business trip, particularly in winter.

I like the design of PD Backpacks. Unfortunately, without a proper hip belt - there’s one sold separately though (!), but it’s thin -, hiking isn’t fun.

I’m looking for a bag which I can take to work each day on the back of a motorbike (needs to be somewhat waterproof) and also swing by the gym on the way home. I do travel a bit and do take a small mirrorless camera (normally with a 6l sling), I’m never living out of a bag but do need spare room for everything.
Would you recommend the everyday backpack or the travel?

Hi, does this fit underneath the aircraft seat? Thanks.

Great video! I appreciate the insight. Does this bag fit underneath an airplane chair?

I saw you have to expand to fit it horizontally but was wondering if you can fit the small size camera cube vertically without expanding the bag to 35L size ?

Great vid! So wish the Everyday Zip came in a larger size than their 20L because I love the side access (but don’t love the top access of the Everyday).

I have the 45L Travel and the 30L Everyday Zip. The lack of side access is a deal breaker for me. I have travelled with the 45L and used it as a daypack. But I find that it was way too big and heavy for me for that purpose. I'm only 5'2" so it looks ridiculous on me as a daypack. I think I'll skip this version and will use my everyday zip for daypack while traveling and use a normal suitcase when I go on longer trips. But the 45L is still really great for week long trip that isn't photography focused. I'd pair it with the 6L sling so I can use that for my mirrorless setup when I'm out and about.

Great review and comparison! Thank you!

You won't add tripod in side pocket when backpack is full. Same with tech pouch etc. Do tests with full pouches, full backpack.

A better review than Peak Design themselves. Thanks!

Thanks for the review. Made my decision based on your video! I'm going elsewhere as the cubes won't fit in compressed mode..

Fantastic review!!!!!

Great video, I didn't even know the smaller one had this many things missing. I wanted the 30L because I don't think I need as big a backpack as the 45L, but when I saw it in the store I realised you can't put the camera cube in it without using the expansion zip. No side access is the biggest dealbreaker here though. I wonder if they'll make a slightly smaller set of camera cubes for smaller cameras.

You’re the first person to give a proper review of this pack in regards to size, figment etc. The way you described it as being contoured to be slimmer is accurate. Everyone else makes it sound like it’s the 45L that’s been shrunk when in reality, it’s just been slimmed slightly in a few key areas.

great job on the video - practical, and the comparison is really helpful.

Can you review the new SYMPL Travel backpack pls. tnx

If I had the 30L on max 33l capacity, can it still be consider it as personal carry on?! so I can bring a roller as my carry on.

Hey! great video. Do you know if a kindle/ipad mini would fit in that front quick access pocket? Thanks!

Pretty good video, thanks a lot for the insights! 🙂

Can I carry on this backpack & a small 22 inch suitcase?

🤔 After watching your video PD 30 liter travel backpack is a possible candidate for my next pack. The other 2 are Heimplanet Transit 28L Bellroy Transit 28L backpack. Heimplanet is about the same weight as PD 30. Bellroy is lightest of the 3 (1.1kg) but it doesn't feature a hip belt ☹️. A tough choice indeed...

I feel like the 30L is a good alternative to the Everyday Backpack. I really like the full opening design of the travel backpack rather than the side only access of the Everyday Backpack. If I didn’t already own a 30L Everyday because I got it long before the Travel Backpack existed, I would’ve gotten the Travel.

The Everyday looks a little nicer, and the side access is convenient when you have smaller cameras, but for larger gear it’s a little annoying. Especially since after getting warrantied to the V2, the side access flaps don’t fold all the way back anymore.

So for reference, how tall are you?

This video is incredibly helpful. I love that you compare it not only to the 45L Travel Bag but also the 30L Everyday Bag (which I already own). Made me realize that for me the 45L makes way more sense to complement what I already own.

Great review, the best one around I think! One thing that would solve my mine gripe with 30L would be slightly less tall packing cube (so we can use backpack in compact mode) - I wonder if other companies make something that would fit this backpack… Also, if the laptop compartment had external access then they could move the main zip to the outer side and then it would give us access to those small zip locked pockets inside. All over strange choices that I'm sure will be solved in v2.

It's 28-32liters not 35

Can't really travel with the 30L everyday. I would never travel only with the everyday since access is super limited .

You can travel with the travel bag though 🙂 i know that sounds funny but it's true.

Love the 45L but my problem with it are the straps. How does the straps on the 30L feel? The 45L slices thru your shoulders when the bag is loaded. Overall i think the 45L is still worth it. Good thing they removed the side access. It's useless for a clamshell. Also, side access sucks when you're doing a gig and need quick access to your gear. Other than that great review, Thanks!

Can the 30 liter fit under the seat of an airplane?

Is the 45L bag ok as a carry-on for Southwest airlines?

Great review!

Does the 40L fit under airplane seats easily/at all?

Nice review…
but the 30 is back ordered 🤦‍♂️so I had to get the 45 for my upcoming trip.