Customer reviews from Peak Design
Peak Design - Outdoor Backpack 45L - Black
Average customer rating
4.3
(216 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 216 reviews
5 Stars
136
4 Stars
44
3 Stars
18
2 Stars
9
1 Star
9
87%of customers recommend this product.
(
165 out of
190)
Customer Reviews for Peak Design - Outdoor Backpack 45L - Black
Customer Rating
5
Excellent hiking pack
on April 7, 2025
Posted by: Dunes
from Seattle, WA
I finally had a chance to take the PD outdoor bag on some serious hiking. I had avoided the previous PD bags due to the lack of a solid hip belt, so I used an REI day hiker with a small camera cube. That worked, but it was always frustrating due to the cube not being secure in one place. I love that i can secure my smedium cube at the bottom of the bag with the back panel access. My only gripe here is that the loops to secure the smedium cube with the c-clips were not perfectly aligned so it was tough to get a secure connection on one side. Never-the-less I made it work.
I was worried about the performance of the roll top closure, however with the magnets to bring the sides together it actually works pretty well as long as you don't over fill.
On my previous bag, I had the capture clip on the shoulder belt but after a long hike one of my shoulders would be sore and knotted up due to the weight on one side. On the Outdoor bag I tried mounting the clip on the hip belt. This was far more comfortable for me, though I could see someone being annoyed with the camera being near where you hands come to rest hanging down.
I think you could get a bag that functions similarly at another manufacturer for less, however I've experienced PD standing by their lifetime warranty and if you can stomach the initial price then you know you have a product for life.
All in all the bag is very functional and I'm super happy with the purchase. Looking forward to some summer hiking!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
5
So comfortable
on April 10, 2025
Posted by: Brillero
from Tel Aviv Israel
Bought this bag and the sling 2L. Have the 15L zip as well. Very happy with the buy. The bag is super comfortable and so easy to dig in.
Few comments:
1. Another pair of zippers would've made this perfect like the zip bag has.
2. Not comfortable and not intuitive to connect the sling to the bag. The set up is too much and I always prefer letting go of the connection.
Few comments:
1. Another pair of zippers would've made this perfect like the zip bag has.
2. Not comfortable and not intuitive to connect the sling to the bag. The set up is too much and I always prefer letting go of the connection.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
4
The backpack that keeps on giving
on April 12, 2025
Posted by: Bob61
from Melbourne
I have just finished a 1 month tour of: ~Singapore, Turkey, Dubai, Tanzania & Kenya using the backpack. It’s amazing how each time I need space I find another surprise in a space or methods of using it. It wonderfully easy to add storage space no matter the size. I used it as a carry on and it is perfect.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
3
Doesn't work for my travel photo hiking backpack.
on April 13, 2025
Posted by: mferring
I really, really, wanted to like this bag. My intention is to use as a carry on for international travel, and then hopefully continue to use it for moderate photo based hiking using the Peak Design Capture Clip on a shoulder strap, and carry layers, snacks, and hydration pack on those same trips. My favorite photo backpack for that purpose is the Lowepro PhotoSport with the Peak Design Capture clip. However, after my main bag was lost for an entire hiking trip, I now try to as a minimum to carry on all necessary stuff for 2-4 days of the trip including electronics, toiletries, and several changes of clothes in addition to my hiking stuff and camera. The Lowepro PhotoSport is my perfect hiking photo backpack, but is not big enough for the above use case.
I also have the Peak Design 30L travel backpack which works very well for travel and meets my volume requirements. I have toyed with the idea of using this backpack also as my hiking backpack. But I just find that the strap system is just too uncomfortable for up to 10-14 mi of multi terrain hiking. So I only use that travel backpack for non hiking trips.
Therefore, after reading and watching maaaany reviews of the new Peak Design 45L Outdoor Backpack (PDOB) , it looked like I might have my solution.
However, I must say after getting the pack a few days ago, I am pretty disappointed with its capabilities.
First, in real life, the bag just seems much smaller than the advertised 45L. I suppose if you roll the top of the PDOB all the way up and stuff it full, it might be around 45L, but I would never want to use that backpack without cinching down the rolltop at least part way.
My intention was to use the stuff sack portion of the bag to hold my layered clothes which consist of rain pants, rain coat, and a light stuffable puffy jacket. I was very surprised to see how narrow the bag was and how small the stuff sack was. Even though my layers don't take that much room they basically overflowed the narrow small stuff sack area and it was difficult to pull the draw string tight enough to get the panel to close over the layers. Not good for light rain situations.
Then I planned to use the main area of the bag under the carry straps to carry my electronics, toiletries, camera during transit, and 2-4 days worth of clothes. Again, I found this area quite a bit smaller then I expected. Also, it had zero structural integrity and wanted to stay tightly compressed all the time (perhaps this might relax over time). So it was a bit of a challenge to pack out the main area without this structural stability. As others have mentioned it was also a bit finicky to get the carry straps out of the way to unzip the back, but this was not a big deal to me.
Then, after all the years of people complaining about Peak Design carry straps being uncomfortable, and because of the reviews I saw, I really expected the carry strap system to be the ultimate in comfort. I was very surprised to find that they were not, at least to me. Even though the pads were thick, they were quite hard. Also, the shape over the shoulder was more like a fold then a curve. Again, I suppose over time that these straps might break in and be better. But I was not sure I wanted to take that risk as the bag is very expensive.
And ultimately, the PDOB had to contend with the comparison to the latest version of the Cotopaxi Allpa 35L (CotoA) which I had also picked up as another possible choice.
Even though the CotoA is only rated at 35L, to me, practically it carries more than the PDOB. Although it is quite a bit wider than the PDOB, it is all very usable and still meets the airline carry on restrictions. And if you don't pack it full it can be compressed to fit into smaller spaces. Some reviewers have said they have successfully gotten the CotoA under their airline seat. And it is much easier to access and pack out the interior of the clamshell opening CotoA then the PDOB.
The straps on the Cotopaxi are very comfortable and I think would work well for hiking. The bag itself is a little big for my hiking use case, but if not packed out should have a pretty low profile. I do admit that the clamshell access is a bit slower for hiking use, and it is more likely that you will get part of the pack dirty since more of it will touch the ground when opened. I also do not like that it does not provide a hydration pack solution, but at least it now has an outside water bottle pocket. It was a bit of a challenge to attach my PD Capture Clip. However, I used the PD provided allen head screws vs the knurled knobs. These screws were a bit longer and allowed me to attach the clip below the chest strap mounts on the shoulder straps. I have a fairly heavy camera (Canon R5 with 24-70 F2.8 lens), but I cannot even feel the weight when clipped in.
And finally, although this was not a huge driver for me, when using the bags as a travel bag, the CotoA is much better at providing access to desired items via its two outside pockets vs the PDOB.
The CotoA is big enough that I may even decide to carry a packable day back and hydration pack with me as my hiking solution. I have the Venture Pal 40L Lightweight Packable Travel Hiking Backpack Daypack and think I can make it work. I have placed a hydration pack in the back pocket of the Venture and ran the drinking tube over my shoulders and threaded via the carry strap loop. Even though the Venture was not designed as a hydration backpack, itworks pretty well and all packs down and fits with the CotoA. I can also hang my camera on the Capture Clip on this backpack. Even though the straps are thin, it is still pretty workable.
So it is obvious that PD is really trying had to find innovative unique solutions to our travel and hiking use cases. I just think that no matter how much I am trying to like this bag, I cannot recommend it for the type of use I have in mind.
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
5
New, go-to travel bag
on April 24, 2025
Posted by: DanMTB
from Texas
Backed this product on Kickstarter and have now taken it on several trips. It has become my new favorite travel bag. It holds a surprising amount and keeps nicely secured. Comfortable fit on my shoulders, even when weighted inside. Quick access shoulder pouches have been an great addition to my travel routine, excellent place to quickly stash/access my phone or wallet while going through the airport and security. Multiple tie down points around the bag give me the chance to increase storage if needed. No visible signs of wear after several multiday trips thus far. Another hit product from PD in my eyes.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
5
Spacious, versatile, and efficient!
on April 27, 2025
Posted by: Anonymous
from Emerson, GA
I bought this bag a few weeks ago and it has been life/changing! I bought it with a large camera cube. The build quality and the customizable organization is top-notch. I’d highly recommend this product for wedding and event photographers. That said, this is not a bad bag to carry with you on long treks, if you like to do landscapes and wildlife as well!
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
4
Top Product 👍
on April 28, 2025
Posted by: Ben
from Berlin
Great backpack. The design is well-thought-out and innovative. The price is quite high, so I'm curious to see how the quality will hold up over time. So far, it's been performing great and has been very comfortable to wear on longer tours.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design
Customer Rating
5
Excellent quality bag
on April 30, 2025
Posted by: Maddey
from San Francisco
I think I might have actually found the backpack to replace my EDC. The front closure pocket with the pull cord is easily accessible but secured. Fits my work Laptop and my MacBook Air. The straps are great for quick stash items. The cord hook system has a set up for everything. It also feels like it has more than 25L of internal storage but isn’t clunky.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting Peak Design