The Travel Backpack from Peak Design has been created for travelling, I worked this out the moment I realised it was called the ‘Travel Backpack’ - 10 points to Gryffindor! (who am I kidding, I’m clearly a Hufflepuff).

This good-looking bag is available in two equally attractive colours: Black (yawn) and Sage Green (yes!), and just like any good travel companion it is carry-on friendly, easily fits in the overhead compartment and won’t eat your snacks whilst you sleep. Peak Design know that no two trips are the same, so they have aimed to produce a versatile bag that is compatible with their packing tools (available separately) and will fit three cubes (or one medium and one small, or one large cubes).

The outer shell is constructed from a durable and weatherproof 100% recycled 400D nylon canvas with a tough 900D weatherproof bottom, whilst the inner is PU-coated to prevent rainwater entering the bag. You can quickly access your gear from either the top, side, front and rear entrance point, and the waterproof zips are tough and easy to grip even with gloves on. You get 45L of capacity with the Travel Bag, which can be collapsed down to 30L with the compression straps, making it suitable for day trips. There are lots of inner and outer pockets to organise your gear: the main compartment can be divided up thanks to the zippered mesh sleeve, the front organisation panel has four-zippered mesh pockets for small and flat accessories, the top and side pockets are soft-lined and there are zippered closure stash pockets for, well, your stash obviously, and there is a dedicated zippered laptop/tablet pocket (40.6 x 30 x 2.5 cm).

The ridged sidewalls and back panel mean everything stays were you put it, whether you stand the bag up, lay it down and when its empty. The comfortable shoulder straps can be stowed away behind the magnetic external pouch, giving you a cleaner finish for storing the bag in the overhead or sending it through the security scanner. The back pouch can also the folded in for extra back padding when carrying it via the shoulder straps, it also reduces the surface area that touches your back for a little extra ventilation. There are 360-degree grab handles, including a strap to attach the bag your other luggage, the front and back zippers are lockable, a protected luggage tag holder is also included, as well as the stowable padded hip belt, which helps to distribute the weight across your body.

The Travel Bag has inner dimensions of 53.34cm (21") x 38.1cm (15") x 14.61cm (5.75") and weights just 2.05 kg (4.5 lb) when empty. We received the Travel Bag with four accessories (sold separately) that we will take a close look at next. The Travel Bag 45L is packed with clever features to make travelling with valuable camera gear, as well as all your personal belongings, a breeze. Oh and the new Sage Green colour is discretely stylish! RRP $299.95

5 out of 5

Current Cheapest Price

Pros

45L down to 30L with compression

Loads of pockets

Structured sides and back panel

Shoulder straps and hip belt can be stowed away

Comfortable

Stylish design

360-degree handles

Meets international max carry-on standards in default 35L configuration

Expand the side pockets to store water bottles or tripods