The most perfect bag I’ve ever owned: Peak Design’s Everyday Backpack

I’ve spent years looking for the perfect backpack — and I’ve found a lot of good ones along the way. But never have I ever found a pack as close to perfect as the Peak Design Everyday Backpack.

This isn’t a review. (If you’re looking for that, check out this older review from The Verge or this newer video review of the 30L backpack.) But I do want to highlight a few life-changing features this bag has that I’ve quickly deemed essential.

I bought the V1 version of Peak Design’s award-winning Everyday Backpack. I made the purchase after the release of the V2 version and, as a result, got a decent discount on the 20L ash-colored bag. (Here’s a great comparison video looking at the V1 vs. V2 bags.)

The 20L bag seemed a bit small when I got it in my hands for the first time. But when I started to fill it with the contents of my older backpack, I realized just how much better the Everyday Backpack was over anything I had used before.

Here are the best features:

Completely adjustable sternum strap

In years past, I’ve attended events like CES and NICAR with a backpack full of devices that could be a pain — literally — to carry. To avoid severe aches, I used my bag’s chest or sternum strap to help distribute the weight in a way that didn’t hurt my shoulders and back as much.

But there was a problem: The strap often didn’t hit quite right.

The Everyday Backpack has a completely detachable sternum strap that lets you find that perfect area to have it cross your chest. Also, when you’re not using the strap, you can attach both ends to one of the bag’s shoulder straps, which keeps the sternum strap from flailing about.

Straps on straps… on straps

While we’re on the subject of straps… the extra straps this bag gives you are surprisingly useful and can make the pack even more of a workhorse.

There are straps to secure large tripods to the bag’s sides. There are straps to attach a yoga mat to the bag’s bottom. There’s a strap that can secure the bag around your waist — this one can complement the sternum strap while carrying extra heavy loads. Peak Design has even shown the straps securing a drone to the outside of the bag.

All the extra straps on the Everyday Backpack can slip into various pockets and nooks, which preserves the bag’s sleek aesthetic when they’re not in use. (You can also just remove some of the straps you think you won’t use. I did.)

Flex-fold dividers and side-access

I’m listing these two features together because they fix my biggest gripe with bookbags: getting to the stuff that’s stored in the bottom of the bag requires (basically) unpacking much of what’s stored on top. Especially while you’re traveling, it’s usually a never-ending cycle of unpacking and re-packing to grab books, game consoles, snacks, hand sanitizer, etc.

The Everyday Backpack’s flex-fold dividers create divided regions inside your bag so you’re not just piling one thing on top of another. They can be moved around, taken out entirely and folded. So there are a lot of ways you can configure the bag to fit whatever you’re carrying.

For photographers, the flex-fold divers do a good job of creating spaces to safely store cameras and lenses. On my own outings, I’d bring my D-SLR body with a standard lens attached. Then I’d store my zoom and macro lenses in the bag just in case I needed them. There was still plenty of room for snacks, a small tripod, a packable rain poncho and more inside the bag.

Thanks to the Everyday Backpack’s side-access, getting at anything inside the bag could be done without ever opening the top of the bag and without disturbing anything I wasn’t trying to get to.

The side access is also great because you never have put the pack on the ground to get inside. Instead, you just take one of the should straps off and swing the pack around the opposite side of your body.

MagLatch

Thanks to the side access, opening the top of the Everyday Backpack isn’t usually necessary. But when you do need to get into the top of the bag, it’s extremely easy. All you do is pull out and up on the latch handle. Closing it is strangely satisfying, too, thanks to the magnetic clasp and little ladder lock points.

Ease of opening and closing isn’t the reason the MagLatch is great, though. The best part of the latch design is that it actually lets you make the bag bigger when you need more space.

You see there are four latter lock points. If the bookbag isn’t totally full, you close the MagLatch on the lowest lock point. If you need a bit more space — for a bulky sweater or shoes — all you have to do is close the MagLatch on the highest lock point. It’s ingenious.

Secret quick storage spot

Okay, this last thing I’m going to highlight is more for the photographers out there but the trick can be applied for other stuff, too.

There is a small quick storage spot that’s perfect for lens caps. It’s located near the bottom of the bag, behind the back padding. (Seriously!) Watch the video.

Other great features that make life a bit better:

– Weatherproof shell and exterior zippers
– Luggage pass-through strap
– Anti-theft loops
– Thinner but still comfortable shoulders straps

As I said before, this isn’t a review. But if you’re thinking about buying this backpack, you can do so on Peak Design’s website. Or, if you’re looking to get a deal, Peak Design also refurbishes its bags, certifies and resells them on eBay. (And here’s more info from Peak Design about its refurbish and resell certification process and warranty.)