First test
PRICE: £152
TRANSCONTINENTA.CO.UK
Peak Design Everyday Backpack Zip 15L This small backpack has a host of great features and build to match
SPECS › Price £152
Peak Design’s Everyday backpacks come in two different designs – there’s the regular version, and this one: the Zip model. The main difference is that the regular version has two zipped doors to the main compartment, as well as a top hatch. The Zip model has a single opening with a zip running from one side of the bag, over the top and down the other. A single opening like this doesn’t immediately sound all that useful – and I had visions of the whole thing flopping open when I least expected it. But the zips are stiff enough on their run to feel secure. Also, as there are four zips, you can effectively create individual openings – position two of them near the top to open the bag clam-shell style – or push them to the side and you’ll get an opening there. This, of course, means the backpack can be opened from either side. All you need to do is swing it off one shoulder and around to your front. What’s more, the zips have long fabric loops, so grabbing them is easy, even in gloves. The inner is one compartment, with two modifiable dividers. These can be easily moved to customise layout and stay put well when you want them to, plus they’re hinged so they can fit around larger items. I squeezed in a full-frame DSLR with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens mounted, sliding it down one side, while leaving space for a couple of lenses on the other side, plus some regular items in the top section. It’s best suited to a streamlined kit, though. Protection is decent, with a good 1cm of padding all around, and although there’s no additional strength at the base, I couldn’t find any real weak points where padding didn’t meet – a problem on some bags. There’s a dedicated laptop sleeve by the back panel and this will take a 13in model. Within the pocket, there’s a separate space for a tablet or notebook, and this is suspended from the bottom by about 5cm, so it’s protected from impact. There’s an additional bar of padding at the bottom of the laptop bay, too. The Everyday Zip 15L doesn’t disappoint when it comes to internal pockets either. At the bottom of the side-opening ‘doors’ are zipped pockets, as well as magnet-closing
› Material 400D 100% recycled poly-coated nylon shell; 900D waterproof bottom liner; compression-moulded high- density EVA foam dividers and protective panels; anodised aluminium and glass-reinforced nylon hardware › Tripod holder Yes (pocket and strap) › Sternumstrap Yes › Laptop pocket Yes, 13in › Waist belt No – accessory belt available › Zips Storm sealed, YKK › Raincover No › Dimensions (wxhxd) 28x42x20cm (exterior) 24x37x16cm (interior) › Weight 1.34kg › Contact: transcontinenta.co.uk
flaps above. Between the laptop bay and main compartment, there’s also an elasticated pouch to stow small, soft items like hats, and inside the top section is another zipped pocket. Externally, there are two side pockets for a water bottle or small tripod, and there are six loops on the outer for tying on extra gear. It also comes with two accessory straps for lashing on a tripod or walking poles, and there’s a key tether in the left pocket. It all adds up to lots of options, if you need them. There’s no rain cover, but the bottom has a 900Dwaterproof liner and the coated 400D nylon outer offers very decent protection against rain. The external zips are storm sealed, too, though they sit as low as the base and could be a weak point if you put it down in a puddle. We ran a light shower over the Everyday Zip 15L for a fewminutes and nothing got in, but if you’re liable to face more serious and persistent bad weather, an additional rain cover would be a good idea. I found the Everyday Zip 15L to be a comfortable carry. It has three padded handles to make lifting easy and shoulder straps are broad enough to spread weight. They also attach via a pivoting joint, so they can adapt to your body shape. The contact points on the back aren’t the thickest, but given the loads this bag is expected to take, they’re ample. Just don’t overload it. There’s a sternum strap, which is quick to fit, but no waist belt. That’s not surprising for a bag of this size, but if lateral movement is a problem for you, there is a pass-through for a £20 accessory belt. Behind that sits another pass-through for stowing on a luggage handle, which is helpful for travel. KS
ABOVE This is a small bag, but we managed to fit in a decent amount of gear, and the dividers in the single compartment are easily modified for different shapes and sizes
PROS Great build, handling, and storage in a low-key package CONS Nothing much against knocks and the elements, and the black version we reviewed has a very low-key look, which doesn’t scream ‘camera bag!’. You can also get it in grey, blue and cream. Verdict Peak Design is building a reputation for well- made, well-thought-out photographers’ bags, and the Everyday Zip 15L sticks right to that trend. It’s a small and lightweight backpack, perfect for streamlined camera kits, but you can get bigger gear in too if you modify it. It offers good protection
ABOVE The single zip design means you can easily open the Everyday Zip 15L from either side or the top, giving a range of access. And the shape of the bag makes it simple to swing around to your side to access cameras and lenses on the move
28 Photography News | Issue 80
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