Peak Design 45L

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Winston Churchill (Sir)

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I need another Bag - and have ordered the Peak Design 45L which I will have the opportunity to check out properly before casting the die

I am hoping to make inserts work to accommodate :

Z9 fitted with Z70-200
Z8 fitted with 200-500 (and eventually the 200-600)
Z24-70 on it's own.

I know these bags are designed to be used with cubes (optionally) - but opening one bag to open another bag just to grab a set up is stupid and impractical for me.
Also the price of 3 cubes equals the price of the whole darn bag!

Does anyone have this bag and have you set it up in a custom pay to suit your need without cubes? Please be kind enough to share your thoughts
 
I do not have the Peak Design bag but for every bag and roller that I own, I have removed the dividers and do my own thing. It may be the hazard of long glass. It seems to me that the bag makers think we own six 100mm lenses and we should stand them all up. I need the length. Good luck.
thank you - what do you do divider-wise? The 45L doesnt even come with dividers - so I thought of using all the spare divider sections - I have a drawer full - and make build them into a suitable set up?
Agreed on the 6x 100mm lenses 😂
 
I have a couple of boxes full of divider material. Sometimes I will use various dividers to create sections. My "primary" backpack bag has two or three small dividers. I never travel by plane with a lens attached to a body. It is not practical for me and I fear the lens and body mount will get jammed and stuck. If I am exploring in my truck then I will have a lens attached but typically not in a bag. All of my lenses have a LensCoat to protect the lenses or the small lenses are in their own protective bags. I put my bodies in protective bags. I do not see the dividers providing much more protection and they seem to get in the way. When I use dividers it is more to keep things in place than for protection. Build your own system to suit your needs.
 
I have a couple of boxes full of divider material. Sometimes I will use various dividers to create sections. My "primary" backpack bag has two or three small dividers. I never travel by plane with a lens attached to a body. It is not practical for me and I fear the lens and body mount will get jammed and stuck. If I am exploring in my truck then I will have a lens attached but typically not in a bag. All of my lenses have a LensCoat to protect the lenses or the small lenses are in their own protective bags. I put my bodies in protective bags. I do not see the dividers providing much more protection and they seem to get in the way. When I use dividers it is more to keep things in place than for protection. Build your own system to suit your needs.
Thank you Avocado - that is useful info for me.
 
Somes notes I compiled a couple of years ago after buying the PD ..... I subscribed via Kickstarter in 2018 to a big reduction on the entire system of packing units with the this bag... accessories are all good, and i use these regularly.

My Conclusion 8+ months later was the Backpack is overpriced and fails in its lack of key features. In short the straps are too thin, the hip belt too uncomfortable. It's no hiking pack! Overall the harness is a joke, especially at the price...even with moderately loaded, given it is rated to take up to 45litre.

Poor design at such high price applies especially to what PD has passed off as the "Hip-Belt". This is more a joke, as it is in fact a rip off. So this bag is limited to short trips and airport carry on.nit should be fine if you use it inside a vehicle, however. It fails as a travel backpack, primarily because the designers failed to upgrade the harness to handle carrying a decent load +15kg for longer than 1 hour at best. It's NOT designed for a half let alone full day's peregrination, whether urban or outdoor hiking.

However, the access points and roomy internal design work well, as does the rear and side panel access. No top access is a -ve; as you cannot access a medium to large lens rigged on a camera with the pack standing upright. Modular design is a big +ve.

Unlike the fStop ICUs, the PD Camera cube options work best for smaller lenses mainly (but it just fits a 400 f2.8 Nikkor with not much room remaining). The Exterior Side pouches proved too tight to use in practice. In fact these are useless (trying to quickly stash a sealed sandwich at a train-station kiosk crushed it flat!).

OTH the packing cubes should fit most packs of similar size. The Origami style pads/dividers are very useful in this respect, I use them often.....transplanted into my fStop pack :)

The system to attach a tripod is poor for this PD pack; it's really bad actually for a decent sized Sirui or Gitzo; especially when I compare fittings on the bigger Vanguards and Mindshift Backlights. Even though the pack is really well built with strong zips, it is not worth the high price, especially as PD charge extra for the raincoat.
 
I need another Bag - and have ordered the Peak Design 45L which I will have the opportunity to check out properly before casting the die

I am hoping to make inserts work to accommodate :

Z9 fitted with Z70-200
Z8 fitted with 200-500 (and eventually the 200-600)
Z24-70 on it's own.

I know these bags are designed to be used with cubes (optionally) - but opening one bag to open another bag just to grab a set up is stupid and impractical for me.
Also the price of 3 cubes equals the price of the whole darn bag!

Does anyone have this bag and have you set it up in a custom pay to suit your need without cubes? Please be kind enough to share your thoughts

Elsa, re reading your primary question, the bag should fit all your gear, but IME all dividers need Velcro to stay in position. So this needs a Cube aka ICU

But you can keep the flaps of the Packing Cube always open and folded out of the way.
The simplest solution I can suggest is get the fStop ICU that uses up all the space in the bag. At least you can access everything quickly via unzipping the back lid.

fStop ICUs are better made with stronger protection. LandscapeGear stock these... Check dimensions

 
Somes notes I compiled a couple of years ago after buying the PD ..... I subscribed via Kickstarter in 2018 to a big reduction on the entire system of packing units with the this bag... accessories are all good, and i use these regularly.

My Conclusion 8+ months later was the Backpack is overpriced and fails in its lack of key features. In short the straps are too thin, the hip belt too uncomfortable. It's no hiking pack! Overall the harness is a joke, especially at the price...even with moderately loaded, given it is rated to take up to 45litre.

Poor design at such high price applies especially to what PD has passed off as the "Hip-Belt". This is more a joke, as it is in fact a rip off. So this bag is limited to short trips and airport carry on.nit should be fine if you use it inside a vehicle, however. It fails as a travel backpack, primarily because the designers failed to upgrade the harness to handle carrying a decent load +15kg for longer than 1 hour at best. It's NOT designed for a half let alone full day's peregrination, whether urban or outdoor hiking.

However, the access points and roomy internal design work well, as does the rear and side panel access. No top access is a -ve; as you cannot access a medium to large lens rigged on a camera with the pack standing upright. Modular design is a big +ve.

Unlike the fStop ICUs, the PD Camera cube options work best for smaller lenses mainly (but it just fits a 400 f2.8 Nikkor with not much room remaining). The Exterior Side pouches proved too tight to use in practice. In fact these are useless (trying to quickly stash a sealed sandwich at a train-station kiosk crushed it flat!).

OTH the packing cubes should fit most packs of similar size. The Origami style pads/dividers are very useful in this respect, I use them often.....transplanted into my fStop pack :)

The system to attach a tripod is poor for this PD pack; it's really bad actually for a decent sized Sirui or Gitzo; especially when I compare fittings on the bigger Vanguards and Mindshift Backlights. Even though the pack is really well built with strong zips, it is not worth the high price, especially as PD charge extra for the raincoat.
Thanks - appreciated. This is exactly why I am asking - and why Orms have ordered the bag - on the condition that if I don't want it - I don't take it. I have been trying read some reviews - but none address the long lens situation

I don't hike for extended periods - hell I don't hike at all if I can help it - but the idea would be to have a bag that can hold the Z9 with a long lens in tact - when I do move from the vehicle to where ever I am walking (not far) just so the gear is protected in some way while I move about. I want to be able to fit the z8, z9 with long lens, and then the 24-70 as well as the 70-200. Thats it. Done. NO MORE lenses!

None of the bags I looked at seems to be big enough - keep in mind I only looked at Orms - and what they stock. I have a ThinkTank with wheels for flying. Definitely cant put that on my back. I got stuck on thinking the bag must accommodate the gear with lenses - so I can grab one quick on the walk - otherwise I have to carry that body and lens by hand.

DO you have any other suggestions ? (from Orms preferably) and yes I know one never has the right bag.
I would have liked a bag that sits higher on the back - but those don't exist for camera bags AFAIK and a waist belt is important as I do have shoulder and back issues. I wont use it for the laptop- too heavy.
 
Speaking with a modicum of experience post expenses (have too many bags!) the best backpacks are fStop or Mindshift Elite. Either needs a ICU at least for the Elite 45. A fStop Ajna with ICU would be my suggestion. These new fStop models are excellent, I have a Tilopa


Based on the 45D, a Vanguard Sky 51D should work really well for you but these are damned hard to find in SA. The dividers don't need a ICU
 
Speaking with a modicum of experience post expenses (have too many bags!) the best backpacks are fStop or Mindshift Elite. Either needs a ICU at least for the Elite 45. A fStop Ajna with ICU would be my suggestion. These new fStop models are excellent, I have a Tilopa


Based on the 45D, a Vanguard Sky 51D should work really well for you but these are damned hard to find in SA. The dividers don't need a ICU
The ThinkTank elite 45L looks viable. It needs a closer look - thanks for the help - it's harder shopping for a bag than for a camera
 
I have a 30L that I think would be close to fitting all that. I used it a 200-500mm on D500 and also with the 500mm PF on the side. It has dividers with it. I like it for larger lenses and a lot less for smaller lenses because they don’t stay in place as well. I have not looked at the larger bag. I have the cube in large that I use by itself often.
 
I have a 30L that I think would be close to fitting all that. I used it a 200-500mm on D500 and also with the 500mm PF on the side. It has dividers with it. I like it for larger lenses and a lot less for smaller lenses because they don’t stay in place as well. I have not looked at the larger bag. I have the cube in large that I use by itself often.
Thank you for your comment. I looked at the 30 - liked it a lot - but wont fit the lens and the Z9 which is a tad big and fat. that one is an issue. I tried!
 
FWIW - Think Tank also has the Airport Accelerator and the slightly smaller Commuter. I have both bags. The Commuter handles the Z9+400 f4.5 with inches to spare. One long divider could separate another camera+lens combo. The Airport Accelerator might satisfy your needs. Send an email to Think Tank and ask them. The support team is excellent!
 
FWIW - Think Tank also has the Airport Accelerator and the slightly smaller Commuter. I have both bags. The Commuter handles the Z9+400 f4.5 with inches to spare. One long divider could separate another camera+lens combo. The Airport Accelerator might satisfy your needs. Send an email to Think Tank and ask them. The support team is excellent!
thanks - i find them very uncomfortable on my back. do you not find that?
 
thanks - i find them very uncomfortable on my back. do you not find that?
Not at all. I have used them for many, many international trips. I keep the weight to about 20-22 lbs. Any more than that is too much for me to heft up into the overhead bins. When walking, the hip belt puts most of the weight on the legs. They are my go-to travel bags. If traveling by car, the bag sits on the back seat for quick access. But I would never transport lenses connected to the camera body when flying.

Good luck finding the right solution for your needs.
 
I don't have the Peak Design 45L but for size comparison I do use the Peak Design Large Camera Cube. I use it in the back of my car when traveling to many sporting events. I don't have the 200-500 any longer but these size comparisons might help. I know the Large Camera Cube will fit inside the 45L so if the gear will fit in the Large Camera Cube it should all fit in the 45L using your own dividers. I have my Z9 with Z 400 f4.5, my Z6ii with grip and Z 100-400, and a Z 24-70 f2.8.

My gear fits horizontally pretty well, the only issue is that the Z9 body stretches the depth of the cube. I don't think the 200-500 will fit horizontally. I think configuring the equipment vertically there should be room for the 200-500 but the 24-70 has to stand on end.


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I don't have the Peak Design 45L but for size comparison I do use the Peak Design Large Camera Cube. I use it in the back of my car when traveling to many sporting events. I don't have the 200-500 any longer but these size comparisons might help. I know the Large Camera Cube will fit inside the 45L so if the gear will fit in the Large Camera Cube it should all fit in the 45L using your own dividers. I have my Z9 with Z 400 f4.5, my Z6ii with grip and Z 100-400, and a Z 24-70 f2.8.

My gear fits horizontally pretty well, the only issue is that the Z9 body stretches the depth of the cube. I don't think the 200-500 will fit horizontally. I think configuring the equipment vertically there should be room for the 200-500 but the 24-70 has to stand on end.
thank you for the photos - it helps a lot to see what you did.
 
FWIW - Think Tank also has the Airport Accelerator and the slightly smaller Commuter. I have both bags. The Commuter handles the Z9+400 f4.5 with inches to spare. One long divider could separate another camera+lens combo. The Airport Accelerator might satisfy your needs. Send an email to Think Tank and ask them. The support team is excellent!
Thank you. I will be looking at the bags again and also try pack a couple and fit it on my back before making a decision
 
FWIW, I have had heaps of large bags bags over the past 30 years. Lowe Alpine, Think Tank, Gitzo, to name a few. I still use a Think Tank Airport Accelerator for long overseas trips, as it is pretty much the biggest bag that fits in an overhead locker. A couple of years ago I bought the latest Gitzo bag at a photo show. I tried it for a couple of weeks but hated it. The rear entry did not suit me.
By far my favourite bag is the GuraGear Kiboko 30L, which I absolutely love. This will take my Z9 + pf800, 2nd Z9 + 100-400, Z6 + short zoom. As well as plenty of other stuff in the top pockets. The only slight negative is not having a section for a laptop, which is why I still use the Think Tank occasionally. https://guragear.com/products/kiboko-v2-0-30l
(I think the GuraGear is difficult to find outside the USA.)
 
FWIW, I have had heaps of large bags bags over the past 30 years. Lowe Alpine, Think Tank, Gitzo, to name a few. I still use a Think Tank Airport Accelerator for long overseas trips, as it is pretty much the biggest bag that fits in an overhead locker. A couple of years ago I bought the latest Gitzo bag at a photo show. I tried it for a couple of weeks but hated it. The rear entry did not suit me.
By far my favourite bag is the GuraGear Kiboko 30L, which I absolutely love. This will take my Z9 + pf800, 2nd Z9 + 100-400, Z6 + short zoom. As well as plenty of other stuff in the top pockets. The only slight negative is not having a section for a laptop, which is why I still use the Think Tank occasionally. https://guragear.com/products/kiboko-v2-0-30l
(I think the GuraGear is difficult to find outside the USA.)
Thank you - it looks like a very nice bag!
I dont intent flying with the bag - for that I have a thinkTank big one with wheels.
These days I do more overlanding and no flying if I can help it.
 
I need another Bag - and have ordered the Peak Design 45L which I will have the opportunity to check out properly before casting the die

I am hoping to make inserts work to accommodate :

Z9 fitted with Z70-200
Z8 fitted with 200-500 (and eventually the 200-600)
Z24-70 on it's own.

I know these bags are designed to be used with cubes (optionally) - but opening one bag to open another bag just to grab a set up is stupid and impractical for me.
Also the price of 3 cubes equals the price of the whole darn bag!

Does anyone have this bag and have you set it up in a custom pay to suit your need without cubes? Please be kind enough to share your thoughts
I don't have Peak Design bag but I use PD camera straps. I love that you can take them off and put them back on quickly. Highly recomended.
 
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