One Bag Travel Showdown! Peak Design Travel Backpack vs. Pakt Travel Backpack V2

[@terrycarter480]

I own both. IMHO the Pakt backpack, even when empty seems to be too dense and heavy with too much organizational stuff inside. Whereas the Peak Design is a large, empty, cavernous bucket where I can dump in packing cubes and a wash pouch that I can put in the overhead bin. I keep all my smaller, tech items (ear buds, phone charger, etc) in a tech pouch that I can remove from the bag and keep with me as my personal item bag under the seat in front of me! I prefer that route!

[@Nomad.system]

This is my experience with the Peak. It does really well with packing cubes and other pouches for organization. I have the small and medium PD packing cubes plus other odds and ends in the main compartment. The outside zip houses a Dopp kit, meds/health pouch, and tech kit stacked up. It can also haul double water bottles for my partner and I. And to top it off there are plenty little zip pockets all around to organize small stuff. I recently stopped carrying a laptop in it and the comfort is SO much better too. It’s an awesome backpack all around, I don’t see replacing it any time soon.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! Sounds like a solid setup!

[@YACKon]

Those were the two main contenders for my multi-month trip. And it feels to my like the Peak Design bag gets the edge. I also like the Matador bag but I feel like Peak Design has an advantage there, too. Thanks for the info. Good stuff!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!

[@jeffhampton6972]

This is super helpful, thank you so dang much for making this video!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!:)

[@philsaunter]

Some airlines have very tough weight restrinctions on carry on luggage. More than 4 lbs for the bag alone is the achilles heal for both of these - for me and my use-case.

[@enriquediaz7547]

I have the Peak Design! Each time I want to venture out & try seeing new…. I realize it’s still good! :) I don’t like how the shoulder straps tend to “slip “. But using the chest strap fixes it.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for sharing your experience with the bag! The Peak Design bag continues to hold up very well!

[@longlivetheclash]

I always a sternum (chest) strap on all of my bags mainly for that reason.

[@ubernewb3005]

have tried several travel bags including both of these, mystery ranch, and osprey and ended up going with the aer travel bag 3 as my one bag travel pack of choice. 2nd place went to the pakt, but in the end didn't care for how it limited how i could load packing cubes because of where the laptop compartment sat. i prefer 1 deep bucket vs 2 shallow ones personally. i do wish the aer had a way to stow their straps away for overhead bin convenience, but man are those straps comfy

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and fair points! Although I really like the pakt bag I also still lean towards the Aer as my go to one bag option

[@CosmosBracknell]

Yes the color of the kislux is beautiful and it is a great decision, maybe one day they will add feet and straps. It would be nice to have a bigger bag during the colder months when we have to store gloves, beanies, scarves, etc…

[@Zerobar78.]

I have the Pakt bag, I love the quality and organization of it but the main compartment is too divided making it difficult to use packing cubes, you have to pack most everything flat(my shoes are a real pain to fit in this bag) or bulky clothes are going to be really limited in how much you can take with you. It's best for maybe business travel, carrying a laptop, shirts you don't want to roll up(pack flat). After this trip I will likely sell it and find another pack as the Peak design doesn't really appeal to me.

[@arlencarlson]

I bought a Pakt V2 35L. Wanted something that could also be a personal item and go under-the-seat on airlines (common mode of travel for me, to complement my roller suitcase). My assessment of the larger Peak is that it was too large to do that, and the smaller Peak appears to have a limited tech section. So Pakt is better hands-down for overall organization.

[@dave.in.oregon]

Great comparison video. I have both of those bags (plus the Minaal Carry-on 3.0) and they're certainly the premium bags on the market. BTW the Pakt 35L (according to Pakt) is 32L unexpanded and 42L fully expanded whereas their 45L (which is the one I have) is 41L unexpanded and 53L fully expanded. And those measurements were "conservative" according to Pakt as you actually get several liters of extra space beyond the stated volume. Just FYI.

[@user-zy1ru5hj3n]

Which do you use more often

[@dave.in.oregon]

@@user-zy1ru5hj3n I just got the Pakt (although I had the previous 34L version). But the new 45L one is coming with me on vacation in a couple of months. I've used the Peak Designs a few times and love it but.... Don't overpack it. The pivot hinges broke on me under load. Granted I probably put more gear than I should've in there. Support was awesome and replaced it for me. I've used the Minaal Carry-on v3.0 on a long 2+ week cruise in the Mediterranean last year. It worked great on all the flights needed to get there and back. I'm really looking forward to putting the new Pakt through it's paces soon though.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the additional information on the volumes and sharing your experiences with the bags! Hope the 45l ends up working out well for your trip!:)

[@Ellman1231]

Great vid! Peak Design gets my vote.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! Peak design is definitely an impressive bag!

[@ddsdss256]

Thanks. The PD Everyday Backpack Zip 20L is my go-to camera bag and the quality of all their stuff is exemplary, so I'm leaning toward that one. The straps are similar to the Zip, which is very comfortable, but I don't intend to wear the Travel Pack except in airports, where I hope not to have to wear it for hours! I am concerned that these bags are pushing the carry-on limit for some carriers, but I'm not sure if the smaller versions are large enough for a week.

[@arlencarlson]

Definitely a good comparison video. And I agree it takes awhile to get used to the Pakt packing method.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the support! :)

[@jordibarguno]

Would love the Pakt as a 25 L with the ability to expand to 35 L, that would be awesome.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I agree, that would be an awesome bag!:)

[@kylebocanegra5948]

Same! Their "25L" is just too small and lacking a good water bottle holder.

[@iankonstantino6648]

I’ve tried both, and I have to say the PeakDesign bag is infinitely better. Obviously everybody’s use case is different but the look, feeling and usability of the PD is much better. The Pakt bag doesn’t have much that separates it from the a normal $100 amazon travel bag. If you are at all even considering bringing or using a camera with you on your trip, the Pakt bag isn’t even in the same league as the PD bag. The PD bag looks organized and simple. Easily to use and no fuss. There are so many features of the PD that are hidden so much he didn’t even mention them in the video and its good because if you dont care about the 3 hidden pockets or the multiple security features then those features stay out of the way… hidden. I ended up returning my Pakt bag and I’ve had this Peak Design travel bag for years and it looks brand new.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good callouts! Glad to hear the peak design bag has been working out well!:)

[@garysandhu5082]

I'd like to see a comparison between the Aer travel pack 3 ultra vs the Tortuga 40L pro. Great video!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the suggestion! Will definitely add that one to the list!:)

[@MarkManner]

I have the 35L and 15L, and really like them. Just got back from a 3 week trip with them as my only bags.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and sharing your experience with the bags! Glad to hear the bags have been working out so well!:)

[@mirak_backwards]

Fantastic timing

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m glad the video was helpful!:)

[@lIllllIllllllIl]

Would love to see Peak Design Travel 45L vs Evergoods CTB 35L

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good idea for a future comparison video!

[@philipcolumbus3054]

I think the Pakt bag looked bigger than the PD when expanded. The Pakt bag might draw more attention from airlines employees.

[@fredriksandegren1948]

You forgot the 'hidden' pockets in the sidepockets in the Peak Design Travel Backpack!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good call out! With so many features on both of these bags I knew I was gonna miss something 😅

[@koikkalainen68]

Is this PAKT bag 35L or 45L ..... key information missing ...

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! This is the 35l version of the Pakt bag

[@KelvinHew7]

Hey Danny how many days of travel are you able to with the CTB26?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! That’s always tricky to answer because it just depends on the type of trip and packing style. If you are a more minimalist packer I think you can definitely do a week with it, but for less minimalist packing I think it can still handle a long weekend pretty comfortably

[@KelvinHew7]

@@dannypacks thanks you for your response. I think a week travel is doable and you played a part in my decision to get the CTB26 for travel. The cool thing is that I can pair it with a duffel, carry on luggage, a tote or even one bag travel with a sling. The versatility and options are there depending on the trip.

[@Ivan-up7ny]

Why are there so few bags with a main compartment model like the Pakt Travel v2 called "Dual-compartment packing"? Is it already patented so other brands are lazy to make models like that? Or is it just because there's just a lack of interest in a model like that?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and good question! I feel like Cotopaxi allpa has a similar layout and people seem to really like that one as well

[@InboundwithEcho]

Will the AER City Pack Pro fit in the expansion pocket?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! Unfortunately that’s probably going to be a little too bulky, a better fit would be something like the aer go pack 2

[@ustav85]

Hi Danny! I've been meaning to ask what your thoughts are on the Tomtoc XPacT26 wanderer ( I just recently got the tan/beige one).

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! I haven’t had a chance to try that one out, but it looks like a great option and tomtoc typically has really solid features and quality

[@nikkimontgomery6889]

OMG, thank you Danny, PERFECT comparison! You are knocking out of the park with this one! A strange but interesting comparison might be, the WaterField ShinJuku sling bag with the BlackEmber Grip Six. Plus, travel duffels seem to be increasing in popularity. Bag NERD here! God bless!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the support! Appreciate the suggestions as well, will have to think about an updated duffel bag round up soon!

[@WeiFinder]

I have the v and it's gotten a strap ripped while checked in. It's a bummer cuz it's a great bag, but thinking of trying something new now

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and I’m sorry to hear about the strap! Definitely a lot of great options to pick from so it can be tricky to narrow it down, if you liked this one a lot V2 might be worth a look as it’s a little better in my opinion :)

[@WeiFinder]

@@dannypacks true, but my brain always wants something "different" and the grass is always greener... So I might try something from the tropicfeel lineup

[@berniekeene868]

I have heard the fabric used for the Pakt bag attracts lint, dust, dog hair, and dust to an unacceptable degree. Does anyone have experience with this?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! The fabric does attract some dust, etc especially compared to some of the sleeker fabrics, but overall I haven’t found it to be too bad and it doesn’t attract as much as some of the cordura bags I have

[@MrSynler]

The main problem is that you can not buy the Pakt backpacks in Europe. I really would like to buy the Pakt v2 but this is not possible.

[@patch1103]

They will ship it to you. You just have to pay customs.

[@azeeqq3259]

hi , may i ask between refugio 30l and skule 28 , which one is more better in term of everything?

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! Both are really solid options overall and which is better will come down to preference on a few things: if you want load lifters on the shoulder straps (Refugio 30 has these) and organizational preference (the skule has a pretty standard organizational layout with in integrated laptop sleeve) whereas the Refugio has a removable sleeve with organization built into the sleeve so it can provide additional flexibility). I personally prefer the skule but both will be good

[@azeeqq3259]

@@dannypacks thank you!

[@tanseerimpex3334]

❤

[@itshadouken]

Posture in the side by side was MUCH better with the Pakt bag, wondering if you noticed...

[@Brandon-0028]

Great comparison Danny! I'm not a fan of the split portions on the Pakt bag. I don't feel like I can maximize space as it is more prescriptive which I think you mentioned. I had the Peak Design previously and it was a fantastic bag. The dealbreaker was the straps under load caused a lot of fatigue. If they improved there straps and at least made them a bit wider at the shoulders I would be tempted to buy another. Actually the outer compressable pocket on the Peak was clutch for a compressable compartment for board folded button down shirts. I loved that as a feature. As for the side zips on the Peak, I kept them purpetually locked as you can tuck the zipper in and pin it inside so it isn't accessible from the outside. Otherwise I continue to use my Mission Workshop Radian for 1 bagging it with the Spar (with backpack straps) which will attach via Archiv connectors to the Radian. I hope you are well and doing great!

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching and for the support! Great to hear about your experience with the peak design bag and all the suggestions, I agree the outer pocket is really nice and I’ll have to check out the radian at some point, people really seem to like that one!

[@Brandon-0028]

@@dannypacks I have some packing comparison images up on Carryology Classified FB from over a year ago. If you search for Radian you’ll find it. The only thing I’d say is that if you have the Archiv side pouches the Radian won’t fit in the overhead of smaller planes without removing one of the side pouches. The front pouches were fine.

[@ninjashhh8344]

I like the look and setup of peak slightly more and that laptop in the middle on pakt is a deal killer for me, but both seem like solid bags.

[@dannypacks]

Thank you for watching! I definitely go back and forth on how I feel about the laptop sleeve on the pakt bag 😂

[@manueldelgado5336]

Both laptop compartments are quite… unique. Honestly, both just seem bad implementariona

[@philipcolumbus3054]

I have the PD bag and the combo laptop/tablet sleeve is great. It has a false bottom so that if you happen to drop the bag, the contents are protected. Plus, with both sleeves, you can fit some additional items in the sleeve.

[@Jagrajagra]

Peak design side pockets are awful. It may not be as pretty, but cinch straps would be far more useful and longer lasting. Magnetic rear opening has been useless for anything. Top pocket is far too small. Shoulder straps haven’t enough padding for extended use carrying a full load. Shoulder straps have nowhere to hold them in place and just dangle around looking horribly untidy. . Looks great, isn’t anywhere near as practical as they suggest. 😢

[@longlivetheclash]

Awful? That’s a massive exaggeration. I own the 45 and 30 litre versions of this backpack l, and have traveled to 5 continents/over 30 countries with these bags. I don’t consider any aspect of these backpacks to be anywhere close to being ‘awful.’ All features and finishes are superior quality. Sure they may not carry 1 litre bottles, but there are two pockets (maybe for a reason)…🤦 If you slow down and make sure those magnets are actually connected on that front pocket, they will stay closed. After 2.5 years of ownership, these magnets have never caused this pocket to open up. There is nothing wrong with the shoulder straps; they are very durable, but not as padded as other backpacks.

[@sunnyvalejedi]

Wrong.

[@sunnyvalejedi]

I have a lot of PD stuff and want the 45L Travelpack so badly, but the straps just aren’t cutting it for me. Maybe I’m just too big a guy, but I tried one in the store with 20lbs in it and seemed really uncomfortable.

[@longlivetheclash]

@@sunnyvalejedi I have packed way more than 20 lbs of gear in the 45 litre, and had it on my back for hours (never been a problem). That’s what the sternum strap and hip belts are for.

[@sunnyvalejedi]

@@longlivetheclashGood for you. I’m well versed in packs, and have done many 65km backpacking trips in the alpine with 60-80L packs. The PD 45 has many complaints about the suspension. The straps are too short and narrow and not having load lifters just amplifies the issue.