Peak Design has announced an overhaul of its entire camera-focused bag lineup, called the Everyday Line V2. The new bags are similar to the immensely popular prior models, but with improvements made to both design and materials, based on feedback from customers of the earlier versions. In addition, Peak Design is expanding its lineup with a new backpack and tote bag, which join the existing Everyday Backpack and Everyday Tote. All of the new designs and bags are available to order direct from the company starting today, November 25th.
The company says that it has made improvements to the zippers on all of its bags to increase durability. The new “UltraZips” are claimed to have twenty times the tear strength compared to standard zippers. The designs have also been enhanced with more rounded profiles and streamlined seams, and the magnetic latch closures on the Everyday Backpack and Everyday Messenger have been tweaked, as well.
Perhaps the most significant change in materials is the switch to softer, more pliable straps, which Peak Design says was made in response to customer feedback that the older straps were too stiff. In addition, the material on the inside of the backpacks has been strengthened to resist wear, which was a common complaint on the first versions of the bags.
The entire line is available in six different colors, including new navy and cream color options. The dark grey charcoal color way has been updated with leather accents, similar to the light gray color that has become a bit of a trademark for Peak Design.
New to the lineup is the Everyday Backpack Zip, a riff on the Everyday Backpack that replaces the magnetic latch closure system with a single 270-degree zipper. The Everyday Zip maintains the ability to quickly access camera gear from either side of the bag without having to fully take it off, and it includes the customizable flexible dividers to accommodate a variety of different loads. The Zip is available in 15 liter and 20 liter capacities for $189.95 and $219.95, respectively.
The other fully new bag is the Everyday Totepack, a 20-liter tote bag that can convert to a backpack thanks to stowable straps. Like the Everyday Backpack line, the Totepack has both top access and side access panels to make grabbing camera gear as quick and easy as possible. It’s available in either black or cream colors for $179.95.
I’ve had a chance to spend about a week using the new 20-liter Everyday Zip as my daily bag, for both camera loads and typical commute carries. It’s very similar to the 20-liter version of the Everyday Backpack, right down to the turtle-shell-like profile it provides when worn. The new straps are more comfortable than the stiff-as-cardboard prior versions, and they don’t cut into my shoulders quite as much as before. But they are still thinner than I’d prefer and aren’t as comfortable as beefier straps, especially when the bag is fully loaded up. Additionally, the Zip had the same tendency to roll over onto its face when I set it down on the ground, just like the Everyday Backpack.
Peak Design says that a 15-inch laptop can fit in the 20-liter model (the 15-liter bag is rated to carry a 13-inch laptop), but much like the 20-liter Everyday Backpack, jamming a large computer in the back of the Zip can be challenging. There’s a separate slot for a tablet or documents in the laptop compartment, but I had trouble fitting both an iPad Pro and Surface Pro X — two rather thin computers — at the same time. If you do need to carry a lot of equipment on a regular basis, the 20-liter Zip might not have enough capacity.
Overall, the improvements made to the line’s design and materials should be appreciated by the many fans of Peak Design’s prior Everyday bags. In the three years since the first Everyday bags were announced, you can see them being worn everywhere, and the new versions are likely to be just as popular.
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