p.4 #1 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
FWIW this whole backpack/bag trial turned into a bit of Goldilocks scenario for me 🤷🏻♂️ I chose all great bags to try. Maybe my results will help someone else decide too:
-Wandrd Prvke 21L Backpack w/ camera pack kit
-PeakDesign 20L Backpack ( surprisingly roomy)
-Mindshift Photocross13 Sling
-MindShift Gear Exposure 15 Shoulder Messenger Bag ( * surprisingly comfortable with a heavy load)
Original priorities included:
1. Truly water resistant
2. Comfortable straps
3. Camer gear compartment
3. Side entry swing-around accessible ( I can't put the pack on the ground to access interior as needed)
My typical travel scenario: Camera bag has to be able to pack flat or near flat in a suitcase that goes under the plane as I always carry-on my camera gear with the tiny ThinkTank Airport Advantage roller. I can squeeze this roller on even the smallest of commuter crafts. I break out the camera bag upon arrival.
An aweful lot to like about each of these bags each with some faults too. I ended up going with the PeakDesign 20L mostly because it presented the best of both worlds IMO, between sling, hand carry and expandable backpack. I can cinch the PD down to a nice and tidy 12L when needed and can pack almost flat in a suitcase by taking out the dividers. Likewise I found the PD dividers to be extremely versatile as far as packing large and small cameras and lenses all the way up to the GM 100-400 attached to the A9 on one side and the A7rIII attached to the GM 24-70 on the other side and a couple of other primes in-between + accessories and rain jacket. But this would not be my typical load.
Strap system is pretty smooth too for on /off body and swing around on body access. I can carry the pack like a messenger or handle case convent for sitting down at a table or public transit. Waste strap could be too thin if I needed to use it, but don't plan to pack that much. I do have to mind that the top sides are tucked under the top flap to protect from weather otherwise the bag and zippers appears to be weather resistant.
p.4 #2 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
LBJ2 wrote:
FWIW this whole backpack/bag trial turned into a bit of Goldilocks scenario for me 🤷🏻♂️ I chose all great bags to try. Maybe my results will help someone else decide too:
-Wandrd Prvke 21L Backpack w/ camera pack kit
-PeakDesign 20L Backpack ( surprisingly roomy)
-Mindshift Photocross13 Sling
-MindShift Gear Exposure 15 Shoulder Messenger Bag ( * surprisingly comfortable with a heavy load)
Original priorities included:
1. Truly water resistant
2. Comfortable straps
3. Camer gear compartment
3. Side entry swing-around accessible ( I can't put the pack on the ground to access interior as needed)
My typical travel scenario: Camera bag has to be able to pack flat or near flat in a suitcase that goes under the plan as I always carry-on my camera gear with a tiny ThinkTank Airport Advantage roller. I can squeeze this roller on even the smallest of commuter crafts. I break out the camera bag upon arrival.
An aweful lot to like about each of these bags each with some faults too. I ended up going with the PeakDesign 20L mostly because it presented the best of both worlds IMO, between sling, hand carry and expandable backpack. I can cinch the PD down to a nice and tidy 12L when needed and can pack almost flat in a suitcase by taking out the dividers. Likewise I found the PD dividers to be extremely versatile as far as packing large and small cameras and lenses all the way up to the GM 100-400 attached to the A9 on one side and the A7rIII attached to the GM 24-70 on the other side and a couple of other primes in-between + accessories and rain jacket. But this would not be my typical load.
Strap system is pretty smooth too for on /off body and swing around on body access. I can carry the pack like a messenger or handle case convent for sitting down at a table or public transit. Waste strap could be too thin if I needed to use it, but don't plan to pack that much. I do have to mind that the top sides are tucked under the top flap to protect from weather otherwise the bag and zippers appears to be weather resistant.
I do think the PD has better camera access than the rest. Its two main weaknesses here are the water resistant and the less than comfortable straps and lousy hips straps. A rain cover will solve the first problem, but the latter can be a pain point.
p.4 #3 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
hiepphotog wrote:
I do think the PD has better camera access than the rest. Its two main weaknesses here are the water resistant and the less than comfortable straps and lousy hips straps. A rain cover will solve the first problem, but the latter can be a pain point.
I found the PD shoulder straps to be comfortable. BUT have not used out in the real world yet. If I need more comfort for a much heavier load or serious hiking, the Wandrd Prvke. And yes the PD hips straps are such that I hope I never have to use.
Viewing a couple of PD water tests on Youtube seems the PD is fine with the caveat I noted. One guy did a shower test and that came out 100% dry interior. Another guy used a garden hose and water seeped into the top zipper. I will carry a rain cover just in case.
p.4 #4 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
LBJ2 wrote:
I found the PD shoulder straps to be comfortable. BUT have not used out in the real world yet. If I need more comfort for a much heavier load or serious hiking, the Wandrd Prvke. And yes the PD hips straps are such that I hope I never have to use.
Viewing a couple of PD water tests on Youtube seems the PD is fine with the caveat I noted. One guy did a shower test and that came out 100% dry interior. Another guy used a garden hose and water seeped into the top zipper. I will carry a rain cover just in case....Show more →
I’ve had the PD 20L for a few years and used it a ton in rainy Seattle / PNW. Water will get into the top zip and the side zips. Extended time in rain w/o a rain cover will result in seepage into the side panel pockets within an inch or two of the side zips and in the suspended pocket under the top zipper. After repeating that a few times, I bought a rain cover which I keep stuffed in a corner of the pack somewhere (like next to a small lens that doesn’t quite fill it’s divider spot).
And I find the shoulder straps uncomfortable under load. That is my #1 complaint with the bag... it does provide an incentive to pack more lightly. The sternum strap helps considerably with strap comfort though. I have wide shoulders and perhaps a narrower body profile would make them more comfortable.
p.4 #5 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
darrellc wrote:
I’ve had the PD 20L for a few years and used it a ton in rainy Seattle / PNW. Water will get into the top zip and the side zips. Extended time in rain w/o a rain cover will result in seepage into the side panel pockets within an inch or two of the side zips and in the suspended pocket under the top zipper. After repeating that a few times, I bought a rain cover which I keep stuffed in a corner of the pack somewhere (like next to a small lens that doesn’t quite fill it’s divider spot).
And I find the shoulder straps uncomfortable under load. That is my #1 complaint with the bag... it does provide an incentive to pack more lightly. The sternum strap helps considerably with strap comfort though. I have wide shoulders and perhaps a narrower body profile would make them more comfortable. ...Show more →
p.4 #6 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
Just a quick update, mostly to mention my appreciation of companies that stand by their warranties. I had the main zipper on my wandrd bag fail the day before leaving for a trip, and obviously didn't have time to wait to send the bag off to them to have them either repair it or send me a new one. So I went and bought a new one from a local camera store, emailed wandrd and explained the situation, and they promptly agreed to reimburse me the cost of the bag. Very impressed with their customer service and standing behind their product like this. I had a friend that had a similar experience with PD. Moral of the story for anyone reading this is that whichever direction you go, I have huge respect for both PD and wandrd for having warranties that they actually honor.
p.4 #7 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
This thread sparked my interest, so I have a Wandrd 31 and Shimoda 30 coming in this week. I need a bag that I can go hiking 4-6 hours with, but also be able to bring around town... both of these seem promising, but the Shimoda looks like it'll be a better hiking pack, and Wandrd for travel.... decisions! Guess it will come down to which one fits better. I tried the PD on in store, and it's either sized for small framed people, or my shoulders are just too wide for it. Felt really stiff.
Really dig the modularity of the Prvke for the price. Not so keen on the Shimoda being the same price as the Wandrd package for the bag only... plus you need two small inserts to just use the side access that is just a slit, rather than a dedicated opening?
p.4 #8 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
I'm still loving my Prvke after dragging it to Greenland stuffed to the brim as a carry-on, then using it (less stuffed) as a day pack. The new Duo has a luggage sleeve, though, which would've been a game changer for me. I wish Wndrd would have told me about that when I contacted them before buying the Prvke.
p.4 #9 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
chiron wrote:
How comfortable is the PD 20L when loaded normally? I have seen a number of reviews where people praise the packing but are unhappy with the comfort of the straps and how the body of the bag feels when you carry it and so have returned it.
Fit and comfort are very personal. For me, the PD 20L is not at all uncomfortable. For reference, I am 6'1", 165 lbs., and athletic. Recently, I took a challenging 11.8 mile hike with 3,000 feet of elevation gain (and loss) in the mountains of Kauai that took me about five hours. In the PD, I carried my A7r2, 24-105/4, 16-35/4, small tripod, lots of water, and food. I used the sternum strap and waist belt (as I always do). Even by the end of the hike, there were no points of discomfort with the PD. That said, I have nothing to compare with the PD other than sling and shoulder bags, as the PD is the only camera backpack I have used. It is quite possible that some other backpack will be more comfortable, although I don't know how useful more comfort would be to me, as I haven't experienced discomfort. I can see, though, that the PD's minimalist approach -- which I find to be a plus -- might prove less than comfortable for someone else.
p.4 #11 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
chrodo7 wrote:
Just a quick update, mostly to mention my appreciation of companies that stand by their warranties. I had the main zipper on my wandrd bag fail the day before leaving for a trip, and obviously didn't have time to wait to send the bag off to them to have them either repair it or send me a new one. So I went and bought a new one from a local camera store, emailed wandrd and explained the situation, and they promptly agreed to reimburse me the cost of the bag. Very impressed with their customer service and standing behind their product like this. I had a friend that had a similar experience with PD. Moral of the story for anyone reading this is that whichever direction you go, I have huge respect for both PD and wandrd for having warranties that they actually honor....Show more →
p.4 #12 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
jahro wrote:
This thread sparked my interest, so I have a Wandrd 31 and Shimoda 30 coming in this week. I need a bag that I can go hiking 4-6 hours with, but also be able to bring around town... both of these seem promising, but the Shimoda looks like it'll be a better hiking pack, and Wandrd for travel.... decisions! Guess it will come down to which one fits better. I tried the PD on in store, and it's either sized for small framed people, or my shoulders are just too wide for it. Felt really stiff.
Really dig the modularity of the Prvke for the price. Not so keen on the Shimoda being the same price as the Wandrd package for the bag only... plus you need two small inserts to just use the side access that is just a slit, rather than a dedicated opening?...Show more →
I found the Wandrd (21L) to be very high quality upon first inspection with very thoughtful and practical design. Seemed to me like it would stand up to some abuse for a very long time. A strong runner up to my final decision. I agree with your initial thoughts so far good bag for dual street/hiking use case. There might be more appropriate bag(s) capacity for what I call serious, long haul hiking needs and that might be where Shimoda seems to be a common recommendation on the forums.
@ chrodo7 Wandrd's customer service story a few comments up is pretty outrageously good too. Something to consider for sure.
p.4 #13 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
I had debated between these two and went with Prvke 21, and couldn't be happier. I want a bag specifically for personal travel, and the decision came down to two consideration:
1. PD design is very "techy", while Prvke is more "urban". I had a PD Sling 5L, love the utility of it, but want the design to have a bit more character.
2. fully separated top and bottom compartment on Prvke 21, which allows me to put camera gear in the bottom and clothes/portable charger/small items in the top, and not worrying about them mixing up. The quick access is also better implemented on Prvke 21, while on PD 20 you have to use the side zipper and be careful not opening all the way to prevent stuff from falling out. PD 20 is known for it's accessibility from both sides, but suffers from small items falling to lower layers.
p.4 #14 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
I have a few work trips coming up that hopefully will allow some photography time, so I picked up a PD 20 to do double-duty as a photography and laptop backpack. I travel a lot for both work and pleasure, and haven't quite found the perfect pack that can do both (I'd still pack a lightweight backpack for hiking when needed).
So far so good, got the dividers figured out for what will work best, some straps taken off that I'll never use, and we'll see how it goes. Plenty of room for my needs. Like the look of it as well.
p.4 #15 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
I owned the larger Pvke and several Peak Design bags. I recommend against the Pvke. It’s an awesomely designed bag, aesthetically. I get a lot of attention and complement for the bag. However, it doesn’t use all the nooks and crannies very well. You’re left with a beautiful bag with a lot of air inside. The Peak Design is the opposite. Every space is utilized and efficiency of putting gear in and getting gear out is optimized. I want to use my Pvke, but the Peak Design bags are just so well engineered so I usually use those.
p.4 #16 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
gocolts wrote:
I have a few work trips coming up that hopefully will allow some photography time, so I picked up a PD 20 to do double-duty as a photography and laptop backpack. I travel a lot for both work and pleasure, and haven't quite found the perfect pack that can do both (I'd still pack a lightweight backpack for hiking when needed).
So far so good, got the dividers figured out for what will work best, some straps taken off that I'll never use, and we'll see how it goes. Plenty of room for my needs. Like the look of it as well. ...Show more →
Couple of tips I learned from a PD video:
1. Take off any straps that are not needed ( you've got that one down already)
2. Each side has double zippers. Loop lock the bottom zippers to the bottom of the bag on each side and just use the top side zippers to open/close the sides. A precautionary step to keep from forgetting to completely close that bottom side zipper.
How's the level of shoulder strap comfort now that you have some mileage with the PD 20L?
p.4 #17 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
Definitely a personal decision. I personally prefer a backpack with an internal frame. I'd used the F-Stop Loka for a few years, and recently purchased a Shimoda 30L from someone on the forum. I really liked that bag on my last trip. For travel I pack all my photo and electronics stuff in there, and then I pare down my carry for each day depending on what I want to shoot. I did everything from city strolling to a hike in the mountains with a water bladder, it was great.
One unique feature is that the waist belt allows you to carry most of the weight on your hips, but when you want to go light and walk around town, you can remove the belt so it looks like a plain old boring backpack. Most internal frame packs have non-removable belts. Other thing I like is that there isn't a bunch of useless MOLLE webbing all over the place.
p.4 #18 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
Shoulder strap comfort is good so far, not as good as my dedicated hiking backpack, but I’m not hiking 20 miles with it either. No complaints, in fact I'd say that for a non-dedicated hiking backpack, it's probably the most comfortable I've used. For reference I’m 6’3” and around 200 lbs, and run/workout daily, so backpack weight might not bother me as much as people with smaller frames, although the way the shoulder straps adjust suggests it'd fit a lot of frames well. Funny you saw that about the extra straps, I wondered if I was the only one being picky or maybe missing out on the point of owning the pack, but apparently not, and definitely going to deal with those bottom zippers as you described.
LBJ2 wrote:
Couple of tips I learned from a PD video:
1. Take off any straps that are not needed ( you've got that one down already)
2. Each side has double zippers. Loop lock the bottom zippers to the bottom of the bag on each side and just use the top side zippers to open/close the sides. A precautionary step to keep from forgetting to completely close that bottom side zipper.
How's the level of shoulder strap comfort now that you have some mileage with the PD 20L?
p.4 #19 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
elizabeth77 wrote:
I'm still loving my Prvke after dragging it to Greenland stuffed to the brim as a carry-on, then using it (less stuffed) as a day pack. The new Duo has a luggage sleeve, though, which would've been a game changer for me. I wish Wndrd would have told me about that when I contacted them before buying the Prvke.
Re: the Prvke and using it with luggage handles, I just attach the removable straps on the front of the pack, and then slide them over my luggage handle. I got this idea from another FM poster who did the same thing with their Mindshift Photocross 13. Can't believe I didn't think of it before, and it was life-changing for me for our last trip with the backpack! If you are attaching other things, it might preclude you from attaching it to luggage this way.
p.4 #20 · Wandrd Prvke 21L or PeakDesign 20L or something else?
Update for anyone interested.
Really enjoying the Peak Design 20L for the first leg of my trip, the air travel. I went with the black instead of charcoal PD 20L as I thought it would be more appropriate for up to business dress if needed for use as a brief case of sorts. Cinched down and tightened up with all straps tucked away in their respective pockets the PD becomes very sleek bag. Easy to carry by the side handles too, just like a business bag. The PD slides very nicely on to the ThinkThank Airport Advantage roller handles for an easy glide through the airports, no need to shoulder anything. Really happy with this set up as together both meet carry-on requirements. Both side zippers and top entry on the PD make it super easy to get to everything I need during the flight.
I’m using the ThinkTank Airport Advantage for all my Sony camera gear and laptop and the PD 20L for other travel essentials to include iPad Pro. My other intention on this trip is to try to use the iPad Pro with iPadOS to see if it is a viable lightweight travel alternative to my 15” MBP laptop to include reviewing/editing photos but brought the laptop as a backup just in case as iPadOS is still in beta.
Next up is to use the PD 20L as a proper backpack to carry, store and rain protect my gear while in use. I’ve a backpack rain cover just in case. I’m carrying A9 W/GM 100-400 mounted on one side of the bag and the A7rIII+GM 24-70 mounted on the other side of the bag and the TC 1.4x too. Very easy to swing this bag around for quick access to either kit for ready to go shooting without having to put the bag on the ground. Plenty of room for other lenses and stuff to include a rain coat/hat/gloves etc.
P.S. I also brought along the PD clip. But not sure I will use it, The A7rIII + GM 24-70 attached to the clip on the strap of the PD 20L is a great idea, but so far seems a bit too big and not very comfortable. Maybe better with a smaller prime.
