The Best Travel Bag For Digitial Nomads
Digital nomads have gear. Often, lots of delicate camera gear. That’s why finding the perfect travel bag setup is a must for your adventures. The bag needs to be adaptable, durable, and capable of holding all your gear safely while still being compact enough for hassle-free travel. We’ve tested tons of bags over the years, and our top pick is the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L. It’s designed from quality materials, and compatible with the whole line of Peak Design accessories, and the company’s commitment to sustainability is up there with Patagonia. It’s the ultimate choice for digital nomads seeking unparalleled functionality and style.
The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L
The Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L stands out as a perfect balance of form and function. Its thoughtfully designed carry-on size allows you to breeze through airports without the hassle of checked baggage. The bag is 40L in its “natural” state, and can either compress down to 35L or expand to 45L through snaps and zippers. The laptop compartment is padded well and placed in a spot that’s really easy to take out when going through security at the airport. I feel like they could have even removed a bit of the padding to shave some weight, but no complaints there.
Comparing this to my last bag, the F-Stop Tilopa 50L, the Peak Design bag is much more airline friendly. The backpack straps and waist harness fold quickly and neatly into the back with magnetic flaps that are easy to use. The flaps have accidentally opened up a few times, but they are really sturdy when everything is tucked in properly. Every side of this bag has a grab handle for easy stowage and removal from overhead bins when flying. But what truly sets it apart is its remarkable compatibility with Peak Design packing cubes and camera cubes. Seamlessly integrating into the backpack, these accessories offer efficient organization for your clothes, toiletries, and valuable camera gear.
Small Camera Cube
Camera Capture Clip
Anchor Links
Small Packing Cube
Tech Pouch
Small Wash Pouch
Patagonia Torrentshell 3L
My setup for a 7 day trip 🤙
Elevated Organization
Peak Design’s excellence goes beyond backpack design, extending to a range of perfectly crafted accessories that seamlessly integrate with their travel bags. Elevate your organization with their packing cube system. The multi-sized cubes are split up into units so you can plan what will fit into each bag in their lineup. The small cubes are one unit, the medium cubes are two units, and the large cubes are three units. Simple, right? Unit sizes are consistent with both clothing cubes and camera cubes so you’ll know what you can fit in your bag.
The camera cubes are rugged enough to double as standalone camera bags when used with the optional universal strap attachments called Anchor Links. These quick-release pieces allow your camera strap to be used as a strap for anything with the anchor links attached. I thought it sounded gimmicky, but they have turned out to be really useful with the modular bag setup.
The optional Peak Design Tech Pouch is like a cable organizer with a Japanese twist. The origami-style opening creates endless pockets for memory cards, batteries, cables, drone propellors, etc. I’m amazed at how much fits in the case without it feeling overstuffed. Say adios to rummaging through a messy backpack and embrace the packing zen.
A Sustainable Choice
It feels like Peak Design took a page (or pages) out of Let My People Go Surfing, by Yvonne Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia. Everything they have designed has a purpose. When you choose the Travel Backpack 45L, you’re supporting a company that’s committed to creating sustainable products. As a certified B Corporation, Peak Design upholds standards of social and environmental performance. Their membership in 1% for the Planet shows their dedication to donating a portion of their sales to environmental causes.
Like Patagonia, you can register your gear for their LIFETIME warranty, and they will repair or replace it with a fully-functioning item in the same or better condition. You can’t beat that. Additionally, Peak Design takes responsibility for its carbon footprint, making them a good choice for environmentally conscious digital nomads. I wish all gear companies operated like this.
The Sidekick
So the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is great by itself, but it may not be enough for longer trips. It all depends on the gear you’re bringing. To take your travel bag setup to the next level, I highly recommend adding the Peak Design Everyday Sling 10L as your sidekick bag. This 10L sling is made to hold your essential photo gear, a drone setup, and even a 13-inch laptop or tablet. I use it to hold my full-frame DSLR body, a 24-70mm 2.8 with lens hood, a 70-300mm, and a Mavic 2 Pro, freeing up valuable space in my backpack for clothes and other gear.
The perfect size for a day bag
Let’s go!
The best travel bag is the one that works for you. I consider myself a gear junkie, and I love travel backpacks. After testing packs from brands including F-Stop, Burton, Gregory, Osprey, Patagonia, The North Face, and Lowepro, I’m all in for the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L as the best travel bag for digital nomads. Its versatility, seamless integration with Peak Design accessories, and the company’s commitment to sustainability make it the clear winner. Whether you’re jetting off on a two-week journey, a weekend getaway, or a day trip, the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L should be your go-to bag. Also, check out Let My People Go Surfing if you haven’t read it. Planning a trip to Costa Rica? Don’t miss our Ultimate Costa Rica packing list.
