Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L – V2

Just keep in mind, when reading this post, that this is a tote bag and NOT a dedicated camera bag, even though it can accommodate considerable gear. It is more designed for the urban commuter. A dedicated camera bag will usually contain a multitude of pockets for accessories to satisfy the needs of a photographer. If you want a bag solely for photography, then this is probably not the bag for you.

For this review, Peak Design was kind enough to send us the Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L – V2 in the Bone colourway (as pictured above).

If you are interested, check out ‘What’s in our Bag“.

Read on…

THE PRODUCT

The Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L – V2 is constructed with a 100% recycled weatherproof 400D nylon canvas shell. The base of the tote is a more durable 900D nylon to withstand bumps, scrapes, and moisture if placing the tote on the ground.  We really love the fact that both tote bags are made from 100% recycled post-consumer material.

The tote has a 20L capacity, however, once the interior is filled to the zipper level at the top of the totepack, it’s actually a 25L capacity. For a bag that is so slim, that is a lot of capacity when you consider that we also use the Peak Design Everyday Zip 20L backpack which has a copious amount of room but less than this totepack!

The entrance zippers are super-durable UltraZips. The dimensions of the totepack are explained in the chart below. As the exterior and interior dimensions are different we thought it may be confusing to explain this in text. The depth of the totepack is 17cm at its deepest. The totepack weighs 1.05 kgs or 2.31 lbs which is nice and light, making it suitable to use for aircraft carry-on*.

*Carry-on luggage restrictions – generally restrictions are calculated on a maximum of 45″ or 114.3 cm. The width, height, & depth combined must fall below this size. Based on the unpacked dimensions of the totepack it totals 35.82″ or 91cm. Even allowing for some expansion of the totepack once packed, the totepack should still fall within the limitations as long as it doesn’t exceed the weight restrictions.

TOTEPACK EXTERIOR

We were sent the Bone colourway of the Everyday Totepack and we must admit this is one sexy-looking totepack. It just oozes elegance. The Bone colourway has been complimented with leather handles and accents which really makes it a very attractive-looking totepack. The Black version of the totepack, while identical, is just not as sexy looking. Once again, without sounding sexist, we think Peak Design have designed a boy’s and girl’s version of the totepack. Although, Paul likes the Bone colourway as it just looks so classy (probably not a good thing in travel photography as it can make you a bit of a target 🤔).

There are some significant differences between this totepack and the tote. The large handbag-ish handles on the tote, which we don’t particularly like, are not as large, and as a matter of fact, do not stand that much taller than the height of the totepack. This makes the totepack far more unisex in its appeal. The handles are also magnetised at the lapel in the middle of the handle.

The exterior of the totepack is clean and refined with only one horizontal quick-stash dual-zippered pocket. This, unfortunately, is the only pocket in the entire totepack, both exterior and interior, so make the most of it. The void of the pockets is not that deep, but adequate for your frequently accessed items such as a phone, sunglasses, ear pods etc. Inside the pocket there are 2 wide and 1 narrow stretchy pocket on one side, and 4 identically-sized pockets on the other side. The pocket also has a removable stretchy key tether that uses an Anchor Link to attach to your key ring. Photographers will find the stretchy pockets suitable for items such as spare camera batteries, memory cards, a wireless remote, film etc. In this pocket, you will also find the 2 Cord Hook external carry straps for attaching additional items to the exterior of the bag once it is filled to capacity.

The top of the totepack has a recessed single-zippered entrance to the interior and is protected by magnetised flaps that conceal the entrance, but not the full width. This could be a potential problem when filled to capacity, as the gaps at either side of the magnetised flaps could allow water to collect on the zipper if you are caught in a downpour. This should not be an issue if the tote is not filled to capacity as the magnetic flap can fold.

The exterior of the totepack has 8 hook attachment points. There are 4 at the base of the totepack and 2 on each side of the handles. These can be used with the 2 Cord Hook straps provided with the totepack.

The rear of the totepack has 2 adequately padded ergonomic axial shoulder straps. Rather than just sewn into the bag, the connection slightly rotates that allows easier use. If you prefer not to use the bag as a backpack, an impressive feature is the magnetised pocket that allows you to remove and store the shoulder straps with ease. Additionally, the bag has small recesses at the bottom where you can tuck away any excess straps, ensuring a neat appearance. These two impressive features ensure a sleek and seamless appearance, with no unsightly dangling straps. These design elements allow it to maintain its stylish facade.

However, we do have some concerns about the shoulder strap adjustment as it can be difficult to adjust. You will need to set the length of the shoulder strap according to your preferences, but once it’s set you won’t be able to easily loosen or tighten it without taking the totepack off and adjusting each shoulder strap individually. This may cause some inconvenience when you want to access the side zippers or change lenses, as the bag may sit too high or feel awkward when slung to the front of your body. Also, the rear of the totepack does not have any back padding, so if you are carrying camera gear, it may not be the most comfortable bag to carry as a backpack.

Above: The shoulder straps neatly pack away in the magnetised pocket at the top of the totepack

Both sides of the totepack have single-zippered access to the interior of the totepack which is essential for this bag due to the design of the interior. For added security, both zippers can be secured by looping the zip-pull around the small nylon loop at the base of the bag and then reattaching to the zip. This invaluable feature is available with most of Peak Design’s bags. Ideal for travel photographers like us! See images below for a better explanation.

TOTEPACK INTERIOR

All the magic happens on the exterior of this totepack as the interior is really devoid of any features. Once again, though, just remember that this is a tote and NOT a dedicated camera bag.

Inside the totepack are two laptop and tablet magnetised sleeves that will securely hold up to a 16″ laptop. Any size tablet can also be accommodated. The only other feature inside the totepack are the two wonderful origami-style Flexfold dividers which can configured to hold your camera and lenses if required. Otherwise, they can be removed completely.

That’s it the interior. Not much to write home about here. There are no pockets at all, however, for those of you that want to store more accessories in the totepack we would strongly suggest you consider purchasing the Peak Design Tech Pouch which is an awesome storage accessory and would fit comfortably in the totepack.

PROS

• Elegant and sleek design
• Premium quality
• An enormous amount of internal storage
• Dual Purpose – can used by photographers and non-photographers
• Internal access from both sides of the tote
• Holds up to a 16″ laptop
• Stowable shoulder straps
• Weatherproof
• Made from 100% recycled material
• Lifetime Warranty

Some of these CONS may not be an issue for some photographers.

CONS

• Only 1 external zippered pocket
• No internal pockets (excluding laptop and tablet sleeve)
• No back padding
• Shoulder straps are not designed to adjust quickly
• Not weatherproof if filled to capacity
• Limited colourways
• Bone colour can get a bit dirty after extended use
• Expensive

COLOURS

The Peak Design Everyday Totepack is available in Black and Bone. Hover over the images below for a better look at the colours.

PRICING, SHIPPING, & PURCHASING

Peak Design Everyday Totepack – USD$179.95

US orders have standard FREE delivery for orders over USD$99.00

For all other delivery costs, we suggest you click here It may be worthwhile checking prices with a retailer in your region as the price may be cheaper than the Peak Design online price plus shipping.

To purchase the Peak Design Everyday Totepack, please click on the banner below.

THE FINAL WORD

The Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L is an exceptionally stylish bag. As mentioned above, the Bone colourway of this totepack just screams style. However, like many things in life, you can’t “judge a book by it’s cover“, and unfortunately this totepack fall short in some departments.

The totepack, in our opinion, has been designed more for the urban commuter that wants a tote for daily use to carry everyday items in addition to some camera gear. Although the totepack will accommodate a fair amount of gear, the lack of back padding may be a concern for those that want the comfort of a backpack-style camera bag. The lack of internal and external pockets indicates that this totepack is largely designed for dual-purpose users that have minimal gear and accessories. The ability to carry a laptop up to 16″ will be an attractive option for many.

Nevertheless, although this totepack will not be perfect for everyone (what bag is?),  the Peak Design Everyday Totepack 20L definitely caters to a niche market while neatly filling a hole in their Everyday Range. There’s pretty much a bag for everyone in this range.

Would we use it? No, we probably would not use it as a camera bag, but it will definitely get some use as an everyday bag. But only time will tell how much use the totepack will be used.

RATING: RECOMMENDED 

If you're interested in reading any other Peak Design reviews click on the links below. To read our other equipment or software reviews click here.

Please Note: We may receive commissions when you click links and make purchases. However, this does not impact our reviews or recommendations. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice.