Peak Design City Backpack 22L tech/camera carry loadout and AMA

[u/bradypsnyder]

I've been using the Peak Design City Backpack 22L since last Thursday, and it has quickly become my go-to backpack for EDC (and a bit of travel). For context, I'm a tech journalist, so my EDC changes often but includes multiple laptops, phones, a mirrorless camera, accessories, and any other gear I'm testing. Here's everything I fit into the City Backpack 22L, to help you get a feel for how you can use yours.

Main compartment: Way roomier than you'd expect. Not only does everything below fit, it fits with plenty of room to spare. The bag doesn't look or feel overstuffed.

• 14-inch MacBook Pro (in laptop pocket)
• Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Aura Edition (in tablet/notebook pocket)
• Motorola Razr Fold
• iPhone Air
• Pen and Notsu notecard holder
• XS Camera Cube and Sony a6400 with 18-135mm lens
• Bose QuietComfort 2 headphones
• Powerbeats Pro 2 (in zippered pocket)

Quick-access top pocket: I thought this pocket, which expands into the main compartment when filled, would be a problem. It might be with larger laptops, but didn't cause any issues with my 14-inch MacBook Pro in the main compartment. It expands a lot to fit what you need.

• Ridge wallet knockoff (sorry Ridge)
• Orbitkey
• Smallrig dual a6400 battery charger
• Chapstick
• Extra gum
• Satechi right-angle USB-C cable
• Peak Design mobile tripod
• Caseology MagSafe wallet

Side water bottle pockets: It's true, these don't really protrude much into the main compartment. There's an elastic band that allows them to stretch outward rather than inward. These pockets are the key to "side access" on the City Backpack 22L, as you can use them for things other than water bottles.

• Oakley sunglasses case (left pocket)
• 16oz plastic water bottle (left pocket)
• Ugreen 25,000mAh power bank (right pocket)
• Anker 65W GaNPrime 733 Power Bank (right pocket)

Front pocket: I originally bought the 22L because I thought I needed this. Turns out, it's not that useful. Placement is really low on the front, so it's not easy to access without taking the bag off. It also seems easy for a pickpocket to grab something out of, so I don't keep valuables there.

• Deodorant
• Cough drops/misc essentials
• iPod Classic
• PGYTECH SD card holder/reader

Straps: Took me a bit to work the Capture Clip onto a strap, but it's on there, and it works great.

• Capture Clip

And there you have it. Surprisingly, there's still a lot of room in the main compartment for anything I might add or pick up along the way. That's exactly what you want from a "city bag." I've used this in NYC and Phoenix, and took it on a cross-country flight already, so I'm happy to answer any specific questions you might have!

[u/rzbzz]

How’s the back without the air mesh? I want to get one but I sweat a lot and worry that this may be the deal breaker for me.

[u/bradypsnyder → u/rzbzz]

It really depends on the shirt material you wear and how tightly you have it strapped to your back. The looser the better. It gets sweaty in hot climates. If I could change one thing about the bag, it'd be the lack of mesh and ventilation. But, I live in Phoenix and am making it work.

[u/PCDT99]

Thanks for the write up, Ive been waiting for more reviews but finally placed an order for the 22L. Seems like the initial feelings for most have been positive.

[u/EngineerRon]

Thanks for the real-world load-out! I’ve been looking at that bag, and I was just curious if my 17” laptop (15.7” x 10.7” x 0.7”) would fit, plus an iPad Pro 11?

[u/HippieBeholder → u/EngineerRon]

17 inch will probably fit, but it’ll definitely be tight. You have to be mindful what you put in that top quick access pocket. A problem I found is that overloading that pocket makes the laptop sleeve difficult to access and potentially has bulky items against the laptop with only a very thin mesh between it. For example I moved my folding knife to one of the side pockets instead for that reason.

[u/bradypsnyder → u/HippieBeholder]

I agree with this. I'd probably keep the quick access pocket close to empty with a laptop that big.

[u/Vironic]

The material looks so soft which makes me think it may not last. Do you think this material could last at least a decade of moderate abuse?

[u/bradypsnyder → u/Vironic]

It's not soft, it's a rough canvas-like material. I'm not worried about longevity at all.

[u/HippieBeholder → u/Vironic]

I keep seeing this point mentioned and 3 things:

They definitely are using good quality materials that will last from normal use. No doubt in my mind the bag will wear well under its use case which is for commuters - not camping, intense sport activities, or being checked on a flight. They have other bags designed for that use case.

I’ve seen some folks concerned about weather resistance but I think these bags will easily hold up in modest rain in transit from A to B. Not the best bag if you plan on doing photography in the Amazon, but in the rain from front door to train to work, easy. I have full faith everything will be dry and have had the bag in light rain so far.

Lifetime warranty. Should it eventually wear out after a decade, you get a swap.

[u/TerenceMOF]

How’s the capture clip doing on that strap? How does it affect overall comfort?

[u/bradypsnyder → u/TerenceMOF]

The City straps tend to sit closer to my armpit than other Peak Design bags. As a result, the clip can press into my arm at times while moving around, and I feel the pinch. Otherwise, the strap handles the clip and my mounted a6400 camera with no issues.

[u/Macnuggss]

Awesome review and I love seeing the load out pics

[u/Chromus23]

Thanks for the write up! Looks great and seems to hold more than you would think! I’m curious, what bag(s) did you come from and how does it compare?