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The Peak Design Everyday backpack V2 is the most popular choice for photographers and everyday carry. Its iconic minimalistic design makes it the most good-looking, feature-packed, and functional backpack on the market. Over the past five years, the V2 has accumulated so many good reviews that it is not necessary to point it out again. I want to provide my feedback on the V2 after using it for five years, as well as reasons why I prefer the V1 over the V2 and the changes Peak Design can improve on the V3.

Laptop pocket:

The laptop pocket has been my favorite feature since the V1. I can throw all my everyday carry into this pocket, knowing I can fit everything in one place without going through the side pockets.

The V2 added two extra small pockets for better organization. It is a welcoming design; however, a significant flaw is that it makes the pocket hard to use when you have a laptop stored in the laptop compartment. 

The laptop compartment is significantly tighter than the V1. If you store a laptop, the pocket will stretch laterally, making it difficult to use. If Peak Design releases V3 in the future, I hope the pocket opening will revert back to the V1 style.

Strap magnets:

The V2 introduced magnets in the straps and back padding, a quality-of-life design to prevent the straps from flapping around or catching onto something when carrying. However, after a few months of usage, the magnets inside the back padding begin to shift up, occasionally shifting to a position that could cause discomfort by digging into the back. It happens so often that I push the magnets in the back padding up so that it will not cause any discomfort for more prolonged use.

Peak Design offers a lifetime warranty and will replace the backpack if anything happens to it that is and is not directly caused by the user. I have had it replaced since then. However, I hope Peak Design will look into the issue and come up with a better way to secure the magnets in the padding.

Carrying a tripod:

There are multiple ways to carry a tripod using an everyday backpack. The most secure way is to strap it under the backpack. However, placing the backpack on the ground can damage or scratch the tripod. Also, it is more difficult and time consuming to deploy when you have to loosen the two straps and tuck them away.

The most convenient way is to place it in the bottle pocket. However, it always slides forward and is never secured, even with the side strap. The pocket is not deep enough and is too wide to be useful for carrying a tripod. If the pocket is two more inches deeper than the current one, it would have been perfect.

The V2 is not a major upgrade from the V1 apart from its design. The V2 has a more sleek and rounded look that makes it more desirable. But for someone who doesn’t care about the more modern look, the V1 is a better and more economical option compared to the V2, which costs over $280 for a 20L backpack. There are better options out there that perform better than the Peak Design. So if you want Peak Design and do not care about the more modern look, get the V1.