Peak Design - The Everyday Messenger: A Bag For Cameras & Essential Carry

pwp

Oct 25, 2010
2,530
24
As an unashamed fan of most Peak Design products, and the straps in particular, the Everyday Messenger looks like an exhaustively thought out bag. Even at the price, it will find a ready market, though not in my studio. While it must be just right for plenty of shooters, it's too small for me. When I travel as light as the PD Messenger allows, I am far more likely to load up a compact backpack, in my case a ThinkTank Streetwalker Pro.

-pw
 
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I love this bag. I think it is extremely well thought out. It is solid. It is durable. It looks like a dream bag and extremely high quality with all the exceptional straps, hardware, texture and materials.

It costs between $200 and $300 depending on configuration.
It can hold a 15" laptop, tablet and phone. $1500?
It can hold an apple. $0.75?
It can hold a DSLR, 2+ lenses and assorted accessories like extra batteries, filters, flash or light meter. $5000+

Chance of it all getting stolen due to the high tech expensive appeal? HIGH. It screams yuppie money.

Chance of my $25 cheapo daypack that actually says "Land's End Kids" on a tag somewhere getting stolen? LOW. It screams probably a half eaten lunch and candy, a wad of school papers and a stinky wet T-Shirt inside.

I've been carrying much of the same gear in a cheap daypack for years with lenses in individual lens cases. It hangs from railings, fences, or where ever I can find a semi-safe place within my line of sight. It doesn't attract any attention and depending on the venue, it blends right in. And it holds a water bottle on the side too.

As much as I think specialized expensive packs for photo or computer or whatever are super cool, I just think they attract too much of the wrong kind of attention, are heavy and cost a lot of money.

With all that said, if you are working in a venue where you want to impress, then this is a great looking choice! I'm just not in those venues much and when I am, I have a cheap black bag that looks pretty nice but still doesn't cost much. I figure the $6000 worth of cameras and lenses I have hanging on each hip should impress them enough and if not, then it's hopeless anyway. ;)
 
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Hector1970

CR Pro
Mar 22, 2012
1,554
1,162
Yep! I went for this. I unfortunately follow both Kickstarter and Trey Ratcliff so got bombarded with e-mails from them. A very clever sales pitch. Trey has a massive following (he's made the absolute most out of his photography with his free HDR tutorial - it was a master stroke in the early days of photography on the net - The locations he can now afford to go to and all the workshops he holds. I'd say he's made a fortune. You don't have to be the best but you have to be the first to exploit you situation. Hat's off to him - he did.).
The bag itself is quite different and well thought out. Whether magnetic clasps hold well I don't know.
It's very expensive for a bag but I got caught up in the hype.
Hopefully it really is a good bag.
Peak Design seem to know what they are doing so the bag will most likely to come to fruition.
I've unfortunately been involved with a few turkeys on Kickstarter.
Some of the projects are now scamming a bit.
They raise the cash , then delay , delay, on the product , frustrate the hell out of people with half updates and then unfortunately announce due to issues beyond their control that the project has failed.
They might return 10-20% of the money.
But their company isn't impacted. Their normal business making similar products sails onwards with the benefit of all the R&D that went into the Kickstarter or other Crowd sourcing groups. Then later they are selling very similar technology on their own website.
If Kickstarter and the others don't stop this they will kill the concept which has alot of good will currently.
Caveat Emptor as the Romans used to say.
 
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Nov 1, 2012
110
10
I received my review unit. You can see my unboxing...unbagging of it

peakdesign_everydaymessenger11.jpg


https://youtu.be/7Np30u-X1jQ

I'll have a full review of it when I have used it long enough.
 
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Hector1970

CR Pro
Mar 22, 2012
1,554
1,162
Interesting to see the catch up close.
Maybe it was always like that but it looked at the time just magnetic.
It's not that you'd deliberately turn a bag upside down but sometimes you could accidently pick it up at the wrong end. In a normal bag with a zip it's not a problem. With no zip everything in the bag would move towards the exit.
Can't wait to see it myself
 
Upvote 0
Nov 1, 2012
110
10
Hector1970 said:
Interesting to see the catch up close.
Maybe it was always like that but it looked at the time just magnetic.
It's not that you'd deliberately turn a bag upside down but sometimes you could accidently pick it up at the wrong end. In a normal bag with a zip it's not a problem. With no zip everything in the bag would move towards the exit.
Can't wait to see it myself
Totally understandable. But don't worry, it won't open if you pick it up from the bottom or from the side. Your expensive gear won't fall out. I've pulled and tugged on the flap and it didn't open. I was attending PhotoPlus Expo last month and stopped by the Peak Design booth. People started asking me questions and I started showing them the features as if I worked for Peak Design. They even used me as a prop and started showing it off while I was wearing the bag (I told them that they should hire me. Lol). Only way it'll open is by purposely lifting and pulling on the MagLatch.

I'm sure B&H and Adorama will have it in stock next month or early next year but you won't be able to use my 10% off coupon.
 
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1kind said:
I received my review unit. You can see my unboxing...unbagging of it

FYI, if by "review unit" you received a free one, you are legally obligated to clearly disclose that in your post and video (as well as any related promotion, e.g. social media and this forum). It may seem pedantic, but it's both ethical and prudent as bloggers have been fined for not doing so.
 
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Nov 1, 2012
110
10
sanfranchristo said:
1kind said:
I received my review unit. You can see my unboxing...unbagging of it

FYI, if by "review unit" you received a free one, you are legally obligated to clearly disclose that in your post and video (as well as any related promotion, e.g. social media and this forum). It may seem pedantic, but it's both ethical and prudent as bloggers have been fined for not doing so.
http://www.1kindphotography.com/p/about.html

"Occasionally, we'll receive free and loaner products from the companies that we write about.

We will never reward companies that provide them, or punish companies that don’t. Our reviews of products are based on our opinions resulting from hands-on tests, and — regardless of our relationship with the companies behind them — are not always favorable.

Advertisers do not have influence over our content, nor do we ever accept any form of compensation in exchange for blog posts."

I've seen other sites such as CNET, SLR Lounge, etc. who have received preproduction model of the bag and not state it either. Never heard of anyone being fined but thanks for the info.
 
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RustyTheGeek said:
Chance of it all getting stolen due to the high tech expensive appeal? HIGH. It screams yuppie money.

Chance of my $25 cheapo daypack that actually says "Land's End Kids" on a tag somewhere getting stolen? LOW. It screams probably a half eaten lunch and candy, a wad of school papers and a stinky wet T-Shirt inside.

I've been carrying much of the same gear in a cheap daypack for years with lenses in individual lens cases. It hangs from railings, fences, or where ever I can find a semi-safe place within my line of sight. It doesn't attract any attention and depending on the venue, it blends right in. And it holds a water bottle on the side too.

As much as I think specialized expensive packs for photo or computer or whatever are super cool, I just think they attract too much of the wrong kind of attention, are heavy and cost a lot of money.

That's the reason I prefer using camera friendly inserts. That way I can choose the outer bag depending on the environment but still have the inside the way I like it.

I have always thought that if you want a bag that does not look like a camera bag, why would you want to buy a bag made by a camera bag company??

If you want something that does not look like a camera bag... .don't buy a camera bag. ;)
 
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