Review: Peak Design Everyday Messenger

We now live in a world where working remotely is increasingly becoming a necessity for many. Whether we choose to work from the local café or an exotic beach setting, being mobile is the new norm. With all of this commuting, having easy access to the tools of your trade requires the perfect bag. But what makes a bag perfect?

I’ve never heard of Peak Design and must confess when I saw the logo, I assumed it was a subsidiary of Porsche Design initially (it’s not). I didn’t look them up either as I didn’t want to fall victim to any biases. “Let’s do this in the dark” is what I thought the right approach should be. Let them earn their stars through performance as opposed to reputation.

When I received the Peak Design Everyday Messenger, I must confess that I wasn’t overly excited about reviewing what initially appeared to be a mere bag. It’s not the same as reviewing a gadget or tech-laden device, so the adrenaline wasn’t free-flowing. Initially created to meet the needs of photographers, the Everyday Messenger has evolved into a bag for anyone, ‘Paparazzi’ or not. I carry a Tumi backpack I bought a few years ago after considerable thought and consideration, so I’ve run the gauntlet when it comes to buying a bag that matters and expecting an Oscar-winning performance everyday, no matter the occasion.

In an arena of many stars, with competition being stiff and unforgiving, does the Everyday Messenger have what it takes to become an ‘A-lister’ and compete on the big stage with the real big stars.

What’s in the Bag?

A bag. Well it’s the Everyday Messenger, no surprises there. Actually I was surprised. Very, actually. On first contact, it felt familiarly tactile. Like bumping into a long lost friend. I could instantly sense, from the first touch, that this bag seemed to have a conscience. It almost felt ‘organic’, soothing, like wearing cotton as opposed to acrylic. In a world where synthetic materials and automated manufacturing is ubiquitous, this felt almost hand-crafted even though it’s made from nylon. A  weatherproof 100% recycled 400D nylon canvas shell on the outside and a base from 900D waterproof nylon making it weather proof and very durable. The materials are Bluesign certified – where great care has been taken to ensure the materials are sourced ethically and produced ensuring the highest levels of sustainability. So not only does it feel good to touch, but your conscience can rest knowing it’s one of the good guys. Living on this planet, being a conscientious consumer should be everyone’s duty and makes you a better person in my opinion – we should care about how things are made, and where the raw materials are sourced from. So kudos to Peak Design for being responsible and prioritizing planet over profit.

The bag, the whole bag and nothing but the bag

With a design background, I always feel the need to address the aesthetics first, as if it’s not easy on the eye, I’m really not going to enjoy owning it. It’s apparent that a lot of thought has been put into the design of the Everyday Messenger. From the padded briefcase style handle, to the versatile shoulder strap – made from a large dense neoprene padding so where ever it sits on your shoulder, the padding is apparent, making it comfortable and easy to carry. The strap is attached with elegant understated rivets allowing them to move freely with your body, so no awkward positions when you’re moving around with it. A cleverly-designed buckle on the strap allows you to adjust the strap with a single hand, allowing you to size the strap according to your needs. With additional external attachment straps (supplied) you can quickly secure the bag further to facilitate riding your bike or running – if you’re the type who frequently has to run for the bus or from over-enthusiastic fans!

Convenient pockets on either side of the bag, stealthily integrated into the design concealing them but ensuring they are easily accessible for quick access items like your wallet or phone. One pocket has a key tether with a detachable fob for your keys, ensuring they are safe yet retrievable when required, so no ruffling through your bag to find them. Nice touch!

With 10 attachment points (4 exterior and 6 interior) around the bag, it’s effortless to attach any accessories you may have from an umbrella to your tripod or jacket. They all fit either to the side or underneath using the 2 attachment straps, which double up as additional support when fastening the bag closer to you. With a well concealed pass-through sleeve, it fits snuggly onto your cabin carry for those who prefer the jet-setting lifestyle.

Open Sesame

What’s very apparent is the minimalist, under-stated design of the bag. It’s effortless how all the elements of the bag merge together making it feel almost self-assuredly humble, dependably wanting to get on with the job but with no expectation or any acknowledgment of how good it is – rare in world where everyone seems to have bragging rights. The Everyday Messenger is a 13 litre bag expandable to 16 litres by using the simple ‘Maglatch’ system, which allows easy expansion of the bag, while still retaining one-handed access to the bag. It’s a clever mechanism that unobtrusively sits effortlessly on the front of the bag with minimum fuss. It not only allows you access into the bag but also expands the carrying capacity in an instant.

Jumping right into it

The interior of the Everyday Messenger is as subtle as the exterior. No extraneous details – just well designed with careful thought and consideration into the positioning of pockets, dividers and organization of space. It’s apparent that a lot of care has been put into the design. With a rear twin sleeve for your 13″ laptop and documents, the rest of the bag is very versatile. As I examined the bag, every thought I had about where would I put this or that was answered. Two internal zippered pockets, one at the front and the other at the back on the inside of the flap, lined with soft fabric and well integrated into the design, making them subtle and inconspicuous, ideal for sunglasses and other small items. Stretchy internal pockets flank either side, for accessories you don’t want dancing around inside the bag. Flex-fold dividers that adjust and bend and fold and perform an acrobatic show allowing endless customization internally to configure the bag into sections to suit every need. Origami inspired, they fold in multiple ways to create shelves and cubby holes giving you the flexibility to divide the space as you see fit. If you are camera-wielding, then this is ideal for lens storage. The dividers are firm and sturdy so you know they’ll hold – attached with super strong velcro in the bag so they’re not going to move even when you are!

Oscar Nominee

Can a bag be suave? Like a slick pair of sunglasses, where when you put them on you feel a tad more attractive? When you know inside yourself, you look and feel good. Who would have thought a bag could have that effect. A bag!

It’s not blingy and loud, like a movie star on the red carpet at the Oscars, with hopes of winning Best Actor, but more like the understated Best Supporting Actor, that overshadows with its subtle and humble performance inadvertently stealing the limelight. The Everyday Messenger is a very practical bag that feels like it’s part of the solution to a problem that everyone has –  with no want for gratitude nor applause. A gender neutral bag, that  would appeal to anyone who’s got their ethical head screwed on properly. Keep the Oscar, and let it get on with its job. Take a bow.

Whether on the shoulder or off, if you’re looking a bit more suave, and don’t fancy being the loud one, the Everyday Messenger is an excellent choice, available online for US$229.95. For more information, check out the Peak Design website at www.peakdesign.com