Better Together: Adventure with Peak Design

In 2010, 25-year-old Peter Dering took four months off work for a trip around the world, armed mostly with a backpack and his camera. He quickly realized that traveling with a nice camera was a pain in the ass; when the camera was in his backpack, he couldn’t use it and when it was around his neck it was clumsy, awkward, and required constant babysitting. Being the engineer and inventor that he is, Peter began thinking of solutions. When he got home, he began designing a device that would make carrying a camera on the go more natural. 

After ten months of innovation and work, Peter had created a durable and portable camera mount that would work with just about anything. He designed this mount, which he named Capture, to clip easily onto any bag, belt, or strap, keeping cameras rigidly stable and readily available while on the move. It was exactly what Peter was missing during his trip, and when he presented it to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter in 2011, travel and adventure photographers everywhere fell in love with it. Peak Design was born.

After creating the Capture, Peter began expanding his team with more creative innovators that worked together with their customers to create more products. They began releasing a collection of bags, mobile cases, and accessories that the creators at the company have taken to calling the “mobile ecosystem.” It couldn’t have been more aptly named. In case you need a refresher on your high school biology class, an ecosystem is made up of different components that all function together as a unit. This is exactly what all of Peak Design’s products are designed to do, and they do it well. To help you get started, we’ve outlined how you can create your own travel ecosystem.

STEP ONE: GRAB YOUR BAG

So, how do Peak Design’s products create an ecosystem? An easy place to start is with their bags. Whether you’re looking for a duffle, a tote, a messenger bag, or a traditional backpack, all of Peak Design’s options are made from recycled materials, are weather resistant and incredibly durable, with access from essentially every angle, and plenty of external storage options, they aren’t just your ordinary bags. 

STEP TWO: DIVIDE AND CONQUER

Aside from being accessible (a huge convenience), the inside of the bags is customizable through the use of Peak Design’s dividers. Inspired by origami, these epic pieces fold in multiple directions to create the space you need — be it for your camera, clothes, or adventure gear. Sitting alongside your bag’s customized layout are Peak Design’s packing cubes, pouches, and even camera cubes if you need them. These aren’t just ordinary pouches, Peak Design’s pouches come with the same external carry loops as the big boys, which means your pouch can double as an ultralight setup or a small daypack.

STEP THREE: SHOOT YOUR SHOT

Now that you’ve found the bag that’s right for you and all your stuff is perfectly organized, it's time to do your thing. Whether you’re bringing your DSLR or a point and shoot camera, or if you’re sticking with a GoPro or your phone, Peak Design’s clips and mobile accessories have been thoughtfully designed and tirelessly iterated to keep your camera safe, secure, and accessible wherever you need it. We’ve already talked about Capture, Peter’s first invention that clips onto just about anything while holding your camera in place and at the ready.  

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

Peak Design’s mission is simple — to make the best carry solutions for creatives, commuters, and adventurers, and they’ve made their products into a choose your own adventure for your own adventure. They’ve stayed close to their crowdfunding roots because they believe that by keeping their customers involved in the design process, Peak Design will continue to make the best stuff and help travelers keep their gear accessible and organized. In the end, it’s a good thing that Peter Dering’s sabbatical was such a pain in the ass; if he hadn’t been faced with such an interesting problem, he might never have come up with the creative solutions that define Peak Design.

Shop Peak Design here.