battalion 12hr recycled firefighter vs Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L

Improvements: Front zippered compartment - This pocket is so useful but I think there are a couple ways to improve this. First is either offering an option for the zipper to be on the other side of the pack or adding a second zipper to the other side. I have the habit of taking off the right strap and swinging the pack to the front to access outside pockets but this makes the zipper side face down. I’ve been trying to get used to taking off the left strap so that the zipper is “right side up” but it’s a hard habit to break

Use the front access to get into what we call the organization panel in here. You've got a handful of separately zippered pockets and these pockets ba...

To be exact, we’ve tested the Battalion with the Tom Bihn Cache. The Cache’s zipper opens all the way around, allowing us to leave the top open and slide our laptop out without having to physically remove the entire case from the pack. Essentially, it’s a makeshift laptop pocket (just a little Pack Hacker hack for ya).

So honestly, I think this is one major design flaw in the peak design 45 liter although I think it is also outweighed by the streamlined design and al...

This bag is extremely well made and solidly built. I haven't taken a fine toothed comb to it but the stitching looks perfect. The only thing I have to critique so far is that the shoulder straps may be a little TOO good, as in too solid. This is a small bag

- The lash straps are super handy. I used them to lash an extra coat to the outside of the pack.

just okay. I like the idea, but the materials leave something to be desired in terms of comfort. The pack is thin, and the shoulder straps are comically thick and wide for such a small pack. The strap material is also unbearably scratchy, and roughs up my arms when I sling it over my shoulder while wearing a t-shirt

That's really great for getting the pack into side access mode while you're wearing it, as well as hiding the strap system, which we'll get into in a ...