Peak Design is a company that inspires a loyal following among travellers and photographers alike. Its latest design, the Peak Design Roller Pro, is designed to appeal to both. On its own, it’s a rolling suitcase, and when used with the firm’s Camera Cubes, it becomes a camera case. After a hugely successful Kickstarter launch that raised over $13 million, it’s now available to pre-order through conventional retail channels.
Peak Design Roller Pro at a glance:
- $600 / £499 case alone
- $740 / £549 Pro Creator Bundle, with XL Camera Cube
- £139 for matched XL Camera Cube
- 4-wheel roller case
- Uses removable camera cubes
- 55.6 x 35.5 x 23cm external
- 4kg weight (5kg with XL camera cube)
- 3 colours: Sage, Eclipse, and Black
- peakdesign.com
At first glance, you might think Peak Design hasn’t done much new here. The Roller Pro is a conventional-looking 4-wheel suitcase that’s designed to fit carry-on dimensions for many airlines. It has a zip-opening lid and a front pocket for a laptop. So far, so… normal.
Peak Design is, however, keen to point out that this isn’t just a conventional roller case with a camera cube dropped inside. For example, the firm has gone to the trouble of making its own space-saving carbon-fibre handle, and using custom wheels that should be easily user-replaceable. The lid is designed to stay open near-vertically within the footprint of the case, rather than flopping off to one side.
Indeed, this bag is packed full of neat ideas. One of my favourites is the clever magnetic closure on the laptop pocket, which should prevent your valuable device from falling out accidentally. The same compartment has “EDC” pockets for such things as your wallet, keys and phone, into which you can empty your pockets when passing through airport security.
Delve a little deeper, and there are well-hidden pockets for your passport and an Apple AirTag.
Peak Design Roller Pro key features:
- Handle: The super-slim carbon-fibre handle locks at two different heights
- XL Cube: The case works with Peak Design’s Camera Cubes, with the matched XL cube tailored to fit perfectly
- Laptop: A front pocket will hold a 16in laptop, with a particularly clever magnetic closure to prevent it accidentally falling out
- Handling: Handles on all four sides help with lifting the case into and out of luggage compartments. But they’re not padded, so you won’t want to use them for long.
- Lid pockets: three zipped pockets in the lid can be used for organising small items such as batteries, card readers and cables etc.
On the outside, the soft waterproof fabric covering conceals a good level of protection, with foam padding over a rigid polycarbonate frame, and soft felt lining on the inside. A single zip allows the case to expand by a couple of centimetres when needed – although then it won’t be carry-on compliant. An array of attachment loops allows you to carry a tripod or jacket externally.
The matched XL camera cube does a good job of maximising use of space, while still providing a good level of protection. It can be secured in place using four plastic clips, although I found this to be quite an awkward process. You can either zip the cube’s lid closed for extra security and protection, or fold it out of the way for quicker access to your kit.
Internally the cube measures approximately 44 x 32 x 15cm deep, which means it can hold plenty of kit, including sizeable telephoto lenses. Peak Design provides a good set of dividers of various types, including some with a fold-down ‘shelf’ for stacking smaller lenses.
I was able to fit in two Sony A7-series bodies and ten lenses of various shapes and sizes, including a 100-400mm telezoom. However, this does end up being rather heavy: add in my 15-in laptop, and the weight easily hit 15kg, which exceeds most carry-on limits.
The carry-on question
This brings me onto the biggest catch with the Roller Pro, which lies with its size and weight, and how they impact its airline carry-on credentials. Quite simply, it’s larger than some airlines will accept in the cabin, and too heavy to be practical for others.
For example, its 23cm depth exceeds Ryanair’s 20cm maximum, while that 4kg empty weight (even without a camera cube) is fully half of Lufthansa’s 8kg single-item limit. With EasyJet, you could take it on board, but not as part of the standard free allowance. So you’ll still need to check every time, to make sure you don’t get a nasty surprise at the airport.
Other high-quality camera roller bags are available that are lighter, and will fit more airlines’ size limits.
Two wheels or four?
Another point I’ve been pondering while walking around with the Roller Pro is the relative merits of 4-wheel cases vs 2-wheelers. In defence of 4-wheel designs like the Roller Pro, I really like the way they let you keep them close by your side while navigating public transport or in an airport.
The problem is, though, that I really wouldn’t want to accidentally let go of a freely rolling case on a slope when it’s packed full of expensive camera kit. The idea of it careering away out of control doesn’t bear thinking about. In contrast, a 2-wheel case would stay put and at worst, topple over.
Also, for a Londoner who travels to Heathrow on the Piccadilly Line, which infamously has no luggage racks, 4-wheel cases are a liability. They’ll roll all over the carriage unless you make a point of keeping hold of them through the entire journey. I suspect there are other public transport systems like that, too. Overall, the risk/reward balance is tilted too far against the Roller Pro for me to be comfortable using it as a camera case much of the time. YMMV.
Peak Design Roller Pro: Our Verdict
There’s no denying that the Peak Design Roller Pro is a cleverly designed and well-made product. Just be aware that it’s too large and heavy to be usable as a carry-on case for every airline and trip. It’s also wildly expensive – you can get high-quality alternatives from the likes of Vanguard and Manfrotto for a fraction of the price. But if you want a roller case for travel, and sometimes for moving lots of camera kit, and you’re prepared to pay up, you’ll probably be delighted.
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