Pushing the carry solution market forward: The passion of Peak Design’s CEO, Peter Dering
posted Sunday, August 14, 2016 at 6:59 AM EDT
I recently had a chance to chat with Peak Design's CEO, Peter Dering, about the company's upcoming Everyday Series backpack, tote and sling carrying solutions as well as their design philosophy and the overall ideology which informs their offering of over 20 products.
In October 2014, after numerous successful Kickstarter campaigns for products such as the Capture Camera Clip and Leash and Cuff minimalist camera straps, the team decided to begin making bags. After looking at the camera bag market, they determined that there was a segment that was sorely underrepresented and could be done better, the Messenger bag. The Everyday Messenger was a rousing success, garnering nearly $5 million in support during its Kickstarter campaign and receiving numerous awards and praise, including Gear of the Year awards from Men's Journal and National Geographic. Interestingly, I learned that Peak Design contemplated a backpack as they worked on the Everyday Messenger, but ultimately decided that a messenger-style carry solution was a better option at the time.
Tapping the non-photographer market with a photography bag was not a happy coincidence or bonus, but rather touches on something important to the team, offering a product that works well for everyone, all without making compromises. Access, versatility, expansion and organization are some of the hallmarks of the Everyday Messenger and the new Everyday Backpack, Tote and Sling.
I think it's fair to say that aesthetic appeal is an important part of the brand as well. When I asked Dering about this, he said that a ton of credit goes to their lead designer, Art Viger, who has developed a product that combines timelessness with modernity and has wide appeal. Camera bags have traditionally looked like camera bags, remarked Dering, and I very much agree. Peak Design's bags surely buck the trend and simply put, look great.
When companies discuss sustainability, they typically refer to decisions made about the manufacturing process, but for Peak Design, sustainability is about more than environmentally-friendly production processes. It involves creating a bag that people want to use for many years, and won't want to discard. (Their products are all backed by lifetime guarantees, by the way.)
Their new Everyday Backpack, Tote and Sling bags can be seen on Kickstarter and will be shipping later this year. I'll be getting my hands on one of their new bags shortly for review. I've got high expectations and after chatting with the man behind the company, I'm confident that they'll be met. The team at Peak Design is passionate about providing users the best carrying solutions they've ever used, and so far, they've been accomplishing this lofty goal by making premium bags from premium materials and having laser-focused attention to detail. After all, it's the little things that mean the most when you're talking about a product you might use every day.