This is a solid feature-by-feature comparison. Well done Sir. I used your comparison to make a buying decision. Appreciated. Please keep up the solid work.
I have the Peak Design that I use for travel. I don't take a laptop when I travel so the separate compartment adds no value. I also don't pack it to capacity so the straps are not a problem. I got my nephew the AB max for school and he loves it. It protects his laptop really well and the harness is great for heavier loads. The additional pockets are useful for EDC. So for basic travel I like the PD 30L (27L/33L due to the expansion). But for EDC with a heavier load I would recommend the AC Max
The PD without the optimal hip belt does not have good enough straps to carry when completely full. But the hip belt works well. Great idea for a comparison!
That peak design color is awesome. I have the black version, but would so prefer to have that one, really nice. Also on the peak design, that front bottom loading pocket, I just have a rain cover that slides in there perfectly.
Personally, I much prefer the AC Max over the PD. The Max and the Daily Plus are two of the best bags available today, in fact the Daily Plus I consider as the EDC bag of the year.
Thanks for the review comparison, Danny :) Really hoping AC release something in between the Daily Plus and Max! Out of interest, do you plan to review the ULA Ultra Dragonfly? That’s another minimal travel bag IMO.
Thank you for watching and I agree, a bag like that would be awesome! The ULA is definitely on my wishlist but it has been really hard to get a hold of, they sell out fast!😅
I went with the Able Carry Max. Decision was simple as this-it is better designed with a proper Tech section with sections for extra tech items. Not perfect. But I found the PD was lacking in that. Also, at the time there was no XPac Peak Design version.
Another issue for the rear-opening of the Peak Design's main compartment is when you're packing/looking at the main compartment, you can't easily access that front-top admin pocket. I think that would be annoying when searching for small stuff in the bag.
The internal pockets in the pd are not ideal, as you have to remove your gear to access the ones in the back, making them fairly inaccessible without unpacking your main compartment.
