Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip camera backpacks review: dual-use bags for photographers and commuters

The popular Wandrd Prvke backpack line has expanded with the introduction of the Prvke Zip and Prvke Pocket, which are new variations on the existing roll-top Wandrd Prvke V4.

Built on the same rugged DNA that made the original Prvke a favorite among creators and photographers, as well as commuters and travelers, these models are identical aside from the front section, which either has a zip that hides a built-in compartment or a bigger external pocket (more on that later). The dual-use Prvke Zip and Pocket are designed as regular backpacks for everyday use, or by adding a ‘Cube’ insert of internal padded dividers, they become protective camera backpacks.

Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip: Specifications

Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip: Price

The Prvke Zip and Pocket are available in 21L and 31L capacities, and are available in Black or Wasatch Green (named after the 160-mile Wasatch mountain range that straddles Utah and Idaho in the western Rockies). They are not initially available in the wider range of colorways of the standard Prvke bags.

Both bags are identically priced at $234 for the 21L versions or $254 for the 31L sizes. However, to use the bags as a camera backpack, you will also need a Cube divider system, which comes in two sizes, and adds to the cost of the bags significantly.

The Essential Plus Camera Cube fills half the main backpack area and is available bundled with the 21L bags for $319, or with the 31L bags for $344. The Pro Plus Camera Cube, which takes up the entire main backpack area, is $354 bundled with the 21L bags, or $379 with the 31L bags.

Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip: Design & Handling

Wandrd was born when the founders, two adventurous American photographer brothers, concluded that existing backpacks were a compromise: “Either a camera bag that functioned okay and looked terrible, or a bag that looked okay and functioned terribly.” So they decided to make their own backpacks that were both functional and sexy – or as they say in their entertaining video on their website – ‘funk-xy’.

I’m not sure about sexy, but the Prvke Zip and Pocket backpacks are certainly stylish and sleek with their semi-waterproof material, and I like the cool Wasatch Green colour, which is a good job as unlike the existing Prvke range that comes in a whole host of colorways, this is the only option aside from black.

And I can confirm, they’re also very functional! Wandrd has sold over 200,000 bags, and I can see why, as the Prvke Pocket and Zip are well-thought-out designs. There are plenty of pockets of various sizes to store all your personal stuff. It’s a great solution to have a dual-purpose camera backpack, which I can use for my photo gear or for day-to-day use and commuting, when I take out the Camera Cube. Whether I’d actually bother to use it for both is another matter, as removing and re-inserting the Cube section is a bit of a faff, but the choice is there if you want it.

The only difference between the Pocket and Zip bags is the front design and – you’ve guessed it – the Pocket has an additiional pocket on the front (ideal for a tablet or small laptop, book, or perhaps a few snacks, and other small items), whereas the Zip only gets a simple zip down the side on the front of the bag, giving access to a flat recessed comartment which you could slide a tablet or magazine into.

So the Pocket gives you a bit more storage space, while the Zip has a sleeker, more streamlined look. But that aside, both bags are identical apart from the pocket/zip frontage.

The main zips, used to access the side and back sections, have large hoops that are easy to grasp, making it easy to unzip the sections to get at your camera gear. It sounds simple, but sometimes thicker zippers are harder to pull closed.

The Pocket and Zip backpacks are very comfortable to carry, even when fully loaded with camera gear. I’d be confident wearing this on photoshoots without worrying whether the shoulder straps would dig in or the kit inside poke into my back, thanks to the thick padded rear section.

The shiny material is shower-proof but not waterproof, as Wandrd says: “While our bags aren't submerge-proof, the weather-resistant materials and zippers make it damn close!”

With zipped access from the back panel, you lay the backpacks down on their front to access your camera kit. As the outer material is ‘weather-proof’, you can confidently lay the backpack down on wet ground and not worry about stuff inside getting wet.

A pouch on the right side of the Zip and Pocket backpacks has a useful zip around the bottom and side that enables it to expand to accommodate a travel tripod, or be semi-zipped up for water bottles. There’s also a helpful hooked strap to secure tripods from falling out when you’re on the move.

So let’s look in detail at these Cube dividers, which you need to make the Prvke Zip and Pocket suitable as camera bags. You have a choice of the Essential Camera Cube, which takes up most of the rear section but leaves a little space for personal items at the top, or the bigger Pro Camera Cube, which takes up the entire main compartment.

Adding either Camera Cube padded divider system inside the Prvke Pocket or Zip is pretty simple, once you get the hang of it. An internal shelf inside the backpack needs to be laid flat, and a couple of flaps need to be unzipped and tucked into recesses. Wandrd has provided this video to show how to install the Cubes.

WANDRD Pro Camera Cube Installation - YouTube

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It takes a while to do, but once done properly, and tucked and fastened away, the internal Cube system is then securely in place, which means your camera gear will also be secure inside the padded modular section.

However, I'm not sure that I'd want to go through the rigmarole of removing the Cube section to convert it back to a regular backpack and reinserting it when I wanted to carry my camera gear again on a regular basis.

Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip: Performance

With a volume of 12.5L for camera gear, the Pro Plus Camera Cube fills the main compartment of the Prvke Pocket 31 backpack completely. It is ideal for professional DSLR or mirrorless camera setups and can accommodate larger telephoto zoom lenses like a 100-500mm.

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Rejigging a few Velcro dividers enabled me to fit a Canon EOS R3 with a 24-70mm lens attached, accessible by the top access panel, and a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV with a 24-105mm lens attached, accessible via a side access opening. There was also space for Canon RF 100-500mm and EF 16-35mm f/2.8 lenses, plus a couple of filters.

The larger-bodied EOS R3 was a snugger fit, as was the RF 100-500mm with its collar on, which meant it sat above the level of the Cube. I also found my EF 16-35mm wide-angle lens, with its big lens hood, to be a bit of a squeeze. However, with all these kit combos, it was no problem to zip up the bag’s back section.

The smaller square Essential Plus Camera Cube fills two-thirds of the interior of the Prvke Zip 31 backpack. With a capacity of 8.7L, the Essential Plus can also fit larger DSLR or mirrorless camera setups, but is more suited to a single camera body and standard zoom lens, plus a 70-200mm telephoto zoom, and one or two more smaller lenses, or a flashgun. I found I could just about fit a mid-sized EOS DSLR with 50mm, 70-200mm f/2.8L, and 24-105mm lenses, and a Speedlite.

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Removing the Pro Plus Camera Cube from the backpack is a fiddly job if you leave your kit in it while doing so, as the Cube isn’t super rigid. Once the Cube was removed from inside the backpack, I discovered I couldn’t zip up the front of the Cube with the EOS R3 inside, as the camera body was too tall.

I found that removing the Essential Plus Camera Cube was fine with the kit I had inside, and I could zip it up and then carry the Cube by its side strap like a mini suitcase to store safely at home if I wanted to use the backpack for everyday use.

Wandrd Prvke Pocket / Zip: Verdict

The Prvke Pocket and Zip are comfy to carry, and their tough, weatherproof exteriors should stand up to the rough and tumble of life on the road. They are essentially the same bag, so the right one for you is really down to whether you prefer the minimalist good looks of the Zip, or the easier to access and more capacious Pocket. But you may well prefer the existing roll-top Prvke V4 to both these newcomers!

To my mind, the 31L bags reviewed here offer a lot more bag than the 21L version for a modest additional outlay. However, having to buy a Camera Cube insert increases the cost somewhat, not to mention further confusing the issue of which size is best!

The Essential Camera Cube is ideal for setups of a camera body and two-three regular-sized lenses, up to a 70-200mm. If you travel with more than one camera body or use super-telephoto lenses, then the Pro Camera Cube is the better bet.

Alternatives

These Zip and Pocket backpacks are variations on the Wandrd Prvke V4 roll-top bag and employ the same Camera Cube system to customize the internals for carrying camera gear.

The Vanguard Veo Lite B25L backpack has a smaller 25L capacity but is constructed from similar weatherproof materials, and the camera dividers are part of the design rather than an optional extra.