REIKA TRAVEL PACK: REVIEW
FOREWORD
The world is a turbulent place. Restricted travel, heavily fluctuating economy, political and social unrest seem to appear at every corner. Running a business in such challenging conditions is tough, starting something brand new - doubly so. Despite challenges, Reika, a new brand based in the UK, is bold enough to launch a Kickstarter campaign for their first product - the Travel pack.
Quick disclaimer - I am not a photographer and do not have a ton of camera gear (my wife uses Canon R6 and a single Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 MACRO IS STM lens) so my experience with the bag is closer to an average person who travels domestically and internationally, rather than a photographer.
I would like to share my thoughts after using the pre-production unit for a few months and hopefully help answer the ultimate question - is this travel bag worth considering for your next adventure?
Read on to find out.
WHO IT SUITS
Those who practice minimal travel and need a carry-on compatible bag.
Anyone with a bunch of camera equipment that needs to safely get from point A to B
Those who appreciate and enjoy simple minimalistic aesthetics with a modern (even techwear) flair
WHO IT DOESN’T
Those looking for bright vivid colors that can express their vibrant personality might find the blacked-out look of Reika too conservative and restricting
ABOUT THE BAG
PRICE: MSRP 199 GBP (KS special 159 GBP)
WEIGHT (bag only): 1.9 kg
DIMENSIONS: 530x330x200mm
CAPACITY: 35L
DESIGN & FEATURES
Reika went all-in with the modern, somewhat technical look of their Travel pack. Clean lines, unapologetically boxy shape and a ton of quality of life features make it clear that folks at Reika have put countless hours into making this bag what it is.
The travel pack is padded throughout with EVA which gives it structure and also makes it look the same empty or filled to the brim. So if you are concerned about the floppy or saggy look of your pack - rest assured your Reika pack will not have this problem.
Offered only in black, Reika’s first product would not look out of place beside the best bags from Peak Design or Black Ember. It is sleek, minimal, and very modern.
The branding is minimal and tasteful - a barely visible black-on-black logo on the front of the pack and some barely noticeable branding on the zipper pullers. I love it!
Despite its stealthy look, the travel pack has basically every feature you could ask for in the bag while maintaining a sleek profile and never feeling overwhelming. My personal favorites are:
Top access to the dedicated laptop compartment. This is a godsend and a must in any pack making taking the laptop in or out effortless.
Top quick-access pocket. Wide and deep enough to store all kinds of things like a phone charger, spare mask, AirPods, etc
Hidden pocket on the back for sensitive items like a passport or some cash
Clamshell opening that makes it a joy to pack and unpack the bag
4 stealthy TPU grab handles allow grabbing the bag from any side. Designed to lay flat when not in use these handles are great when you need them and out of the way when you don’t.
Side access to the main compartment/camera cube - very similar to something like Boundary Supply Prima you basically have a quick window into the pack, a killer feature for any camera bag
A fully stowable harness system makes it easy to prepare the bag for the check-in
COMFORT
I am pleased to report that Reika has mostly nailed the comfort of the bag.
The combination of thick, padded, countered shoulder straps with a nice removable hip belt and comfortable back panel make carrying the bag a nice experience. The detachable load lifters also do a good job in distributing the weight and keeping the bag tight on the bag.
I have to admit, I was not in love with the TPU grab handles (there are 4 of them) - they are thin and narrow, perfectly fine to grab the bag but not very good for holding the bag over extended periods of time.
MATERIALS & ORGANIZATION
Every material on the travel pack feels deliberate and thought through, complementing each other perfectly to make the pack look very modern and functional.
The main fabric is Reika’s proprietary DI-TEX, essentially an 840d nylon weave constructed from recycled fishing nets (kudos for sustainability!). It feels nice to the touch, something along the lines of technical fabrics used on Peak Design travel pack or Black Ember. The fabric is deep black and is a breeze to clean - a simple wipe of the wet cloth makes it look good as new.
All the hardware is aluminum, feels substantial, and is very high-quality.
The zippers are industry-leading, tried, and true waterproof YKK.
Overall, the choice of fabrics and materials feels top quality and looks the part, Reika did a great job in putting these together to make the pack feel more than the sum of its parts.
As for organization - the team at Reika knocked it out of the park. Rarely do I come across a pack where I feel perfectly content and happy with the built-in organization. Simply put, Reika’s travel pack has not left me wanting more pockets or compartments.
Externally you get:
Organisational Admin Panel Front Pocket. Similar to something like Goruck front pocket it won’t store much but is great for flat items
A quick-access pocket on top of the bag. Great for things you need to grab in a pinch, also features a dedicated key leash with a metal carabiner
Suspended laptop compartment accessed from the top of the bag. A godsend if you don’t want to deal with shifting other contents inside when trying to get the laptop in or out.
Concealed Seam Sealed Waterproof Water Bottle Pocket. It even fits a 1L Nalgene bottle but naturally eats away from the internal space.
Secure Back Panel Passport Pocket. The pocket is basically invisible and super safe to store sensitive flat items like extra cash or a passport.
Camera Accessory Organisation Quick-access Pocket. Reminiscent of Boundary Supply Prima pocket it comes in handy when you want to grab something from the main compartment without opening the main clamshell zipper.
Internally things are delightfully simple:
2 medium-sized mesh organization pockets
1 large compartment behind a compression panel
To keep things neat and tidy there is also a magnetic elastic compression strap that allows securing your stuff inside. The rest of the internal space is basically one big compartment begging to be filled with packing cubes and organizers. Love it!
To sum up, the organization is thoughtful and nothing feels out of place - everything has a clear purpose while ensuring that you are not overwhelmed or struggling to understand where is what.
WHAT’S HOT
High-quality recycled materials used across the board
Anti-bacterial handles is an awesome addition to the bag and are really relevant in our COVID days
The clamshell opening makes packing and unpacking a breeze
The bag easily stands on its own thanks to a boxy shape. Forget about the constant search of the wall or a piece of furniture to put the bag against.
A fully stowable harness allows quickly converting the bag into the black box that is easy to check-in
A ton of quality of life features that are available yet never get in the way when not used
WHAT’S NOT
The inner liner is black which goes well with the overall aesthetics of the bag but falls behind in day to day use - especially when trying to fish things out of the bag in the poor lit conditions
There are a ton of pockets and compartments that can be accessed from the outside (laptop compartment, main compartment, quick access top compartment, front flat compartment, etc) and all of these have identical black zipper pulls which even after a few months of using the bag did not feel 100% familiar. Personally, I would customize some of the zippers pulls to differentiate compartments and make it easier to identify where is what
VERDICT
Reika Travel bag is an unmistakably strong offering for photographers who travel with a ton of expensive gear, however, it is also an excellent option for anyone looking for a well-built, comfortable, carry-on compliant bag.
I have to say, it is very easy to fall in love with this bag especially if you dig its unique modern look. If I am to be picky there are a few things that could be improved in the future iterations of the bag:
- differentiate zipper pulls to help navigate the bag and its compartments better
- add a high visibility inner liner
- see if it's possible to reduce the weight of the bag (1.9 kg is an average weight for a 35L bag but I wish this could be reduced to sub 1.5 kg)
None of these points is a deal-breaker nor ruin the bag in its current state, simply my observations as a more demanding bag user (it’s a blessing and the curse of the bag reviewers who are exposed to the best packs and brands out there).
I am very impressed with the Reika travel pack, especially since it's the first product from the brand, and can highly recommend it to anyone looking for a very capable, durable, and feature-rich bag to take on adventures. Personally, I’ll be sure to keep an eye on the brand and its future releases.
