Wandrd All-New Prvke 31 Review

The all-new Prvke is an update to the incredibly popular Prvke. It is sold by itself or with the Essential+ Camera Cube as the Wandrd Prvke 31 Photography Bundle – which is what I’ve tested here.

The original bag was good, but obviously, Wandrd decided not good enough and they could do it better.

But before the review, why was the original Prvke so popular?

Firstly it’s a great size as day packs go, offering a fantastic solution for anyone who’s going out for the day or travelling and wants to pack a camera.

Second, the pack looks great; Wandrd knows how to make a great looking bags.

And finally, the roll top. People seem to love this concept, as you can easily pop your non-photo kit in the top or set-up the inner module so you can get quick access to your camera. This is especially good if you have a big lens.

Going back to the All-New pack’s and the enhancements are instantly apparent; wider straps and redesigned back.

As with the original pack, it looks good, and the quality is instantly apparent, but as ever, it’s only when you head out into the field that you’ll get a true picture of how the bag will perform. So with the sun almost out, I’m off to the beach.

Camera backpacks have evolved, and we’re now getting to see a selection of stylish, functional camera bags that are far departed from tradition.

The Wandrd Prvke 31 mixes a cool urban style with off the beaten track function and utilises materials equally at home in both environments.

Starting with the exterior, the material is tough, offering water protection. While the bag isn’t 100% waterproof, it does offer a shield against heavy downpours.

The outer material is also incredibly tough, and there’s plenty of inner padding, ensuring your kits protection.

Checking over the bag and one of the points about the redesign is that Wandrd has worked hard on the comfort of the straps and back panel. Sure enough, trying the bag on, and it does feel comfortable and supportive.

I wasn’t that keen on the feel of the previous version due to the small door in the back panel. Just as a note.

On the exterior, there’s also plenty of loops for accessories; Wandrd sells a good selection of strap solutions as well as additional bag accessories. Check out the orange straps; they look phenomenal.

Looking at access options, you have side access when you swing the bag around your right shoulder.

You can also go through the top, although I’d be tempted to keep this for personal effects such as a coat.

The only comment on the design is the top strap; this strap is made from webbing material and features a large metal buckle on top. It looks great, but you need to make sure it’s hooked and secure properly. More often than not, I would find it dangling across the back of the pack, not a major issue.

Inside the pack is a modular section that’s inserted into the bag to create the camera divides. Its lid can be folded back so you can access the kit easily. Of course, if you want to use the Prvke as a standard non-photo day pack, all you need to do is remove the module, with kit, and leave it at home. As if you’d do that!

It’s a nice feature to have and gives you plenty of options. Setting up the inner module, you can flip over the top and bottom section lids to enable easy back and top access as you require.

It’s all very neat and fits perfectly without flaps, strap or parts catching and making it hard to use.

If you want to access all your kit then you can open up the back of the pack like a clamshell. This feature means that in wet conditions you can lay the pack down and know that when you put it back on the back should be dry. Good if you live here in the UK.

Sure enough, it does fold out nicely, and there’s a selection of pockets on the back, including those for a laptop and tablet. You can easily fit both.

Kit in, zipped and installed over the shoulders, and the bag is surprisingly comfortable. The straps are nice and wide, but for me, the only thing letting down the comfort slightly was the back panel. It’s comfortable but not quite as comfortable as some other backpacks I’ve tested recently.

Overall initial impressions are good, so loading the pack with two Sony A7’s equipped with 24-70mm and 12-24mm, a ProFoto A1X flash, and as ever a bag of dog treats, I head out.

As I ran out of the door, I also decided to pack a tripod and filters just in case. Not sure why but it felt like the right thing to do considering the beachy destination.

This may have pushed the weight of the bag a little over the comfortable carry limit, but still, it would highlight whether the design tweaks made to the shoulder and back panel were effective or not.

Shouldering the bag and it felt O. After a half-hour hike, I resorted to using the chest strap, which helped to level the load well. But the bag was weighing in 6kg, considerably more than my usual daypack limit. Still, the bags shoulder straps took the weight well, and the back padding did its job.

A bit of adjustment to the straps helped with the comfort, I’m used to a long back on my backpacks and this is a good 10cm shorter than what I’m using on a day-to-day basis.

On the next adventure, I reduced the load weight and carried one camera and a couple of lenses and then filled the pocket with a water bottle and headed off.

The Wandrd Prvke 31 was at a more comfortable weight. It also meant that I utilised the side access more with the design enabling me to flip the pack around my shoulder and access my camera. There’s plenty of space and a Sony A7 III with Canon 100-400mm fitted.

Generally, I like how the clamshell opening works, enabling complete access to the inside of the bag. However, part of me wished that the flap folded flat to the ground so that items could be safely placed on the flap when shooting. This is a minor point, nothing major.

I also like the fact that I can slip my MacBook Pro and LineDock into the slots. It’s a nice solution and doesn’t put the load of the bag and camera equipment directly onto the laptop.

Over the test, the size of the pack made it a great option for day treks, packing a good amount of camera kit, Jetboil, snacks (human and dog) and water.

One of the issues I always seem to have with backpacks is the capacity. I either go too large or too small, but this 31 Litre feels just right. There’s plenty of space for a camera with a lens, plus a couple more optics, a flash and some accessories while still leaving ample room for personal effects.

Functionally, there’s plenty of loops for adding straps, and the bag is fully compatible with all Wandrd extras.

There are also a couple of features that I didn’t use out in the field during the review, although I did look at, and test. The first was the luggage loop, this worked, I hooked it over a luggage trolly and did a turn of the garden. It’s not a feature you can say a lot about other than it works.

The other is the SD card holder; really, it’s a pocket with slots, so I’ll stick with a proper SD cardholder if that’s OK. The slots themselves will fit a Sony Alpha battery quite well, so I’ll be using them for that instead.

The last feature that I liked and have failed to mention is the front organisation pocket. This is a slot pocket but covers the entire front of the bag. It’s large enough to fit in an OS map or magazine of choice, at the moment that’s Single Track – well worth a look if you’re into MTB.

Overall the Wandrd Prvke 31 is a great daypack with plenty of style, function, protection and space.