The bags we use to carry our daily gear are chosen based on a variety of criteria. Large messenger bags work great when you have a lot of bulky items, smaller bags are better when all you need to carry is a wallet and a phone. And then there are medium sized bags like the Peak Design Everyday Sling bag which we’re going to talk about today.
What is it?
The Everyday Sling 5L bag from Peak Design is a small bag that can be worn over the shoulder or as a waist bag (aka fanny pack) and has been designed to be used as a camera bag, small drone bag, or general purpose bag.
Design and features
The Sling bag is available in two sizes, the 10L version and a 5L version like the one that was sent to me. Both versions of the bag are made of weatherproof 400D nylon canvas and are available in black or ash. I was sent the ash version of the Sling bag which matches the Peak Design Everyday Messenger bag and Everyday Tote bag that I’ve also reviewed.
This bag doesn’t have a flap, but a zippered top that provides access to the interior. On the front of the bag is a horizontal zipper which secures the quick-access front pocket. This pocket is roomy enough to hold a large phone like my Pixel 2 XL.
For security, the zipper pull for the main compartment can be locked into the zipper pull for the quick-access pocket.
Here’s a view of the back of the Sling bag which as you can see, does not have any pockets.
The top of the bag has a padded grab handle with a leather accent.
The adjustable shoulder strap can be flipped for left or right shoulder carry and the extra length of the strap can be hidden in a slot on the back of the bag.
The strap has a quick adjuster loop that makes it easy to loosen and tighten the strap while you’re wearing the bag, and the g-hook provides a way to quickly switch the bag from shoulder to waist carry.
I prefer to wear bags crossbody style, but I was surprised by how comfortable the Sling is to wear around the waist. I can imagine wearing it this way while hiking.
The exterior of the Sling also has a dedicated attachment point for Peak Design’s Capture Clip system which is designed to attach cameras to the outside of the bag for quick access.
The Sling reminds me of a clamshell. The main compartment doesn’t have a flap to secure it, but a zipper which allows the front part of the bag to hinge forward.
Peak Design bags all have FlexFold dividers which are a really cool way to organize your gear inside the bag. Inside the Sling are two FlexFold origami dividers that can be repositioned, folded or even removed to configure the interior of the bag exactly how you want it.
The interior of the bag is an open compartment with a small stretch pocket on the side and a padded open topped pocket along the back that is large enough to hold a tablet with dimensions no larger than 9.4 x 7.3 x 0.6 inch (24 cm x 18.5 cm x 1.5 cm). The top of the tablet pocket has a magnetic closure.
If we flip the Sling bag around, we can see the other side of the bag where there’s a zippered pocket.
Inside the pocket are 4 small pockets that can hold memory cards or other small items.
The Sling 5L is designed to hold small drones like the DJI Mavic or DJI Spark, and small mirrorless or DSLR cameras.
I don’t own a DJI drone and I no longer have a dedicated DSLR camera, but do have a collection of EDC gear that goes with me to and from work each day. Here’s my latest selection minus an A5 notebook, and my Pixel 2 XL which I used to take this photo.
And here we see all my items stowed neatly in the Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L bag. The bag was able to hold the majority of my essentials, but I did have to compromise and remove one of the individual notebooks from my X47 leather notebook binder instead of carrying the whole thing. I was able to put the thin A5 notebook in the tablet pocket inside the Sling.
Another compromise I made was not being able to put my lunch in the Sling since there was absolutely no room left to hold even a small container of food.
Bonus points for the fact that the Sling 5L sits upright on a flat surface without falling over.
Positives
- Multiple ways to carry
- Customizable FlexFold organization dividers
- Small but can hold a lot of gear
Negatives
- 5L version can feel cramped if you like to carry a lot of gear
Final thoughts
Since reviewing the Peak Design Everyday Messenger bag, I’ve become a fan of their bags. The bags are well made, expertly designed for customization, and stylish. The Everyday Sling 5L is a great little bag for people who don’t carry a lot of gear with them each day or want a dedicated bag for a small mirrorless camera kit or drone kit. This is another winner for Peak Design and I’m happy to recommend it.
Price: $99.95
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Peak Design.
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Fantastic write-up – thank you! It’s especially nice to see not only what the sling can carry, but how it all fits. Since you mention not being able to carry a lunch container with everything in the sling, does it feel bulky at all when carrying crossbody every day?
No, the 5L size is very small and compact. It’s not bulky at all. For reference, I’m 5’6″.
Hi Julie!
I’m considering purchasing the 5L for carrying EDC stuff, and, on occasion, perhaps a camera and lens on the weekend. Since it has been some time since your original review, I’m wondering if you have any additional thoughts after using it for a while. I would think that you aren’t using it anymore, based on the amount of gear you review. Your input is appreciated. I might buy it used if I can find a good deal, else I’ll look to get it new.
thanks!
Earl
Hi Earl, I’m no longer using it. I’m more of a messenger bag fan because I find it quicker to get to my gear with a messenger bag.
thanks Julie!
Hi. Would you think a 7-8L Sling would be necessary in order for the bag to take in “lunch items”? I really like the bag both for photo and EDC, but I think your review justifies that the somewhat needs to be a tad bigger. (Able to fit in a small iPad Pro for instance). Great write up. Thank you
Yes, I think the larger sized Sling would work have more room for a small lunch container. But I’m only guessing because I don’t have one in front of me. It would also depend on the types of containers you use to carry your lunch.
Hi, I’m thinking of fitting a mid-range DSLR (80d) into this bag, along with another lens. If you do a rough estimate, will this bag be able to hold the items comfortably without too much of a squeeze? I’m not planning on stuffing much else into this bag apart from some small accessories. Thanks!
It really depends on the size of the lens. Here’s a picture from Peak’s site showing how you can configure the sling to hold a DSLR with a lens.