REVIEW – Carrying around our necessary items can be tough. Not only when we’re commuting (LOL – remember commuting?!?), but also when we’re just around the office, running out for lunch, or running up to the corner store. Enter the SLNG bag from Gruv Gear – a better alternative to a fanny pack. I was sent a sample, and have used it in a few of my outings over the last month or so. I’m ready to give my review.
What is it?
Leather and nylon sling bag with organizational pockets and a RFID shielded area inside.
Hardware specs
The website lists these attributes:
- RFID shield protects your credit cards and passport from digital theft
- Global Recovery Tag (powered by HomingPIN) integrated in over 2800 airports helps get your SLNG back if you misplace or lose it
- Zippered mesh pocket for cash and coins eliminates the need to carry a wallet
- OKTANE power bank area with easy wireless charging for compatible devices
- Outlet for headphones or OKTANE cables
- Breathable padded mesh back panel
- Water-repellent 1680D oxford fabric and brushed PU panels
- Branded seatbelt webbing
- Metal logo and zipper pullers
- Strap length range: 48cm (18.9″) to 130cm (51.2″). An Extension Utility Strap option adds another 30cm (12″) to the length, plus a convenient elastic pocket and cord organizers.
Design and features
The SLNG is made from black smooth tightly-woven water-repellent nylon fabric with smooth leather-like trim. There is a metal logo attached on the front, but it’s black, to match the style, so it’s not obtrusive. The Gruv Gear folks serve the DJ market, so there is that feel. It’s very urbane, very hip.
The strap is 1.5” seatbelt-quality webbing with “GRUV” stamped into it every few inches. It is cinched by a heavy-duty plastic two-prong pinch release clasp with adjustable loops on each side. The strap is far more heavy-duty than what you could possibly get into the bag.
On the back of the bag is a mesh cushioned area that has stitching to provide several puffy areas to keep it cool, if you’re wearing it for long periods. There are two loops of webbing on each top end that could fit a skinny pen or carabiner, but they are behind (towards your body) from the zipper on top.
There is also a metal tag with a QR code and ID number for product registration and retrieval. You register it, and anyone who finds it can contact the URL and return it.
Inside, behind a nylon coil, double-pull zipper, there are several dividers. One is a simple mesh panel. The other zips open to reveal six card sleeves. This area is RFID-shielded. On the outside of this panel, there is a mesh zippered pocket perfect for coinage and keys. The area in front of this panel is about .5” – .75” deep, and has a pass-thru area for power or earphone cables. My Kindle and my iPhone 11 Pro Max easily fit into the inside, but there’s not much more room.
Performance
While the website advertises 51.2″ of strap without the extension (which I did not have to test with), my tape measure showed 21.5 inches with the bag doubled, so that’s 43″. Quite a difference when you’re wearing it over bulky winter gear. It can be worn as a belt bag/fanny pack, or slung over the shoulder like a bandolier. Chewbacca would love it.
What I like
- Quality materials
- Lost-and-Found system
- Subtle design
What I’d change
- It’s not large enough to carry what I have in my pockets
- It’s way over-engineered for the size
- The strap is too short to wear over leather jackets or coats
Final thoughts
Tech is getting smaller, but also much more necessary. The slim car key we used to carry is now a globule of buttons and may have a flip-out physical key. Our phones are now larger in size as well. We need a key card for work, a mask, chapstick, driver’s license, credit card, health insurance card, breath mints… If you’re someone who takes a lot of EDC in a backpack, it’s a lot of trouble to put it all away, or dig down through cables and spare hard drives for your Coffee Club card or your ID. A dedicated spot to hold your gear, be it inside your pack or on your person, is a handy and versatile thing. I’m not yet ready to go (back) to a fanny pack, but if hip DJs start hauling them around, who knows?
Price: $49.99
Where to buy: Gruv Gear
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Gruv Gear.
