What exactly is a sling bag? It might sound simple, but after our team of gear experts spent over two months analyzing more than 50 sling bags and hip packs, we realized it’s not always clear-cut. We’ve finally nailed down a definition that works, even with some exceptions.
Sling bags for men tested by experts to find the best travel sling bag
Our definition: A sling bag is designed for comfortable wear across your chest or back, secured with a crossbody strap. Typically, you’ll find an off-center buckle, diagonally connecting straps, and an oblong bag shape. We say “typically” because, as we’ll see, there are exceptions.
It’s important to distinguish sling bags from messenger bags. While both use a single, crossbody strap, they aren’t the same. Messenger bags are generally larger, boxier, and less body-hugging. It’s more of a gut feeling – you’ll probably recognize a messenger bag when you see one.
Why a Travel Sling Bag is a Game-Changer for Men
There’s a huge variety of sling bag styles for men, from tactical versions for outdoor activities to high-fashion designs (think designer brands) and even backpack slings roomy enough for a laptop. While we’ll touch on these, our focus here is on sling bags specifically designed for men’s travel needs.
Sling Bag vs. Hip Pack: What’s the Difference for Men?
Online, you’ll often see sling bags confused with hip packs (also known as waist packs, fanny packs, or belt bags). But for men, it’s crucial to understand they aren’t interchangeable. Sling bags and hip packs are not the same thing.
Think of it this way: a hip pack is essentially a modern fanny pack, while a sling bag is its cooler, more contemporary cousin. A hip pack can sometimes function as a sling bag (though not always well), but a true sling bag is almost never a hip pack.
To complicate things, brands often have their own definitions of sling bags and hip packs. Some even use “crossbody bag” to describe what we consider a sling bag. It’s a bit of a muddle, and our definitions aren’t set in stone.
For this guide, we’re focusing solely on sling bags for men and travel. Hip packs are a separate topic for another day.
Why Choose a Sling Bag for Men?
Now that we’re clear on what a men’s sling bag is, let’s explore why it’s a valuable addition to your travel gear, making carrying essentials easier and more stylish.
Sling Bags: Ideal for Men’s In-Flight Essentials
Since carrying two backpacks – front and back – isn’t quite the norm (surprisingly!), a men’s sling bag is perfect for keeping your must-have items accessible during travel. Just stash your phone, wallet, passport, and more in your sling, and breeze through airport security like a seasoned traveler. No more awkward “security shuffle.”
Unlike pockets, a sling bag can hold almost everything you need in-flight (within reason – maybe leave the inflatable kayak at home). What you pack is personal, but here are some of our top suggestions for men:
- Smartphone
- Travel snacks (essential for any journey)
- USB cables and chargers
- Portable battery bank
- Earplugs (planes and crying babies – a universal constant)
- Eye mask
- Headphones
- Small notebook and pen (inspiration can strike at 35,000 feet)
- Tissues
- E-reader or book (depending on the sling’s size)
Once you’re on the plane, use a carabiner to attach your sling bag to the seat in front. This keeps everything within easy reach for quick access to snacks, tissues for unexpected movie tears, or a phone charger for that crucial Tetris game. Just the travel essentials, of course.
Men’s Sling Bags: Perfect for Day Trip Adventures
Similar to in-flight convenience, a men’s sling bag is an excellent companion for day trips. Sometimes, you only need the basics – wallet, keys, phone. While pockets might work, consider: 1) not all men’s clothing has practical pockets, 2) skinny jeans exist, and 3) some outfits lack pockets entirely.
Even with decent pockets, some day trips require a few extras that don’t justify a full backpack. A sling bag lets you carry:
- Extra camera lenses (for photography enthusiasts)
- Spare camera batteries
- Snacks (still the MVP)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Lip balm
- Grooming essentials
- Portable gaming device
Men's sling bag flat lay showing what fits inside for a day trip
Men’s sling bags are the perfect middle ground between a daypack and your pockets. If you’re a daypack type, switching to a sling bag encourages you to streamline your essentials. Your back will thank you for leaving unnecessary items behind. If you usually rely on pockets, you can avoid overstuffed pockets and carry more without feeling weighed down.
Lightweight and Packable for Men on the Go
Men’s sling bags designed for travel are incredibly lightweight and can pack flat in your main travel backpack. You can pack it away and forget about it until you need it for day trips or excursions.
Easy Access for Men’s Essentials
Sling bags offer incredibly easy access. Worn on your chest, everything is right at hand. Worn on your back, you can quickly swing it to the front. Just watch out for the “T-Rex arms” when wearing it high on your chest – you know exactly what we mean.
Sling Bags: A Stylish Choice for Men
Sling bags are currently a fashionable accessory for men. You’ll find them everywhere, from high street stores to luxury brands. It’s a great combination of fashion and practicality.
Other Great Uses for Men’s Sling Bags:
- Festivals and Events (practical and stylish)
- Everyday Carry (EDC), especially for bike commuters
- Hiking and outdoor adventures
- City exploration
- Amusement parks
- Countless other situations
Finding the Right Sling Bag for Men’s Travel and EDC
We lean towards smaller sling bags for men because they’re simply the best for travel. They’re more comfortable to carry, easier to pack, and usually qualify as a personal item on airlines. A sling bag that’s too big just becomes an awkward, uncomfortable backpack.
Different styles of men's sling bags for various travel needs
While sling bag size is measured in liters, it can vary between brands. One brand’s 5 liters might be another’s 2. It’s crucial to consider the bag’s shape, internal organization, and material thickness – all affect usable space. Let’s break it down for men’s sling bag selection.
Volume & Size for Men’s Travel Sling Bags
While liters aren’t a perfect measure, they’re a good starting point. For men’s travel sling bags, aim for 1 to 8 liters, keeping the weight under 4-5 pounds (including your gear). Since it’s a single-shoulder carry, a heavy sling can become uncomfortable or even strain your back. Plus, a massive sling across your chest might look a bit unusual.
NOMATIC Navigator Collapsible Sling 3L packed small for travel
Some sling bags are expandable, which is great for travel. They pack down small when empty but expand to hold more when needed. This works well for smaller slings; expandable larger slings can become bulky and unwieldy.
Expandable men's sling bag for versatile travel needs
CODEOFBELL X-POD II features an expandable main compartment, making it ideal for both minimal essentials and trips requiring more gear. It maintains a comfortable, non-bulky profile even when fully packed – a rare and valuable feature.
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Profile: Tall vs. Wide Sling Bags for Men
The sling bag’s profile significantly impacts its look and comfort. Most men’s sling bags have an oblong shape to fit the chest or back contour. Hip packs trying to be sling bags often lack this contour and can look unbalanced.
Sling bags typically come in two orientations: tall or wide. Both are great options, depending on your needs and style.
Tall profile men's sling bag worn across the back
Tall sling bags resemble purses or mini-backpacks. They work well for vertically oriented items and can be worn on the back or chest. They aren’t always as close-fitting to the body.
Tall men's sling bag with vertical orientation for easy access
Topo Designs Mini Shoulder Bag can be worn crossbody or as a hip pack. Its horseshoe zipper provides easy access, and the vertical design allows a good view inside and easy hand access.
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Wide profile men's sling bag worn across the chest
Wide sling bags are closer in appearance to fanny packs and tend to sit snugly against the body. If you prefer a more streamlined, body-hugging style, a wide sling might be your choice.
Wide men's sling bag with a fanny pack style but larger capacity
Chrome Industries Mini Kadet is known for its unique design. This sling bag’s oblong shape is reminiscent of a fanny pack, but its larger size, seatbelt buckle, and rigid structure are distinctive. It can appear bulky on smaller frames, especially when full, but it holds essentials and more.
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Weather Resistance for Men’s Travel Sling Bags
You’ll likely carry important items like your phone, wallet, and passport in your sling bag. Unless you have weather-controlling superpowers, weather resistance is a significant benefit, protecting your essentials from rain and snow. A weather-resistant sling is also easy to wipe clean.
Excessive waterproofing can be overkill. Fully waterproof materials are designed specifically for extreme water resistance and may not be as durable or comfortable for everyday use as other fabrics.
In a sudden downpour, a sling bag is usually small enough to tuck under a rain jacket. Just be aware of the potential for strange looks – are you smuggling a pet or just have an oddly shaped chest?
Weather-resistant men's sling bag for outdoor travel
ALPAKA Bravo Sling Max V2 is designed for tech gear, including small laptops, and features excellent weather resistance with durable fabric and water-resistant zippers.
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Durability & Quality of Men’s Sling Bags
With sling bags booming in popularity, prices range from budget-friendly to luxury. While a car-priced sling bag is probably unnecessary, investing in a durable, high-quality sling made from premium materials is recommended. This might mean spending more than the absolute minimum.
However, the super-tough fabrics used for travel backpacks might be overkill for a sling bag. You need to balance durability with weight and capacity. Key quality factors to consider include:
Zippers: A Critical Component for Men’s Sling Bags
A broken zipper during travel can be a major hassle. Choose reliable zipper brands like YKK, RiRi, and SAB, known for quality. YKK zippers are particularly trusted and widely used for good reason.
YKK Zipper on a men's sling bag for durability
Zipper size is also important, ranging from #1 (small) to #10 (large). Sling bags typically use #5 or #8 zippers. Sizes smaller than #5 may have durability issues.
Oversized #10 zippers are usually unnecessary for slings. They can be noisy and potentially rub uncomfortably against your body.
Some brands use oversized zippers for aesthetic reasons. If you like the look, be prepared for potential jingling.
Reverse coil zipper on a men's sling bag for weather resistance
Smaller zippers are fine for internal or less-used pockets. Reverse coil zippers (RC), indicated by #5RC or #8RC, have internally facing teeth for better weather resistance, but they aren’t fully waterproof.
For enhanced water resistance, look for water-repellent zippers like YKK AquaGuard, featuring a polyurethane coating. These are useful in very wet climates but might be overkill for general use.
Hardware: Buckles and Clips on Men’s Slings
Buckles and clips are essential for sling bag functionality. Broken hardware can render a sling bag unusable. Choose reputable brands like Duraflex, YKK, Woojin, and ITW for reliable hardware.
Duraflex Buckle on a rugged men's sling bag
Metal buckles are very durable but can add weight and be less comfortable than plastic buckles on sling bags. Plastic from trusted brands offers a good balance of durability and comfort.
Fabric & Material Choices for Men’s Sling Bags
Modern bag designers have a wide range of fabrics available, each with pros and cons. Balance durability with weight and capacity. Sling bags don’t endure the same stress as travel backpacks, so extreme toughness isn’t always necessary. Common materials include:
Nylon: A Versatile Choice
Nylon fabric commonly used in sling bags
Nylon is a popular synthetic fabric – soft, durable, and lightweight. It’s a versatile base material for slings, often enhanced with weaves, patterns, or fibers for improved durability, tear resistance, or weather resistance.
Ballistic Nylon: Extremely Durable
Nylon fabric commonly used in sling bags
Originally for military body armor, ballistic nylon is exceptionally strong – possibly overkill for a sling bag. While incredibly durable and pill/water-resistant, it’s heavier and stiffer than other fabrics. Still, a great choice for maximum toughness.
Ripstop Nylon: Tear Resistance
Nylon fabric commonly used in sling bags
Ripstop nylon prevents punctures from turning into full rips due to extra fibers in its weave. Like standard nylon, it’s lightweight and strong, ideal for sling bags. It’s even used in fighter pilot ejection seat parachutes, so it’s certainly tough enough.
Polyester: Budget-Friendly Option
Polyester fabric is a more affordable synthetic
Polyester is a more affordable synthetic fabric than nylon, though generally heavier. Good for budget slings, but less durable unless blended with other fabrics, especially in linings or high-wear areas.
CORDURA® Grade Fabrics (Nylon & Polyester): Quality Assurance
Nylon fabric commonly used in sling bags
CORDURA® is a brand, not a fabric type. CORDURA® nylon and polyester are similar to standard versions, but produced to CORDURA®’s quality standards. The CORDURA® label indicates excellent abrasion resistance and strength-to-weight ratio.
Canvas: Classic Style
Canvas fabric offers a vintage aesthetic
Canvas sling bags offer a classic, sophisticated look. Cotton canvas, historically the original bag fabric, is heavier and less abrasion-resistant than synthetics. Weatherproofing is usually achieved with wax, which can be reapplied for continued water resistance and durability.
Leather: Luxury and Style (Less Practical for Travel)
Canvas fabric offers a vintage aesthetic
Leather, the oldest bag material, is less common in travel sling bags, more often seen in high fashion. Leather is heavy, sensitive to weather, and requires maintenance. Best for wallets; choose other materials for travel slings.
While other fabrics exist (sailcloth, polypropylene), most sling bags use these materials. Material itself isn’t the only factor.
Fabric thickness is indicated by denier (D) – 250D, 950D, 1000D, etc. Higher denier generally means thicker, more durable fabric, but also heavier.
Denier is most useful for comparing fabrics of the same type. 1000D Ballistic nylon is more durable than 500D Ballistic nylon, but also heavier.
What’s the Ideal Material for a Men’s Sling Bag?
For men’s sling bags, higher denier is generally better, up to around 500D. Above 500D is often overkill. Fabrics above 500D become noticeably heavier, though sling bags are small enough that the weight difference is minimal. Since slings don’t face the same wear as backpacks, extreme durability isn’t essential.
Prioritize overall quality, including zippers and hardware, alongside fabric. A super-durable ballistic nylon sling is useless with broken zippers. Aim for a balanced, well-rounded design.
Durable men's sling bag with high-quality materials
Aer City Sling 2, made of 1680D CORDURA® Ballistic nylon, is exceptionally durable, perhaps bordering on overkill. Excellent for travelers seeking maximum durability.
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Unique and tough men's sling bag with recycled materials
Chrome Industries Tensile Sling Bag uses recycled nylon and polyester with ripstop sailcloth for a unique look and durability. The 5 Bar webbing provides structural reinforcement, making it feel solid even when partially empty.
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