A sling backpack can help you carry your everyday items easily. It’s not bogus and very easy to use, this one reason why it’s very popular among students, travelers, and restaurant workers.
You can easily fit in the books you need for your day’s class, basic items for a day trip or your extra pair of clothing if you work at a restaurant.
They are bags with padded slings across one shoulder that are designed to distribute your bag’s weight evenly across your back, chest, and shoulders.
In this article, we’ll be reviewing the best sling backpacks you can buy at the moment. We’ll start by listing the top ones, then later, we’ll go into more details about their features, pros, cons, and user feedback. You can also check out our review of wheeled backpacks here.
We independently researched and selected these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn More
Best Sling Backpacks In 2022
Now that we have listed the best products, we will now go into their full details.
Our #1 Choice - Overall Best Sling Backpack
This is our top pick and overall best, if you are looking for an all-purpose bag, then this is for you. It is a durable and stylish bag. You can easily put in a lot of items in this sling bag without it bogging you down.
It has a large inner compartment for you to store a lot of clothes, books, camera, medical kits, and shoes. It also has a separate pocket for you to keep tablets, phones, iPad or a small size laptop. There is a pen sleeve, a credit card slot, and a key hook storage. If you like to keep somethings hidden or extra safe, it has a hidden pocket for this.
It is very strong against wear and tear. It is also made of a reflective material strip that gives it an added safety advantage. This sling bag is gadget-friendly, its phone pocket allows you to connect your headphone cord to the bag. Its water-resistant design ensures it can be used in different weather conditions, you don’t need to be worried about your items getting wet by rain.
User Feedback:
Most users loved this bag, they enjoyed its large storage capacity, lightweight, and durability.
Our #2 Choice - Best For A Budget
If you’re looking for a very nice and decent sling backpack on a low budget, you should consider getting this one.
It is made from high quality, durable materials. It is very versatile, you can use it for activities like traveling, shopping and walking. It can also be used as a slim backpack for school. The shoulder strap is reversible, you can use it on either shoulder.
This bag has different pockets for all your items, it will easily store your cards, glasses, keys, and phone. It has a hidden pocket that can store very important items like your IDs, money and credit cards, keeping them safe from theft. There is also a water bottle holder.
User Feedback:
Many users gave a positive review of this bag. It was very comfortable and safe. However, there were few complaints about the zipper and shoulder strap pocket.
Our #3 Choice - Best Waterproof Bag
Just as its name implies, it is a water-resistant and snowproof bag. This sling backpacks can be taken with you anywhere. The flexible straps can be customized to fit your body size and carrying style. It also comes in several colors.
It contains many pockets for you to keep your laptop and other items. It also has large pouches for your phones and tablets, you can keep your keys, receipts, wallet, and cards in the smaller pockets. There are 2 pen pouches with a separate pouch to safeguard your keys.
It is also very durable and convenient with breathable straps. It has reflective silver gear loops that serve as a safety signal at night. There is also a ring for attaching additional lightweight objects.
User Feedback:
Most users were satisfied with the quality of this product, it was really comfortable and light.
Our #4 Choice - Best Leather Sling Backpack
This bag is a nice canvas bag with a pretty leather decoration.
It is very spacious and can be loaded with a lot of items, perfect for outdoor activities. You can comfortably fit in your laptop and tablet. On the outside, it even has a pouch where you can keep your umbrella with a mesh that can hold your water bottle. Its flap has one pocket and below the flap, there are two more pockets.
This Leaper bag is a highly fashionable bag, you can easily alternate the strap from right to left or from left to right. It is is an ideal choice for an extended stay outside.
User Feedback:
A lot of users like this bag as it easily contains many items. It is very durable with good zippers.
Our #5 Choice - Most Fashionable
This backpack is specially designed for people who care about style. There are so many colors and patterns to choose from.
It has a sleek teardrop shape and is produced from 100% 12oz cotton canvas material, making it very durable, lightweight and water resistant. Its durability can be compared to that of a leather sling bag.
It is easy to take along for hiking and climbing, it isn’t cumbersome to wear and perfectly fits your body. The shoulder strap is adjustable to enhance convenience. With this customization, it easily matches whatever style you want.
The inner compartment has two vertical interior zipper storage spaces where you can keep your books, phone, bottles, and tablets. Your keys can be kept in the other internal pockets. There are two pockets on the outside for you to put your smaller items and chargers. You can conveniently carry it for any adventure.
User Feedback:
Most users liked the bag, it’s durability, style, and multiple design options were commended.
What To Consider When Buying A Sling Backpack In 2022
Everyone has different tastes and expectations when it comes to choosing a sling backpack. Irrespective of this, there are some valid points you need to consider before buying your backpack.
1. Material
The material used to make the backpack should be considered. It is always good to be sure that the material is durable. Some bags are made of a water-resistant material, this serves as an added advantage, so you can carry them around without being afraid of the weather.
2. Size
This is another important factor to consider. Depending on your needs, you should get a sling pack bag that can accommodate all your items. If you want to use it for air travel, then make sure the bag is compact enough to be used as your hand luggage.
It is essential that it also has some extra space that can accommodate your laptop and camera. Most bags are compact and designed to meet airline regulations.
3. Comfort
When buying a bag, you shouldn’t get one that will cause discomfort to your shoulders. Remember you will likely use the bag for months and even years, so it must be comfortable you possible. A wide and padded sling backpack with adjustable straps is highly recommended.
4. Price
When trying to get a backpack, you should try to find a balance between cost and efficiency. You should try to get one that will last but not one that will cost you a lot of money. Some awesome products are relatively cheap, while some that have extra bells and whistles could cost significantly more money.
5. Design
It is important you choose a well-designed bag that is durable, comfortable and lightweight. Other less important features to consider are the colors, shape, camera compartment, and if it has a bottle holder.
Camera compartment: If you need your sling bag for photography trips, then you should buy one that has a special camera compartment. This will enable you to store your camera without any hassles.
Tripod holder: Also, for your photography trips, a tripod holder should be considered. Your backpack should be able to keep your tripod safe.
Laptop sleeve: If you own a laptop that you need to move around with it, then ensure your backpack has a laptop sleeve in it.
Water bottle pocket: For hiking and adventures, a water bottle pocket can be very helpful. It is typically located outside the bag to avoid spills or damage to non-water resistant items that might be placed in the bag.
Lockable zippers: You should ensure the backpack you are buying has two zippers for each compartment so you can lock them together.
Multiple compartments: If you like to break your load into smaller parts, then get a multiple compartment bag. It is easier to access your stuff in multiple pocket bags.
Padded shoulder straps: These will help you carry your bag comfortably and decrease the stress on your shoulder. Ensure the padding is very thick. It should be made of a single piece of material so that it will not just split and thin out.
Contoured back: Using a lumbar-shaped pack is more comfortable. It distributes weight more evenly. It gives room for the natural arch of the back to ensure no back pain. If you pick this design-type, ensure it offers a small space between your back and the bag to allow air to move through and keep you cool.
Sling Bags Vs Backpacks
Backpacks have two straps that transfer weight to both shoulders while sling backpacks have one strap. That is the major difference.
Backpacks prevent back muscle pains while carrying heavy items making them ideal for long-term traveling, and hiking. On the other hand, sling bags have only one strap, they are lightweight and are lighter to pack, they can be used for school classes, day trips, and hiking.
How To Avoid Shoulder Pain From Sling Backpacks
Since sling backpacks cannot distribute weight to both shoulders, it is advisable you change its position frequently from one shoulder to the other. This will help in minimizing the weight effect on one shoulder.
Over To You
This brings us to the end of this review. Now, we’ll love to hear from you. Have you used any of these items before? Or do you know any other product that should be on this post? Let us know your thoughts, we are happy to get as much feedback as possible.
Thanks for reading.
Last update on 2021-07-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API