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Oct 27, 2024

The 13 Best Sling Bags of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Our favorite sling bags come in a variety of styles and sizes for any trip type. In

We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.

Our favorite sling bags come in a variety of styles and sizes for any trip type.

In This Article

Travel + Leisure / Jackie Cucco

Sling bags have become wildly popular in the last few years, but the crossbody-style bags have always been a staple for traveling. Sling bags typically have a larger capacity than an average purse while still feeling compact and secure since you can easily swing the bags to the front of your body.

Whether you’re in search of the perfect travel bag for flying, hiking, shopping, or for everyday use like running errands, we got our hands on 23 sling bags from trusted brands to find the best of the best for anyone’s needs. From outdoorsy bags made with weatherproof materials to chic leather slings to pair with any outfit, we found a variety of top-tier bags that impressed us with a functional design for staying organized and high-quality materials that will last no matter where your travels take you.

It's comfortable to wear and is spacious enough for your daily essentials.

Depending on how you wear it, you may have to remove the entire bag to access the main compartment.

The North Face Borealis Sling thoroughly impressed us during testing, earning top marks in every category — from capacity and comfort to quality and value. Right off the bat, we found it comfortable to wear and walk around in. It never made us feel weighed down, even when it was packed full, while we ran errands on a hot day. The weight was distributed evenly across our torso and shoulders, making it feel more like wearing a small backpack than a standard sling. The straps are adjustable, so it's easy to get a snug fit that doesn't rub or chafe. It has a spacious capacity as well, and we were impressed with just how much we could fit inside, finding more than enough room to hold all of our daily essentials. The primary pocket is plenty spacious and includes a fleece-lined pocket on the side that's ideal for a phone and keys. There is also a pocket on the front of the strap that makes it easy to access small items like headphones or lip gloss without needing to adjust the bag. The materials feel high-quality, and we're confident that this bag will stay in great shape for a long time.

The Details: 7.3 x 4.7 x 13 inches | 10.6 ounces | 6-liter capacity | Recycled nylon ripstop, recycled polyester | Water repellent

This bag is full of handy pockets and compartments for organization.

We would like to have a zipper closure on the front pouch for added security.

The Beis Travel The Sport Sling is perfect for travel days thanks to a few key details that make it stand out. When it comes to space for travel essentials like a passport, phone, and hand sanitizer, this bag has everything you could ask for. There are so many convenient compartments, including a front slip pouch and a front zip pocket that features three credit card slots and additional room to store other slim items like a wallet, passport, or important paperwork. The main zippered compartment features a small pouch and a mesh zippered pocket inside. On the back of the sling, you'll find a hidden zippered compartment that's great for keeping valuables safe against your back. "My favorite part of the bag is the hidden water bottle pocket, which you unzip from the side to pop it open and then collapse back into the side zipper pocket when not in use," says Travel + Leisure senior editor Jasmine Grant.

We found the bag comfortable to carry for long periods of time, as the strap is adjustable for the perfect fit. The quality is also impressive, and we feel like this bag will stay in great shape for a long time. It has one of the smaller capacities of all the sling bags on this list, but we think that makes it a great personal item to keep your essentials in close range while dashing through airports.

The Details: 8.2 x 6.7 x 2.7 inches | 9.6 ounces | 1.16-liter capacity | Nylon, vegan leather, recycled polyester

It’s plenty big enough to fit jackets, water bottles, snacks, and tablets.

It might be too big to use as a daily bag.

Cotopaxi’s spacious sling pack is basically a mini backpack with a crossbody strap instead, which makes it perfect for long days away from home when you want some extra storage. It holds more than double the amount as our best overall pick, and the 13-liter capacity makes it easy to pack a variety of items in the pack thanks to the large main compartment for jackets, tablets, or a water bottle, and the several smaller pockets are fit for car keys or phones. Since the sling is made with TPU-coated nylon for water resistance, you can wear it in the rain, snow, or sleet without any fear of the packed items getting wet or damaged. We love that you can wear the pack over the right or left shoulder depending on personal preference, and the padding on the back panel and strap provide noticeable comfort no matter where your day takes you. After six months of hiking and bike-riding while wearing the bag, it still looks new and has become a reliable part of our outdoor routine. Though it may be too large for some people, it's the perfect option if you're looking for a spacious sling bag.

The Details: 18 x 10 x 5 inches | 1.1 pounds | 13-liter capacity | Recycled 840D TPU-coated nylon | Weather resistant

The adjustable rope strap molds to the body for a flexible and comfortable fit for activities.

The rope can be rough on bare skin.

For outdoorsy trips that include hiking, biking, or an activity out in Mother Nature, we recommend the Kavu Rope Sling. It’s made with a water-resistant polyester material that comes in dozens of outdoor-inspired prints and patterns, which also makes it a good gift option for nature lovers. Besides the unique fabric designs, this bag proved to excel in comfort during testing thanks to the flexible rope crossbody strap that contours to the upper body and balances the weight of the pack. We found the rope strap to be slightly rough on bare skin, so we recommend having a layer of clothing between the strap and the skin for the most comfort. With a 10-liter capacity, the lightweight pack can store everyday essentials like jackets, water bottles, and snacks, and there are various pockets for storing both small and large items.

The Details: 20 x 11 x 5 inches | 12.4 ounces | 10-liter capacity | Polyester | Water resistant

This bag is a compact size for everyday use, and it comes in more than two dozen leather, crochet, and twill options for a variety of occasions.

It's one of the pricier options on the list.

If you want to avoid the sporty look of many sling bags, The Sak Tess Sling Bag is a great pick that looks more like a stylish crossbody bag. The capacity isn't huge, but it still feels spacious for a smaller bag, and we think it works well for everyday use. Our testing editor Jackie Cucco was able to fit an iPhone, a passport case, a wallet, AirPods, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, bulky keys, a compact mirror, and some small makeup items with a bit of room for extra items left over. The bag has one large slip pocket inside large enough for an iPhone and one smaller zipper pocket inside as well. The bag is comfortable to wear and the strap is adjustable, which makes it ideal for a variety of body types.

There are more than two dozen styles to choose from, including three different types of fabric: leather, hand-crocheted yarn, or eco twill. We tested a black leather version, which felt luxe and made us feel like the price tag is worth it. Overall, we think it's a stylish bag that works for a variety of occasions. "I love having a versatile bag when I travel so that I can dress it up or down, and I love the compact size for travel, though it's still spacious enough to be functional, which is important," Cucco shares.

The Details: 6 x 2.63 x 11.5 inches | 9.9 ounces | Leather, crocheted recycled polypropylene yarn, or repreve eco twill

The stylish and functional bag is a fraction of the price compared to other bags we tested.

The materials show noticeable wear and tear over time.

In a pinch for a last-minute travel bag? This faux leather sling bag can be shipped quickly with an Amazon Prime membership, and it goes with virtually any outfit. We’re big fans of the medium size of the main compartment that can hold a book, wallet, and sunglasses with ease, and we were able to squeeze in lip balm and keys in the smaller interior pockets, too. The vegan leather material is soft like regular leather, and the nylon woven strap doesn’t dig into the skin or cause any discomfort. The bag does show some slight wear and tear on the external material after six months of use, but we still think the value is excellent given the lower price and overall style.

The Details: 15.5 x 6.9 x 2.8 inches | 12 ounces | Vegan leather | Water resistant

The back panel is lined with a padded spacer mesh material for superior comfort and breathability.

The crossbody strap isn’t fully padded.

During testing, this sporty sling bag impressed us with superior comfort and breathability thanks to the padded and mesh-lined back panel. The bag has an anatomical design to fit comfortably on the back or chest whether you wear the bag over the right or left shoulder, and we were big fans of the convertible option. With a 6-liter capacity, this bag can fit everyday essentials like a phone, keys, earbuds, and a wallet (albeit a smaller one would be handy here). The main compartment is spacious and easy to access, and there are just a few pockets to keep your small items organized. While we found this bag to be exceptionally lightweight and comfortable to carry, the crossbody strap is only padded around the shoulder and then it becomes a regular nylon strap that you can adjust for a tighter or looser fit. During our six-month tests, we even spilled coffee on the bag and were able to throw it in the washing machine on a delicate cycle, and it cleaned up perfectly.

The Details: 14.17 x 8.66 x 5.12 inches | 8 ounces | 6-liter capacity | Recycled polyester

This bag is full of pockets that make it easy to organize everything.

The adjustable strap loosened as we walked and needed to be fixed often.

If you want to carry a lot of stuff but don't want your bag to turn into a pit of despair, you can't go wrong with the Terra Sling Bag from Calpak. The 7-liter capacity feels spacious and is built in a way to help you utilize every square inch. We used it during a variety of outings during testing, including grocery shopping, trips to the gym, soccer practice, and dog walks, and were always able to hold everything we needed with room to spare. This sling bag is full of organizational features that make packing easy. Inside the main pocket, there is an internal pocket with a zipper and two additional internal slip pockets. There is also an external zip pocket on the back of the bag that keeps things secure against your body and an external mesh zip pocket on the front of the bag that's great for items you need to reach quickly.

This bag also has two sets of adjustable straps — one set allows you to compress the bag to make it less bulky, and the other is the main strap that can be adjusted to fit your size. Although you can wear the bag around your waist, we found it too bulky to do this comfortably and would recommend keeping it slung around your torso like a traditional sling bag for the best fit. We also noticed that the primary strap loosened as we walked, so we had to readjust it frequently. Even with these minor inconveniences, we think the pockets and organizational features of this bag make up for them.

The Details: 14.5 x 7.5 x 4 inches | 12 ounces | 7-liter capacity | Recycled ripstop polyester, TPU coating | Water resistant

It has convenient internal and external water bottle pockets.

After six months of testing, we noticed it can be hard to remove stains from the textured fabric.

Stay hydrated on the go with this sleek and functional Nomatic sling bag that offers not one, but two designated water bottle pockets. The structured design of the 6-liter bag makes it easy to place various items like a tablet or jacket in the bag without losing its shape. The interior has a water bottle sleeve and several zippered pockets, and the exterior features a side slip pocket to conveniently access another bottle or phone without having to reach into the bag. While this is one of the pricier bags we tested, it comes with extra features like a removable stabilizing strap, a RFID-blocking pocket, and a designated tablet sleeve for devices up to 11 inches long. Plus, the sturdy nylon fabric is water resistant, so this pack is fit for running errands or commuting to work in inclement weather.

The Details: 9 x 4 x 3.5 inches | 1.3 pounds | 6-liter capacity | Nylon | Water resistant

The bag is deceptively slim, but it can stretch to hold items as big as water bottles.

It’s designed for runners, but can be worn for everyday use.

While the Janji Multipass Sling Bag is technically designed for runners, we think it works well for highly active travelers as well. The sleek and slim shape of the bag makes it easy to wear it over the shoulder, across the body, or around the waist for a comfortable and convertible fit. It looks small capacity-wise, but we were thoroughly impressed to see that the bag could hold everyday items like a wallet, phone, and keys, and there’s a bungee cord in the back of the sling to secure a jacket or water bottle while on the go. The durable polyester material is ultralightweight and water resistant, so after six months of use it still looks new. Plus, runners will also appreciate the slim design for light packing and crossbody strap for extra security during strenuous activities.

The Details: 6.5 x 6.25 x 4 inches | 5.8 ounces | 2-liter capacity | Polyester, nylon | Water resistant

The Italian leather material gives the bag a sleek and timeless look.

It can be difficult to adjust the strap because of the hardware.

If you’re in search of a sling bag to complement a brunch-worthy outfit, then Quince’s Italian leather sling bag is the best option. The soft pebbled leather feels high quality and proved to be scratch resistant throughout our six months of tests, while the cotton lining on the interior protects the bag and the items packed inside. We love that the bag is not too large but can easily fit phones, wallets, earbuds, and passports. It's nice and compact and doesn’t feel cumbersome to carry across the chest or around the waist, The nylon belt can be a bit finicky to adjust due to the metal hardware, but you can adjust it to a range of lengths to wear the bag in different ways. Plus, the chic sling bag comes in multiple earth-toned colors, including olive, beige, and black.

The Details: 11 x 5.75 x 1.5 inches | 10.9 ounces | Leather, cotton

There are tons of pockets and dividers to organize your items neatly.

The asymmetrical design means you can only wear it over your right shoulder.

The intuitive and useful design of Patagonia’s Atom Sling Bag won us over in the organization department since it has the ideal number of pockets for storing items. The various pockets combined with the 8-liter capacity means that everything has a spot without getting lost in a void of empty space. For storing books or a tablet, the main compartment has a fabric divider to keep more fragile items separated, and there is a spacious front zippered pocket for placing grab-and-go items like sunglasses, car keys, or earbuds. Best of all: the small pocket on the strap of the bag is perfect for storing a phone so you can be totally hands-free while traveling. We spilled sunscreen on the bag during our six month tests and were able to clean it off using a small amount of dish soap. One thing to note is that you can only wear the asymmetrical design of the sling over the right shoulder, so if you’re used to wearing a sling bag over the left shoulder, you’ll have to get used to the different (but still comfortable) feel of this bag.

The Details: 13.5 x 9 x 3 inches | 12 ounces | 8-liter capacity | Recycled polyester, nylon | Water resistant

This bag looks and feels like a luxe vintage purse.

The zippers weren't very smooth and snagged easily.

If style is your top priority when buying a sling bag, we can't recommend the Idle Hands bag from Free People enough. I tested this bag during a 10-day road trip in which I used it in both casual and formal settings. While the bag looks small, it can fit a lot inside. I had no problems fitting my wallet, headphones, lip balm, and other essentials, but I love that I could also fit other items like a plastic water bottle and my e-reader.

This sling bag has two compartments with pockets inside, which is useful for separating items like snacks and water from tech accessories like a phone or Kindle. The bag is comfortable to carry as either a crossbody or a shoulder bag; I even wore it during a hike with no discomfort. It has an adjustable strap that's easy to tighten or loosen, adding to its versatility. My favorite thing about the bag is how it looks and feels — the leather has a vintage, aged look that is buttery and soft, like it's been painstakingly cared for by a previous owner.

The only downside was that the zippers weren't as smooth as we would have liked, but this is a pretty easy DIY fix (thank you, WD-40).

The Details: 15.7 x 2.2 inches | Leather

We’re still fans of the sling bags listed below, but we ran into some slight issues during testing that prevented several from making our winner’s list.

Codeofbell Annex Carrier 3-way Sling: The modular design is ideal for versatility, but when the bag is packed full, it feels bulky and cumbersome to carry.

The North Face Women’s Isabella Sling: This bag is great in a lot of ways and we have very little criticism of it. As much as we love it, it's very similar to the Borealis bag (our curent best overall pick), which we think has a few extra features like a water bottle pocket, key hook, and bungee cord on the outside.

Peak Design Field Pouch V2: This sling bag has a 1.5-liter capacity that can easily expand to 3 liters thanks to the Velcro front flap and there are several dividers inside the bag to organize packed items. However, we thought the strap could be more comfortable.

Eddie Bauer Ripstop Sling Backpack: We love this bag's functionality, including how much it can hold, how comfortable it is to wear, and that it feels like our items are safe inside. However, some of the stitching became undone after a few uses, so we have some concerns about quality.

Aer Day Sling 3: This simple bag has a good capacity and plenty of pockets and pouches to keep things in place. That being said, we didn't think it was very comfortable to wear and thought it was too bulky for daily use.

Travel + Leisure / Jennie Gilman

We researched and selected 23 sling bags in various sizes, colors, and designs to find the best options on the market. For several months, we wore the sling bags for activities like air travel, running errands, and hiking to take notes on the functionality of each sling bag. Specifically, we paid close attention to the quality of the materials, analyzing how durable the zippers, fabric, and buckles feel with rough handling. We also noted how easy it was to access items and the overall comfort of the sling bag after being worn for hours on end. The best sling bags we recommend are easy to adjust for a comfortable fit, have multiple intuitive pockets for organizing items, and are made with long-lasting and highly durable materials that will ensure the bag has a long lifespan.

Travel + Leisure / Kimberly Souza

One of the most compelling reasons to invest in a sling bag is that it can be your most versatile accessory in a wardrobe capsule. Since sling bags come in all types of materials and sizes, you’ll want to consider your primary use of the bag. Outdoor enthusiasts will likely gravitate toward a bag with a more rugged look featuring nylon or canvas materials that are weatherproof and can handle rigorous activities like hiking, running, or biking. Travelers looking for a more everyday-style bag will appreciate leather material that they can dress up or down easily for day-to-night use. Note that if you're attending a stadium event, your bag must adhere to strict guidelines regardless of style, so choose a stadium-approved clear bag to avoid potential hassles at check-in.

Travel + Leisure / Kathryn Standing

Of course, the look and feel of a sling bag are big factors when deciding which one to get, but you can’t forget to consider the most important thing: functionality. If a sling bag is uncomfortable to wear, you might not use it as much, so you’ll want to make sure you get a bag that offers features like an ambidextrous design to wear over either shoulder or adjustable straps for a more personalized fit. You’ll also want to make sure that the bag has a variety of intuitive pockets and smooth zippers that make it easy to swing the bag to the front of the body to grab items conveniently.

Travel + Leisure / Anna Popp

Since sling bags are a bit bigger than a traditional fanny pack but smaller than a messenger bag, travelers can fit essentials like wallets, passports, earbuds, and phones, along with a few bigger items like a book, sweater, or tablet. Some sling bags have water bottle holders as well. While it depends on the size and capacity of the sling bag, it can make an excellent personal item to bring on an airplane or to use for everyday activities like running errands or sightseeing.

In general, you can wear a sling bag slung over your shoulder or diagonally across your chest or back. Sometimes, there is only one angled backpack strap that prevents you from wearing the bag across your waist like a fanny pack, though some designs have more adjustable straps that you can wear across your waist or hips. Larger sling bags are often worn with the bag across the back, which tends to be more comfortable if you're carrying a lot of weight.

Sling bags can be useful for short hikes that don't require a lot of gear. You can quickly swing them around your front for easy access to small items like snacks or water. Because they are worn across your body, sling bags also take some pressure off your shoulders while hiking. For hikes that require heavy gear, a hiking backpack will be more comfortable and supportive.

T+L associate editor Anna Popp grew up ski racing in Bend, Oregon, and is an avid backpacker and outdoor adventurer-turned-city dweller. She writes many of the team’s tested articles and has tested hundreds of products, from luggage and shoes to outdoor gear and apparel. For this article, Anna tested the North Face Isabella Sling and the Free People Idle Hands Sling, and combed through product testing notes to recommend the best of the best sling bags for traveling, running errands, and shopping.

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