In recent times, my images has leaned additional and additional towards minimalism. This fantastically practical sling bag is the proper match, as confirmed by a current trip to America’s West Coast.
In Could 2025, I flew from France to California to casually {photograph} a pal’s marriage ceremony (unpaid, in case the U.S. authorities ever reads this), hit the seashore, hike a number of mountains, and discover the desert. Touring with checked baggage would have made flights too costly, limiting me to a 26 lb (12 kg) carry-on bag and a private merchandise, so with this in thoughts, I wrote to Bellroy a number of weeks forward of my journey to see if they may ship me their Enterprise Digital camera Sling 10l. My Wandrd Hexad (discontinued) can be the proper carry-on for the overhead compartment, and the sling appeared to be a great companion to maintain shut at hand.
A 12 months in the past, I purchased myself a Bellroy Sling Mini, the smallest sling bag of their vary, seduced by the clear kind and an ingenious design that dramatically reduces its profile when it’s not packed out. The shoulder strap cinches every finish of the bag, compressing the general quantity. Briefly, it’s large when it must be large, whereas the remainder of the time it stays compact.
The Enterprise Digital camera Sling doesn’t fairly supply the identical degree of compression, but it surely appeared to supply the dimensions and flexibility that I used to be after, and Bellroy kindly despatched me the bag in my most popular colour, Ranger Inexperienced.
The Exterior
Bellroy describes the “Baida Nylon” as “sturdy, water resistant ripstop cloth,” and having dragged this factor by way of the brutally coarse granite boulders of Joshua Tree Nationwide Park for 3 days, I can undoubtedly affirm its capability for tough remedy. The desert didn’t lend itself properly to testing how properly it stands as much as rain, however I’d definitely be comfy taking it out in a downpour, particularly given the liner on the zippers. It’s value noting that Bellroy (a B Corp) makes use of nylon made out of recycled industrial offcuts, and their polyester comes from recycled water bottles.
Slings appear to fall into two classes: those who maintain their form (just like the overwhelming majority of digicam slings) and those who crumple. One other of my luggage, the Peak Design On a regular basis Sling is within the first class; it’s not a very inflexible shell, but it surely’s designed in order that its kind is constant, no matter what you’re carrying. This offers you confidence that your gear is protected, however the flipside is that you simply’ll carry an enormous bag of air with you at any time when it’s not packed out to capability. Consequently, my 6-liter On a regular basis Sling can generally really feel like a protrusion, and the rigidity implies that the small entrance pocket will be annoyingly onerous to entry.
The Enterprise Sling is a crumpler. Consequently, it doesn’t really feel prefer it affords fairly the identical degree of safety, however the padding is enough that I by no means felt involved, and I respect the trade-off.
The strap is comfy and simple to regulate, will be eliminated at both finish (although I don’t know what for), and one facet of every buckle is metallic whereas the opposite is plastic. The web site claims that it may be adjusted one-handed, however I’ve by no means managed this, and I struggled to make adjustments whereas sporting it. Admittedly, I is perhaps doing it flawed.
The best way it attaches to the bag is ingenious. Bellroy describes the attachments as “self-compressing gussets” that modify to your load, and paired with the crumpling design, it implies that the bag has a decrease profile when not closely laden, making it higher suited to on a regular basis use.
The strap readily accepts a Peak Design Seize Digital camera Clip, however the angle implies that you gained’t be capable of slide the digicam into place vertically as you’d when utilizing the devoted strip of fabric on the Peak Design sling luggage.
There isn’t a seize deal with.
On the underside, you’ll discover a pair of removable carry straps, preferrred for a tripod or a jacket. They’re light-weight and fairly primary, and though they don’t really feel as premium as the remainder of the bag, they’re practical and easy to regulate.
The Inside
The principle compartment is accessed by way of a double-ended zipper, and the beneficiant opening implies that a digicam will be pulled out or changed with one hand. The compartment is cut up into three by two dividers, and whereas these are stitched in and can’t be eliminated, they provide some flexibility; each will be pushed to every finish of the bag to create a big, single compartment, and the divider on the best folds over to create a shelf. These dividers are nowhere close to as inflexible as different sling luggage, facilitating the crumpling design described above however providing much less safety. Once more, I by no means felt involved.
Every finish of the bag options an elasticated slip pocket, simply accommodating a big filter or a sun shades case. There’s a small zip pocket that runs horizontally simply beneath the primary zip, once more sufficiently big for sun shades, and with extra stretch pockets for digicam batteries or reminiscence card circumstances.
Notably, there isn’t any inside pocket that makes use of the complete top of the bag, and the interior dividers entail some harsh restrictions if you wish to carry a pill. Neglect about carrying something bigger than an iPad mini, and there’s nothing to divide a pill from no matter else is occupying the primary compartment. Thankfully, for my journey, I had solely my old-school Kindle; in any other case, this might have pushed me towards a small messenger bag as a substitute of a sling.
The opposite zip on the bag’s exterior provides you entry to a second, slimmer compartment, deep sufficient to accommodate an iPhone with ease, and doubtless giant sufficient to simply accept an iPhone Professional Max. There are two stretch pockets for smaller gadgets and a twine with a plastic clip for attaching keys. Not like different slings, I by no means felt like I needed to combat to get into this compartment, although, in fact, it turns into harder because the bag fills up.
In Use
For the flight, I had my essential digicam stowed safely overhead in my Hexad, releasing up the Sling for a bottle of water, pocket book, Kindle, a pen, my Olympus XA, numerous cables, an influence financial institution, and my journey paperwork. The entrance pocket is the proper dimension for a passport and boarding move, and the varied inside pockets saved my smaller gadgets properly organized.
For the marriage, I wasn’t carrying a lot: my Sony a7 III with the Samyang 35mm f/1.8 and the Sony nifty fifty, a blower brush, and my Olympus XA with a number of spare rolls of movie. There was loads of room to spare. It could be a squeeze, however I believe you’d be capable of accommodate a big digicam physique with a 24-70mm lens, plus a meaty large angle zoom and a quick prime.
Within the desert, the sling labored properly as a complement to a rucksack when out exploring, providing fast entry to all of my gear.
The Finest Bag I’ve Ever Owned?
Excessive reward, little question, and that is as a lot due to the kind of bag because the bag itself. The assorted slings I personal have added a degree of comfort and minimalism as my images has drifted from occasions and the occasional business shoot towards extra informal dalliances with movie and exploration.
The Bellroy sling would possibly go well with me completely, however that’s additionally as a result of it’s rigorously designed, hard-wearing, and fantastically made. It’s comfy to put on, and the benefit of entry makes it easy to make use of. Paired with the flexibility of the dividers, the carry straps, the stretchy inside pockets, and the diminished profile when not stuffed to capability, this bag is the proper on a regular basis carry.
What I Like
Exhausting sporting
Self-compressing gussets cut back the bag’s profile when not packed out
Very quick access, even to the smaller facet pocket
Good safety
Comfy
Smooth, minimal design
Makes use of recycled nylon and polyester
6-year guarantee
What I Don’t Like
No seize deal with
No pill pocket
At just below $180, it isn’t low cost
The non-removable dividers won’t go well with some photographers
