Osprey Europe Unisex Daylite Sling

Product Information

You’re probably familiar with nylon since it’s a common synthetic fabric that manages to be soft, durable, and lightweight (go science!). These qualities make it suitable for a variety of products, and slings are no exception. That said, it’s more of a blank canvas these days and is often infused with weaves, sewing patterns, or extra fibers that make the fabric more durable, tear, or weather-resistant. You’ll be welcomed by a well-organized space when you open the main compartment. It’s one of the valuable features we love about this shoulder sling from Osprey. If you value staying clutter-free, you’ll like Daylite.

This shoulder sling model from Osprey is a minimalistic functional option for anyone searching for a quality bag. It’s another statement of the brand’s dedication to the great outdoors, jamming it with robust construction and dependable performance. A sling bag is an accessory. A useful accessory, but an accessory nonetheless. So make sure you love how it looks. In the end, if you’re repulsed by how hideous your new sling bag is, it doesn’t matter that it’ll last you until 2075.While it shined on a trip to Acadia National Park—no surprise as Osprey made its name in the outdoor realm—it’s been pretty good everywhere else, too. Being able to conveniently “sling” the bag forward for easy access has been particularly handy, especially when shopping. There’s also a loop near the top of the shoulder strap, which you can hang on a hook or use for attaching accessories. We’ve had success attaching a travel water bottle with a carabiner. While you can fit a water bottle inside the sling, it’ll take up a lot of space, so it’s nice to carry it externally. Most sling bags fall into the travel/outdoors/EDC realm, but some have dared to be different. These specialist sling bags to work for very specific use cases (hence the whole “specialist” thing). We’ll briefly run through these sling bags here, so you’re not caught off-guard if you ever encounter one in the wild. Secure Sling Bags This sling bag is marketed as a sling purse for women (one I recommend in my women’s travel essentials guide), but I think the blue and grey lend themselves to a modern unisex vibe, especially for men who want a smaller day bag. I’ve been really excited about the Sherpani Brand. The company is founded on an ethos of responsible manufacturing with a strict code of conduct covering labour, social and environmental impact and compliance. But they are also a breath of fresh air in the anti-theft market.

We would’ve loved to end this guide with “all that said, the best sling bag for travel is…” because, let’s be real, that would save us all a lot of time and effort. Unfortunately, there is no such thing as the best sling bag for travel. There is only the best sling bag for you. So, let’s review how you can choose a sling bag you’ll fall in love with. To make things extra easy, we’ve broken it up into three steps: 1. Decide Why You Want a Sling Bag Being the thorough gear testers that we are, we decided to test as many of those claims as possible. We’ve taken the Daylite Sling to beaches, trails, shopping districts, and grocery stores (one of which was similar enough to a farmers’ market) and would’ve taken it to school if we were students. We plan to hit even more locales as we continue testing, perhaps an amusement park or two. Osprey Daylite Sling | It’s a nice size for carrying your daily essentials. Crossbody sling bags are the reason some people say sling bags are purses for men who are embarrassed to say they own a purse. It has a similar aesthetic to a purse, but with a longer strap and smaller body. They tend to have a more vertical orientation as well. We think crossbody slings work well for travel, although since they don’t sit as close to the body as other sling bags, may not feel as secure in a bustling metropolis or busy market. Now that you know what a sling bag is, let’s talk about why one will change your life (or, at the very least, make carrying stuff easier). Sling Bags Are Perfect for Your In-Flight EssentialsFor further protection, there are water-repellent zippers—like the YKK AquaGuard zipper—which have a thin polyurethane coating to, you know, repel water. If you’re planning on going to an unusually wet area with your sling bag, then you may want to look for this style of zipper. Otherwise, you’ll likely be fine without that extra water resistance. Hardware The Osprey name is also printed on the ubiquitous molded plastic loop zipper pulls. They attach with thin cords to the YKK zippers, which are slightly stiff yet work well. And when faced with the choice between a zipper that comes undone too easily and one that requires a little effort to open, we’ll choose the stiffer zipper every time to keep our gear safe. Osprey Daylite Sling | Molded plastic zipper pulls are easy to grasp. The main thing to talk about with the update is how nice it is to switch sides with the strap. Maybe you prefer to carry your sling on your left shoulder, or you just need a break on one side after carrying it for hours through the Toledo Zoo. We find it comfortable on long walks to the library, even with a heavy book inside, and if it gets uncomfortable on long excursions, you now have the option to shift it between your shoulders instead of the right side always bearing the brunt of the weight. Osprey Daylite Sling | The strap can switch sides so you can carry it over either shoulder. It seemed to sail through our tests well and still reigns as one of the most helpful shoulder slings for daily use. These lefty-inclusive sling bags have straps that can be anchored on either side of the bag, allowing you to wear it across whichever shoulder you’d like. That way, if you’re left-handed, you can wear it on your left shoulder, so when you “sling” the bag forward, your left hand is ready to work the zippers.

In this guide, we’re going to walk you through how to choose the best sling bag for your situation, which means diving into all of the different aspects and explaining what works best for a variety of situations. We’re also going to provide some specific sling bag recommendations based on months of testing. Anti-theft RFID technology is integrated with high-tech fabrics instead of bulky wires, and the body-friendly shape fits comfortably worn on either shoulder. First of all, let’s talk about padding. Some sling bags have zero padding, while others are nearly as padded as the resume of a recent college grad. Padded straps are usually—but not always—found on bigger sling bags to help make carrying that much weight more comfortable.At 6 litres, it’s not a big bag. It’s designed to carry day-to-day essentials or gear for short day hikes. While there are some sling bags out there that are seriously tactical (think Apocalypse ready), others just look tactical. While the former is probably better suited for outdoorsy things, the latter can be great for travel. Usually made of high-quality stuff, these bags are ready for whatever you throw at them. Beyond the brand, it’s important to consider size, which is measured on a scale of one (small) to ten (large). While the main zippers on sling bags fall all over this spectrum, the most common sizes are #5 or #8—seriously, out of the 50 + slings we’ve tested, a very, very high majority have either #5 or #8 zippers. Anything less than a five and you’ll likely run into durability issues. Adam Molina is a product review expert and seasoned everyday-carry enthusiast. They have covered gadgets and niche items for almost ten years and are passionate about exploring the ever-evolving landscape of consumer electronics and everyday carry gear. Having always been drawn towards electronics, they began their career reviewing audio gear and personal electronics for outlets like Soundguys, Android Authority, and Business Insider. They are currently a member of MKBHD network of channels, including an executive producer role on the Waveform Podcast.