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Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L

Fanny Pack for the New Millennium

Peter Kun Frary

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Sometimes I want to travel light with only a small kit consisting of my Canon EOS R7 and one or two lenses. Enter the Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L: a stylish small camera bag and chubby fanny pack for the new millennium. Herein is what I thought about it after carrying it around Oahu and Nevada for a few weeks.

Bianco Fiore | Canon EOS SL1 and EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Exterior

At first sight, I thought, wow, this bag looks like a cross between a pleated throw pillow and a purse. But don't let its pretty contours, petite stature and sleek black fabric fool you. The exterior is tough 400D weatherproof nylon fabric and clothing friendly to boot: didn't tear up my T-shirt after walking around all day.

I prefer black gear and bags but this black fabric shows white scuffs. Dried skin? Fairy dust? Abrasion of the waterproof coating? Whatever it was, after a few days in Vegas the Sling 5L looked like I had randomly rubbed it with chalk. On the other hand, it is not prone to attracting dust and hairs. I was able to clean it with a damp washcloth, but most of my bags only need a cleaning every couple years. Peak also sells a gray version of the Sling 5L that, I suspect, is less prone to showing scuffs.

Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L | Pretty as a purse but tough as nails

Not a Lens Bucket

Dense padding material in the flap, walls and bottom maintain its shape and offer good impact protection. I accidentally put the padding to the test when my loaded bag took a tumble off a tabletop. Luckily, the Sling has great padding and my gear was fine. To keep it from falling off a table, rest it on its back or front, the most stable surfaces of the bag. The Sling 5L is definitely not designed to function as a lens bucket: lacks feet and the shallow depth and rounded shape make the upright position unstable on flat surfaces.

Zippers are smooth but a little firm due to the weather seals. However, using the zippers is easy due to the presence of large zipper-pulls.

Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L | Rear view

The Strap

Strap webbing is similar to car seat belt fabric and length can be quickly adjusted by pulling the webbing through a buckle. A shoulder pad is integrated into the strap and is comfy with light loads. However, the use of a wimpy 1.25" wide strap is the weakest aspect of this bag design. I prefer a 2" strap to better distribute the load. Thus, I installed an old Timbuk2 shoulder pad over the Peak pad and the additional width and cushioning helped. Nevertheless, this strap hugs the body nicely when worn sling style so weight distribution is good, i.e., not focused on the top of the shoulder. Plus, the bag rests on the small of my back, taking some weight off the strap. With that said, this is not a bag you'd want to stuff and carry all day.

I noticed a strap problem: the strap slips in the buckle and gets longer. For a day of typical tourist trekking, it needs to be adjusted once or twice. I considered sewing the strap in place but then I wouldn't be able to adjust it longer for the rare days I wear a jacket. Not a deal breaker but a gotcha that shouldn't happen with an otherwise thoughtfully designed product.

Some of you may be wondering, "can I wear it off the shoulder, i.e., purse style?" Of course, but it's not optimized for dangling shoulder carry: balance is off and the strap is slippery. The slippery strap allows one to quickly swing the bag from back to front for gear extraction. If you prefer to dangle your bag off the shoulder, a satchel style bag with a grippy strap, e.g., Billingham Hadley Small, would be a better choice.

The Traveler | Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L

Interior

Interior space is lined with soft light colored (khaki) polyester twill cloth: easy to see inside and kind to camera delicates. The two Velcro secured FlexFold dividers may be repositioned or removed. Dividers are rigid and have double hinged wings. Fold both wings and it can support the grip of a top-loaded camera (lens pointed down). Fold only one wing and it forms a shelf allowing the stacking of two small primes. The FlexFold dividers are nothing short of a small miracle, allowing maximum use of the Sling's 5L space.

Peak didn't go overboard with pockets but the three it has are enough for typical photo geek knickknacks:

• Really tight zippered front pocket front side for flat items like filters. It's too tight for an iPhone XR.
• Rear interior slot for an iPad Mini, iPhone or small tablet.
• A large zippered pocket under the flap with four tiny pockets for small items like SD cards.

What's missing in pocket territory? A rear outside pocket for quick access to boarding passes, maps, etc. That area is used to stow the extra belt length used for the fanny pack configuration.

Fremont East Mural | Canon EOS SL1 and EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Compatibility and Fit

When I was investigating the Sling 5L, most product images showed mirrorless cameras or drones being carried inside. Yes, I saw Peak's picture of a large DSLR stuffed in sideways but nothing showing the fit of a Rebel SL3, 77D or other small DSLR. I bought the Sling 5L without knowing how well my gear would fit.

With a minor tweak of the default divider positions, my Canon EOS 77D kit fit in the Sling 5L ready to shoot (lens and hood installed). Ditto for my EOS SL1, R7 and EOS M6 kits. Here's how I carry the EOS 77D kit:

Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L | Loaded with an EOS 77D/EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF-s 10-18 4.5-5.6 IS STM on the left and 270EX II Speedlite under the right divider.

With the interior divided into three equal sided sections, a Canon EOS 77D (same size as a Rebel T7i) with mounted EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM and hood (not reversed) fits in the center with a 270 EX II Speedlite and EF-s 55-250 4.0-5.6 IS STM (or EF-s 10-18 4.5-5.6 IS STM) in side compartments. The 77D sits even with the top edge of the divider. If I reverse the hood it drops down 5/8 of an inch or so. The Flexfold divider on the right is folded to accommodate the 77D grip while the 270 EX II resides below the fold. The overall fit is nice but has enough wiggle room to allow easy extraction.

The 77D with EF-s 18-135 3.5-5.6 IS USM also fits in the center partition but without a hood. Basically a Rebel or 77D with any 4" or shorter lens can be carried lens down in the center partition. This bag stretches and molds a bit to your gear, so what's snug at first loosens up after a couple weeks.

Rainbow Skies | Canon EOS M3 and EF-M 15-45 3.5-6.3 IS STM

The 6D MK II and EF 24-105 3.5-5.6 IS STM (or any lens) are too tall to fit in the middle in a lens down configuration. Ditto for the 80D and EF-s 18-135 3.5-5.6 IS USM. I can squeeze in either camera and lens if I remove a divider and lie the rig on its side. So not an ideal bag for medium sized DSLRs but doable if you don't carry much else. If you mainly plan to carry a medium sized or larger DSLR kit, get the next size up, the Everyday Sling 10L. The Sling 5L is best suited for a small DSLR or mirrorless. My EOS M6 (mirrorless) or Olympus Pen and two or three lenses literally swim in the Sling 5L!

Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L | Fanny pack heritage is apparent when viewed from above.

Using the Sling 5L

With my EOS 77D kit inside, the Sling 5L is an easy all day carry. Yes, at 1.25 lbs it's a little heavy for its size—double the weight of the slightly larger Timbuk2 Camera Sling—but still reasonably lightweight. However, much of the comfort comes from how the sling strap hugs body contours, thereby distributing the load across chest, shoulder and back. I find the Sling 5L the most comfy when it sits just above the waist, bike messenger style. If worn higher, it's hard to pull gear when rotated but if too low—on the bum—you'll suffer bag bounce when truckin' hard.

By nature, sling bags are slower on the draw than shoulder bags, requiring an additional step: 1) swing from carry position, 2) unzip flap and 3) pull camera. A Velcro or clip secured shoulder bag is a few seconds faster. Also, because of the shallow depth of the Sling 5L, I don't recommend carrying it with the zipper unsecured lest your goodies tumble out with the slightest lean.

Koi Rampage | Canon EOS 77D and EF-s 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Being an inner city dweller, I found the Sling 5L's body hugging profile ideal for needling through crowded streets and public transportation. Plus, it's stealthy on the street: nobody thinks it's a camera bag. When I pull my 77D they're surprised. It looks like a sling or fanny pack typically carried by male Japanese tourists. Don an Aloha shirt and Crocs and I could stowaway in a Japanese tour bus.

It has been unseasonably wet this past Spring on Oahu so I put the Sling's 5L weather resistance to the test. I was caught in everything from misty rain to downpours and not a drop got inside the Sling 5L. It beads up and drys fast.

Finally, a couple features I did not try. The Sling 5L can be reconfigured as a fanny pack. I can't imagine wanting to wear it that way but if you're a child of the 1980s, a giganormous fanny pack may be hard to resist. The Sling 5L also has a loop for a Peak Capture Clip. I'm not a Capture Clip user but the loop is handy for hanging my baseball cap and/or sun glasses on.

Final Blurb

The Everyday Sling 5L has a lot going for it: excellent design, quality construction, stylish appearance, protective, stealthy and lightweight. With that said, at $99.95 USD it's pricey, especially for a product made at low cost offshore in Vietnam. Yeah, Peak's office overhead in San Francisco is expensive but sheesh. Crumpler's stylish 5 Million Dollar Home is aimed at a similar market but sells for $85 USD, is faster on the draw, has a 2" wide strap and is well padded and thoughtfully designed. The slightly larger and less sleek Manfrotto Lifestyle Street CSC Sling is working the same market as the Peak and, at $69.95, is almost a bargain. Finally, the Timbuk2 Camera Sling Bag is a stylish contender at $69.95. It uses a removable insert and doubles as general purpose bag and weighs half as much as the Sling 5L albeit a little larger.

I was lukewarm on the Sling 5L initially but I've come to appreciate its efficient use of space, thoughtful design and wee size. I can pack significantly more in this little bag than many larger bags! However, it's not for everybody, especially those with lots of gear or larger cameras. If you're a gear minimalist carrying a small DSLR or mirrorless system, the Peak Designs Everyday Sling 5L is an excellent choice.

Update 10/20/2022: The Sling 5Lhas been discontinued (but still available) and replaced by the Sling 3L for compact mirrorless and Sling 6L for full size mirrorless and small DSLRs. I bought the Sling 6L and it's nearly identical to the Sling 5L save for being slightly more roomy. Oh, and Peak fixed the slipping strap problem.

Please support this site by purchasing the Everyday Sling 5L at Amazon.

Pigeon Roost | EOS 6D MK II and EF 24-105 3.5-5.6 IS STM

Specs

• Weatherproof 400D nylon outer fabric in a choice of black or gray
• Polyester twill cloth lining
• Compression-molded EVA foam for impact absorption
• Adjustable 1.25" wide woven seat belt-style nylon shoulder strap
• Configurable main compartment with two Velcro secured FlexFold dividers
• Grab handle
• Hardware: anodized aluminum and stainless steel
• Volume: 5L
• Exterior Dimensions: 12.2" (31cm) x 7.48" (19cm) x 4.33" (11cm)
• Weight:1.2 lbs | 0.5kg
• MAP: $99.95 USD

06/12/2018 | Updated 10/20/2022