One thing we take pretty seriously around here is our EDC kits. I, for one, am always on the hunt for the best possible way to carry my day-to-day tech as well as something that can support traveling abroad, day trips, and things of that nature. In need of a new crossbody or belt bag-style solution and after hearing more and more about the brand Aer over the last few months, I decided to test out its Day Sling 3 to see if it was up to the task. Head below for our hands-on review of the Day Sling 3 as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys.
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Hands-on with Aer’s Day Sling 3
The Day Sling 3 – a medium-sized crossbody belt bag-style carrier – is described as a “versatile sling bag designed for travel.” It features three main compartments, the largest of which is separated by a number of smaller organizational pockets.
It is made of a bluesign-approved 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon with YKK zippers, Duraflex plastic hardware, and a soft woven lining for a “premium look and feel.” Measuring out at 11.5 by 6 by 3 inches in depth, it weights 0.8 pounds and provides a 3L carrying capacity. All of which straps across your body by way of an adjustable shoulder strap with a Fidlock magnetic fastener.
The Aer Day Sling 3 sells from $79 and comes in four colorways; black, gray, olive, and a more pricey version in X-Pac (VX-42 X-Pac exterior by Dimension-Polyant with YKK AquaGuard zippers, and a high-visibility orange interior liner).
Here’s a closer look at the specs:
- 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign approved)
- YKK zippers
- Duraflex plastic hardware
- Soft woven lining for a premium look and feel
- Quick-access front pocket with keychain
- Smart organization for your everyday essentials
- Secure back pocket for your passport or wallet
- Adjustable shoulder strap with Fidlock magnetic fastener
9to5Toys’ Take:
One thing that bothers me with basic sling packs or belt bags is a lack of organizational storage compartments, but that certainly isn’t the case with the Aer Day Sling 3. This thing is chock full of compartments, slots, and zippered pockets.
Split into three main compartments, the main section has four pockets with elastic openings for smaller wall adapters and things of that nature alongside an interior zippered pocket, and one large slot (about the size of a typical notebook or something like that) alongside the main storage area. You’ll even find a logo tag that doubles as a nice Apple Pencil or pen loop.
On the front side, you’ll find a basic zippered compartment with a built-in strap and carabiner to secure your keys. And then around back there’s another zippered compartment that spans the entire width and height of the bag. Whether I’m traveling abroad or around town, I really appreciate having a separate compartment that gets pressed up against my body – it just feels more secure to have a wallet or other items of particular value/importance in a pocket like this.
All-in-all, I really love the storage and organization options on the Aer Day Sling 3 and much of this sentiment carries over to some of the other bells, whistles, and design cues.
The front and most exposed pocket has a sort of plastic lining protecting the opening (when closed) from splashes and the like as well as a small lip you can tuck the zipper into – it both adds a bit of design detail that looks great to me and makes things just that more secure. On that note, the back pocket features a sort of recessed zipper. There’s about a 1-inch lip of extra fabric that hides the entire opening from view and makes it just a bit harder for pickpockets to get in there, without being overly cumbersome to get at yourself.
Elsewhere on the design, there are 4 exterior loops/straps; two on either side, a smaller one at the base of the shoulder strap, and a larger, more robust connection strap around back. While I’m not the type to have a water bottle dangling off my sling pack very often, some folks swear by these additional loops so you can connect carabiner clips for extra carry options.
This is a great sling pack and I have enjoyed both traveling and strolling around town with it. If I had to come up with something I might have done differently; maybe some kind of plushy lining for one of the pockets to store sunglasses and more precious gear, perhaps one smaller mini hidden compartment inside with a zipper, or an option with metal hardware as opposed to the Duraflex plastic. These are most certainly wishlist items that would drive the price well above the $79 price tag though.
The only actual downside to the design for me is the Fidlock clasp holding the shoulder strap together. Don’t get me wrong it works great and has never accidentally come undone for me. But it doesn’t feel particularly secure. There is very little tension or strength required to slide it apart – it is very easy to remove the bag from your person when you need to, but I guess that means it would easy for some with malicious intent to do the same. It would take quite a skillful miscreant to pull it off my person, but it is something to keep in mind. This isn’t a huge deal, but I do wish there was a stronger resistance on the magnetic side of things and that it took a bit more force to disconnect it.
Buy the Aer Day Sling 3
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