We have come away impressed with just about everything we have gone hands-on with from Aer. That includes its Pro Kit tech accessory organizer pouch, the City Tote Bag, and the Aer Travel Pack 3 I’m about to load up to head out traveling once again. But today we are turning our attention to its latest Aer Tech Sling 3 bag – we have been testing the carrier out for a few weeks and are now ready to dish up some hands-on impressions. Head below for the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys.
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Hands-on with the Aer Tech Sling 3
The Aer Tech Sling 3 is a large sling bag, complete with a dedicated laptop compartment, a slot for your tablet, and plenty of other tech. On the inside, you’ll also find a hidden AirTag pocket nestled into the woven recycled nylon lining, and on the outside, two methods of carry – full clip-on shoulder strap and briefcase-style handles.
The Aer Tech Sling 3 retails for $119 shipped.
Take a closer look at the specs:
- 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior (bluesign approved)
- 840D nylon face with a durable, weather resistant coating
- YKK zippers
- Duraflex hardware
- Soft woven recycled nylon lining for a premium look and feel (bluesign approved)
- Padded laptop pocket with soft lining (fits up to a 14″ laptop)
- Smart organization for your tech essentials
- Quick-access top pocket for small items
- Hidden smart tracker pocket
- Reversible padded shoulder strap for left or right side use
- Convenient quick-grab handle
9to5Toys’ Take
The brand is delivering its usual 1680D Cordura ballistic nylon exterior with YKK zippers and heavy duty connectors for the shoulder strap. It’s much of the same as what we have seen in the past from the brand, an overall well-made solution without standing out all too much. Where things change and elevate slightly with this model is with the 840D nylon face featuring a durable, weather resistant coating. I’m not sure if this makes the entire bag completely waterproof in the pouring rain for example, but I did happen to get caught in the rain for 20 minutes or so and my laptop was completely dry, and this front panel treatment does add some interest to the design factor here. While it might not be for everyone, there’s just something about it that elevates the look and feel of the bag to something more than just your basic black nylon treatment for me.
This time around with the Tech Sling 3, Aer is splitting the difference between your typical belt bag or sling pack size and something closer to a full-on crossbody or messenger. It still wears and presents itself like a sling, as the name suggests, but offers up far more storage space. This is exemplified by the padded 14-in laptop pocket – if you’re a 13-inch MacBook user, for example, just taking a look at your laptop will give you a general idea of how large the bag is from top to bottom. While I tend to use a smaller bag of this sort, the extra size here does bring some versatility to your everyday carry and hitting the streets to run errands, for example. I can get my entire coffee shop writing kit in here – chargers, a MacBook, cables, and more, but it’s also large to enough to run some light errands – a bottle of wine or two and some groceries, and even your gym clothes.
While we are at it let’s talk organization. As mentioned you’ll find a 14-inch padded laptop sleeve, and in front of that a thinner sleeve like compartment for a tablet or something like that. Moving forward, you’ll find three more compartments attached to the front of the iPad slot large enough for wall/MacBook chargers, portable solid-state drives, and more than a few cables. On the opposite side, over on the inside of the front flap, there’s another half width zippered compartment with a hidden AirTag or item tracker pocket tucked away – perhaps this miniature AirTag pocket should be zippered, but it does have more of an elastic treatment and it is nestled under the top flap or lip of this compartment anyway (my AirTag has never fallen out).
We did mention the padded laptop compartment above, but it is also worth mentioning how this treatment carries through other places on the bag. While not quite as thick as the bag panel, the bottom or seat of the bag also features some extra padding to keep your gear safe when out and about or placing the bag down, but not so much that it eats up internal storage space either. The padded laptop compartment cushioning carries through to the bag and exterior of the bag making for a particularly comfortable carry experience against your back, or however you might be wearing it.
On the outside, you’ll find a smaller quick-access pocket for AirPods and the like. It perhaps would have been nice to have a plushier treatment for something like sunglasses, or even some sort of inner organization flap, but it is otherwise a handy grab and go solution.
The two carry options here come by way of a small handle on top, briefcase-style, or the included clip-on shoulder strap with thick padding (seen above). The shoulder strap clips on to the bag from both sides, allowing for both left and right shoulder use – this is a nice touch and the buckles here are quite thick and robust, but it does mean you’re left with large connector ends hanging off the bag when trying to use it without the shoulder strap installed. This, for me, isn’t at all an issue as I will just about never use it without the shoulder strap, but it is something to keep in mind for folks that might.
All told, the Aer Tech Sling 3 is a sold carrying solution, especially for folks who need more stowing capacity than a more traditional sling bag, but don’t want to carry a full backpack. It is, for me, a relatively stylish solution without getting overly high-end and goes well without just about everything I wear. If you like what you see from the imagery online, you’ll likely enjoy owning this one.
Buy the Aer Tech Sling 3
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