The 12 Best Sling Bags for Men

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Sling bags are a necessity for men on the go, whether carrying essentials on the daily commute or traversing foreign cities as a tourist. Single shoulder bags are easier to carry front facing, stymieing pickpockets, and have fewer compartments, making it easy to jet through security checkpoints at airports or train stations. Most also have a smaller carrying capacity and profile, perfect for navigating crowds with greater ease.

Best Overall Sling Bag

What You Should Know

  • Right shoulder only

  • Full-length zipper

  • Eight color choices

The external mesh pocket on this little bag is just right for keeping sunscreen or ponchos close at hand. It’s a perfect choice for festival goers or theme park lovers who want to breeze through security; it has fewer pockets to check, making for a much less tedious experience. If you have to carry anything heavy, like multiple bottles of water, you’ll quickly appreciate the soft padded shoulder strap that makes it comfortable to wear all day. Plus, it’s made by one of the most reputable luggage brands out there.

Review Highlights

“Plenty of room for a water bottle, wallet, glasses case, phone, and other small necessities without being bulky. Zipper opens the full length so finding what you want quickly is easy, and saves a lot of time”

Best Sling Bag for Outdoor Enthusiasts

What You Should Know

  • Water-repellent finish

  • Strap pocket big enough to hold tickets or keys

  • Exterior compression buckles hold extra gear

An outdoorsman’s dream, Patagonia’s well made Atom sling bag features all the sturdy construction and durability that a day of hiking or fishing demands, along with careful consideration for city use, with a padded tablet sleeve and in-line strap pocket for easy access to cash or keys. External compression straps and buckles lock the bag down into a tight profile, or provide a place to latch on a beach towel, umbrella, or mat.

Review Highlights

“Sometimes I just want to bring my iPad Pro, a book, headphones, and a paper notebook where a full out backpack is a bit too much. This Sling bag is perfect, and unlike my backpacks, I can access my gear without taking it off.”

Best Leather Sling Bag

What You Should Know

  • Genuine full-grain leather

  • Grab a carabiner clip and use the D-Ring to attach it to luggage

  • Hidden zipper pocket

This stylish sling bag is like a dopp kit with a shoulder strap; just large enough for a full set of grooming essentials. It’s a great choice for keeping in your car or office in case of emergencies — or just taking care of that five o’clock shadow before after-work drinks. It’s comfortably sized for use as a carry-on, with room for some light reading and a power bank to keep your devices charged. It also has a zip-up pocket that fits snug against the wearers back, offering some theft protection in unfamiliar environments.

Review Highlights

“All in all it’s definitely worth the money and I’m pleased as punch. Can’t wait to use it for festivals and hiking or just walking around the city or going to work.”

Best Budget Sling Bag

What You Should Know

  • Affordable

  • Mesh external pocket

  • Water-repellent exterior

This lightweight single shoulder bag features a breathable, wipe-clean fabric exterior that is water repellent, great for keeping electronics safe while walking to and from the airport, hotel, or other travel destinations. The strap length is extremely adjustable, with one reviewer saying it has 18 inches of length conversion, so it fits a wide range of torso sizes. A huge range of color options, combined with the small profile and affordable price point, make it a great choice for getting every member of the family their own travel bag.

Review Highlights

“It was easy to keep organized, lightweight and didn’t make me hot… The ability to switch shoulders with it is huge. The fabric wiped clean well, even when my seatmate spilled soda all over it.”

Best Sling Bag for Festivals and Theme Parks

What You Should Know

  • Rope strap displaces weight more comfortably

  • Solid or patterned styles available, great for his-and-hers bags

  • Water-repellent polyester

Multiple external pockets make this bag a fantastic choice for men who need quick access to medications like EpiPens, inhalers, or food, so it’s a solid choice for anyone dealing with allergies, diabetes, or other health concerns. It lacks major anti-theft measures, like RFID blocking or metal mesh weavings, but it’s extremely comfortable and can hold a few bulkier items like ponchos, windbreakers, or school supplies, making it a functional choice for visiting theme parks, where pickpocketing is less common, or for students, particularly due to the divided pocket structure that makes it easy to keep pens, notebooks, and other supplies separated and organized by size and purpose.

Review Highlights

“So comfortable to wear. I can wear it daily and I even took it on a hike. It has plenty of room to hold all my essentials.”

Best Lightweight Sling Bag

What You Should Know

  • Wear over either shoulder

  • Lifetime guarantee

  • 7-liter capacity

This North Face bag is lightweight enough to wear all day, even fully loaded, perfect for compulsive overpackers. Tourists and commuters alike can enjoy its slim profile and durability, making it a great choice for traversing the concrete jungles. Comfortably sized for travel documents and other essentials, the lifetime guarantee ensure you’ll be satisfied with this go-anywhere bag.

Review Highlights

“I only bring small items to work including medications, wallet, extra charger, etc. I have no need for a regular size backpack for these items, so the field bag is perfect! “

Best Sling Bag for All-Day Wear

What You Should Know

  • Wear on either shoulder

  • Weight is centered — perfect for bicyclists 

  • Cell phone pocket with headphone access

Single-shoulder backpacks can often grow uncomfortable after all-day wear, but this pack centers the weight on your back comfortably. If one shoulder were to get tired or grow uncomfortable after lengthy wear, it’s a fast swap to move the strap over and wear it on the opposite shoulder. Padded mesh on the back, a cell phone pocket and water bottle holder, and a hidden RFID blocking pocket all combine to make a well thought out bag that will be a staple in your day to day.

Review Highlights

“I used this for my carry-on and it held everything I needed. Looks good enough to be a shoulder purse, or a daypack — but without those annoying loose straps, nets, and bulgy pockets found on other outdoor gear! There is a water bottle pouch on the side, but it looks good, too.”

Best Sling Bag for Organization

What You Should Know

  • Four external pockets plus one hidden pocket

  • Rip resistant nylon

  • Seven color options

  • Affordable

Stay organized with this pack’s large variety of pocket sizes, perfect for keeping things in designated spaces so they’re always easy to find. A great option for travelers, you’ve got space for a Kindle or other small tablet in the main compartment, and the smaller pockets are great for containing snacks, headphones, and boarding passes.

Review Highlights

“I just received this bag. It’s perfect for my needs. I was looking for an every-day-carry bag to empty my bulging pockets, and nothing more. I already have more than enough backpacks. Deciding what to carry, I have my keys, wallet, pocket knife, pen, comb, & cell phone. And there’s still room.”

Best Sling Bag for Students

What You Should Know

  • Rucksack-style bag

  • Top access 

  • Minimal padding

Great for students, this vintage-style bag features an easy to organize main pocket with pockets for pens and other essentials. The plethora of other pockets keep things in designated spaces, preventing cables from tangling or keys getting lost in the bottom of an oversized compartment.

Review Highlights

“I’m always on the go and need to take a lot of stuff along with me that I need for the day. This bag lets me do this without having a giant mess of stuff that I need to rummage through.”


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