Bellroy Venture Sling 9L (large crossbody bag)

I was looking for a low profile sling to carry my mirrorless camera with lens attached, Pocket 3, Action 4, mini tripods, mics, batteries, phone, wallet, glasses etc. I didn't want a dedicated camera bag as I like to travel light on day trips, but I wanted something physically inconspicuous (ie barely notice the bag when wearing it) when not carrying the camera. If I need to take more photography gear, I have other bags for that, and the bigger the bag, the more gear you stuff in it. A sling for me has to be light and forces me to minimise on the essentials. Even if I nip into town to go shopping, I like to take all of the above gear with me, just in case! I tried cheaper slings like the Tomtoc 7L, but the design is awful with an unnecessary clunky strap. A sling strap doesn't need to be padded. There were other design flaws, like how uncomfortable it was and how inaccessible the contents were when swung round to the front. Again, a sling needs to be functional in this position without spilling the contents. I mention all of these points because this Bellroy ticks all of the above boxes. I should mention I bought the 6L and returned it immediately after realising the 9L offers more depth but with minimal increase in footprint. I've included some bad quality photos to give you an idea of how the bag can easily accommodate my Sony A7C with hand grip and Zeiss 35mm lens attached. One photo shows my hand inside to give an idea of depth, with my finger tips touching the bottom and the zip coming up around my wrist. It's deep! I could easily include a flash gun, remote trigger and even a couple of spare lenses. The A7C opens the bag up without it protruding so much that it spoils the lines of the bag. Even with the camera in place, it remains low profile. This is something a dedicated camera bag can't do. I've also included a photo of the Pocket 3 in its protective case that slips perfectly inside the small pocket (upside down fits better). That pocket is wide enough to include the mic or another attachment. Don't forget there are additional, internal pockets for mics, batteries, cables etc. The bag is extremely comfortable to wear and hangs how I'd expect. No nasty surprises there. The rest of the features have been covered in other reviews and YouTube videos but I put this review here in case you are looking to carry similar gear to myself. The 6L could work for you but the 9L isn't much bigger, and when the bag isn't full, it remains slim. CONCLUSION This sling is extremely well designed. Not over-engineered but good consideration given to the right amount of pockets. The quality is excellent and, to top it all off, it looks sick! I'm so glad I spent a little more on this after spending many hours ordering and returning the cheaper, rubbish options out there. I love it.

The most practical light weight sling bag I ever had. The strap adjusts a large range of length to fit all. And you can use it on either shoulders. The compartments are well organised. And I love the fact that the main zipper opens from both sides (left to right or right to left)

I wasn't sure if I wanted Wandrd sling or the Bellroy with the Wandrd being better padded but very bulky and boxy in shape. I decided to go for the Bellroy sling and I am very happy with my choice. The quality is great and I can fit my mirrorless camera and a couple lenses or with a bit of a squeeze my 12 inch tablet. You just have to be a little more careful with the lack of padding for more delicate devices, but most people wouldn't throw their camera bags around.

Excellent product!! So useful when travelling and high quality material! Would highly recommend!

I'll be honest, I returned this one, in favour of the smaller variant but only because of how it sat comfortably across my chest, side or back. You might be different and this is still a great bag. The smaller variant can easily carry a single medium format, 35mm film camera or mirrorless camera along with a bucket hat, sunglasses and mobile phone so imagine what you can fit in this slightly larger sling? Materials are great, seams and zippers are strong and this one in rusty orange (hey I am not an interior designer) is really striking. If you are looking for a generous sling this is your thing.

Great product. Loads of room.

Why would you make a sling bag with a hole at either end ? Looks like a well made bag but the whole idea of a sling bag it to put stuff in there and "sling" it over your shoulder, so having a hole either end of the bag seems stupid to the extreme as all those little things are just going to fall out. Shame as otherwise it looks great.

This Bellroy sling feels well built and after about 6 months of use it is showing minimal wear and tear and nothing has broken, snagged or snapped. The strap is comfortable enough and very adjustable so you can have it in a number of ways across your back or front. I feel like it will last quite a few years yet. Quite spacious for a sling with a large main compartment with some additional internal pockets and organisation (including a place for a pen and another internal zipped pocket) and has another, smaller front pocket that has organisation and a key chain/lanyard. It is nicely padded so I don't have huge concerns of damaging items inside (though I don't over pack it anyway). You can attach a carabiner to the outside to attach items (water bottle, shoes, hats etc.) using the buckles for the strap and they feel durable enough to withstand a good amount of weight.