BellroyVenture 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.CONCLUSIONThis 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.

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.

Bought this after seeing the review on Jon Gadget YouTube channel and so far very impressed. When hiking or longer walks I go with an Osprey Talon 22 and use this when not going far or round a National Trust property or similar.The inner zip pocket fits the new mini Kindle with case or the older 6.8inch Kindle without case. It can fit the older 6.8 inch Kindle with a case but is a bit of a stretch.I carry a water bottle and use a Nalgene 16oz wide-mouth which fits ok but adds a little girth. The 32 ounce also fits but is a little too bulky. The memo bottle would fit better but I trust the Nalgene to not leak.Spent a little time filling this with kit and balancing EDC kit with weight and generally have the following:- Nalgene 16oz wide mouth- Glasses in dedicated pouch (on top of rest of contents which is nice)- Wet wipes and tissues in side elastic pockets- Folded canvas shopping bag in side elastic pockets- Dental floss in side elastic pockets (good for string in a pinch)- Mini Kindle in zipped inside pocket- Moleskine Cahier Journal in zipped inside pocket (love these, very light weight)- SAK (compact) and OLight I1r Pro in front zip pocket- KNIPEX Cobra XS Mini in front zip pocket (great for the weight)- Bic lighter and Jabra earbuds in front zip pocket- Pen and pencil in front zip pocketFew other bits but generally try to keep it light for everyday carry. Worth noting the sides are slightly open when fully zipped but if I lose some tissues/floss to a pick-pocket then not going to worry. I don’t keep my phone/wallet in this bag.The strap is solid and can detach but rarely use this feature. Nice to know it’s there.So far I am very impressed with this bag and the quality justifies the price.

Really enjoying using this Sling; the orange brown colour is actually very attractive and looks good with just about everything I wear! Space is great, plenty to carry all I need. Pockets make it easy to know where everything is and keep small things organised. Very pleased!

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.

Love my sling! It manages to fit my wallet and keys hidden away, my sunglasses in their own compartment and my fujifilm xh2s. There’s also room for another lens, nd filters, 2x batteries and extra space for a strap. It kept all my stuff pretty dry while away. I didn’t see any water or sand get in their thanks to the material even though their are small gaps either side at the multi zip points. The strap and weight (about 1.2kg) felt good over the chest and sat on one shoulder. You can also fit a tiny a7-ish 10cm notebook and pens if you want too