Fstoppers Reviews the Everyday Sling from Peak Design

With my recent jump into shooting more and more with my mirrorless system, I have been looking for a camera bag that better fit the smaller kit. So when I got the chance to test out the Everyday Sling from Peak Design, I jumped at the opportunity. With how popular their Everyday Messenger was, in addition to completely destroying their Kickstarter goal for the new set of bags (going over their goal by more than $6 million), I knew it had to be a good bag. But once I got the bag and used it for a couple days, I was surprised by just how much I liked it.

The bag is designed to be used as an everyday carry style bag. Small enough that it can hold daily essentials, but not so large that it’s a hassle to take with you wherever you go. The main compartment inside of the bag is large enough for a single full-size DSLR and maybe another lens depending on what lenses you want to carry, but I think the bag is more suited for carrying around a mirrorless kit. When I was out shooting for a paid job, I could easily carry my FujiFilm X-PRO2 with 35mm f/2 lens, FujiFilm X-T2 with 56mm f/1.2, my 16mm f/1.4, and all the other accessories I needed. When I used the bag as an everyday carry type bag, I normally carry my X-PRO2 with 35mm f/2 lens, the 16mm f/1.4, my FujiFilm X-70, my Surface Pro 4, and an external hard drive plus some other accessories.

One of the coolest features found inside the bag is the adjustable dividers. These dividers are attached to the inside of the bag with Velcro, so like normal dividers, you can remove them and move them around as needed. But in addition to this, the dividers also have a special type of fold to them that allow you to quickly change the size of each compartment without the need to remove the divider. Instead you can just pop the divider from one side to the other which can make certain compartments larger or smaller depending on your needs. The dividers also have a second flap of material that you can pop out and have act as a sort of shelf. I found this really useful when I wanted to store my external hard drive and mouse in the same compartment as my X-70, but I didn't want things banging into the camera as I moved around. What I was able to do is place the hard drive and mouse into a compartment, then pop out the shelf and place the X-70 onto that shelf.

Aside from the main compartment of the bag, there are also two other compartments that you can store items. The first option you have is a zippered compartment that can be found on the outside of the bag. This area has some little sleeve-styled pockets inside for storing things like notebooks, cell phones, or other small and flat items. The main area of the pocket is also adjustable in size by way of two straps found on the outside of the bag. When the straps are tight, this pocket remains compact. But when the straps are loose, the pocket can enlarge by a decent amount in order to fit larger items.

The second pocket can be found on the underside of the flap that lets you into the main area of the bag. This pocket also has some sleeve styled pockets and is perfect for things like memory cards, batteries, and other small items.

The best feature by far for me is the quick adjusting strap. Similar to what is used on their Slide strap, it has a locking latch system that lets you quickly adjust the strap with one hand. This comes in handy when taking the bag on and off because you can fully loosen the strap to take the bag off and on and easily tighten the strap so that it fits snuggly when wearing it.

The real benefit to this adjustable strap though is when you are wearing the bag and shooting. While shooting I can have the bag tight against my back, then when I need inside the bag, I can loosen the strap and swing the bag to the front of my body.

This makes it super easy to get in and out of the bag while moving around, but not needing to actually take the bag off your shoulder. I found that the bag also wore very comfortable when on the front of my body. Because of this, I would constantly wear it this way while shooting so that I could quickly access my other camera body or change lenses without needing to swing the bag back and forth.   

In addition to the above, there are some other features that really help with this bag's usability. One of these features is the durability. Not only is the bag constructed out of a durable fabric, but the fabric is also weather-sealed. All of the pocket access is also done via weatherproof zippers.

Another added benefit is the attention to detail when it comes to the adjustable strap. Most straps that you can adjust have that awkward strap end that just sort of flails around in the wind. But this bag incorporates special little pockets near each strap attachment point that allows you to tuck this loose end inside. I think this really adds to the anesthetic of the bag. One weird thing about these little openings though, is that they actually lead to a very large internal compartment, but this compartment isn’t accessible at all. Feeling around inside, this compartment seems like a finished pocket, so it’s confusing that its only job is to store the ends of the adjustable strap.

What I Liked

• Adjustable slide strap
• Adjustable and foldable dividers
• Weatherproof
• Perfect size for everyday carry as well as paid shoots

What I Didn't Like

• Main external pocket adjusts to allow for larger items, but the opening remains fairly small
• I wish there were more pockets along the outside of the bag

Conclusion

While I do wish that there were some more pockets, I find the bag to be very well made and very capable at holding what I need on a daily basis. I have used this bag at my last 10 or so photoshoots without issue and I have used it as an everyday bag since I received it. If you are looking for sling style bag for your mirrorless system, or even for everyday carry, then this is a very capable option.