MODERN DAYFARER ACTIVE SLING 16L: REVIEW
FOREWORD
There are industry giants with thousands of employees and decades of market presence, and there are brands that are small and nimble. As much as I like trying out new gear from the established well-known brands I am always fascinated by the stuff made by small teams, often with a one-man-show behind it. I can’t help but root for the underdog :)
One of such brands is Modern Dayfarer that I had the pleasure of reviewing in the past (check out my take on the Cap and Shorts). Today we are taking a look and their latest creation - a 16L technical sling with a unique aesthetic and plenty of organization.
Read on to find out what makes this sling special.
WHO IT SUITS
Anyone who is a fan of large slings perfect for carrying a laptop, daily essentials, and still having room to spare
Those who appreciate the thoughtful organization and need a dedicated external laptop access
Fans of technical aesthetics would appreciate a very modern and almost futuristic look of the bag
WHO IT DOESN’T
Those who don’t like slings as a form factor are unlikely to change their mind with the Active Sling. After all, 16L is a capacity of a small EDC bag (like Goruck Bullet 15) and with higher capacity, the potential weight of the bag is also likely to put more pressure on one shoulder and thus become uncomfortable over a long period of time.
The distinct technical appearance won’t work with all outfits and would feel out of place with a waxed jacket or wool coat making the utility of the bag somewhat restricted.
ABOUT THE BAG
PRICE: 199 EUR
WEIGHT: 1 kg
DIMENSIONS: 45 x 22 x 15 cm
CAPACITY: 16L
Available for pre-order on February 15th, 2022 the Active Sling 16L has a unique look with beautiful symmetry all around. The bag is completely ambidextrous allowing to wear it on either the right or left shoulder without sacrificing any access to the external pockets.
Offered only in Black, the Active Sling fits perfectly in an urban environment and can take challenging weather conditions head-on thanks to the durable water-resistant materials used across the board.
FEATURES
For such a compact size the Active Sling 16 has a plethora of quality of life features that are often overlooked or simply not combined with such care by other bag makers:
Expandability and Access. What makes the bag unique is a combination of the rolltop (which ensures expandability and top access to the main compartment) and a front horse-shoe access (perfect to get inside the main compartment without a hassle). There are plenty of bags that offer these features separately but not many combine these in the sling form factor.
Total Symmetry. As already mentioned, the Active Sling 16 is symmetrical and absolutely ambidextrous offering plenty of external organization essentially saving the user from bringing their own organization in a form of pouches/organizers.
Magnetic closure. Magnets are thoughtfully added on the rolltop (Fidlock 25mm V-buckle and small magnet to close the flap) and the strap (another Fidlock V-buckle but 40mm wide) making it easy and fun to operate the bag.
Abundant Organization. The bag has rich external organization (2 water bottle pockets, 2 smaller pockets one containing the key clip, front pocket with two mesh pockets inside) and just the right amount of internal organization (pocket behind the front flap, stretchy pocket on the back, and a generous main compartment)
Protection from the elements. The bag is highly water-resistant thanks to Dimension Polyant VX21 exterior and YKK Aquaguard zippers everywhere.
Internal visibility. The white PU coated 210d Ripstop interior liner is perfect to navigate the contents of the bag and the fabric itself is very durable and easy to maintain.
External laptop/tablet access. A godsend for any bag - a dedicated vertical laptop compartment (fits up to 14’ laptop) that can be accessed without getting into the main compartment.
In 8 weeks of testing the bag, I found the organization to be a bit much since not all pockets were actively used. Moreover, I tend to rotate between bags and hence was not inclined to fill every single pocket of the Active Sling and instead used the main compartment, the laptop compartment, and the pocket on the flap. I am a simple man :)
Those who plan to use the Active Sling on a daily basis as the main bag would definitely appreciate the pockets offered.
COMFORT
The construction and the quality of the padded back panel as well as the adjustable padded shoulder strap are excellent. When lightly loaded the bag sat comfortably on my back and was a breeze to sling to the front to access what I needed.
My two gripes are mostly with:
The comfort of the bag when fully loaded and expanded. With 1L Nalgene inside the main compartment, MBA13, tech pouch, and other bits and pieces, I felt the pressure on my shoulder as I would feel on any other sling of this size. It’s fine for short commutes but carrying the load over extended periods of time was uncomfortable and made me wish I had a backpack instead. At one point I caught myself wondering if the Active Sling 16 would be better as a compact backpack.
The look of the sling on my back. Perhaps it’s just me but the look on my body felt a bit off for me, the top corner was stuck out more than similar slings to a point that it is possible to bump in some people on the streets or public transport. Generally, I prefer my bags to sit high and tight and did not fully get used to how the Active Sling 16 rode.
ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER
Boundary Supply X-Pac Errant Sling - similarly priced, also featuring the Fidlock buckle, decent expandability, and a nice symmetry the Errant sling is a tad smaller at 15L but unlike the Modern Dayfarer, it has a stabilization strap to help prevent sway during active movement.
The Mission Workshop Spar VX - at half the capacity of the Active Sling, the MW Spar is lighter and simpler in almost every way while also being made in the USA with superb materials. Offering way less organization, the Spar can still fit a 13’ laptop in the main compartment and offer enough space to store daily essentials.
WHAT’S HOT
The build and materials are superb. The team at Modern Dayfarer has not cut any corners and picked some of the best materials available on the market.
A clean and stealthy look makes the Active Sling 16 look unique and stand out among other oversized slings offering.
There is definitely no lack of organization and what’s more important - having the sling ambidextrous makes accessing the pockets equally convenient for lefties and righties.
The expandability of the sling allows cramming a tad more when you need that extra space which only reinforces the versatility of the bag
Dedicated top access to your laptop is a godsend - no more fishing inside the main compartment to get the laptop in or out.
The comfort is good (as long as the bag is not loaded with heavy stuff)
WHAT’S NOT
At 16L the Active Sling is really pushing the capacity of a single strap bag. When fully packed with a laptop, water bottle, organizers, etc the bag quickly gets heavy and less comfortable.
Despite “Active” in the name of the sling - sadly, there is no stabilizer strap to help prevent the sway during cycling or running.
Not all pockets are equally useful and feel like they were duplicated to ensure complete symmetry and ambidextrous use.
Mixed comfort depending on the load
VERDICT
Every product released by Modern Dayfarer is an event. Admittedly, it’s not sending ripples across the industry, but the brand is consistently innovating and offering something unique with each new release. The Active Sling 16 is no exception. The bag is tailored for urban dwellers and those with a dynamic lifestyle, anyone who needs to go as mobile as possible while still being able to carry the laptop and other daily essentials.
The materials and build of the Active Sling 16 are great and the front access plus rolltop expandability are a rare combination in this form factor making the Active Sling a truly unique, albeit niche product.
Those looking for a large 16L sling that could fit a laptop, have plenty of organization and look cool in the process would be delighted by the Active Sling 16 as long as they don’t overload the bag to make it uncomfortable on one shoulder. I, personally, wonder if at 16L the Active Sling might have been better off as a small backpack instead of a sling.
