I really like my new Tomtoc sling. It’s made out of quality materials, is comfortable to carry, and the 4L version is a good size to carry what I need. It is a great travel sling. I got mine for $35 on Amazon. It can usually be found for around that price which I think is a great deal.
The sling has a front pocket with a keychain that I put small loose items like camera batteries or leftover coins. A rear security compartment that sits against your chest is where I put my passport or larger denominations of foreign currency. The rear compartment is good for things that need to be kept secure as you can feel them against your chest and the compartment is reasonably hidden – it might not even be obvious it is there to someone not familiar with this sling.
The main compartment is spacious for a sling this size and contains mesh pockets for organizing as well as a divider to keep things separate if you’d like. I like to put bulkier items in here to save carrying them in my jeans pocket. I often put my wallet or a small travel camera in there.
Materials
It feels like the Tomtoc sling is Made out of quality materials – Cordura nylon and YKK zippers are in the mix. It doesn’t feel like they have skimped on the materials of this item.
The Sling uses a regular, albeit large, buckle and sits horizontal across your chest when worn the intended way and diagonal when worn across your back. If you want it diagonal across your chest then you have to swap shoulders. If you prefer to wear your slings diagonal then this may be a negative.
How Wearable is it?
The Tomtoc is the first sling bag I’ve used and I recently took it on a short holiday. I found it very comfortable particularly when worn on my back so the sling is orientated at an angle. A little less so when wearing it on my chest with the sling horizontal but many other reviews see this as a positive so your mileage may vary. I tended to swing it around to my front when I needed to get something out of it. Overall quite positive though.
Alternatives
So how does it compare to the competition. I considered buying the Aer day sling 3 and may still do so at a later date as the design of the sling (flatter base) would fit a larger mirrorless camera with small lens on in the main compartment better I think.
But, and it’s a big but, at the time of purchase the Aer sling costs around $170 vs $35 on Amazon for the Tomtoc sling. So while I would like the Aer sling, do I need it? No, not really. The Tomtoc 4L is a really great sling made from quality materials that feel like they will last, it has good carry style that many will like and good organization.
While other slings may be considered better you have to ask is it that much better? $170-$200 compared to $35-$40 for the Tomtoc Sling. As far as value for money goes it the Tomtoc sling is a great deal.
Below I will list some important points to consider when you are deciding whether to buy the Tomtoc EDC sling.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Made with good quality materials, cordura nylon, YKK zippers | Base of the sling is not flat. Other, more expensive, slings will hold a small mirroless camera better |
| Can often be found for a very good price on Amazon ($35 -$42 as of 2024) | Sling wears horizontal across chest. (pro or con depending on personal taste) |
| Good organization with plenty of pockets and storage space | |
| Sling wears horizontal across chest. (pro or con depending on personal taste) |
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