Thoughts on the little 8L Patagonia Atom or Ultralight Black Hole Slings as that second little carry-on piece to keep things at hand on plane/train if your main bag is in the overhead?

I know this is one-bag but it seems most people take something little as a secondary bag. What is everyone else using?

I have been using this bag for a few years now and I really love it. It folds into itself so you can pack it away very small - it has a very surprising capacity, I can carry pretty much everything I'd need for the day in it (wallet, phone, keys, water bottle, jacket & hat, glasses, reading book, portable charger, snack - I have filled it with this amount of stuff many times), or for example you can fit two wine bottles into the large pocket ;) - I find it very comfortable - it has a load of uselful and well thought out features such as the phone pocket on the front of the shoulder strap the ket clip in the valuables pocket and the small strap on the shoulder strap for carrying/hanging the bag. So far the bag has kept it's quality very well and is undamaged from loads of use, additionally it is covered by Patagonias guarantee meaning they will try to help fix any repairs that need doing to the product during its life.

I have a 3 week tour all over Europe coming up in October. I want to pack a sling bag in my main carry on pack to use as my day pack.

The REI close to me has the Patagonia ultralight black hole sling and the Atom 8L sling.

The black hole packs into itself and weighs a little more than 3oz less than the Atom, but the Atom is made of a more durable material and seems like it has a more comfortable strap.

I'll mainly be just carrying my tablet, a jacket, snacks and water bottle in the sling. Maybe my wallet too, but I'm not sure since I have heard of pick pocketers being in some of the areas we are going, but idk if it is safer in my front pocket or a back across my chest.

I didn't know if anyone had any input on one or both of these 2 slings. Input on them is greatly appreciated! Of there are any other sling bags that people recommend, that is also welcome!

Thanks!

Ideal sling would meet following criteria:

- Volume = 3.5 - 8 L, or whatever is enough to fit a small mirrorless camera + extra lens (Sony a6500 with 16-70 f/4 lens + Sony 50 1.8 OSS), plus a 500ml plastic water bottle (fitting the water bottle is a low priority), and the usual EDC items like wallet, sunglasses, keys, etc.

- Weight < 7 oz (200 g)

- Packable (ie, doesn't take up a lot of room when empty). I can always add my own structure and padding if necessary.

- Strap that is decently comfortable and isn't abrasive (gotta be gentle with those merino tops!)

- Look "nice," not too outdoorsy (e.g., so I'm comfortable wearing it around town, at museums, bars, etc.)

- Have good water resistance

- It would be nice to have a minimal amount of organization / compartments / pockets, though this is a low priority.

- Price <= $100 but willing to spend more if the product warrants it.

What I currently have: Patagonia Ultralight Black Hole® Sling 8L. It's served me well as an EDC for about half a year now. Pros: fits my criteria for volume and weight (6.7 oz, including the attached, non-removable strap), decent water resistance, strap is comfortable. Cons: not a big fan of the shape of the bag, including the way it's tapered (wider on one end and significantly narrower on the other); don't like how when I start packing it with a lot of things, it tends to bulge in the middle and sort of becomes cylindrical, I think mostly due to the way the bag is slimmer/tighter at the ends than in the middle; a bit too outdoorsy looking for me; strap, while comfortable, is a bit overkill in my opinion as far as width and cushion, adding unnecessary weight, taking up unnecessary space when stored in my main bag, and also detracting from the aesthetic.

What I'm looking at now: Peak Design FIELD POUCH V2.

- Weight (guessing without strap) = 6 oz. How much weight does the strap add, assuming it's not included in the listed weight?

- Volume is advertised as 1.5 - 3L, which appears too small for my needs, however, the dimensions are listed as being up to 10.6 in (27 cm) x 9.8 in (25 cm) x 4.3 in (10.92 cm), which implies MUCH more volume than the listed max of 3L. If my math is right, those dimensions imply a volume that could be closer to 7.4 L. I know it's not a rectangle, so it won't actually be 7.4 L, and that externally measured dimensions don't otherwise necessarily corelate 1:1 to internal volume, but surely the usable volume comes out to be more than 3 L? Can anyone confirm/deny?

- I dig the aesthetic of it

- I don't particularly dig the use of Velcro (noise of opening, also risk of damaging delicate clothing)

- Not sure about the included strap--is it comfortable? Not too abrasive?

Also looking at Tom Bihn PACKING CUBE SHOULDER BAG:

- Weight (guessing without strap) = 4.2 - 4.5 oz (!) How much weight does a 1" Tom Bihn strap add, assuming it's not included in the listed weight?

- Volume = 4.5 L

- Dimensions: 11.8" (w) x 7.9" (h) x 3.1" (d) / 300mm (w) x 200mm (h) x 80mm (d)

- Not as pretty as the Peak Design

- Despite having dimensions overall smaller than the Peak Design, to me it appears larger (and actually looks too big for what I want, aesthetically) based on videos I've watched.

Anyone have either the Peak Design FIELD POUCH V2 or the Tom Bihn PACKING CUBE SHOULDER BAG and can answer any of my questions or address any of my points or add any thoughts? Any other recommendations for a sling that might be a good fit given my criteria?

EDIT 1 (2021-11-01): Adding the Bellroy Lite Sling to the short list. Advertised volume = 7L; weight = 220g = 7.7 oz, dimensions = 150 x 310 x 110mm. Thanks to user u/plaid-knight for the suggestion.

I really like this bag. I think it was $50 with shipping and tax, on sale. I love the fake Cotopaxi colors, and the entire bag feels sturdy and solid. My only real complaint is that my Remarkable 2 tablet (pictured) just barely fits. I have to kind of work it into the main sleeve. And my Pixel 6a just barely fits into the phone sleeve on the sling strap. Of course, this tight fit keeps me from overloading myself with crap I don't need to bring along. I'd like to find a version of this bag that has the same fun color scheme, was 10 percent bigger, equally durable but only 50 bucks.

Looking for a small fanny/sling pack that is just large enough for a Glock 17 and can be worn over the shoulder for long periods of time while sitting. I need it to be inconspicuous, not a black/camo molle type thing.

I am already aware of the downsides of off body carry. For my purpose it is a requirement. With my build I can't conceal something as big as a 17, and it needs to be comfortable sitting for 5 or so hours. The smaller the better. The 5.11 LV6 looks decent, but I would prefer something a bit more discrete.

Oh wise denizens of manybaggers.

I've been looking at a couple but can't really find what I'm looking for.

Mystery Ranch Full Moon - Looks like a great bag but I would need a bit more organisation and the buckle in the middle of the strap feels like it would be better used as a hip pack than sling. And the loose webbing (from what I understand there is no way to tidy it up) would most likely drive me slightly crazy.

Patagonia Black hole 5l waist pack - I love Patagonia but this one seems to be better used as a hip pack then sling as well?

Aer Day Sling 2 - Not sure about the placement of the strap, you can't really wear it over one shoulder? And it's a bit pricier and nice looking than I would like to spend on a sling that's mostly for hiking with a dog.

Sierra Design Flex Lumbar - Looks pretty functional for my needs, but the design is a too outdoorsy for my taste.

Any other suggestions?

I would need to fit 500ml water bottle, packable jacket, a tennis ball, leatherman wave, phone, wallet, leash and some other bits and bobs.

Cheers!

I’ve been eyeing this bag for awhile now as a possible airplane personal item and am on the fence about buying it. Has anyone tried/owned one who can share their thoughts on it?

Took a lot of hunting on our country’s version of craigslist, and I think there also exists a tote, but I‘m really not a fan of totes: 30l duffel (225g), 20l backpack (310g) and 1l hip pack (99g)

AFAIK they only make the tote nowadays, but I think these would fill a great niche in their travel gear line up.