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Let me begin this review by saying that I wouldn't exactly call myself a photographer, but I took photo classes in high school with film cameras and my old, super cheap DSLR and I always loved it. Earlier this year I finally decided to get back after by picking up a decent camera, the Sony a6300. I'm a sucker for the bundles that different online retailers offer so when I saw a package deal for the the a6300 that came with a couple lenses and a small carrying case, I was sold...momentarily.
It very quickly became clear that this little carrying case was not going to cut it. I could just barely squeeze in my camera body, a couple small lenses, and one spare battery (and I nearly broke the zipper every time). Luckily, I wised up and snagged one of Peak Design's Everyday Slings and the Slide Strap while I was at it. Here's what I thought of them both.
Peak Design Everyday Sling 5L
If you're familiar with Peak Design, you probably know that their products are super clean and just look and feel great. I love their aesthetic; the "Ash" grey color with the leather accented tabs and blue stitching highlights. If I wasn't using it for photography, I'd be tempted to throw my wallet and keys in it and wear it around town as a satchel (Indiana Jones wears one!).
Functionally, the Everyday Sling is also pretty smooth. The main compartment has their signature FlexFold dividers that can be easily rearranged to fit whatever setup you've got. My a6300, kit lens, and (relatively small) telephoto all fit in the main compartment with room to spare.
Photos courtesy of Peak Design
There's a zippered pocket on the inside of the flap with stretchy organization pockets, another large zippered pocket on the outside of the flap, a place to slide your phone or tablet in the main compartment, plus one more zippered pocket on the back. Long story, short: it's full of pockets and handy features without feeling busy or over-designed.
I like to wear mine low on my waist while I'm just cruising around, but I love that it can be adjusted to wear higher on your body or even as a fanny pack for climbing, hiking, biking, or whatever you do that's active.
I really don't have any negative feedback on the Everyday Sling at the moment. My current setup fits perfectly, but I can see the potential limitations if I upgraded lenses (in size or quantity) or went for a full-sized DSLR. That said, I could easily bump to the 10L if that were the case or if I wanted to have an all-in-one adventure/travel and photography bag, I'd probably try the new Peak Design Travel Backpack.
Peak Design Slide Strap
I was using the standard Sony strap that came with my a6300, which got the job done for sure, but wasn't particularly comfortable, nice looking, or sturdy, so I was excited to order this new strap.
Like the Everyday Sling (and all of Peak Design's products), it looks and feels great. The seatbelt style strap easily slides across whatever material your outer layer is made of, making it easy to move around your body. It feels comfortable, strong, sturdy and heavy duty. I also love the anchor connectors and how easy it is to change the strap length length with their quick adjusters.
It may be the combination of my little mirrorless camera and this heavier strap, but I kept finding myself annoyed by the bulkier straps around my hands while taking photos or adjusting settings. Maybe with a bigger camera body, the connectors aren't quite so close together and give more space for the strap to fall without getting all up in your hands' business. Or maybe I should try connecting it on the bottom of the camera with the Anchor Mount? Maybe the strap just needs time and use to "break in" and fall a little lighter? I'm going to keep playing with it and see if I can find a setup that works. In the meantime, I'd say it's a really nice product, but perhaps not the best fit for my photography setup.
Photos by Oliver Riihiluoma
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