Travis Olander 01.01.24
The end of 2023 is here, and that means it’s time to round up all the best everyday-carry and sling bags that afford some sort of “tacticool” flare and function. There are literally hundreds of bags available, though. That means we need to filter out the chaff and stick to options based on a series of key criteria. Here’s all the stuff I consider before I decide to the pull the trigger on any new tactical bag.
Everyday Carry (EDC) Coverage on AllOutdoor
Materials – The Best EDC & Sling Bags of 2023
Since we’re talking about compact bags made for daily carry, we need to balance durability with weight. Lighter nylon might be suitable for the commute, while heavy-duty Cordura with a high thread count may be better for outdoor work and rough weather.
Capacity – The Best EDC & Sling Bags of 2023
A good EDC bag – sling bags, especially – need to meet the “Goldilocks” zone for storage capacity. But this is different for everybody: If you’re an urbanite, you might need a bit of extra height for, say, a laptop. If you’re a photographer or carrying tactical kit, you might need something deeper and wider. Or maybe you just want something small and compact for your personals.
Shoulder Straps – The Best EDC & Sling Bags of 2023
Sling bags need to have extra padding in their straps, and the strap angle and adjustment range needs to be able to be finely tuned for your body size. Otherwise, you’re going to wind up dealing with neck and back pain.
The Best EDC & Sling Bags
Here are some of the top picks that made the list for 2023.
5.11 Tactical MOAB 6 Bag (Best Small Bag)
The short, squat, and very capable MOAB 6 Sling Pack is a favorite in the category. It’s small, very tough based on my personal experiences traveling with it as a camera bag, and it sports a nicely padded strap with good ventilation. With plenty of reinforced stitching, it’s of the smallest EDC bags that can hold a ton of weight. More than larger ones, perhaps. I found it can take a solid 40 pounds without tearing, fraying, or getting floppy and tough to carry.
5.11 Tactical MOAB 6 – Specs
- Capacity: 11 liters / 671 cubic inches
- Material: 1050D Cordura
- Ambidextrous? Yes
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Available Colors: Ranger Green, Black, Double Tap (Black/Gray), Kangaroo (Tan)
- Dimensions: Main Pouch 10.5” H x 9” L x 5” D; Front Pocket 9.5” H x 8” L x 2” D; Water Pocket 9.5” x 8”.
5.11 Tactical MOAB 6 – Main Features
- Adjustable shoulder strap
- Water-resistant treatment
- Reinforced grab handle
- Hook-and-loop flag patch
- Fleece-lined glasses pocket
- Bottom strap kidney pads
- Hidden CCL pocket
Why I like the MOAB 6
Most 5.11 bags tend to be tall and a bit thin. This is great for center of gravity, but kind of meaningless for a small-capacity sling bag. So, I was pleasantly surprised and quite happy to find the relatively cubic MOAB 6 at all. It still has a good center of gravity, and it’s still got a low profile. It’s perfect for urban commutes and crammed public transit, and it fares just as well in the outdoors, thanks to 5.11’s traditionally over-engineered construction. 11 liters tends to fill up, so it’s nice to see plenty of front and side MOLLE webbing for throwing on supplementary storage compartments. You can easily double the MOAB 6’s capacity with a few pouches on either side.
The 5.11 Tactical MOAB 10 Needs a Mention, Too
I didn’t forget the sling bag that’s actually more popular than the MOAB 6. I simply used the MOAB 6 recently (and extensively) and felt that 1.) an honest review was warranted, and 2.) the 6 better suited my needs for carrying camera gear – and the occasional range kit, like some extra magazines and ear pro. But if you love everything about the MOAB 6 except for its admittedly tiny size, there’s the big brother: The MOAB 10. It only weighs 0.6 pounds more, and it comes with a hydration compartment with a hose pass-through for a water bladder, making it an excellent choice for day hikes.
5.11 Tactical MOAB 10 – Specs
- Capacity: 18 liters / 1,093 CC
- Material: 1050D Cordura
- Ambidextrous? Yes
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Available Colors: Ranger Green, Black, Double Tap (Black/Gray), Kangaroo (Tan)
- Dimensions: Main Pouch 18.25″ H x 9″ L x 7.25″ D | Front Pocket 12.5” H x 8” L x 2” D
5.11 Tactical RAPID Sling Bag
The MOAB 10 is a great choice for holding a full-backpack-sized amount of gear. But it can easily become, well, too big to be an effective sling bag. So, enter the RAPID Sling. It offers about 10 liters of space, making it a nice “middle-of-the-road” choice between the MOAB 6 and 10. It does this by sacrificing plenty of little compartments and loads of webbing. But for a tactical daily carry bag meant to be discrete, you may not find this a problem. Perhaps that’s the selling point, here. We thought so, and we grabbed one to compare it to the MOAB series.
5.11 Tactical RAPID Sling Bag – Specs
- Capacity: 9.5 liters / 580 cubic inches
- Material: 1050D Cordura
- Ambidextrous? Yes
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Available Colors: Coal (Black/Gray), Kangaroo (Tan)
- Dimensions: 15.5″H x 7.5″L x 6.0″D
5.11 Tactical RAPID Sling Bag – Features
- Adjustable shoulder strap
- Water-resistant treatment
- Reinforced grab handle
- Hook-and-loop flag patch
- Simple design – one large pouch
- Also comes with CCL pocket
Why I Like the 5.11 Tactical RAPID Sling Bag
The RAPID bag’s a bit lower profile than the MOAB 10, and it provides a cool, convex profile that tends to hug your backside. It’s a little subtler and less tactical in appearance, so, compared to the MOABs, it’ll better suit those who want something subdued and inconspicuous.
The backside of the RAPID also has better padding and ventilation, in addition to the cushy shoulder strap. So, comfort’s objectively better here, too. The two exterior compression straps help with center of gravity and keeping things compact and, like 5.11’s other sling bags, the RAPID comes with an easy-access CCL pocket for your favorite compact pistol.
That Generic Sling Bag on Amazon
Don’t lie: When you go searching for stuff like tactical bags, you go to Amazon. There’s no shame in admitting it. You searched up “tactical sling bag,” and found this cheap, generic thing. It’s called a variety of things by various, oddly named resellers. But no matter which digital storefront you purchase from, you’re getting the following specs in an affordable unit — around $17 to $25. The “OG” maker appears to be REEBOW GEAR.
Sling Bag – Specs
- Capacity: 20 liters / 1,220 cubic inches
- Material: 600D ballistic nylon
- Ambidextrous? Yes
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Available Colors: ACU, Black, OD Green, Khaki, White Kryptek, Black/Blue Multicam
- Dimensions: 14″ H x 10.5″ W x 7.5″ D
Main Features
- Wide, centered shoulder strap
- Breathable mesh backing
- Hook-and-loop ID patch
- One main compartment
- Two exterior zipper pouches
- One interior zipper pouch
What (if anything) is to like?
The REEBOW Sling Bag does, at first impression, offer up all the stuff you want in an EDC slinger. It’s large enough to hold electronics like a laptop, plenty of paperwork, and, naturally, tactical gear made for range days. Given its generic nature, though, I wouldn’t necessarily rely on this for a true duty bag or outdoor bag. Although it claims to be made from 600D Cordura, stitching and quality control can be suspect. You might find some edges or pouches fraying at the seams if you really put this bag through its paces. But, again, for the price – it’s arguably a good commuter bag that you could probably just replace and still spend less than most other options on the market.
Propper Bias Sling Backpack
Maybe you’re not up for taking a small gamble with The Amazon bag. That’s completely understandable. If that’s you, just grab the Propper Bias Backpack. It’s the same, basic design except it boasts some quality stitching, metal fasteners, robust clips and webbing, and thick ballistic nylon/Cordura. Basically, this is the right tactical backpack all those Amazon sling packs are copying.
Propper Bag – Specs
- Capacity: 22 liters / 1,342 cubic inches
- Material: 600D ballistic nylon
- Ambidextrous? Yes
- Attachments: MOLLE / PALS Webbing
- Available Colors: Gray
- Dimensions: 20″ H x 10.5″ W x 8.5″ D
Propper Bag – Features
- Wide, centered shoulder strap
- Breathable mesh backing
- Hook-and-loop ID patch
- One main compartment
- Two exterior zipper pouches
- One interior zipper pouch
- Available left- or right-handed
What’s to like about the Propper Bag?
The Propper Bias provides all the advantages you just read about when we discussed that conglomerate of Amazon bags. Except it’s also noticeably larger, providing enough space for a 17″ laptop. There’s also a hydration pocket for a water bladder and a D-ring for securing your drink hose to the shoulder strap. A second water bottle pouch rests on the side of the bag with a straw string, and it boasts four rows of webbing (as opposed to the usual three rows) with hook-and-loop on the top pocket for a Velcro name tape, flag, or patch. Most of all, we love the fasteners, overall build quality and construction.
Is there anything not to like?
No, not really. The Propper Bias uses a thinner shoulder strap than other bags, so you may find cheaper options with wider shoulder straps to be more comfortable if you’re carrying a ton of weight. But those large, wide shoulder straps can also snag on things and tug on your shirt or jacket. But the shoulder padding on the Bias Bag is more than enough to provide comfort under load. Now, if you can’t stomach the idea of a one-strap bag for your backwoods outings, check out our top picks for the best overnight backpacks.
