REVIEW: Bellroy Venture Sling 6L
For any roaming photographer, a good carry bag is a must-have. However, more often than not, a typical camera bag is a tad too large and bulky, and may even be unnecessary if you're not carrying a lot of gear. On the other hand, not having a bag and simply chucking all your gear in your pockets or carrying your heavy camera around your neck is a huge pain. So, what about something like the Bellroy Venture 6L?
A well-designed sling bag is usually the best compromise between having a bag to keep your camera and photog gear in and ensuring that it's compact and light enough to keep yourself unencumbered and sleek while you're on the move. Bellroy's Venture Sling 6L is among the most popular options in photography circle that I've heard a lot about, so how does it perform in the real world, and is it worth the price tag?
PLEASE NOTE: I WAS SENT THIS ITEM FOR REVIEW BUT NO OTHER PAYMENT OR CONTROL WAS EXCHANGED FOR PUBLISHING THIS UNBIASED REVIEW
On first impressions, the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L is certainly a pretty stylish and functional everyday carry sling bag well-designed for urbanites and metropolitan adventurers. So, while I'll be looking at it from the perspective of a photographer, it's versatile enough for students, commuters, or if you need something that's bigger than jacket pockets while you're walking about. Looking further, there's more to like, too.
The Bellroy Venture Sling 6L has a super-sleek design and features ample storage given its compact size. Yet, it comes with a plethora of nice-to-have features and creature comforts, making it perfect for people who need to haul along their everyday carry (EDC) and daily essentials, but without the massive bulk of a backpack. However, given its (spoiler alert) high price tag, is Bellroy's Venture Sling 6L really worth it?
How Does Bellroy Attempt To Re-Engineer The Sling Bag?
So then, what does Bellroy and its Venture Sling 6L do differently compared to other sling bags that you'll find on the market? One of the key challenges that Bellroy aimed to tackle was the needs of urbanites when designing this sling bag, as they wanted a bag that was both stylish and versatile. In other words, it needs to look good, while also doing what a bag really needs to do - carry as much stuff as optimally as possible.
With that in mind, the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L has been designed for quick access and easy organisation. Therefore, no matter how you intend to wear it - either as a messenger-style bag or a back-sling - getting access to all the pockets or compartments is really easy. Keeping stuff organised is just as effortless, as it comes with loads of smaller pockets and sleeves in the main compartment for storing different things.
There's a zipper pocket for slimmer items, if you'd like to stow that away from prying eyes and to keep it secured. Then, there are two smaller open pockets that are ideal for keeping your phone, wallet, or a small notepad. Despite how its clean, simplistic, uncomplicated exterior may be perceived, the main compartment was large enough, in my case, for a small umbrella, water bottle, snacks, and even a handheld game console.
Of course, for most of my use case, I stowed away my camera in here, and it fits just snugly. Plus, when I needed to grab my camera out in a jiffy to take a quick shot, the cool ambidextrous design of the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L meant that no matter how the bag was worn or oriented, I could get access to all of my gear very easily. Otherwise, if the 6L is not big enough, Bellroy also offers a larger 9L variant, too.
For context, I ended up using the sling to safely stow my GFX 50S II with 35-70mm lens and although the zipper felt a touch tight, it still fits! But that is a chunky medium format camera and it still worked a treat! It would be absolutely perfect for smaller, mirrorless cameras and positively cavernous for little compact cameras with plenty of room for additonal items!
Where Does The Bellroy Venture Sling 6L Do Right On?
TL;DR, here are some of the many pros and benefits of the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L that you'll experience when you buy and use one of these:
Durable Material Choice - Given that it's made from 100% recycled, water-resistant woven fabric, it's both eco-friendly and built tough. In my testing, it's certainly robust enough to withstand day-to-day wear and tear, like constantly packing into jam-packed buses and trains, or when I chucked it aside. If you're into the sustainability side of things, it's also nice to hear that Bellroy uses leather-free composition here.
Excellent Use Of Space - Besides just how optimal this tiny sling bag was able to maximise how much space it affords you, those pockets are made with abundant attention to detail. The lining of each pocket is very soft, ensuring that fragile items like unprotected phone screens, won't get scratched easily. Moreover, the generous padding all around ought to offer a decent amount of protection, especially for your camera.
Easy Access - Getting at whatever you've stowed away inside the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L shouldn't be an issue, as the double zippers are often within easy reach, no matter how you wear or orient the bag. Speaking of, you can carry it in numerous ways, either as a messenger bag or a back-sling style.
Purposeful Design & Aesthetics - Bellroy's products are often well-regarded for their sleek design language, and the Venture Sling 6L is no different. There are 6 unique colours to choose from, and no matter how tiny it might appear, it's no doubt able to accommodate more stuff than you might expect.
What Are Some Negative Aspects To Consider, Instead?
Although, while I've sung praise for Bellroy's neat sling bag here, it's not perfect, and there are certainly a few downsides that you have to get used to if you're wearing one:
Tiny & Tight Front Pocket - I haven't yet mentioned the front pocket of the Venture Sling 6L, and that's mainly because it's mostly for very small items. The front pocket is far too small and tight, which severely limits what you can store there. Most of the time, you might be able to keep a pair of cables, and other small, loose items.
Shoulder Strap Buckles - While these are a great design touch, the dual buckles on the Venture Sling 6L's shoulder strap might be considered somewhat redundant. In my experience, I've found that just a single strap is more than enough, and I do wonder how much more cost-effective that would've been. Even the dual zippers that we mentioned earlier, as great as they are, might also seem fairly redundant, whereas a single zipper might've sufficed.
High Price Tag - If you're not familiar with Bellroy products before, then this is normally the major deal-breaker for a lot of people, and that's the price. Here in the UK - and the cost might vary depending on where you're shopping and if there's a discount available - the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L costs £114.95, which is quite pricey for a sling bag.
Should You Consider The Bellroy Over Other Sling Bags?
Given how costly it is, it's tough to recommend the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L to the vast majority of people. After all, trying to justify spending over £100+ on any bag or backpack is by itself a significant expense. In addition, you could easily get similar sling bags on the market for a mere fraction of the price that Bellroy charges for its options. No doubt, you could get a pretty close experience with cheaper bags, as well.
However, when it comes to the premium options, there aren't that many that could rival what the Bellroy Venture Sling 6L can offer. It's undoubtedly a top contender in the world of premium everyday carry bags. With its blend of sleek styling, purposeful functionality, ease of use, and sustainable construction, it's one neat sling bag for a lot of urban adventurers out there, and more so for outgoing street photographers.
Specs And Details
About the Author - Ross Jukes is a professional Photographer and Videographer with over a decade of experience. Working in both Digital and Analogue formats, Ross has worked with international clients, had his worked published numerous times and exhibited his work extensively. With a passion for all things photographic, Ross combines his experience, enthusiasm and dedication to his art form to create engaging and educational content for the photographic community.