HEIMPLANET SLING POCKET XL : REVIEW
FOREWORD
With the pandemic overstaying its welcome, slings have quickly shifted from being a convenience to almost being a necessity when carrying your gear. Gone are the days when you just needed to grab your phone, wallet, and keys. Now the center stage is taken by spare masks and hand sanitizers. As a result, the market for oversized slings has grown and more brands are releasing 3L+ solutions, like the Bellroy Sling, Code of Bell’s Xpod, the recently released Evergoods MHP3.5, etc...
Hamburg-based Heimplanet has its own take on what a 3L sling should look like. Does it differentiate itself from other options on the market and should you ultimately consider getting one? Let’s find out.
WHO IT SUITS
Anyone looking for a sleek minimal sling that would work equally well in the city and outdoors.
Those concerned about conscious consumption and their environmental footprint would appreciate the sustainable way in which the Sling Pocket XL was built.
WHO IT DOESN’T
Those who need to carry more than a 3L sling can fit.
ABOUT THE BAG
* PRICE: 79 EUR (~$95)
* DIMENSIONS: 16 x 30 x 10 cm
* WEIGHT: 290 gram
* CAPACITY: 3L
* COLOR OPTIONS: Castle Rock Grey, Black
COMFORT
Due to the compact size and 3L capacity, you won’t carry bricks in this sling so comfort under heavy load is definitely not a concern. The strap is wide and long enough to accommodate both cross-body carry and hip pack mode. Naturally, there is no padding on the strap and the main closure works with an interesting aluminum buckle that looks great and feels even better but does require a bit of getting used to. I found that undoing the buckle when the strap is secured tight is difficult, which required releasing the strap a bit before I could undo the buckle. I wish I did not have to do this motion in two steps (releasing the strap and then undoing the buckle). Also, the aluminum buckle is jiggly and adds unnecessary noise.
The back of the sling is slightly padded for better comfort and features a signature hexagon pattern. Heimplanet loves those angular patterns on their bags.
DESIGN & FEATURES
The Sling Pocket XL is a simple bag with an interesting design and shape. It has 3 compartments: the main compartment with some built-in organization, a smaller compartment also accessible from the top and, finally, a roomy front pocket accessed from the side.
Some of the outstanding features of this sling:
The zipper pulls are excellent and very easy to grab, the zippers themselves are YKK and silky smooth to open and close.
The side pocket is perfect to carry glasses.
The built-in organization is brilliant and extremely useful, without any gimmicks.
MATERIALS & ORGANIZATION
The main fabric is the signature DYECOSHELL, which uses less dye compared to traditional methods. This makes it extremely eco-friendly since less power and water are required during the manufacturing process. In essence, the main fabric is 800D x 660D Nylon PU. The inside is made out of 300D x 150D Polyester.
All fabrics feel very nice to the touch. Especially the outside of the bag looks and feels unlike anything on the market, slightly rough yet definitely not cheap. I love that the fabric does not look gentle so I confidently used the bag without worrying about leaving any marks. Simply put, the Sling Pocket XL looks pretty yet remains tough as nails.
The organization is just right and not overwhelming while being totally useful.
The main compartment has:
Excellent side pockets for smaller items.
A flat zippered pocket against the back.
A couple of flat compartments with a slot for a small pen to organize things like a wallet, phone, etc...
The front and the side pockets have no organization but are quite useful to store glasses, extra masks, sanitizer, etc... I appreciated the soft scratch-free fabric used for these pockets.
Overall Heimplanet hit a perfect balance of usability and organization in a very compact form factor.
ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDER
Code of Bell X-Pod (S) is a great bag that stands out thanks to its expandability and multiple access points. It has even more organization, which I sometimes found to be a bit too much. The X-pod is also noticeably pricier and has a technical vibe to it that won’t work with all outfits. The look of Heimplanet’s Sling XL is more subdued and universal.
The Bellroy Sling is a great alternative if you are looking for more capacity than the 3L of the Sling Pocket XL. Similarly priced at $99, it also has a strong focus on sustainability and great materials.
WHAT’S HOT
Clean, sleek, subdued look that works equally well with different outfits, use cases, and genders.
Strong focus on sustainability.
Great materials across the board, they look and feel unique while also performing exceptionally well.
Brilliant built-in organization.
WHAT’S NOT
The aluminum buckle is noisy and can be hard to undo if the sling is tightened on the body.
VERDICT
Heimplanet struck gold with the Sling Pocket XL. With its great aesthetics, wonderful materials and smart organization the sling is a joy to use and can be recommended to anyone. My only gripe is with the aluminum buckle that is undoubtedly cool and high-quality but falls short in use due to its noise and (a bit) finicky undoing.
At $99 the Sling Pocket XL is priced fairly and stands tall in the crowded sling market as a great option for everyday use and travel.