An Amazon Camera Sling Bag That's Better than Peak Design?
Better than Peak Design???
This is a loaded statement I am WELL aware, but hear me out!
I have had the peak design 5l Sling bag for the better part of 5 years now, maybe even longer, and it has lasted really well considering I have taken it out rock climbing, hiking, camping, in city and so on. But recently my husband decided he too needs a sling bag, but he wasn't in the mood to drop $160 CAD on a peak design or any other fancy brand out there.
So he hopped on Amazon and did some hunting. There were a lot of great options out there for affordable prices. He did his research on the reviews and pros and cons of each and eventually landed on the Bensfoto Waterproof crossbody sling bag for $60 CAD. Thats less than half the price! But was it worth it?
Well, when it arrived and he unboxed it, I was actually jealous! And here is why:
Tripod Straps
This is my biggest and most important point! The amount of times I have tried to fit even a small tripod just for my phone into the PD sling is more than I can count and I have to figure out a creative way to attach it. But the Bensfoto bag has adjustable tripod straps at the bottom, which you obviosuly aren't going to be carrying a big heavy tripod with, but a small or mid size light weight tripod would work perfectly. This alone is enough for me to want to get this bag and retire the PD one.
The Shape
The Bensfoto bag shape of the is slightly more squared then the PD sling. Not by much but enough that I find it much easier to fit more gear. Though these bags are the same sizes, the PD has a roundness to it that makes closing it quite difficult if something is too bulgy or tall. Which also then makes putting anything in the zipper pockets kind of impossible.
The Opening
The way the lid opens is much nicer on the Bensfoto, as it sits closer to the top making the bag a little bucket for gear, so if you want to keep it open while you move around for easy access, your gear won't fall out. The PD sling however has zips that drop low due to the shape, so when I have it open I keep feeling like my gear will fall out so I have to do up the zip at least 25% of the way for my gear to feel secure.
Adjustable Shoulder Pad
Ok I know this may seem like a weird thing but the shoulder pad on the strap of the Bensfoto Bag is a velcro attachment so you can move it around the strap for more comfortable placement. The PD sling shoulder strap is hard sticthed on. I know why they did it, but it makes it extremely inconvenient when I want to switch the shoulder I am carrying the bag on. I currently have it set up so that it comfortably sits on my right shoulder when I wear it as a cross body and the bag is on my back, or left shoulder having the bag on my front. But it I move the bag to the front right shoulder or on my back with the left shoulder I am stuck with the bare strap and no padding. (hopefully this makes sense)
The Material
This one may be controversial because the PD sling clearly has higher quality materials (I mean I would hope so for the price) BUT, I really like the feeling of the Bensfoto, it has a cool matte texture that I love the feel of but thats just a me thing. The actual point I have here is how easy it is to clean. When the Bensfoto bag gets dirty you can simply just wipe it clean. The PD sling however is very porous which I feel like just traps any dirt or stains, and no matter what I do I can never truly get it clean to a point where I am happy. I have just come to terms with having a dusty looking bag. PD also has stricter cleaning instructions do you don't damage the material or ruin the waterproofing.
The Back Pocket
This will boil down to personal opinion and you can decide what you prefer but the PD sling has little opening on the right and left for the straps, so you can either fully hide the straps or hiding part of it to make it a hip bag. It's a good idea but its quite difficult to get them in there, you have to stuff them and then try to not have the straps bundle up in one spot. The Bensfoto bag however have a magnetised back pocket where you can either use it to hide the straps or put something like a wallet or your phone in there. But you have full access to the pocket and they aren't just little openings.
What they both have:
A side strap for something like a capture clip
Front hidden zips and inside lid zip for memory cards etc.
Inside side pouches for batteries
Great quality thin dividers that create sections nicely
Thick and Sturdy handles
Easy to tighten/loosen straps
Inside back magnetic pocket
What the Peak Design sling has that the Bensfoto does not:
The ability to turn it into a hip bag
Zip lock system to secure your zips for safety
The namebrand $$$
Conclusion:
Considering the Bensfoto bag is a whopping $80 - $100 cheaper than the Peak Design Everyday Sling the question comes down to... is it worth it if you are on a tight budget. That is for you to decide, but if I had to upgrade my PD Sling, I know what I'm going with!
The biggest test will be how long will each of them last, maybe I will make another post on that further down the line.
Link to the Bensfoto Bag (It has since been changed to a 6L running at $85 instead of the $60 that we paid, with some upgrades!)
*This is NOT an affiliate link, I do not make any commission off of this purchase. This is just to help guide you :)
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