If you are in the woods or an urban environment, you need quick access to your gear.
Tactical sling bags are excellent if you want a hybrid between a messenger bag and a standard backpack.
Sling bags can comfortably help you carry your gear on your chest or back.
The difference between standard sling bags and tactical sling bags is that with the tactical version, you are getting unique features not typical in standard bags.
Table of Contents
What To Look For in A Tactical Sling Bag
You will want to check out the features available with each tactical sling bag to ensure that they are right for you and your activity.
Tactical sling bags offer high-quality materials, extra storage options, and other tactical features.
Materials
When you decide to go with a tactical sling bag over a standard bag, you will get high-quality materials designed with durability and protection in mind.
If you are looking for a lightweight bag that will not bog you down or need something tough to withstand the elements, a tactical sling bag may be right for you.
Storage
Tactical sling bags come in all shapes and sizes to fit your storage needs.
Some bags offer enough space to carry the essentials such as your cellphone, wallet, and keys while exploring the wilderness and others offer a larger capacity to fit your needs.
Features
Some tactical sling bags are designed to provide you quick access to your firearm, ammunition, and other tactical gear.
Others offer the ability to organize your gear on the go.
To ensure that you get the right tactical sling bag for you, the following is a list of the 10 best tactical sling bags available.
#1. Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack
- Weight: 2.6 lbs.
- Dimensions: 18.25″ H x 9″ L x 7.25″ D
- Material: 1050 Denier Nylon
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Black, Double Tap
The Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack by 5.11 Tactical provides unmatched storage and utility.
One of the key features of the sling bag is that it offers a hidden TacTec pocket where you can easily store and access your concealed weapon.
Besides the CCW pocket, the Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack comes with various other pockets for everything you need to include a fleece-lined sunglass pocket, a comms pocket, an admin pocket, and a 1.5-liter hydration pocket.
You can pack a lot of gear in such a small package.
The inner admin pocket offers you several internal pockets to include mesh compartments for extra organization.
If the internal storage is not enough for you, the tactical sling bag also offers a MOLLE/ 5.11 SlickStick external platform for easy customization of your loadout.
The sling pack also offers specialized hookups to integrate the pack with other 5.11 Tier System backpacks.
The Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack is constructed with lightweight 1050 Denier nylon that is tear, rot, and water-resistant.
This pack is also fully adjustable to provide you excellent comfort.
The pack is perfect for any occasion, from covert operations to a day at the beach.
The Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack is an excellent choice for anybody interested in a tactical sling bag.
Get it from 5.11 Tactical. Here’s where to buy it: www.511Tactical.com
#2. Crosshatch Sling Pack 19L
- Weight: 2.45 lbs.
- Dimensions: 17.5” H x 9” L x 6” D
- Material: 1000 Denier Nylon
- Water Resistant: No
- Colors: Black, Coyote, OD Green
First Tactical always delivers top-notch quality and performance with their tactical equipment and accessories.
The Crosshatch Sling Pack 19L provides you a slick sling bag that is well balanced and offers you a comfortable carrying experience regardless of which side you like to carry it on.
It provides maximum comfort with an ergonomic design while hiking, hunting, or on the subway.
This bag is constructed with 1000 Denier nylon, adding additional abrasion resistance to an already well-constructed bag.
It also offers a rear pocket to allow easy access to your concealed sidearm in emergencies.
The 19-liter internal storage can handle anything you throw at it and can be compressed to have the smallest footprint possible.
The pack also includes MOLLE straps for additional customization.
The Crosshatch Sling Pack 19L by First Tactical is a solid choice for anybody that wants a sling bag that is both durable and comfortable.
It is available from First Tactical. Here’s where to buy it: www.FirstTactical.com
#3. Patagonia Atom Sling Backpack
- Weight: 10.1 oz.
- Dimensions: 17” H x 10” L x 3” D
- Material: Nylon, Polyester
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Classic Navy, Piton Purple, Industrial Green, Mulch Brown, Smolder Blue, Pigeon Blue, Smolder Blue/bckwht Gold, Tropical Bird Blue, Forge Gray, Black
The Patagonia Atom Sling Backpack is designed to provide you a comfortable all-day wear while giving you the option to store essential equipment in its 8-liter internal storage.
It also includes external straps to help you carry extra items such as a yoga mat or jacket.
A unique feature is that it comes with a padded tablet sleeve to help keep your electronics safe while on the go.
The sling pack offers extra protection against the elements with its moisture-wicking back panel, water repellent finish, and breathable mesh.
Compared to the previous two, a downside to this pack is that it does not include a MOLLE-style mounting system.
However, it is a solid choice for those who need something to store your valuables while you hike or travel.
The main thing that makes this sling bag stand out compared to all the other options on this list is that it has the most color/pattern options available, which will allow you to get a bag to match your style.
The Patagonia Atom Sling Backpack is available at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Here’s where to buy it: www.DicksSportingGoods.com
#4. Osprey Daylite Sling Pack
- Weight: 8 oz.
- Dimensions: 14.5” H x 8” L x 5” D
- Material: 210D Nylon Double Diamond Ripstop, 400HD Nylon Packcloth
- Water Resistant: No
- Colors: Black, Aluminum Gray, Real Red
Osprey’s Daylite Sling Pack is the lightest sling bag on this list, but that does not make it any less durable.
It is constructed with 210D Nylon Double Diamond Ripstop and 400HD Nylon Packcloth for extra durability and damage protection.
With 6-liters of internal storage, you have room for all your essentials while on the go.
To provide you a comfortable wear, Osprey equipped the Daylite Sling Pack with their NeoSpacer mesh back panel to promote maximum breathability.
A downside to this sling bag is that it is not waterproof like most of the other sling bags on the list.
However, it is one of the more affordable options on the list and makes an excellent choice for someone who wants a sling bag but is on a budget.
Osprey’s Daylite Sling Pack is available at Dick’s Sporting Goods. Here’s where to buy it: www.DicksSportingGoods.com
#5. Patagonia Stormfront 20L Sling Backpack
- Weight: 1 lb 7oz.
- Dimensions: Not Specified
- Material: 800 Denier Nylon, Thermoplastic Polyurethane Coating
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Drifter Gray
Patagonia’s Stormfront 20L Sling Backpack is one of the more expensive tactical sling bags on this list, but it comes with some features that the other bags don’t come with.
A unique feature of this bag is its stitchless design, which means that the entire bag is constructed without creating any openings for water to get in.
This bag is entirely watertight. Do not confuse that with water resistance.
Watertight means that it can be submerged in a lake or river, and all the items inside it will always stay dry.
With water-resistant bags, they are generally designed for harsh weather and splashes of water.
The Stormfront 20L Sling Backpack accomplishes this by having a thermoplastic polyurethane coating paired with their watertight TiZip closures.
With 20-liters of internal storage, you can keep all your valuables safe while fishing or doing other water-related activities.
Equipped with D-ring net attachments, you can customize your loadout.
Patagonia’s Stormfront 20L Sling Backpack is expensive, but you get what you pay for.
The Stormfront is recommended for those who know they will get wet.
It is available at Backcountry, here’s where to buy it: www.BackCountry.com
#6. Rapid Sling Pack 10L
- Weight: Not Specified
- Dimensions: 15.5″H x 7.5″L x 6.0″D
- Material: Not Specified
- Water Resistant: Not Specified
- Colors: Kangaroo, Coal
5.11 Tactical’s Rapid Sling Pack 10L is designed to give you quick access to your firearm or sunscreen.
The tactical sling bag comes with a rear CCW compartment where you can quickly secure your sidearm.
The Rapid Sling Pack 10L has an ambidextrous design to ensure that you can quickly access your gear no matter what side you carry your pack on.
With an internal storage of 9.5-liters, you can easily store all of your valuables for a day out in the sun.
With a full clamshell opening, you can easily access all of the gear.
When you are not using all of the internal storage, the sling bag comes with compression sacks to minimize your overall load.
To provide extra function, the sling bag also comes with a hydration pouch pocket to offer you hydration on the go.
Like the other 5.11 Tactical sling bags on this list, the bag is equipped with the MOLLE platform for extra expansion.
If you are looking for something similar to the Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack but cheaper, the Rapid Sling Pack 10L has fewer features in a smaller package.
It is available from 5.11 Tactical, here’s where to buy it: www.511Tactical.com
#7. Rush MOAB 6 Sling Pack
- Weight: 2 lbs.
- Dimensions: 10.5” H x 9” L x 5” D
- Material: 1050 Denier Nylon
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Black, Double Tap, Sandstorm
The Rush MOAB 6 Sling Pack is pretty much the Rush MOAB 10 Sling Pack, but in a smaller package and is $30 cheaper.
You get all the same great features of the MOAB 10 but with 11 liters of internal storage instead of 18.
You will still get the TacTec pocket, fleece-lined sunglass pocket, hydration pouch pocket, shoulder pocket, and standard internal storage.
It also includes a MOLLE/5.11 SlickStick web platform for extra customization.
It is constructed with lightweight 1050D nylon, which is resistant to abrasion damage.
If you need more storage space, go with the MOAB 10, but if you want a smaller package at a lower price, go with the MOAB 6.
Both are excellent options.
It is available from 5.11 Tactical, here’s where to buy it: www.511Tactical.com
#8. AMP10
- Weight: 2.9 lbs.
- Dimensions: 18″ H x 10.0″ L x 4.5″ D
- Material: 500 Denier Dobby Nylon, 1050 Denier Nylon
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Black, Kangaroo
5.11 Tactical’s AMP10 is a tactical backpack with two removable straps that can convert it into a sling bag.
Like the other tactical bags on this list, it comes with a CCW pocket that allows you to secure your weapon inside of the pack.
A unique feature of the AMP10 is that it comes with a removable HEXGRID 9×9 Gear Set, which is a multi-angle load-bearing platform for additional loadout customization.
This pack is built to withstand the harshest environments and is constructed out of Water-resistant 500D Dobby nylon and 1050D nylon.
The pack comes with a Water-resistant TAC-LAM laminate to protect your gear stored inside the tactical bag.
With 20 liters of internal storage and multiple specialized pockets, you get tons of premium storage space, such as a fleece-lined eyewear pocket.
While not a proper tactical sling bag, it does an excellent job at converting into one easily.
If you are looking for a HEXGRID platformed main pack with tons of options, the AMP10 by 5.11 Tactical is an excellent choice.
It is available from 5.11 Tactical, here’s where to buy it: www.511Tactical.com
#9. Orvis Waterproof Sling Pack
- Weight: Not Specified
- Dimensions: 19″ H x 11″ L x 6″ D
- Material: 500 Denier Nylon, Thermoplastic Polyurethane Coating
- Water Resistant: Yes
- Colors: Gray
Orvis’ Waterproof Sling Pack is the most expensive bag on this list, but it comes with several features that adventurers would love.
Much like the Stormfront by Patagonia, this bag is entirely impervious to water and can handle deep wading and the harshest of environments.
It is constructed out of 500D nylon coated with thermoplastic polyurethane to provide a solid, watertight seal.
The bag also includes a primary waterproof YKK Flexseal zipper and a secondary water-resistant Ries zipper.
With 11 liters of storage, you get plenty of storage space for all your essential equipment.
It also includes a D-ring for landing nets and a water bottle pocket.
This bag offers some impressive features at a premium price tag.
Between the Orvis Waterproof Sling Pack and Patagonia’s Stormfront 20L Sling Backpack, I would go with the Stormfront because of the extra storage space and a slightly better price.
It is available from Orvis, here’s where to buy it: www.Orvis.com
#10. Stowaway Packable Sling 3.0
- Weight: Not Specified
- Dimensions: 15.1″ H x 8.6″ L
- Material: Polyester
- Water Resistant: No
- Colors: Camo, Dark Smoke, Dark Teal, Light Black, Onyx, Purple
Eddie Bauer’s Stowaway Packable Sling 3.0 provides you with 10 liters of storage at an affordable price.
Eddie Bauer is known for their fashion and style, and their 100% polyester sling bags provide a simple sling bag with a touch of class.
The 10 liters of storage allows you to easily store all of your valuables for a day hiking or at the beach.
The padded mesh paneling and adjustable shoulder straps provide you with a comfortable experience.
If you are looking for a stylish sling bag, the Eddie Bauer’s Stowaway Packable Sling 3.0 would be an excellent choice.
It is available from Eddie Bauer, here’s where to buy it: www.EddieBauer.com
References / Resources
How To Properly Pack A Tactical Backpack
See Also
7 Best Tactical Fanny Packs For Concealed Carry
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
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