Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

10 Best Sling Bags for Men That Are More Than Just Man Bags

Ben Hitch
By

Whether we call them crossbody bags, fanny packs, or man-bags, this category of stowage slingshots in and out of style faster than a race car banking that final turn at the Indianapolis Speedway. The best sling bag for men is a smaller, often more practical alternative to a backpack (elementary school chic, anyone?) or a briefcase (who carries briefs around these days, anyway?), and these hardworking accessories are styled to keep pockets light, trouser silhouettes trim, and our sundry requirements for electronics, money, and anything else you’d like to keep handy secure and within reach. We’ve selected a few that we think are great, depending on the style profile you’re projecting on any given day. 

The Skater: Dakine Crossbody Field Bag

This Dakine Crossbody bag is durable and comes in a variety of patterns and colors.

You won’t want to lose everything in your pockets when executing a really proper Caballerial, so keep your stuff safe and organized with this Dakine Field Bag. The low-profile design offers organization for a phone, cables, and supplies in sturdy Bluesign-approved materials. The crossbody strap easily converts to a hip belt. 

Related Videos

The Label Hound: J.W. Anderson Anchor Bum Bag

This JW Anderson bag prominently features the brand's provenance.

British designer Anderson is as well-known for his own whimsical and cheeky apparel and accessories collection as for his collaborations with established couture houses like Versace and accessible brands like Topshop and Uniqlo. This flashy canvas bag offers a roomy interior with a zip pocket to keep cards and keys handy and a webbed strap. The embroidered anchor logo announces the bag’s brand consciousness from across the room. 

The Pro: Mark Ryden Anti-theft Crossbody Travel Shoulder Bag

This travel-friendly Mark Ryden Sling Bag has many features.

This bag packs everything you’ll need for a day at the office, or more importantly, out of it. The perfect travel companion, this bag has an organized interior, a port to run a phone charging cable from a power pack to the exterior, a comfy padded strap (which switches sides for comfort or right-handed/left-handed access), durable, waterproof fabric, and both a suction cup and a side-strap to stash your phone when you need to keep your hands free. 

The Hiker: Patagonia Atom Sling 8L

The Patagonia Atom Sling bag features room for an iPad.

Even if you’re hiking the big trails (or maybe especially then), you don’t always want to wear a full pack. The Patagonia Atom Sling offers a light alternative for a quick afternoon walkabout or for your everyday carry. It features two interior compartments, an ergonomic strap, a padded tablet sleeve, a phone pocket, and compression straps that help adjust the load or carry a jacket or yoga mat. Of course, because it’s Patagonia, it’s made from 50% recycled materials and is Fair Trade Certified sewn. 

The Biker: Studmuffin NYC Delgado Bag

Spiked studs decorate the Delgado bag from Studmuffin NYC.

Whether your personal style is more Johnny Strabler, Evel Knievel, or Eric Von Zipper, projecting some serious attitude is what motorcycles are all about. Of course, with this spiky number from Studmuffin, it won’t matter if the closest thing you’ve been to a Harley was riding your sister’s Big Wheel. Available with silver, gold, or black metal hardware, the bag is leather, with one main pocket and several smaller ones to keep things organized. Just be careful who you bump into. 

The Hacker: Stac Pac All Weather 5-in-1 Adventure Pack

This is the Stac Pac All Weather 5-in-1 Adventure Pack Sling Bag.

With its Kickstarter/Indiegogo cred, the StacPac is a virtual Transformer of a bag, unfolding to fit a 13-inch laptop or folded down to use as a more traditional cross-body or fanny-pack. It features an internal drink holder to stash those Red Bulls, has a pocket to protect a smartphone, and has external loops for extra attachments (knowing, of course, that a hacker like you avoids attachments). 

The Dad: Osprey Arcane Waist Bag

This Tea with Milk color fanny pack is the Osprey Arcane Waist Bag.

Dad jeans? Check. Dad hat? Check. Dad jokes? Save ‘em. Keep up the normcore challenge with this classic yet handsome fanny pack from Osprey. It’s got plenty of pockets and room to keep everything organized (including a handy-dandy keychain lanyard), perfect for taking the kids to soccer practice, rollerblading to Swenson’s, or wearing to the top-secret, underground, illegal rave. 

The Club Kid: Loqi Reflective Bumbag

This reflective fanny pack is from Loqui.Speaking of illegal raves, This simple, yet reflective version of a fanny pack from Loqi is not only the perfect place to stash all of your unmentionables for a night out on the town, but it’ll also help cars avoid you and friends find you as you stumble home in the pre-dawn hours. The bag is OEKO-TEX certified, made from polyester with a reflective glass bead coating. Handle it gently, as too much friction will expose the base fabric. Handily, it is also water-resistant.

The Fanboy: Herschel Supply Co. X Star Wars Crossbody Bag

This is a Herschel Supply Co. X Star Wars Crossbody Bag Collaboration.

Who knew that a long time ago (1977, actually) in a galaxy not too far away (well, this one, actually), Star Wars would go from being a smash hit movie to a whole universe of media from an amusement park attraction, plus an anime series and more merchandise than you can shake a lightsaber at? This tough-as-a-droid bag is made from ballistic nylon and features Rebel Alliance logo tabs and an adjustable crossbody strap. It’s clean, Stormtrooper-white styling makes it perfect for a trip to the movie theater or another day saving the universe from ultimate evil. 

The Dharma Bum: Eagle Creek Stash Cross Body Bag

This Eagle Creek cross body bag features a koi pattern on an inky blue background.

It’s the perfect bag to keep your earthly attachments (phone, wallet, keys … nothing important) safe and organized while you attend to perfecting your downward dog, aligning your chakras, maintaining awareness, or honestly just trying to get through a busy day without completely losing your mind. The eco-friendly, Bluesign-approved materials include a recycled poly lining and moisture-wicking fabric that will keep you and your things dry through a solid workout or a hectic commute. We’re particularly fond of this calming koi pattern, but the bag is also available in other bright patterns, as well as color-blocked and solid versions. 

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
The best boxer briefs for men looking for both comfort and style
The 8 best boxer briefs for men of every lifestyle

For the longest time, there had always been the debate of whether a man was a boxer guy or more of a fan of briefs. Then came boxer briefs, and we finally had an option that fit the best of both worlds. Boxer briefs afford the luxury of a non-restraining fit while also providing additional support in areas where you want it. When picking the right boxer briefs a good number solely look first to comfort and material, which definitely is essential when purchasing a new pair of underwear, but nowadays you don't have to sacrifice style, either. Fortunately, we’ve found some of the best boxer briefs for men in 2023, with all selections from our favorite clothing brands which guarantee maximum all-day comfort, especially once the temperatures begin to rise during the middle of summer.

Read more
The best men’s athleisure brands in 2023 for year-round style and comfort
Alo yoga brand.

Regardless of how you feel on the matter, here are the days to stay where apparel leans more towards the way of comfort rather than tailoring. We are in an age where comfort is generally outweighed as opposed to style when people choose most of their outfits. Long gone are the days of the 1950s when men wore suits every time they stepped foot outside the house. The rise of athleisure - athletic apparel designed specifically for leisure activities - over the past decade was solidified into our fashion zeitgeist by the Great Quarantine. It is a fundamental part of every fashion subset from streetwear to formalwear. Luckily, some brands are getting this right.

Clothes that were originally designed for playing sports, exploring the great outdoors, or working out are now worn for grocery shopping, grabbing a casual drink with friends, or the more popular than ever, travelwear.. So to help you make the most of the age of athleisure, we put together a list of the best athleisure brands to shop year round. It seems like every brand has gotten in on the trend so we narrowed it down to the best of the best for you.

Read more
The best loafers for men: These shoes offer a modern twist on a classic design
Pick up these flawless slip ons to elevate your shoe wardrobe

We know what you're thinking; loafers are grandpa's shoes. Well, not anymore, the best men's loafers have come back with a vengeance, and they are some of the most amazing shoes you can own. These low, laceless slip-ons look great with just about anything. But what are loafers to be worn with exactly? They are to be partnered with selvedge denim jeans, white T-shirts, oxford shirts, and more; they're about as classic as it gets.

We mean that literally—loafers have a rich history that dates back almost a century, with roots in 20th-century Ivy League style. Although today these shoes are synonymous with bourgeois leisure (and Wall Street bankers), they were initially worn by fishermen in Norway. The easy-to-wear silhouette made its way through Europe and eventually to America in the 1930s.

Read more