WANDRD Roam Sling Bag Review
In-depth review of the new Wandrd Roam Sling - an innovative, 3-in-1 camera sling bag with surprising carrying capacity and a unique laptop attachment.
If you’re like me, and always find yourself using a product for its non-intended purposes just because it can be (even after the doctor screams “hey put that down you fool, you’ll blow us up!”), then you’ll love WANDRD.
A brand known for high-quality travel and photography bags, fit for the purpose of being usable in almost every scenario!
Highly innovative and surprisingly spacious three-way convertible sling/messenger/waist bag that's stylish, durable and great value for money.
Tastefully crafted for the adventurous ones, but well suited to commuters too, WANDRD’s lineup of bags and accessories can be utilised to the max and have you coming out looking super sharp and ready to go.
Straight out of Kickstarter for the 8th time, WANDRD has recently unveiled the Roam Sling and its pretty little side piece, a Laptop Case.
Available in 3L, 6L, and 9L, the Roam Sling is a tasty piece of weather-sealed carry, and the Laptop Case is available in convenient 13″ and 16″ formats.
I can’t say I’m exactly a rugged dirt bike wielding wild-child, but I think I would fit into the bucket of “pretty normal, but maybe not entirely stable”.
If that’s piqued your interest, let’s dive right into the review!
WANDRD Roam Sling Specs
- Lightweight
- Durable & Weather Sealed
- Stylish
- Plenty of storage options
- Laptop Case is a great pairing
- No side bottle pockets
- Back pocket could be 1cm wider to help the 16″ Laptop Case to fit easier
- The internal back pouch is easy to overload (pack smart!)
Internal Size: 10.8 x 20.3 x 8.3cm (5.5 x 8 x 3”)
External Size: 15.2 x 22.9 x 10.2cm (6 x 9 x 4”)
Weight: 0.45kg (1lbs)
Shoulder Strap Length: 41.9cm (16.5”) to 110.5cm (43.5”) long
Not Compatible with Laptop Case
Internal Size: 16.5 x 27.9 x 12.7cm (6.5 x 11 x 5”)
External Size: 19 x 30.5 x 15.2cm (7.5 x 12 x 6”)
Weight: 0.68kg (1.5lbs)
Shoulder Strap Length: 41.9cm (16.5”) to 110.5cm (43.5”) long
Laptop Case Compatible: 13″ / 16″
Internal Size: 19 x 31.8 x 15.2cm (7.5 x 12.5 x 6”)
External Size: 21.6 x 34.3 x 17.8cm (8.5 x 13.5 x 7”)
Weight: 0.77kg (1.7lbs)
Shoulder Strap Length: 41.9cm (16.5”) to 110.5cm (43.5”) long
Laptop Case Compatible: 13″ / 16″
– Back Pocket/Laptop Case Pocket w/ Laptop Secure Strap (6L & 9L)
– Expandable Water Bottle/Tripod Pocket
– Dual Adjustment Removable Shoulder Strap
– Stowable Secure Sternum Strap
– Airmesh Back Panel
– Built-in Camera Cube w/ Removable Dividers
– YKK Weather Resistant Zippers
– Front Storage Pocket w/ Key Clip
13 Inch:
Size: 24.8 x 31.75 x 1.9cm (9.75 x 12.5 x 0.75”)
Weight: 0.54kg (1.2lbs)
16 Inch:
Size: 27.9 x 38 x 1.9cm (11 x 15 x 0.75”)
Weight: 0.72kg (1.6lbs)
Compatible Accessories: Carry Strap & Tech Bags (S/M/L)
– Durable Padded Construction
– Fleece Lined Interior
– Integrated Laptop Stand
– Daisy Chain Webbing for External Attachment (ie: with Tech Bags)
– Nylon Webbing Grab Handle w/ Attachment Points (ie: for Carry Strap)
– YKK Weather Resistant Zippers
Build & Appearance
The WANDRD Roam Sling is a stylish and durable carry solution.
If you’ve made it this far in to the article (ie: the start), then I am glad I haven’t lost you. Or at least, it is because you think this bag looks pretty darn good already?
You are not wrong, it does look darn good, that goes without question… but is it made well?
It really is! It’s built tough, it’s built rugged, and it’s built to withstand sudden downpours or angry neighbours (or wives) wielding garden hoses.
The WANDRD Roam Sling is made from high quality and sustainable Blue Sign and Eoko-Tex certified materials, carefully crafted by a friendly and Fair Wear Foundation manufacturer, and delivered to your door with a lifetime guarantee attached!
Pictured here is the 9L WANDRD Roam Sling. It is beautifully sized for point and shoot or mirrorless cameras, and is a lightweight powerhouse that’s built to last.
Adorned by a strong Tarpaulin outer body layer and 1680D Ballistic Nylon along the base, the Roam Sling can withstand what most of us probably cannot (ie: an angry wife).
Available in a smooth desert (or beach?) tan colourway or a tough badass black (as pictured), the WANDRD Roam is ready to take point. Adventurous or stealth, whatever you prefer, either will suit quite well.
The WANDRD Laptop Case is available in 13″ and 16″ and can be used externally or in conjunction with the Roam Sling.
If laptop or tablet carry is a must, the optional extra Laptop Case (available here) seamlessly integrates with the Roam Sling. Adding to the “I’m rugged and adventurous, but yes I am ready to work in a café” look that this bag will surely give you.
Jokes aside, the Roam Sling looks absolutely fantastic and yet it is subtle enough to not draw any unwanted attention too. If you know, you know.
More on the laptop case coming up – there’s more than meets the eye!
Exterior Features
WANDRD have set up the Roam Sling with an array of great exterior features.
You’ll find that the WANDRD Roam Sling is a handy one with 3 convenient grab handles dotted around the body. Two on the short sides and a larger one along the top.
The side ones come in handy for shifting it around or clipping extra accessories on the outside using carabiner clips or whatever you choose.
The shoulder strap is easily reversible for alternating shoulders and the bag comes with a lockdown strap that conveniently stows away when not needed.
You’ll find plenty of accessible attachment loops along the shoulder strap for both attaching accessories and moving the lockdown strap buckle.
The Airmesh padded back panel will keep it resting comfortably on your person while taking evasive action, while the YKK Weatherproof zippers with large easy to find pulls will help keep the sweat, rain, and tears off your enclosed camera gear.
WANDRD designed a 5-Point Adjustment system to give you the option of 3 different main ways of carrying. Whether you’re more comfortable or situations dictate, it’s easy to set up the bag as a Sling, Messenger, or Waist bag.
The WANDRD Roam Sling is dotted with helpful exterior features.
On both the 6L and 9L Roam, you’ll find an expandable tripod and water bottle pocket placed along the bottom which can be easily opened or flattened when needed.
I’ve managed to fit a small umbrella and a large water bottle in this pocket for my daily commute, and a tripod very easily slides on through when it’s time for an adventure!
However, it would be great to still have side bottle pockets when a tripod is attached for said adventures!
For times when you need to carry even more, there are two cargo straps attached to the front face of the Roam for anything else bulky you may need to transport.
With an expandable back pocket that’ll store a 10.2″ Apple iPad or expand to hold the Laptop Case, the WANDRD Roam also can fit a good amount in the bottle pouch!
The back pocket is expandable by releasing a zip at the base and pulling the pocket down. This is what helps to support the bottom of the Laptop Case, which is placed through the top back pocket!
However, I found on my bag that if the back pocket was just 1cm wider the 16″ Laptop Case would slide in far easier. At the moment it’s quite a tight and snug fit, which is great if you’re moving around a lot but surely it doesn’t need to be that tight.
Interior Features
Great materials and a shape that assists in maximising the storage capacity, the WANDRD Roam is ready to go!
Being a sling bag, you normally wouldn’t expect much to see much going on inside, but that’s where the Roam Sling comes along to surprise you!
The large boxy main compartment is lined with Soft Nylon Nylex padding with an upper P200 Denier with PU Coating liner which feels great to the touch.
Stretching from wall to wall, the main compartment is cavernous and without any physical restrictions to maximise storage load. The main lid opens up nice and wide to give you full access to every part of the interior and to not get in the way of loading or removing your items.
WANDRD supply you with 2 removable internal folding shelf dividers in the 6L and 9L Roam Slings (1 in the 3L), and that’s all you really need!
I’d prefer if they were a bit thinner to really maximise your internal storage space, but the dividers definitely do their job of protecting your precious items well.
Multiple helpful little storage pockets and compartments and a tablet-sized pull pocket hidden in the back.
The front pocket stretches the full width of the Roam Sling for quick and easy access for items that are relatively slim.
The expandable back pocket has easy access from the top of the Roam Sling and expands downwards if you really need to load it up good and proper. Ideally, that was designed to accommodate the Laptop Case, however, this is your bag, and you make the rules!
Within the main compartment, you’ll find a pull pocket with 2 large and 3 smaller accessory pockets.
The 2 larger pockets are well suited for lens filters and booklets, while the smaller pockets are sized for memory cards and USB sticks (they’re too small for my Sony batteries).
Placed on the inside of the main lid is a catch-all accessory pocket for placing any other loose items in. This has become battery and accessory storage for me, found it to be a better solution to use than the hidden pull pocket!
Storage Capacity
Commuting, photography and doggy based day trips all can be done with the WANDRD Roam Sling!
The 9L has plenty of storage capacity for most of the situations I find myself in, and in turn, I have come up with 2 example configurations for you to use as a guide on storage.
Do also note that based on other camera sling bags in my collection, the 6L should also fit these examples nicely too – albeit potentially tight, so some creative packing or the removal of some items will be necessary.
However, in the 9L Roam Sling, unfortunately, I could not fit my full-frame Canon 5D Mark III. However, it happily fits my Sony a7 III!
Pictured below I have included two separate systems for you to gauge the capacity of the 9L Sling.
The Roam Sling is well suited to Mirrorless camera systems, the computer mouse slips in under the attached lens.
Mirrorless camera set up:
- Sony a7 III
- Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8
- Samyang AF 35mm f/1.4 FE
- An external flash
- HOYA Filters
- A tripod
- Plus numerous other items, batteries, and accessories
Followed by a foldable drone setup:
- DJI Mavic Pro drone
- DJI Mavic Pro controller
- 2x DJI Mavic Pro batteries
- DJI Mavic Pro battery charger
- Polar Pro Lens Filters
- A large water bottle and umbrella
- Plus numerous other items and accessories
If you’re a drone flyer, you’ll be pleased to know that you can fit a whole decent amount of kit in the Roam Sling.
If you’re a tablet person, you’ll fit a 10.2″ Apple iPad in the back expandable pocket (only just without expanding it) of the 9L Roam, and smaller tablets easily fit on the inside pull pocket.
If you have a larger device such as a Surface Pro or Macbook, that’ll require the 13″ or 16″ Laptop Case instead!
The laptop you see pictured is a 15.6″ Slim Gaming Laptop, and it only just fits inside the 16″ Laptop Case. WANDRD designed the case with MacBook’s in mind, so if you’re an Apple user, you’ll be pleased to know the fit will be seamless!
Ease of Use/Comfort
The WANDRD Roam sits upright on the ground or against your body, and the main lid opens up nice and wide.
There’s only one main strap, so just how hard could it be to use? Well, not really hard at all… unless if you’re not used to which way you need to throw the bag over your head to sling it on the right side! Numerous times did I confuse myself and put my bag on upside down.
But anyway, that’s my own stupidity. In general, the Roam Sling is super comfortable and secure to wear, the zipper pulls slide easily and the shoulder strap is nicely padded and wraps over your person nicely.
One of the greatest parts of the design of the Roam Sling is how well it sits against your body, always staying upright and never tipping away from you, keeping your gear in order while you rummage around on the move.
Being adjustable to suit how you like to wear it is easy and a great feature. All of the clips release easily so there is minimal fussing about to get the job done, even if you’re on the move somewhere.
The shoulder strap is nicely padded and comes with a number of attachment loops along it.
Weight is distributed quite well when worn as a sling, but when wearing it as a shoulder bag you’ll start to feel it. However, that’s the case with any messenger style bag anyway, so it’s to be expected.
At least with the Roam you can adjust the configuration to help deal with the weight issues.
The buckles on the WANDRD Roam are lightweight and release with ease. The speed and ease with which you can rotate and adjust the shoulder strap is fantastic!
If you have it set up correctly (unlike me), all it takes is a swift tug of a strap to tighten or loosen as you require.
Alternatives
Weatherproof and stylish materials adorn the body of the Roam Sling.
If you’re wondering what else is out there similar to the WANDRD Roam Sling set of bags, then allow me to help at least introduce you to a couple of other alternatives.
Perhaps the closest in design and capacity to the WANDRD Roam 6L and 9L would be the Moment Rugged Camera Sling. It is similar in size, similar in capacity, similar in weight, and lastly costs pretty much the same!
Aesthetically I would say the Roam is a nicer looking bag, and the materials do feel as though they are a step up above the Moment Rugged Camera Sling.
If you’re really loving the WANDRD brand, they have a couple of neat alternatives on offer, but coming in at smaller capacities to what the Roam offers.
Say that you’re considering the 3L Roam Sling, you could have a look at the D1 Fanny Pack. A small but handy carry pouch, the D1 Fanny Pack provides you with 2.5L of space, which is enough for a small camera, phone, wallet, and an array of other helpful everyday carry accessories. All in a super lightweight, discrete, and weatherproof package.
The alternative on offer for the 6L Roam sling would have to be the Detour Hip Pack, reviewed here. This is a lightweight, soft, packable shoulder/hip pack that can easily store a camera body and lens, along with another set of everyday carry items. Providing you with 5L of lightweight weatherproof storage, it is also compatible with WANDRD’s inflatable camera cube to provide you with extra security for your gear.
In summary, though, the Roam Sling really is a one-of-a-kind in the camera sling bag niche. With any alternative, you’re forgoing the unique features mentioned above, which really do make this particular product stand head and shoulders above the crowd.
Value for Money
Great size and lightweight build, along with premium high-quality materials, makes the WANDRD Sling great value!
Ranging between US$99 to US$150 depending on the size you choose, the Roam Sling range comes in at a fair and justifiable price.
Premium and high-quality sustainable materials and crafted by a Fair Wear Foundation manufacturer are commendable qualities found within these bags, but coupled with the fact that they are also covered by a lifetime guarantee just really helps settle my fickle little mind.
It is durable and can take a hell of a punch, unlike myself. If you drop it, run it into a tree, or use it for self-defence it’ll certainly be up for the battle!
Not being set in one particular way helps to ensure the longevity of this product within my dusty shelves when a larger bag is required. Camera pack, office bag, or everyday stroll through the bush, the Roam Sling can easily be reconfigured and adjusted to suit.
The Laptop Case opens up and folds back to become a laptop stand. It’s steady, stable, and doesn’t slide around.
If large tablet or laptop carry is a necessity, I recommend bundling the Sling with either of the Laptop Cases. They not only allow you to easily carry your laptop with the 6L or 9L Roam Sling, but provide weatherproof carry, and fold out into an ergonomic laptop stand as well.
The Laptop Case can be used separately with the carry handle or by attaching an external carry strap (also available from WANDRD). It’s designed to fit Apple MacBooks perfectly but works equally well if you’re a non-Apple laptop user like me.
All in all, the Roam Sling is fantastic value for money and should last you a lifetime – if it doesn’t, just hit WANDRD up for that handy lifetime warranty!
WANDRD Roam Sling Review | Conclusion
I really enjoy this bag – it’s a fantastic piece of kit and has served me well so far!
The WANDRD Roam Sling moves seamlessly between a specialised photography bag, to a fantastic office bag, and all the way to a great everyday carry bag.
The 3 sizes available means you can select the one that is perfect for your situation. However, I highly recommend the brilliant full-size 9L version which I reviewed here for the features and storage capacity.
I appreciate the lightweight nature and not having to worry about rain ruining my gear. Fully loaded the pack isn’t that heavy anyway, and with the weight tightly supported against my back when wearing it in sling-style, it’s something you barely even notice!
I highly recommend the Roam Sling if you’re after something small, secure, lightweight, and versatile.
Now I just need to crack open some energy drinks, buy a dirt bike and begin base jumping – wish me luck!
Highly innovative and surprisingly spacious three-way convertible sling/messenger/waist bag that's stylish, durable and great value for money.
Tommy Williams is a travel photographer from Sydney, Australia. He is pretty chill, and admits he really needs to get around to updating his website more often.
