UNIQLO Crossbody Bag Review: Great EDC, Bad Travel Sling?

The UNIQLO crossbody sling has been quietly making the rounds online, selling out fast and drawing plenty of positive attention. It's a brand you see everywhere but rarely hear discussed in gear circles. After receiving this olive drab sling as a birthday gift, I put it through a real-world test: repacking it for a return trip from London to New York to see whether the hype holds up for travel.

Build and Materials

The construction here is solid where it counts. The outer shell feels reasonably well made, and UNIQLO went with YKK zippers throughout, which is a welcome sight at this segment of the market.

• YKK zippers on both the front pocket and main compartment
• Padded back harness (not breathable)
• Padded strap system (not breathable)
• A hook built into the strap system

The back panel and harness are fully padded, which gives the bag a comfortable structure against the body. The shape of the main compartment is best described as egg-like, giving you a rounded, roomy space to work with.

Organization

This is where the sling starts to show its limits. There are only two pockets total: a front pocket and a main compartment.

Front Pocket

The front pocket is genuinely roomy. During testing it swallowed an X-Pac accessory pouch, a fountain pen, a med/vitamin case, AirPods in a Tumi case, hand sanitizer, and a chapstick with room to spare.

The catch is the design. The front pocket uses a dual-zipper opening that splits open from two sides. In a hurry, it's easy to leave one side open, which becomes a real problem when you're moving.

Main Compartment

The main compartment opens wide and gives you good visibility of everything inside. It handled a heavy load without complaint, including:

• A glow-in-the-dark charging cable and an Anker charger
• An AirFly adapter
• An inflatable pillow and eye mask
• A three-in-one charger
• An iPad mini, which fits the padded tech sleeve perfectly

There's also a padded tech pocket (no felt lining) that runs a good portion of the depth, plus a detachable key leash. The key tether is a nice touch, letting you unlock and access keys without pulling them fully out of the bag.

The bigger issue is that beyond the tech sleeve, there is no internal organization. Load the main compartment up and it quickly becomes a dump pocket. Even with a modest kit, you end up digging things out and stuffing them back in.

Comfort and Carry

The carry experience is one of the stronger points. The padded back harness is comfortable, and the padded strap can be swapped to wear the bag on either the left or right side. That ambidextrous flexibility is a genuine plus.

There's also a pass-through on the back harness, though its purpose isn't clear. It doesn't add obvious value, and there are no hidden or back pockets to go with it.

Where It Falls Short for Travel

Used as a travel sling, a few design decisions create real friction:

• The dual-zipper front pocket is a security risk. A pickpocket could open one side, or the pocket could spill open while you're on the move. The left/right versatility comes at the cost of a secure closure.
• No internal organization in the main compartment. Even a couple of drop-in pockets up top for quick-access items would meaningfully improve the bag.
• No hidden or back pockets. There's nowhere secure for a passport, wallet, or phone, and no dedicated spot for items you'd rather keep separated. Hand sanitizer next to a wallet in the same pocket isn't ideal.

Who It's For

This sling makes more sense as an everyday carry option than a travel bag.

• Minimalist EDC: With a small kit and the ambidextrous strap, it works well for daily use.
• Travel: The lack of organization and the exposed dual-zipper pocket make it hard to recommend for trips where security and quick access matter.
• Students: The same two-zipper format that hurts travel also makes it less than ideal for the on-the-run university routine.

If you want a comfortable, well-zippered sling for a light daily load, the UNIQLO crossbody delivers. Ask it to carry a full travel kit and its limitations become hard to ignore.