CabinZero Classic Crossbody Bag 11L Review

The CabinZero Classic Cross Body Bag 11L is a casual sling bag with a huge capacity, though it lacks organization. Will we miss the segmentation, or will we dig the space? Let’s dive in and find out.

External Components

The primary material used on this crossbody bag is 600 denier polyester, which has a water-resistant coating applied to the fabric yet is durable and relatively lightweight for how high the denier is. There are numerous colorways available, so you can get one that matches the vibes you’re trying to go with for your everyday life or while traveling.

The zippers are from YKK, the best brand in the business, or at least the best we’ve come across so far. The pulls are basic but form a t-shape, which makes opening and closing the main compartment quick and easy. The secondary compartment has a fabric welt to cover the zipper track, which is handy as it conceals the pocket slightly and protects water from getting inside.

A metal eye on the side of the pack feels a bit out of place at first glance. However, you can loop the t-shaped pull through it to secure the zippers from being opened by unfriendly hands. While this isn’t a foolproof theft solution, a thief would likely move onto another bag in a crowded city square rather than try to figure out the locking mechanism.

To secure the strap, we’ve got a buckle from Duraflex, which, similar to YKK, is one of the best brands in the business. The buckle is snappy, the plastic is durable, and we’ve had no issues with it popping open when we didn’t want it to.

The CabinZero logo is on the bottom right of the crossbody bag’s front face. It gives classic Jansport vibes, which might differ from what you’re looking for. Still, we dig it, and when paired with the right colorway, it can look quite nice.

There isn’t much going on around the exterior of this sling; however, we like the look, and it’s a more casual carry, anyways, so we aren’t that bummed by a lack of external features. The style looks similar to CabinZero’s Classic Backpack and less technical than the Military Backpack.

Fit Notes

This sling’s back panel is well-padded and has a lot of aeration, which keeps things cool even on warmer days. If you went with a darker colorway, things might still get warm, but we’re happy with the bag’s breathability, especially at 11 liters.

The strap has the same padding and aeration as the back panel, which is a good shout. The aeration is a bit uncomfortable on bare skin, but it’s still wearable, even all day. The sling isn’t ambidextrous, so you can’t choose how to wear it.

Because of how thick the padding and aeration are, we don’t recommend wearing this crossbody bag with a backpack long term. Though you can wear this bag on your front without issue, the padding is so thick that it can get in the way of the shoulder straps of your travel backpack. This is doable for short periods, like the trip to the airport or hotel; however, it isn’t ideal for extended periods, like while wandering around Barcelona when your flight lands at 9 AM, but you can’t check into your hotel until 3 PM.

This bag is suitable for travel, but it works better with carry on rolling luggage or short trips than working in tandem with a travel backpack. There’s a ton more space to stow sling-based personal items than in most other bags, but we’ll get there.

This bag is very long, which may feel a little big on smaller frames. It’s as long as some smaller daypacks, so keep that in mind while shopping if you have a smaller torso.

Inside The Crossbody Bag

The front pocket is simple; however, we appreciate that it exists. It’s large, flat, and has no internal organization. Still, it’s easy to access while wearing the pack, so it is an excellent spot to stow snacks, your phone and wallet, or more oversized items like a packable jacket or a small umbrella (when it’s dry).

The main compartment is where the real party is, but there isn’t much organization here.

On the backside, a padded tablet sleeve works well for devices up to 11 inches. Because this crossbody bag is so long, there’s room on either side so you can stow more items, keeping your tablet from sliding around a bit.

On the opposite side, there’s a large zippered mesh compartment with a key leash inside. It is a solid place to stow gear you don’t want bouncing around inside the open area, as it’s easy to lose smaller items there. The key leash is helpful, too, but it doesn’t get in the way if you don’t want to use it.

There’s hardly any organization here, which can be challenging to make use of considering the 11-liter capacity; however, we dig that you can stow large items here. A cased Nintendo Switch will fit without issue, and large over-ear headphones aren’t a problem, either.

This sling isn’t ideal for people who love organization for every piece of gear in their packout; however, if you’re the kind of person who brings a teach pouch and other pouches anyways, this is a versatile travel companion that’ll work for almost any trip you try to take it on.