Chrome Industries Sabin 3L Sling Review

The Chrome Industries Sabin 3L Sling is a fantastic sling for day-to-day errands, late nights out, or your next trip, as it can easily handle it all. With 3 liters of capacity, it provides enough room for every day essentials plus a bit more. The sling is lightweight and made from recycled materials that feel sturdy and protective. It offers a nice amount of storage and capacity between its various compartments and internal organization.

Overall, the sling excels at separating its various compartments, keeping everything easily accessible and secure close to the body. The lightweight materials used in its construction can expand and compress as needed, providing additional flexibility. Another benefit is its weather resistance if you get caught in the rain. We had the opportunity to test this feature, and it worked perfectly, but we will get into that later.

External Components

The Chrome Industries Sabin 3L Sling is made of 400D recycled crinkle nylon, which is lightweight yet protective. Despite the “crinkle” part of the term, the external materials do not make much noise. The main compartment features dual YKK zippers with a minor degree of weatherproofing. There are no external grab handles or attachment points for extra gear, as most of the storage and organization is inside. The branding is minimal, with the brand’s emblem located on the lower right-hand corner of the sling’s front and a small tab with their logo on the opposite side.

The sling’s weather resistance got an unexpected test while carrying some standard daily essentials such as a phone, an iPhone 15 Pro Max, a wallet, keys, hand sanitizer, and some lip balm. It began to rain on a five-block walk home, but even our extra-large cookies stayed dry inside the sling, though the bag itself was slightly damp (we had room for cookies or an umbrella, so we chose the more important item). After emptying the sling and hanging it up to air dry, it regained its original appearance, looking just as good as it did when it was brand-new. So, while this sling does not boast water resistance, it does provide some protection from the elements for the gear inside.

The shoulder strap on this sling is quite wide and effectively distributes weight. The material is nylon, which is smooth and adjusts pretty easily. Thankfully, the sling can slide from front to back swiftly and effortlessly with no chafing or burning. The plastic buckle is easy to use; however, it is specific to one side, so depending on personal preferences, you may need to reorient it since the strap is not detachable. This reorientation required some adjusting and conscious effort to position the buckle at the front when putting the sling on. Getting used to this was not a huge issue after a small adjustment period, but your mileage may vary.

Fit Notes

The Chrome Industries Sabin 3L Sling comes in 4 different color options. We’re testing the Royale colorway, a deep burgundy with black and gray accents that give it a modern and clean appearance. The three colors blend well together, creating a casual look that you could potentially dress up to look slightly more formal if necessary. The other color options include Sandstone, Sage, and a traditional black. The sling fits snugly against the back or front due to the shorter length of the strap, which causes it to sit slightly higher up on the body, in our experience. Those who prefer a more loosely fitting sling that sits lower might want to consider other options.

Inside The Sling

The interior of the sling has a 150D recycled polyester liner. The choice of accent color depends on the color option you select, each designed to complement the bag’s external color. The interior material is smooth, but this sling has no soft plush or lining that could protect sensitive items like a pair of glasses or screens, so that’s an important consideration to keep in mind.

The bag features a front pocket with a protective Hypalon flap for weather resistance. The flap does a great job of protecting the opening, allowing water to brush right off without any opportunity to touch the zipper. The pocket, covering most of the front area, provides a compact space suitable for small items like lip balm, keys, or gum. It’s ideal for quick access, though it’s the smallest pocket on the sling and lacks internal organization.

There’s also a somewhat obscure rear pocket designed for flatter items. Due to its design, this pocket is fairly hidden. It opens from the top through a zipper, ensuring everything stored within remains secure. This pocket spans the entire width and length of the bag, providing ample storage space. The pocket has enough capacity, but bulkier items may inadvertently stick out. Flatter items, like a phone, wallet, cash, or a passport, typically fit best here, though the pocket lacks padding. 

The main compartment features dual YKK zippers, which are smooth and easy to use. This design allows you to move them to your preferred side. The internal organization of the sling helps keep everything inside neat and tidy. It includes two smaller mesh compartments, a larger mesh compartment that barely accommodates an iPhone Pro Max and a pen loop. These mesh pockets are slightly flexible and designed like floating pockets. This design offers additional storage and organization options without affecting the main compartment’s overall capacity. The main compartment can comfortably store items like a Field Notes notebook and pen, headphones, and loose items like a coin purse.

The Chrome Industries Sabin 3L Sling is a versatile, lightweight, and robust sling made with recycled materials capable of handling whatever you can throw at it. It offers ample storage with front and rear zippered pockets and flexible internal organization. Its weather resistance provides peace of mind even in the most unexpected weather. Despite a minor issue with the buckle’s confinement to one side, the sling’s wide shoulder strap ensures a comfortable fit. The various color options blend well with casual and slightly formal attire, and the interior is well-designed with additional organization pockets. Overall, it’s a reliable choice for those seeking a compact, stylish, and practical sling.