Day Owl Crossbody Review

When we got our hands on the Day Owl Crossbody, we couldn’t help but let out an audible, “Aww, it’s so cute!” The Crossbody is, in fact, cute. Here at Pack Hacker, we’ve reviewed more slings and crossbody bags than most people will see in their lives. Will the Day Owl’s cuteness be able to transition into usefulness? Let’s find out!

External Components

The crossbody bag is crafted from First Mile® waxed canvas. More specifically, rPET and recycled polyethylene terephthalate, or for the uninitiated, recycled polyester. Even more specifically, First Mile® fabrics come from waste collection services in low-income communities to create sustainably sourced materials. This was a loaded paragraph, so if you need a moment before you move on, here’s another photo of the cutest Crossbody in the world.

The material almost feels like denim, but sturdier, which bodes well for the longevity of this crossbody bag. It doesn’t have a DWR coating, though the material is thick enough to offer some water resistance. Once it does get wet, it takes a while to dry, so we find that it’s best to keep it from getting soaked while out and about.

There’s just one zipper on the Day Owl Crossbody, and it’s from YKK. It’s as easy to operate as we would expect, and the pull is a long metal piece that is easy to find and grasp.

Similar to the zipper, there’s just one piece of hardware to work with. It’s a magnet fastener from Woojin and does its job well. It’s pretty small, but, as we’ve harped on a ton, this thing is cute, fun, and tiny—so it fits the bill. The fastener can take some getting used to if you haven’t used a magnetic type before, but it doesn’t pop open when we don’t want it to and is easy to operate when we do, so it works for us.

The strap is relatively thin, though it works for a sling-style bag of this size. It has a small amount of give and feels durable. It’s pretty soft, which makes up for the fact that there isn’t any padding or aeration.

The small metal tab on the left side of the bag is puzzling when you first see the Crossbody. It has a unique number code that corresponds to the unique number in which the bag was produced. Nobody else has your number, which is neat. It’s a great way to tell your bag apart if you and all your friends decide to get the same model and head to the pub with them—just memorize your number, and you’re set. Or get different colors—your choice!

Fit Notes

You can wear the Day Owl Crossbody in a few different ways, though we find it’s most at home when used as a proper crossbody bag. It feels more comfortable when worn diagonally with the bag placed near where your arm rests at your side.

Additionally, it’s reasonably comfortable to wear on your chest or back. However, we do notice it sliding down ever so slightly in use, especially when fully loaded with gear.

We have a similar experience wearing it fanny style. It looks unique compared to other models we’ve tried, though it isn’t as comfortable as wearing it in crossbody mode. It’s nice to have the option should the need to wear a hip pack present itself.

Though the back panel lacks mesh, padding, and aeration, we don’t mind. The Crossbody is so small that it isn’t needed, even on super warm days. However, we wouldn’t recommend putting a Mars bar inside on a 86° Fahrenheit (30° C) day.

Inside The Sling

There’s a hidden pocket on the backside of the Crossbody where the back panel would typically sit. It secures with a magnet and looks more like a design feature than a pocket when it isn’t open. Whatever you place inside becomes the back panel, so flat items do well here. It feels right to throw your phone or passport inside, though any non-oblong item will do. The magnet closure is snappy and makes it easy to access whatever you have inside.

The main compartment has more going on than we initially expected. For such a small bag, we thought it would be a small open area that acted as an overflow for your pockets. Well, that description isn’t wrong, but it also has two small pockets inside. They’re crafted from polyester and stretch, so fitting different-sized items inside is easy. They aren’t enormous, but a small wallet, AirPods, or small cables and dongles will fit inside.

The rest of the space is a wide-open area, suitable for whatever you might be able to fit inside. This isn’t a bag for larger devices, however, it should be able to stow most of what would usually fit inside your pockets. It pairs well with a daypack or travel backpack—just put your quick-use items in the Crossbody and everything else in your bigger bag.

Overall, we’re happy with the Day Owl Crossbody. It’s an excellent option when you’re wearing an outfit without pockets, if you like to keep them empty, or when they’re overflowing and you need extra space to ensure you don’t lose anything. Plus, it’s cute as all get out.