Monos Metro Sling Review

For the most part, the Monos Metro Sling nails a lot of the basic functionality we look for in a sling, such as solid build quality, a generally comfortable carry, and at least a layout that makes convenient sense. It’s not too bad for a leather-clad sling, which some might dismiss at first glance as all-style-and-no-substance.

We like this sling a lot based on looks alone, and there’s otherwise nothing too egregious about its design. However, the main compartment’s tight opening is the lone exception, and it may be enough for users to reconsider. Before you finalize your decision, though, read on to see the rest of our thoughts.

External Components

We’ve tested countless bags we consider sleek, good-looking, and generally fashionable. Obviously, this is a very subjective aspect of a bag, so it’s very comforting when the people we interact with on a daily basis complement the bag we’re testing, which is the case with the Metro Sling. Of course, we agree, as the “ultra-microfibre” vegan leather and Saddle Tan colorway have a very relaxed yet chic vibe to them that’s just nice to look at.

At the time of writing, this vegan leather variant is available in other colorways, too, such as Ivory, Mahogany, Purple Icing, and Banana Pudding. In retrospect, it makes us wonder why they didn’t name the Saddle Tan option Caramel or Butterscotch instead if they’re open to dessert-like names. But if you’re not into leather in general, there’s also a nylon option, complete with its own set of colorway choices. Take note that it still comes with vegan leather accents, so you’re not getting away from the material either way.

As for practical aspects, the vegan leather is fairly water-resistant, and it’s surprisingly remained unblemished after two weeks of testing. There are no creases to speak of, let alone cracks around the parts that see a lot of movement. The zippers are unbranded, though curiously presented as “anti-catch” zippers. Monos doesn’t elaborate on this feature, and it looks like a plain—if toothy—metal zipper to us. At the very least, the zipper didn’t jam once during testing, so we won’t harp on it further.

The main strap is made of nylon, though instead of the usually slick texture we’ve come to expect, it has a slightly fuzzy texture. Combined with the strap’s general thickness, it makes for a very comfy-feeling consistency that should help with long periods of carrying. There’s a lone Duraflex buckle in the middle so you can quickly detach the sling from your body, and it’s fairly low profile, too.

On the sling’s sides are hip-hugging wing tips. This is a feature we typically see more on waist packs, so it’s a bit strange to find them on the Metro Sling. They’re also made with vegan leather, which gives them a relatively rigid structure.

Fit Notes

And that’s where our gripes begin. Once you wear this sling crossbody style, there’s a noticeable gap at the bottom caused by those hip-hugging wingtips. This, in turn, causes the entire sling to lean and sag out awkwardly. It’s a shame since the strap is comfortable, and it’s only around those wingtips that the discomfort begins. But we still like how the Metro Sling looks, so we got creative with the carrying styles to hide this flaw, just as Monos did in their marketing photos.

The “best” alternative carrying style we tried was to simply hang it behind us on one shoulder. It feels unusual and sloppy, but it kind of works if you’re confident enough, especially since the sling itself looks stylish. All of that said, you may be wondering why we’re not optimizing the carrying style to make main compartment access easy. The bad news is there’s really no optimal way to do so, as we’ll explain in the next section.

Inside The Sling

At the back of the Metro Sling is a zippered pocket for everyday items like your smartphone. For context, we’re able to fit an iPhone 14, though the height clearance is a bit tight. A Max-sized iPhone still fits the width, but you’re going to have to shimmy it under the overhanging lip. Other everyday carry items fit as well, such as a slim wallet or a pack of wet wipes if you want to keep those easily reachable.

Now, we’ve reached the main compartment, and this is where the bulk of our gripes begin. To be blunt, the way it opens just feels too stiff. It’s a lid-like opening. However, the zipper track stops shy of going all the way to the edges and, therefore, prevents the lid from freely folding back. This makes it hard to rummage through the main compartment if you have the sling across your chest because you have to awkwardly reach from the front, not the top.

It’s a real shame because Monos did a fairly good job with the Metro Sling’s layout and utilizing all 1.82 liters of capacity. At the back is a zippered pocket with two adjacent liner pockets for small accessories like AirPods, lip balm, smart trackers, etc. The zippered pocket would’ve been a great spot for even smaller gear like memory cards and jewelry. However, it’s so far back relative to the lid opening that it’s very hard to reach. Unfortunately, this prevented us from using it as much as we would’ve liked.

Next is the wide liner pocket on the front side. Its dimensions are almost exactly those of an iPhone 14, which leads us to believe it’s designed for smartphone storage. However, the issue we mentioned above also applies here. It’s simply too much of a hassle to reach into the main compartment every time we need our smartphones. Fortunately, there’s still the rear zippered pocket as an alternative.

The amount of space available is relatively generous, though most of it gets filled once you start populating the pockets. As always, packing strategically is recommended, and we suggest sticking to slim items whenever possible. In our case, we use the open space to store a set of keys, which, in turn, is tied to the built-in key leash. This key leash is just long enough to reach doorknobs, though we would have appreciated an inch or more.