Venture Ready Sling 2.5L, Unisex Crossbody Bag, Water-resistant Materials, Perfect for Travel

I'm new to the sling bag world, and am old enough to remember the less than stellar fanny packs of childhood. Needless to say, I've been apprehensible and self-conscious about them. But, I also hate carrying stuff in my pockets all of the time and also like to bring my camera with me places so it was time to find a small bag so that I didn't have to bring my bigger camera bags with me. After doing as much research and video watching as I could stomach I settled on trying this bellroy sling. Here's how it shakes out: It's definitely more expensive than it needs to be. It's nice, don't get me wrong, but I can't say that I feel that the price totally makes sense to me. It's nice and slim, easy and comfy to wear, but also has plenty of space for my needs. I typically only carry a wallet, phone, keys and chapstick (and a camera) and I've got plenty of space in this bag to comfortably use. The strap is plenty long, and the buckle design actually is pretty dang cool. I was worried about it coming undone and dropping the bag, but it's been very secure thus far (knock on wood). There are multiple zippered pockets with different sections, so you can keep your stuff organized and easily accessible. If you're looking for a small yet roomy and usable bag and aren't worried about the higher price of this one I would actually recommend this one - especially if you carry a small camera like an x100v, Ricoh, etc and want something to carry it in!

UPDATE: 9/3/2025 - I've tried other smaller slings since wring this review to try to get to a "perfect" one, figuring I'm kind of wasting space the extra space I'm not using. I always end up coming back to this one, and I've finally settled with it. This is the "goldilocks" sling for me. Because of this, I decided to order the new DeepOcean color for an upcoming trip, and more importantly because I heard they updated the strap to a coarser material that doesn't slide as much (I use it a lot on walks and this is really the one small thing I would change on it). And they did! It's an interesting roughish ribbed material that seems like it does indeed slide less. But they also changed a couple other small things that may be of interest which compelled me to write this review. So if you are a prospective buyer of the DeepOcean, Fog, Safari, and potentially the Black one: the glasses pouch in the main pocket seems like it holds closer to the inside of the sling rather than kind of flopping around, the magnet on the buckle seems much tighter, the zipper pulls sit floppy on the bag rather than rigidly pointing out like the original, and the metal loops that the bag uses in its compression are subtly different (slimmer?). Overall feels like a good upgrade, but obviously I will still be using both! ORIGINAL REVIEW - I've looked at many a sling, and have always resisted this one because of the advertised 2.5L capacity when all I really need is a pocket reliever, and a 1L sling was already very close to what I wanted (it was just VERY packed out for my tastes, so I figured I needed 1.5 max). Finally after many misses I gave in to the Venture Ready Sling and I'm SO glad I did. This thing is perfect. I was worried about the sewn in strap, but the built-in compression makes total sense and it's super comfy with lots of room to expand. It packs a lot if needed, but stays about as small as possible and I love it for that. The color in the product images is also very accurate, which is surprisingly rare, it looks amazing in dark "Nightsky" blue. Barring it being a bit expensive, I wouldn't recommend anything else for anyone in the same situation.

This is a lovely little pack -- materials, stitching, etc. all first class -- but I bought it primarily as a fanny pack and it does not adjust to a small enough size to fit the waist of a slimmish sort of woman. Again, super nice, and if I wanted a cross body bag I'd have kept it, but as a fanny pack it didn't work for me.

Listing the pros and cons 1) great sling. Just great 2) storage size is just right for my use not too big not too small. 3) it carry’s my essentials for work and for when I travel. iPhone max, wallet, AirPods, hand sanitiser & passport. It could do more but I don’t push it. 4) sleek looking and keeps a low profile. 5) solid zippers 6) Low maintenance I have not washed it and the bag looks great. No fading and no random stains or spots. 7) good amount of organisation 8) I like the magnetic clip for quick removal but it’s locks solid when in place (my experience so far) Cons 1) need to wash the outside only there are some very specific instructions. Never tried them but I should. Summary. I am very happy with my purchase. I have been using this daily for 7 months or more.

This sling has become a near-daily companion—for errands, short travel, and especially concerts. It’s compact yet highly functional, with durable construction and modest water resistance (not waterproof, but fine for light rain). Why It Stands Out: After comparing several models (e.g., Timbuk2 Catapult, Orbitkey Crossbody), Bellroy’s tri-pocket layout, clean aesthetic, and magnetic clip made it the top pick. The clip’s lateral lock holds securely, even under tension, but it’s not entirely theft-proof—best kept near the upper shoulder when traveling. Capacity & Fit: Carries more than expected: I routinely fit phone, keys, sunglasses, gloves, earplugs, earbuds, gaiter, and a 12 oz water bottle—comfortably. The weight sits well off the chest, improving airflow and movement. Access and ease of use is apparent. Only Drawback: The shoulder strap is thin and can cause abrasion with heavier loads. A padded insert or wider band would improve comfort significantly on long wear days. Verdict: A high-function, low-profile carry for everyday use. Ideal for minimalists with variable needs—as long as you’re not loading it too heavy. Price is worth the money for a crossbody I expect to last 10 years at least.

I own so many Bellroy slings and I'm running out of reasons why each one is needed. I guess one could argue that you shouldn't need so many if they're designed right, but each one (to me) has a purpose. The original mini - I love the look. There isn't a ton of organization in there, unfortunately, but I love the look of it and the material. It's difficult to maneuver on your body because the compression makes it hard to comfortably open the bag when it's worn on your body, but again, I love the look. This one is purely for aesthetics. The Venture sling 6L has more organization and can fit a small water bottle. Great for when I take the kids to the park and need to carry their water bottle and a few snacks. I've even thrown 2 diapers and some wipes in here and they fit perfectly. The strap on this is wider than I would like and the bag itself is kind of heavy, relative to other Bellroy products. Still better than carrying a huge diaper bag to the park. The lite sling - has medium organization (not as much as Venture sling), but is lighter in weight and similar functionality. Enter the Venture Ready 2.5L. It fits exactly my day-to-day pocket dump, so no water bottle, but sometimes I don't need to carry a water bottle around, so love this so far. The ranger green color is really nice and, overall, I think the bag is WAY nicer in person than the pictures. Originally, I thought I'd buy this and check it out, but I bought it, opened it, and loved it. It fits my keys, hand sanitizer, chapstick, wallet, phone, tissues, sunglasses, and there's a tiny bit of room left for something else. So there you have it. I'm biased because I love Bellroy products. The material is nice and the functionality is high. They make so many bags for different activities and purposes, that I've found myself with many, many of their items, for better or for worse.

I use this pouch for theme park essentials and it's pretty much perfect. It's big enough to carry everything I need without being uncomfortable or bulky, has enough compartments and dividers to keep things organized without wasting space, and looks good. The magnetic latch is super easy to disconnect when you want but also won't come apart accidentally or if simply pulled on. The material is tough, water resistant, and lightweight. A little pricey but is a great example of "buy once, cry once"; the quality of the materials and assembly means it should still look and work great when others have already fallen apart.

This is more a 4.5 star review but since I really love the sling I'll give it a full five stars. The Bellroy Venture Ready 2.5 is really a great sling that I love using for traveling. I use it to hold two passports, my iPhone 15 pro max, a 10000 mAh portable battery and a small packable tote. Sometimes I'll even have a small point and shoot as well. Love the organization and didn't know how much I need magnetic straps until this bag. It's just so much easier to take on and off. The one thing that would take a half star off is the listed size. There is no way this is 2.5L. Other brands 1.5L hold more than this, I'm not mad at it but it's just not correct. Now that I've gotten my X100VI, I'm looking for a slightly larger sling but there's nothing like it in a slightly bigger size.