Why another sling?
I own and love my Bellroy Venture Ready Sling 2.5L. It’s been my go-to companion for over 1.5 years. But after moving to a new city, I often find myself in situations where I need to carry a bit more than this sling can fit but not enough to warrant a backpack.
That is where the Alpaka Flow Satchel 4L comes in. It can fit everything my Bellroy sling can and more. A dedicated water bottle pocket keeps my 700 ml Muji tumbler secure and within reach. The cavernous main compartment easily accommodates my Kniprs umbrella, with four pockets around the perimeter to keep my stuff neatly organized while still leaving room for things I pick up along the way.
The hidden back pocket is a perfect, secure spot for my passport, emergency cards, and AirTag. My most accessed items—phone and wallet—fit nicely in the front pocket.
Initial Impressions
I’ve had some experience with Alpaka products before—mainly the Go Sling Mini—but that sling was not a good fit for me. It was too structured and heavy; bulky, in other words. I quickly replaced it with the Bellroy sling mentioned above. I’m happy to say that the Alpaka Flow Satchel is made of light, durable 210D Axoflux ripstop nylon that is very similar to Bellroy’s Baida Nylon, and I love this fabric.
The zippers are all YKK PU-coated zippers, which I’m not a big fan of. The zippers feel durable but are a bit sticky.
I’m impressed with the fit. The curve makes the bag fit the body nicely.
The strap seems comfortable enough, but it’s kind of thin, and I’ve yet to see how it performs with heavier loads.
Conclusion
The Alpaka Flow Satchel meets my expectations as the larger sling for daily excursions. I’m going to continue using it and will post a longer, in-depth review on my blog after I get more experience with the bag.
nice review brother. please add the models height and weight maybe shirt size? love everything about this bag except its aesthetics the thing looks like a murse lmao.
Good call. Going to add those to my future reviews.
The model in the photos is me. I’m 173 cm (5'7"), 66 kg (145 lbs). That is an S-size Uniqlo T-shirt.
My Flow 4L in black just arrived yesterday (managed to get it discounted recently, after eyeing it for a couple weeks). I’m looking forward to getting use out of it. Bought it to semi replace my Bellroy 7L sling that I’ve had since mid 2019 and also to act as a more “water resistant” bag to my Porter Tanker which I’ve been EDC-ing since late Oct.
Noticed slight discomfort even with light loads on the included strap, so I may pick up the padded one when I visit the Alpaka store in Melbourne in a couple months.
I’ve also ordered the padded strap. Interested how it would feel. The standard strap is a little too thin.
Let us know how you find it once it arrives.
Will do.
Getting back to you with some insights on the padded strap.
It’s nicely padded and feels more comfortable than the default one while not getting in the way.
However, it’s just too long. Here is a picture comparing the default strap at my preferred setting and the padded one at its shortest setting. I’m 173 cm (5’7”).
https://preview.redd.it/eqvfrwnizv9g1.jpeg?width=5454&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92f4b4ac292473a1c70bc1ba19b2e0dee02dbd0c
how big is that water bottle?
700 ml.