WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling Review

WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling is a robust, versatile camera sling perfect for carrying photography and videography equipment or other sensitive gear. Its combination of durability, organization, and accessibility sets it apart from competitors in function and aesthetics. This sling is engineered with photographers in mind and features weather-resistant materials, including tarpaulin and ballistic nylon with protective coatings. One of its standout features is the customizable 5-point adjustment shoulder strap system, which can be configured for both left and right-shoulder carry. The sling offers impressive versatility, functioning as a sling, messenger bag, or waist pack, depending on what you need and how you want to wear it.

WANDRD has built its reputation on creating versatile photography and travel gear that combines durability with intelligent and thoughtful design. Its products often feature customizable compartments, weather-resistant materials, and thoughtful details catering to professional photographers and everyday adventurers. This attention to both durability and adaptability has helped establish WANDRD as a trusted name in the camera bag industry, and this bag does not disappoint its legacy.

External Components

The WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling has a robust weather-resistant construction. It combines tarpaulin materials with 840D Jr. ballistic nylon and 1680D ballistic nylon with 5PM coating for a modern aesthetic, excellent durability, and protection for your gear. The YKK zippers operate smoothly with their protective coating, even around corners. The front and main compartment zippers have an AquaGuard® treatment for additional weather resistance and reassurance.

This sling has three grab handles: one on top and two on the sides. The top handle features a sturdy X design with nylon webbing, though it lacks padding, so it might not be ideal for extended carry. The side grab handles use a minimalist folded nylon design, and while they are somewhat basic and lack padding, they are still helpful when needed and unobtrusive when not in use.

The shoulder strap system on the WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling is remarkably well-designed, featuring a 5-point adjustment system that offers exceptional customization. The main strap includes breathable air mesh padding for comfort and weight distribution, while a built-in deployable security strap adds stability during more vigorous activities. This secondary strap can be tucked away in a slip pocket behind the back panel when you don’t need it and connects to its plastic counterpart on the padded shoulder strap. The security strap can be adjusted to nine different positions to fit various body types, and once properly fitted, requires minimal readjustment during use.

What sets this system apart is its thoughtful adjustability. You can detach the shoulder strap and reverse it for left and right-shoulder carry preferences, which is always nice to see. A plastic buckle right below the padded shoulder straps allows for quick release and easy removal without lifting the sling over your head. This is particularly useful when wearing bulky clothing or other gear. The strap length adjustment is intuitive, with an elastic-mounted pull loop that makes quick adjustments simple while managing excess slack.

The back panel features soft mesh padding, providing comfort and breathability during extended wear. Additional wing-like cushions are integrated into the sides of the sling, providing extra support and stability when carrying heavier loads. This padding distribution maintains comfort even when the sling is packed with heavy camera gear or other equipment.

Fit Notes

The WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling offers impressive versatility in its carry options for its size. It effectively switches from sling to messenger bag to waist pack with minimal adjustments. The thoughtfully designed shoulder strap system lets the bag pivot and adjust seamlessly based on your preferred carry style. When worn as a sling, it sits comfortably against your back yet maintains good body contact despite its width as a messenger. The waist pack configuration proves comfortable and maintains easy access to gear, and side handles make it easy to slide the pack around your body.

It’s available in 3L, 6L, and 9L sizes. We’re testing the 9L variant, and while it accommodates a substantial amount of gear, the boxy design has a notable footprint that may prove challenging in more confined spaces. Despite its size, the bag maintains good comfort during wear, though you’ll want to be careful in tighter environments to avoid accidentally bumping into your surroundings.

Inside The Sling

The front compartment on the WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling has a single weatherproof zipper with an AquaGuard® coating. Inside, you will find a key clip on a thick nylon leash built into the side of the compartment. The key clip rotates on a plastic carabiner, but the leash is short and lacks stretch, so you’ll likely need to detach your keys to use them. Beyond the key organization, the rest of the compartment offers an open space that makes accessing daily essentials and other gear easy.

One of the WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling’s innovative and unique features is its cleverly designed expandable pocket that can accommodate a large tripod or a 32 oz Nalgene Wide Mouth Tritan water bottle. This pocket’s versatility and clever design include dual-side access to whatever you store inside. An elastic cord system helps secure items by cinching down the openings on both sides, ensuring nothing falls out in transit. It can be easily accessed with hook-and-loop closures, allowing you to deploy it easily or collapse it into a minimal footprint flat against the bottom of the bag, maintaining the sling’s clean profile.

Another innovative feature of the WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling is its versatile back compartment, which accommodates various devices. This compartment integrates seamlessly with WANDRD’s laptop case but proves equally useful for other gear. What makes it particularly innovative is its dual-zipper design—one at the top and another at the bottom—allowing a gusset to add extra space when needed. This lets you store and secure a larger device using the built-in strap with an adjustable G-hook. You can use this compartment however you see fit, whether with the top or bottom unzipped or by unzipping both to utilize the full capacity of this space for larger items like WANDRD’s Laptop Case. This versatility means the compartment can serve multiple functions, from a simple slip pocket for phones to a sleeve for tablets or laptops. Throughout our testing, we found that this compartment works best with WANDRD’s laptop case for larger devices, as it has integrated functionality to secure them safely. However, it can just as easily accommodate smaller devices like tablets or phones without additional protection.

The main compartment offers quick and easy camera access. However, the single zipper design requires a small degree of intentionality since it has a single head at one side of the opening. The interior materials match the exterior colorway, which may provide excellent visibility for locating equipment, depending on your chosen hue. Inside, you will find a customizable internal organization system with removable dividers, which you can store in dedicated slots when not needed and configured to create protective and flexible shelving. The dense padding has a felt-like lining for additional gear protection, and the dividers attach securely to the sides with hook-and-loop fasteners while remaining easy to adjust.

The lid of the main compartment has a flexible zippered pocket that spans its entire width. While the center-positioned zipper requires careful arrangement of larger items, the pocket feels secure and easy to use. Between the camera cube section and the back panel is another organizational area with two large slip pockets perfect for storing gear or the included dividers when not in use. Opposite the slip pockets against the rear wall are three small elastic-topped floating slip pockets, ideal for safely securing smaller items like extra batteries or SD cards. The rest of this space can also accommodate flatter items nicely, adding to the overall versatility of this pocket.

Overall, the WANDRD ROGUE 9L Sling is a versatile, well-designed sling that balances functionality with intuitive elements. Its innovative features, like the collapsable water bottle or tripod pocket, adaptable laptop compartment, and customizable internal organization system, live up to WANDRD’s commitment to practical solutions for photographers and everyday users alike. While the boxy design might prove challenging in tight spaces, especially with the larger versions, this is largely overshadowed by the sling’s impressive build quality, weather resistance, and flexible carrying options. The 5-point adjustment system and reversible strap design ensure comfortable wear for various body types and preferences. This sling offers quick access to camera gear, adaptable storage solutions, and reliable protection for all your equipment. It is perfect for photographers or videographers looking for a versatile daily carry solution or anyone needing a robust sling with thoughtful organization.