WaterField Designs Traverse Sling Review

The WaterField Designs Traverse Sling is a compact 2.5-liter crossbody that keeps things simple. It doesn’t try to cram a ton of organization or features into a small package; instead, it focuses on a clean look, easy access, and enough space for the essentials.

After using it for two weeks, the Traverse has proven to be a really solid everyday sling. It’s simple, comfortable enough for longer walks, and easy to live with. There are a few quirks to be aware of, but overall, this is one of those bags that just works.

External Components

The Traverse Sling is available in either lightweight EcoPak™ or heritage waxed canvas. We tested the waxed-canvas version, and aesthetically, it’s our favorite of the two. The material gives the sling a classic, slightly rugged look that fits nicely in everything from casual settings to a work meeting. The EcoPak™ version is lighter and has a more modern, technical appearance, so there’s a trade-off depending on what you’re after.

Full-grain leather accents add another layer of polish. They look particularly good against the waxed canvas and help give the sling its more refined, heritage-inspired character. The leather feels durable and should hold up well over time, though it’s worth noting if you’re looking for a vegan bag. On the EcoPak™ version, the leather seems a little more out of place next to the technical fabric.

YKK zippers are used throughout, and they work very well. The zipper tracks are PU-coated for some added water resistance, and the metal pulls feel substantial and easy to grab. The main compartment zippers are pretty loud, though. They have a distinct metal-on-metal sound that makes it feel like you’re announcing your arrival every time you open the bag, even if it’s too quiet for most people around you to hear.

That’s fine for most situations, and it’s certainly not a dealbreaker. But after walking around with the sling for five miles, we started to notice the sound whenever moving. If little noises like that bother you, it’s something you’ll probably notice. Adding a small piece of fabric or another soft material to the pull could help dampen it.

The strap uses a FIDLOCK magnetic fastener, which is one of those features that quickly becomes second nature. It snaps together easily, releases without much fuss, and feels secure once connected. We had no issues with it during testing, and the quick-release design makes getting the sling on and off particularly easy.

There isn’t much else happening externally, and that’s intentional. There are no excessive attachment points, compression straps, or extra hardware competing for attention. The Traverse has a clean silhouette that fits the overall aesthetic well.

There’s also no dedicated handle. A few times, especially when the sling was fully packed, we found ourselves instinctively looking for one when moving it a short distance. That said, this is pretty nitpicky. A handle would add another visual element to an otherwise clean design, and we think the bag looks better without it.

Fit Notes

The Traverse Sling has a wide, adjustable strap that sits at an angle, helping the bag lie naturally against your body. There’s no padding or additional structure, but the width does a good job of distributing the load.

We took it on a 5-mile walk while carrying a Fuji X100F, snacks, headphones, a small speaker, pens, a notebook, keys, a battery bank, and a few other small items. The sling was essentially full, yet the strap never became uncomfortable or dug into our tester’s shoulder in any significant way.

That said, the lack of padding is worth keeping in mind. The strap can dig in a little depending on how heavily you load the bag and how sensitive you are to that kind of thing. We didn’t find it problematic during testing, but if you prefer thickly padded sling straps, you won’t find that here.

The back panel is also unpadded. Normally, that might give us some pause, but it works fine here. Because the Traverse is relatively structured and doesn’t have much depth, we didn’t run into any uncomfortable pressure points. Packing the sling thoughtfully helps, especially if you’re carrying anything rigid.

The waxed canvas version also feels a little more comfortable against the body than the EcoPak™ version. It’s a subtle difference, but the waxed canvas has a softer, more natural feel that works well for a bag designed to sit close to your body.

You can comfortably wear this sling with a daypack or a travel backpack. While this wasn’t how we carried it most of the time, we took short walks with both to ensure it stayed comfortable, and it performed well. It looks great paired with a heritage pack from brands like Trakke or Filson!

Overall, the Traverse carries well for its size. Even when fully loaded, we never felt like the strap or back panel was holding the bag back. It’s not the most padded setup we’ve tested, but it doesn’t really need to be.

Inside The Sling

The Traverse Sling keeps its organization simple. There’s a front access pocket and the main compartment, with most of the built-in organization in the latter.

The front pocket doesn’t have any dedicated organization beyond a key leash, so it’s primarily an open space for smaller or longer items. During our walk, we kept our keys attached to the leash, with pens and a few small candies beside them.

The leather panel keeps you from seeing items bulging through this pocket, which we like. It keeps the contents hidden, so the front of the sling maintains its clean appearance. The pocket also holds its shape nicely, making it easy to drop things in and grab them back out without fighting with a floppy opening.

Inside the main compartment, a large pocket along the back wall provides a surprising amount of depth. This is where we typically store our notebooks and papers when meeting friends, but there’s enough room for something larger if needed. It’s a useful place for flatter items that you want separated from the rest of your gear.

On the opposite wall are two smaller open pockets. These provide some additional organization without making the interior feel overly segmented. We typically used them for Bluetooth headphones, a car key, and folding sunglasses without a case.

The rest of the compartment is open space, which is exactly what we want to see in a sling this size. This is where we kept our Fuji X100F camera, along with whatever else we needed to bring along that day. Sunglasses in a case also fit nicely here, though larger items start to eat into the available space pretty quickly.

Over-ear headphones will fit inside, but they take up a substantial portion of the compartment. You can make them work, but they’ll monopolize much of the available space, leaving less room for other gear.

That’s really the story of the Traverse Sling. It’s a simple bag, and the simplicity works. There’s enough organization to keep everyday essentials from becoming a jumbled mess, while the open space gives you flexibility for bulkier items.