DSPTCH RND Unit Sling Pouch Review

DSPTCH, the camera strap guru turned EDC darling, is in many ways the same company it was in 2010, though now innovating in different ways. Camera straps are still on the menu, and though carry and travel bags have been offered for some time, DSPTCH’s newer RND program has been bringing some truly unique offerings to the market. The DSPTCH RND Unit Sling Pouch is one of these items; a high-tech sling that’s bound to become the bag you grab whenever you leave the house.

Design

The shell of the Unit Sling Pouch is made up entirely of 5oz Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF). If you’ve had DCF bags before, you know what you’re getting into. If you haven’t, then know that there’s not much out there similar to DCF – a lamination of woven polyester and non-woven Cuben Fiber. It owes its DNA to racing sails whose tech trickled down into the ultralight backpacker communities well before it ever saw the light of day in the more urban carry world. It’s the counter-thesis to leather and waxed canvas, though in a way very similar. It ages and develops a patina that is unique to you and your bag – you can see this developing in the photos below.

DCF itself is inherently waterproof, so it makes sense to see YKK AquaGuard zippers on both compartments. The entire bag is borderline waterproof, though since it’s not seam-sealed, don’t dunk it. The pull tabs are adorned with custom zipper pulls, which are a nice touch. However, I found the pull from the smaller compartment would sometimes get snagged as I opened and closed the main compartment. This is mostly solved by ditching the pull on the small compartment, where it’s not a necessary addition anyway. It’s a small nitpick. Both zippered sections are terminated by a small DWR-coated stretch-fabric garage. On top of adding a bit more water resistance to the zipper openings, they add some nice contrast to the overall look of the DSPTCH RND Unit Sling Pouch.

Given DSPTCH’s history of strap design, it’s no surprise to see a substantial, well-designed strap attached to the Unit Sling. This current iteration ships with a reversible quick-release strap, with one side set on a swivel. The swivel side sits on your lower side, allowing the Unit Sling to better form to your body and motion. The fixed side sits on your high side, or near your shoulder. One interesting thing about this strap is it ships with two different types of webbing; the lower adjustable end made of 17337 webbing, and the higher fixed end made of a softer herringbone webbing I found similar to 4088 T-17. It’s a bit odd to look at. I’d guess as to why this was done, but DSPTCH’s other straps don’t seem to be configured this way.

The quick-detach adjustable buckle sits between the two straps. It’s a very similar setup to what you’d see on a larger messenger with a quick-adjust loop to boot. Personally, I think this is a bit overkill for what is an otherwise very simple and streamlined sling. Over the past few months of use I don’t think I ever once found the need to use the quick-detach and I found the buckle ever so slightly annoying, where a simple tri-glide would have been more low profile. DSPTCH does offer strap upgrades for purchase, but they’re all a bit beefier than this, so YMMV.

Features

One thing that immediately bumps the Unit Sling to the top of the sling game is the wide gusset across the bottom of both sides. It’s what gives it its unique shape, and allows it to further hug your body when it’s loaded up while also giving you way more room than expected. It’s very easy for me to stuff a small mirrorless in here along with pandemic essentials like a mask and sanitizer, a Memo A7 bottle, and some extra gear. There’s usually still room to spare.

The top pocket here is great for those typical pants-pocket items; your wallet, keys, phone. I typically still keep my phone in my pants pocket, but my wallet and keys live in this top compartment whenever I’m rocking the Unit Sling. It keeps smaller quick-access items out of the larger, unorganized compartment so nothing gets lost. This pocket is also lined with a nice high-contrast coyote nylon.

The surprisingly wide front zip opens up into the main compartment, giving you more than ample access to everything stuffed inside. The shape of the gusset helps the lower zipper stay open, so you’re not fumbling around searching for whatever it is you went in for. As you can see in the photo, the rear panel is lined with the same coyote nylon, though the front is not. Typically, DCF softgoods are not lined, though we tend to favor lined.

Performance

The shape of the Unit Sling really lends itself to be carried comfortably no matter your preference; front, back, or side. It conforms to your body and moves with you through the day. I mostly found myself wearing it on my back or down on my side. With the weight of my gear, that was just where it was most comfortable. With its beefy strap, the Unit Sling can hold a deceiving amount of weight.

If you’re hopping in a vehicle, carrying a lighter load, or just want your stuff more readily accessible, it’s just as easy to rock the Unit Sling across the front of your chest. For me, this is where some of the oddities of the strap design seemed to creep in. I set my strap up for left-shoulder, on-the-back carry. Since you aren’t swapping the strap around every time you decide to carry it on your front instead of your back, you’re then stuck with the harsher 17337 webbing and big plastic buckle on your shoulder in one of these modes. Also, remember that only one end is on a swivel. So the swivel may now be up near your shoulder with the fixed end down by your side. 

This setup works on messenger bags and larger bags designed simply to sit on your back on one shoulder. But slings are typically used in a more versatile fashion. In a perfect world, we would see the softer herringbone webbing on both ends, as well as dual swivels.

All in all, the DSPTCH RND Unit Sling Pouch is comfortable and relatively easy to use. Once the strap is adjusted where you want it, and all loose ends wrangled, you probably won’t find yourself adjusting it very often. Whether the bag is at your side or up front, the zip pockets are well positioned and easy to access.

Verdict

The DSPTCH RND Unit Sling Pouch is a versatile, sleek piece of kit. It carries more than your daily essentials, without feeling too large, and while the strap can feel a bit overkill it’s what allows this sling to really excel under heavier loads. I grab a sling every time I leave the house – one is always sitting by the door. And while I switch it up rather often, the Unit Sling has been the go-to more often than not. Give it a look for your next, or first, sling purchase, and keep an eye on what DSPTCH is doing next.