The Gura Gear Kiboko City Sling 6L is a lightweight sling bag made from ultra-durable, weatherproof X-Pac, specifically designed for photography, travel, adventure, and everyday carry. It includes, among other features, a removable protective insert for your mirrorless camera, a concealed RFID pocket, an AirTag compartment, a pocket for an iPad Mini, and versatile internal organization for photo gear and travel essentials. This bag aims to cater to diverse needs without compromise. Did Gura Gear succeed? In this review, we will thoroughly explore the bag’s features and discuss whether this is the right sling bag for you.
Important: If you’re reading this review and thinking it sounds like the right bag for you, don’t miss the 20% launch discount, available for a limited time when buying directly from Gura Gear.
Disclaimer: Gura Gear provided the Kiboko City Sling for testing. No money changed hands, and this review reflects my honest opinions about this product.
Table of Contents
Kiboko City Sling Specifications
- Colors – Mulberry, Black, Sahara, Forest Green, Red
- External Dimensions – 33 x 19 x 15 cm / 13 x 7.5 x 5.9 inches
- Internal Dimensions – 32 x 18 x 14 cm / 12.6 x 7.1 x 5.5 inches
- Weight – 1.3 lb (0.6 Kg)
- Volume – 6 Liters
- Price –
$179.99$143.96 at review time due to 20% launch discount – Check current price
Key Features
- X-Pac VX21 Shell
- YKK Waterproof Zippers
- Light gray nylon inner lining
- Dynamic Levelling System
- Ambidextrous design
- Color-coded Hypalon card organizers
- Laser-cut Hypalon pull tabs
- Front organizer pocket, with a clean organization ecosystem
- Discrete, monochrome branding for a clean, low-profile look.
- Padded shoulder strap with adjustable cam to loosen or tighten the strap easily
- Silicone grip on the underside of the shoulder strap
- iPad Mini sleeve
- Removable padded camera insert included
- Optional tripod straps
- Made in Vietnam
Design and Features
Given the product’s relatively small size, Gura Gear has successfully packed numerous features into it, including several I have never seen before. Let’s explore these features in detail to see how they differentiate the Kiboko City Sling 6L from the crowded market.
Zippered Front Pocket
Unlike some sling bags, the Kiboko City Sling’s zippered front pocket offers significant volume. This isn’t just a narrow pocket for a few memory cards; I managed to store a pair of teleconverters along with batteries and camera remotes. Two stretchy mesh interior pockets and a couple of pen holder sleeves enhance internal pocket organization. A tethered key clip in this pocket can also be used to secure a memory card wallet.
Lockable Zippers
The main compartment features lockable YKK zippers, ensuring peace of mind when using the Kiboko Sling in crowded public settings. While lockable zippers can occasionally be found on larger camera backpacks, I can’t recall any other camera sling bag–or, indeed, any sling bag at all—that provides this feature. This further highlights Gura Gear’s no-holds-barred approach to the design, materials, and hardware selection in their camera bags.
I thought lockable zippers on the main compartment were cool, but then I realized that the front pocket zipper, which has only a single pull, features a Hypalon tab with a laser-cut slot that also allows it to be locked! I have never come across this on any other bag. Such attention to detail is why Gura Gear wins fans for life. If you use a small cable padlock like the one shown in the photo, you can actually lock the main zippers and the front zipper together with a single lock.
Rear Slip Pocket
Between the bag’s main compartment and the padded rear panel lies a pocket that’s perfect for keeping your phone easily accessible. This is a simple slip pocket—no zipper, no hook-and-loop. Just drop your phone in here or other flat items like a notebook, and you can grab them quickly and quietly. The location, against your body, adds some security; however, you might want to move such items to a lockable pocket in very crowded areas. My iPhone 15 Pro Max fits in this pocket, so it should accommodate most modern smartphones.
RFID-Shielded Pocket
Behind the rear slip pocket is another sleeve, securely closed with two pairs of magnets, and featuring RFID shielding material. Store your passport, bank cards, or wallet in this pocket to prevent unauthorized scanners from recording and stealing information that may be stored on their chips.
Main Compartment Organization
Opening the main compartment of the sling bag reveals six organizational pockets. On one side, there is a large, lightly padded pocket designed for an iPad Mini, secured with a small hook-and-loop patch. If you aren’t carrying an iPad Mini, it’s also an excellent spot for a phone, a small eBook reader, field guides for flora or fauna, or a notebook. On the front of this pocket, there is a large zippered pocket made from a stretchable mesh. Moving to the other side of the main compartment, you’ll find four open-topped elastic mesh pockets. These are perfect for camera batteries and coiled charging cables.
Main Compartment Sizing
The Kiboko City Sling’s main compartment can be used in two ways. You can stuff things straight into it, or use it with the included padded insert. I’ll discuss and demonstrate the usable capacity of both options individually, starting without using the insert.
In this case, the bag is large enough to hold a 1-liter Nalgene water bottle, or a rolled-up rain jacket, or a standard-sized full-frame mirrorless camera with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens. Using the main compartment without the padded insert provides more room to play with, but may not offer sufficient protection for some people’s peace of mind.
One significant advantage of using the sling without padding is that it allows Nikon and Canon full-frame camera users to keep some lenses attached to their cameras, which is not possible with the padded insert. For example, I can carry a Nikon Z8 with an attached 24-120mm in the sling without the padded insert, but using the insert requires me to unmount that lens for storage (shown in the next section for comparison).
Removable Camera Insert
The Kiboko City Sling 6L comes with a removable padded camera insert. This insert is the same one offered as an optional extra to fit in the top section of the Gura Gear Kiboko City Classic and Kiboko City Commuter backpacks. On its own, Gura Gear sells this insert for $39.95, so keep this in mind when you consider the Kiboko City Sling’s package price (sling+insert) of $179.99 $143.96 (20% launch discount).
The padded insert is designed to accommodate small mirrorless cameras, with an estimated 1-3 lenses depending on their size. To put this to the test, I grabbed a few things from around my office and took some photos. As you can see, a small fixed-lens mirrorless like the Fuji X100 fits beautifully, and would have room to spare if you wanted to carry the wide and telephoto adapters for that camera on either side of it. I’m also looking forward to using this with the Fuji X-E5 and a couple or three lenses.
Moving up to larger cameras, I found that full-frame Sony users can have the option of lining up a detached lens alongside the camera, or leaving a lens as large as the 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II on the camera. This slightly bulges the insert’s sides, but does not affect how it fits into the sling, and has no effect on how easy it is to close the sling’s main compartment zipper. This was a pleasant surprise as it is a popular walk-around option.
Sony’s full-frame bodies are significantly smaller than those of Canon or Nikon, which changes the packing options. Attached-lens options aren’t possible with those bodies, at least not for the ones I have in my kit. The Nikon Z8 and the Canon R5 Mark II are roughly the same size, so my experience with the two was similar. The Z8 fits comfortably alongside my favorite Nikon walkabout lens, the 24-120mm f/4, and you can choose whether you want the body vertical or horizontal. The lens sticks up above the insert’s edge leaving it a little less protected, but still fits well within the sling. I’m comfortable with that. Your mileage may vary.
Of course, you don’t just have to use the insert for cameras and lenses. Despite its city-branded model name, the Kiboko City Sling is a great companion for outdoor adventures. As a companion on wildlife or birdwatching days, it’ll protect your binoculars. At the same time, small field guides or an iPad mini with bird or animal identification apps can slide into the pocket behind the insert.
SD/CFexpress Type A Card Organizer
Inside the bag’s main section is a cleverly designed, color-coded Hypalon card organizer. Gura Gear refers to them as SD card slots, which is a slight misnomer. I tested them with CFexpress Type A cards, and, Sony users rejoice, they work just as well. The idea is that you use the two blue slots for empty cards, placing full cards in the two red slots as you go.
If you want to stick to this two-color routine, it means you can start your day with three cards in total—one in your camera and two in the blue slots. If you need to carry more cards, you can use all four slots and reverse the cards to indicate when they are full. Users of the larger CFxpress Type B cards are out of luck here and will need to use a dedicated card wallet, such as the matching Gura Gear Tembo.
Honestly, my favorite part about this card holder design isn’t the two-color system; it’s the use of Hypalon. Over the years, I’ve seen many SD card slots in camera bags, and most have used relatively loose, slippery nylon. I would never trust my cards in a tiny pocket from which they could easily slide out. On the other hand, the grippy, rubbery-feeling Hypalon in the Kiboko City Sling’s card organizer feels secure. Some of my CFexpress cards cost more than $1000, so this is important!
AirTag Pocket
Gura Gear has added Apple AirTag pockets to all of its recent product launches, and the Kiboko City Sling is no exception. In this case, the AirTag pocket is hidden on one side of the bag’s main pocket. Secured with a small piece of hook-and-loop and made from the same light grey material as the rest of the bag’s interior, the pocket is relatively well concealed. I have written about how useful Apple AirTags can be for photographers, so the inclusion of this feature is appreciated. For Android users, I’m sure there are some similar products, but I can’t confirm.
Optional Tripod Straps
The Kiboko City Sling is compatible with the same optional tripod straps designed for the City Commuter and City Classic backpacks. These straps aren’t an after-thought accessory. They are made to the same standards as the bag, are currently priced at about $35, and feature aluminum g-hooks for attachment, in this case, to the sling. Although they are referred to as tripod straps and I am demonstrating them with a tripod in the photos, they are just as, if not more, useful for attaching extra items of clothing items to the bag. This could include a rain jacket if there are showers in the forecast, or perhaps a place to store an insulated layer once the day warms up and it’s no longer needed. Wrap your layers in a lightweight stuff sack to protect them from grime when you put the sling down.
A Shoulder Strap Worth Talking About
The Kiboko City Sling’s shoulder strap has more tricks up its sleeve than you are probably expecting. It may look unassuming at first glance, but it’s clear that a tremendous amount of thought has gone into this key element, and it solves the problems I usually associate with sling bag straps.
Firstly, the strap can be quickly released from the bag using low-profile, lightweight buckles. This feature allows you to reverse the strap, positioning the cam that loosens and tightens the strap on either side of your body to accommodate left or right-handed users.
The shoulder pad is the next thing to pay attention to. It is wide and comfortable when the sling is fully loaded, but it is also removable if you are only carrying essentials and value a little less bulk. Rubber stripes on the padded section are extremely grippy, keeping the padding in place on your shoulder. The fact that the padding is not fixed in position on the nylon shoulder strap is also a key feature.
Once positioned, the shoulder padding remains in place, allowing the strap to move freely through it as you adjust the bag. With traditional camera sling bags, the padding is fixed on the strap, requiring constant repositioning on your shoulder after moving the bag to reach for something. However, this is not an issue with the Kiboko City Sling.
Another aspect I appreciate about the Kiboko City Sling’s shoulder strap is the simple choice of hardware. I have reviews many camera slings over the years, and also frequently test sling bags from non-camera bag brands like Bellroy, Evergoods, and Aer. Almost without exception, other brands tend to use bulky, overly complex buckle systems on their shoulder straps, often incorporating magnets and/or expensive custom hardware. It’s unnecessary. Gura Gear’s designer clearly appreciated the need for a low-profile, simple buckle system whose main goals were to operate with exceptional smoothness and otherwise stay out of the way.
Finally, the Kiboko City Sling features what Gura Gear calls the Dynamic Leveling System. The clever aspect is that the shoulder strap isn’t attached to the bag in a fixed position. Instead, the strap attachment points can slide around the metal ring, causing the bag to self-level when worn cross-body at waist height. This ensures a stable platform and easier access to your bag’s contents.
Paired With Kiboko Backpacks
Gura Gear is best known for its Kiboko 2.0 camera backpacks, which are available in 16L, 22L, and 30L. These bags are popular among telephoto lens users for their unique butterfly opening design, and by well-traveled photographers for their use of ultralight, highly durable X-Pac material. Since I believe many Kiboko users will also choose a companion Kiboko City Sling for their travels, I decided to take a quick set of photos to demonstrate how the 6L Kiboko Sling fits into these packs.
My Kiboko 30L+ bags are my most frequently used camera backpacks, and I can incorporate the Kiboko Sling into my travel carry kit in two ways. Firstly, there will be times when I wear the Kiboko backpack on my back and use the sling bag to carry my essential air travel accessories, along with travel documents and a passport. Once on the plane, the sling will stay with me, and the Kiboko backpack will go into the overhead locker.
The second way I can see using the Kiboko Sling is when I’m carrying both the Kiboko backpack and my Gura Gear Chobe laptop bag as my personal carry-on item. In that case, I can pack camera gear into the sling and place it inside the Kiboko backpack. Once I reach my destination, this ensures I have a lightweight carrying solution for the times when I don’t want to carry a fully loaded backpack. If you plan to use a similar packing method, I hope these images help you visualize how this setup can meet your typical gear requirements.
Who Is This Bag For?
If you’ve made it this far in the review, you’ve seen all the individual features and details. Unless the $179.99 $143.96 (20% launch discount) price tag makes you hesitate, you’re likely wondering if this could be your next bag purchase. So let’s take a moment to discuss how you might use this bag and see if one of these options resonates with you.
The Traveler
Features like lockable zippers, an RFID-shielded pocket, and a comfortable shoulder strap make the Kiboko City Sling the perfect companion for long days of global travel. Your carry-on backpack can stay zipped up throughout your travel day(s), with the Kiboko Sling providing all the space you need for your quick-access travel essentials, such as chargers and cables, USB battery banks, and all your important documents.
The Street or Travel Photographer
The low-key exterior design, paired with one of the more muted color options, the lockable zippers, and the padded camera insert, makes the Kiboko City Sling 6L the ideal lightweight camera bag for exploring city streets and travel destinations. The size of the camera insert is ideally suited for smaller mirrorless camera systems, such as Fujifilm or Leica rangefinders.
Also, it accommodates Sony APS-C or full-frame bodies with attached lenses, including a 24-105mm f/4, 20-70mm f/4, or 24-70mm f/2.8. Nikon and Canon users can carry their standard zoom lenses alongside their camera bodies in the insert, or opt to leave the insert out to create space in the sling for the lenses to remain attached to the camera body.
If you are the kind of photographer who prefers to immerse yourself in a location without the burden of a heavy camera bag or the distraction of too many lenses, the Kiboko City Sling is for you.
The Wildlife Photographer
I love this usage scenario! Does it sound like you? I typically carry my big super-telephoto lenses in my Gura Gear Kiboko 30L+ backpack when I travel. However, sometimes when I arrive at my destination, I don’t want to carry a big backpack all day, particularly if it’s a hot environment and I plan to be on the move.
In those situations, I usually put my 600mm f/4 or 400-800mm lens on a tripod or monopod, swing it onto my shoulder, and strap on my hiking boots. One more thing is needed: A small bag for my teleconverters, binoculars, spare batteries, memory cards, sunscreen, and snacks. The rugged yet lightweight X-Pac material and, again, that comfortable shoulder strap, make the Kiboko City Sling the best on-the-move wildlife photography companion bag I have ever found.
Once I’m done for the day, I can stuff the sling bag into one side of my Kiboko backpack while stowing the super-telephoto lens in the other side. The next day, or at the next location, I can choose to grab the whole backpack with all my accessories still neatly organized within the sling, or I can extract the sling and telephoto lens again.
The Nature Observer
The Kiboko City Sling’s padded insert is perfectly designed for binoculars, accommodating everything from smaller 8x30s to larger 12x56s. You can store small field guides to local flora and fauna in the sling behind the insert, or load your ID guides and spotting lists onto an iPad Mini or another small tablet and slip it into the dedicated padded rear pocket. There’s plenty of room for everyday outdoor essentials like sunscreen, maps, and sunglasses, and the waterproof nature of the X-Pac material combined with the YKK Aquaguard zippers provides significantly better precipitation protection than most other bags.
Though I usually carry a camera when I’m outdoors, that doesn’t apply to everyone, and even I have days when I leave the heavy gear behind and just take time to immerse myself in an environment to learn more deeply about species behavior. I love that the Kiboko City Sling serves this purpose so perfectly as well.
The EDC Companion
Yes, I’m a photographer, and I prefer to be out and about with my camera gear. However, the reality is that I have to run a business and I also have a young family. I spend more time running around the city addressing the needs of my business and family than I do with a camera in my hand.
Sometimes, I need a bag for my everyday carry (EDC) items, such as my wallet, sunglasses, hand sanitizer, notebook, USB battery bank, a couple of USB cables, AirPods, business deposit book, and some emergency snacks for my toddler-aged daughter. Just yesterday, I strapped a diaper changing kit to the bottom of the sling using the tripod straps. This is real life, after all, and a sling bag of this size is a great day-to-day companion for the moments between my photo-based adventures.
Conclusion
If you’re searching for the ultimate camera sling bag, look no further than the Kiboko City Sling 6L. Once again, Gura Gear delivers a comprehensive and thoughtful design in a beautifully crafted package made from the highest quality materials and hardware. Yes, you’ll need to invest a bit more to get your hands on this, but it’s worth it when you’re receiving such a feature-rich, durable bag made from lightweight, rip-stop, weatherproof X-Pac. This is a camera bag, or simply a standard sling bag when you take out the padded insert, that will be your trusted travel and adventure companion for many years to come.
Where to Buy and Save 20%
As always, I appreciate your using my links for your purchases. The Kiboko City Sling 6L is available at the links below. They offer international shipping at very reasonable rates from their store. For the launch of this bag, Gura Gear is offering a special 20% discount, which reduces the price from $179.99 to $143.96. You can also order from B&H Photo; however, they do not offer a launch discount, so I highly recommend ordering directly from Gura Gear.
Let’s be clear: With this discount, you can get this sling bag for about the same price as the 6L Peak Design Everyday Sling. This is a frankly outrageous deal, because the Gura Gear Kiboko Sling is in a completely different league of design and materials. I’m not sure how long this launch discount will last, but I doubt it will be for long.
Hello Dan.
As usual a great and a useful review.
There was a question last week on the Gura Gear Facebook page asking what is next; I answered “I hope it is a sling bag !”
So here it is and I have already preordered it (in green Forrest) !
A 6L is ok for a small camera kit; do You know if Gura Gear is planing for 10L version ?