Tomtoc Explorer-T21 Sling Review
Minimalist Experience without the maximalist price tag
Purchase Price: $44.99
Choices for affordable sling bags are abundant on Amazon, but not all of them are worth hauling. An Everyday Carry (EDC) demands gear that is both functional and compact, and few bags strike this balance as effectively—and affordably—as the Tomtoc Compact EDC Sling Bag (often branded as the Explorer-T21). Entering a market dominated by high-end, high-priced competitors, Tomtoc delivers a surprisingly valuable minimalist experience without the maximalist price tag.
For this review, I purchased the 3L capacity sling which is also classified as the small size in the lineup. Interestingly enough, their sizing names also refer to the differing models of iPads as a reference point to add context to the name. My sling is the small (Fits iPad Mini) variant.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees and support our channel by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
The 3L bag holds quite a lot of stuff
Build Quality
Despite a modest price tag, Tomtoc was able to utilize a nylon fabric as the base material for the shell of the bag. I don’t personally see this touch and feel as a premium experience, but I do find it to be constructed with precision and quality. The weaving of the nylon gives off the impression that the bag is resistant to water– which it is to a certain extent as it is rated for spill-resistance. I’m a fan of the dual-tone color schemes and while my choice of the orange and blue combination is a little glaring, the light cyan, space gray, and olive green options all have more subtle coordination between their two colors. Whether you like sporting something eye catching or keeping your bag low-key, Tomtoc seems to have an option for everyone’s preference. I like the color offerings a lot here.
Speaking of water, this sling bag uses YKK waterproof zippers that operate smoothly and reliably. There’s a total of three zippered compartments on the entire bag with the main pocket occupying a majority of the real estate, the front pocket providing a key ring, and the back pocket fulfilling the role of the anti-theft item lodging. The material on the inside is where I’d say the bag shows why it’s only sold at an MSRP of under $50 as it certainly doesn’t feel premium at all. Some of the pouch sleeves are thinner than I’d like to touch from a pouch that goes through the motion of plugging and pulling items in and out. I don’t think it’ll rip anytime soon, but the outside of the bag does outscore the inside in terms of its material and looks.
The shoulder strap is adjustable from 29.54 to 45.28 inches. It’s a pretty standard layout that has a minimalist heritage behind the design and look. I do think that the design is sleek, structured, and decidedly efficient in how it houses items. Unlike many overly tactical bags, the Tomtoc sling maintains a clean, modern profile that transitions easily from a city commute to a casual hike. It just has a modern aesthetic to it that makes it stand out much better than generic sling bags in this price range.
Size For EverythingTomtoc sells this bag in 3 sizes: 3L, 7L, and 10L
Carry Experience
While the bag doesn’t look too big on the outside– thanks to a well organized compartment layout– the Compact EDC holds a bevy of daily items. The main compartment is tailored to house a smaller tablet like the aforementioned iPad Mini. I’ve also seen people specifically purchase this bag to use as a carrier for the Nintendo Switch. This holds both of those things in place quite nicely.
The quick access front pocket is convenient to pull car keys to pop the trunk, while the back body hugging pocket is perfect to hide away a small wallet. It’s just deceptively large with an abundance of pockets and pouches to stash things into that you would not expect to see. There’s at least 5 to 6 segregated spaces for items to be organized neatly in this 3L capacity. That’s quite a lot compared to other slings of this size. Only the main compartment pouch has some padding to it, albeit not soft padding. This is where you should keep the small camera if you’re carrying one. My only little complaint is that I found the elastic mesh to be too loose fitting that small items like a chapstick dislodges from the pocket that I left it in.
I typically wear the bag on my back, but it can be worn slung over your shoulders, and across your chest as well. All of these positions are relatively comfortable on the body, but it does seem to want you to wear it towards one direction of your body. The straps aren’t symmetrically attached at the same anchor points as the left strap facing the body is sewn onto the inside– facing body of the bag– while the right strap holds onto the rim of the right frame.
This is interesting because if you’re wearing it front facing, I feel like the bag wants to be worn off the right shoulder and not the left. If you’re slinging it over the right shoulder, this sling seems to wrap into the body firmer than it does over the other shoulder due to the placement of the straps. It isn’t a significant difference in comfort, but it is an interesting design cue that I noticed.
Everyday This?
I will say that I went through an initial wave where I didn’t find the T21 to be that endearing during my first run with the bag. After leaving it for a long period of time for other slings, I found myself realizing I had underappreciated the versatile design of this Tomtoc bag when I returned to it a year later. The bag provides ample amounts of organized space in a frame that’s as its namesake would suggest– compact. I also found myself liking how durable the ballistic nylon material is on this Tomtoc as it simply doesn’t wear down. Water rolls off without lodging wet spots on the material. I don’t see any stains after nearly two years of using this bag out in the world on and off. It’s quite a reliable bag and that’s extremely important for an everyday carry. Tomtoc did great with this one.
This really is a nifty little sling from Tomtoc. I can see why it's been such a popular seller on Amazon the last couple of years. Where it lacks in the premium materials on the inside, it provides with the form and function all-around. I think this is an extremely undervalued offering from Tomtoc and absolutely should be near the top of anyone’s shopping list for an urban sling bag companion.
Alex
With nearly a decade under his belt running his video production team, and countless hours traveling the country to report on pop culture events during his tenure as a contributor for AXS Examiner, Alex has relied on a lot of gadgets over the years. That still hasn’t satiated his need to get his hands on the newest and greatest the world has to offer!