How to buy the best cross body bags for travel
There are an immense number of cross body bags out there, but choosing the right one for travelling requires looking into more than just the style of the bag. Size is obviously a central concern – too large and you’ll soon be leaving the cumbersome thing behind in the hotel, too small and you’ll end up taking another bag to handle the overspill. Several of the cross body travel bags here offer storage for a tablet or iPad, which is a helpful consideration in terms of physical size.
If you’re planning on using the cross-body bag as a store for your valuables then security is a key concern, especially when on the move in unfamiliar surroundings, a factor that most of these crossbody travel bags take into account, but Pacsafe has made into a central USP that’s hard to ignore.
Best Cross Body Bags for Travel: TL/DR Summary
These bags are very much horses for courses in terms of style and sizing, but the real standout from a traveller’s perspective is the Pacsafe Go Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag. It hits a pretty keen price point, but adds in such a plethora of anti-theft ideas and devices that it should fend off a selection of real-world issues with ease. The locking strap that can be looped around a chair or table is a particularly effective idea for example – especially for city breaks in otherwise pleasant surroundings (cough, Barcelona).
Osprey Archeon Sling 7
Simple, but packed with tech, the Osprey Archeon Sling 7 is an everyday carry that excels as a travel companion. As well as a handy cross body bag in its own right, it also mounts onto any Osprey Archeon pack when a larger luggage scenario is required – ideal as a post-check-in valuables bag, for example.
Outside, a super-tough bluesign approved carbonate coating protects the contents – which can include a full-size tablet in the 7-litre total – and the main material is robust 840D ballistic polyester that’s also 100% recycled. The strap is also 100% recycled seatbelt-style webbing that’ll last for a lifetime of adventure.
Buy Osprey Archeon Sling 7: £80 from Osprey.co.uk
Samsonite Pro-dlx 5 Crossbody Bag
If you’re seeking a more executive look for your crossbody travel bag, the Samsonite Pro DLX 6 range may well be the beast you’re looking for. Snappily-named it may not be, but it does offer the traditional Samsonite build quality in a lightweight bag that’s perfect for business trips and short commutes as well as everyday porterage of valuables.
A three-litre capacity, Ballistic nylon outer, an interior made from 100% Recycled Polyester (RPET) and a duo of zipped pockets keep valuables separate and easy to hand. It’s water-resistant, and will fit an 8-inch tablet into the main compartment, while a velcro rear pocket and shoulder strap complete the picture.
Buy Samsonite Pro-dlx 5 Crossbody Bag: £83.00 on amazon.co.uk
Pacsafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Backpack
An ingenious design that packs in the features, the convertible backpack kicks off with an impressive trick, converting between a backpack and a cross body bag, making it a flexible travel choice by day and night. It’s also made from ECONYL regenerated nylon, recycling the equivalent of five plastic bottles.
There’s a host of travel security features too, including RFIDsafe wireless blocking pockets and material – perfect for preventing credit card skimming or car theft – as well as eXomesh slashguard steel reinforcement in the fabric and a cut-proof wire in the strap. Stylish and highly practical, this has to be one of the best travel bags out there.
Buy Pacsafe CX Anti-Theft Convertible Backpack: £120 on amazon.co.uk
EastPak Flex Crossbody Bag
Classic quality bag brand EastPak has something of a track record in decent travel hardwear, and this crossbody bag is no exception. An adjustable strap and internal pockets allow easy distribution of various items, and lets you make sure your keys aren’t in the same pocket as your sunnies, and similar disasters.
The main compartment is zip-fastened for security, and it’s available in multiple colourways. As EastPak is keen to point out, the 100 percent nylon construction involves no animal products, making the bag a 100 percent vegan product.
Buy EastPak Flex Crossbody Bag: £37 on amazon.co.uk
Pacsafe Go Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag
Preventing petty theft from ruining a trip is always desirable, and Pacsafe has a huge range of bags and devices to make that much easier on the casual traveller. This crossbody bag comes with all the tricks you’d expect – and many you wouldn’t – including being far, far more robust than its compact 7-inch tablet scale would suggest. The crossbody strap has a core of stronger-than-steel Dyneema (also used for climbing gear), while the body of the bag has Pacsafe’s eXomesh hidden in the walls.
As well as blocking wireless signals – dubbed RFIDsafe by the company – the zippers are securable to prevent pickpocketing, and that Dyneema strap can be used to attach the bag to a table or chair while in a bar or cafe, ensuring distraction theft doesn’t ruin your break. Finally, the fabric is made with post-consumer recycled polyester (rPET) – equivalent to 7 recycled plastic bottles.
Buy Pacsafe Go Anti-Theft Crossbody Bag: £65 on amazon.co.uk
Chrome Industries Sabin Sling
The Sabin sling is a low-hassle, super handy travel companion that’s ideal for keeping essentials on hand while you’re on the go. Available in two sizes, 6L and 3L, the main compartment does much of the heavy lifting, while the respective two rear and front zippered pockets offer a more secure storage option for valuables, keys and the like.
The metal adjuster has a built-in bottle opener, which is a neat touch, while the whole bag is made from 100% recycled fabrics, is certified PFAS-free and has a lifetime warranty to boot.