KAVU Rope Sling Bag - Review 2023

When comparing packs of all kinds, it’s nice to get a product that has a premium feel to it. The Kavu Rope is a sling bag that gives pleasure to the tactile senses after handling so many nylon or polyester packs. It feels like canvas and seems to have the promise of durability that comes with it.

With sling bags and fanny packs being such a trend, it can be hard to figure out what makes a good sling bag worth the investment. When we looked at the Rope, it seemed more gimmick than anything else, but its quality build and smart design make it one of the better options for sling bags out there.

Although it only comes in one size, the strap is easily adjustable for an optimal fit no matter how tall or short you are. There are dozens of patterns and prints which is a nice bonus to have if you’re big on matching your accessories to your outfits. That’s where Kavu has become so popular: because of their explosive fashion sense and the color options that reflect it.

This sling bag isn’t lacking in any department: it has two zippered pockets, a wide strap with a buckle, and a water- and stain-resistant fabric. Having been testing it for a couple of weeks, we’ve come to the conclusion that these features alone justify the price tag.

One point of contention would be the less-than-ideal experience when wearing across the front of the body. It’s doable in a situation where one might one to protect against pick-pockets, but it doesn’t seem to hug the contours of the body as well as it does when worn in backpack mode.

All in all, Kavu did a good job on this.

Construction and Design

We can’t say enough good things about the logo KAVU sewed into their sling bag. Aside from the well-known mountains-and-the-sunset symbol the company stitched above the upper pocket on the front side of the bag, there’s also stitching on the back side. Even though it won’t be noticeable when wearing the sling bag, it’ll show up when you put the bag down. We thought that this is a nice touch to the otherwise standard-looking sling bag.

The 600-Denier Polyester is the reason why KAVU Rope Sling Bag hasn’t experienced any tears during the testing process. If you get dirt on it — and you will if you’re hiking or camping in unstable weather conditions — it’ll be easy to spot-clean your bag with cold water.

The design of the strap is worth mentioning too. That’s where this Rope sling bag gets its name from — the shoulder strap is built from the four strands of thick rope. This gives the bag an outdoor feel, and, quite frankly, makes you want to get out of your comfort zone and climb that mountain you’re scared of climbing.

There isn’t much to say about the buckle except that it works well when you need to take your sling bag off and put it back on. If you’re not a fan of using buckles, you can always just slip in and out of your KAVU Rope Sling Bag.

As for the pockets, this sling bag has quite a few of those to keep all of your essentials safe when on the go. There are two vertical compartments that store the bigger items like water bottle, a lunch box, and a windbreaker, and two smaller pockets for bringing your phone, keys, wallet, and, say, a hand sanitizer. One of the smaller pockets has a velcro closure which is convenient for keeping bulkier items that won’t fall from one of the gaps at the pocket’s sides.

Keep in mind that the main compartments share the same space, which means that you won’t be able to separate your windbreaker from the lunchbox. So, make sure to pack your food and drinks in a way that minimizes the risk of spillage.

Other attributes

When testing the KAVU Rope Sling Bag, we found the flap with extra fabric to be helpful with adjusting the bag on the shoulder. It can seem like an annoying flap dangling at the bottom of the sling, but you can always secure it with an elastic to avoid having to deal with it.

The other detail we came to appreciate about the sling bag was the padded back panel. It helps keep the bag comfortable on your body regardless of how much stuff you pack in it. Sure, the bag can still look bulky, but at least the things you put inside of it won’t be poking your back.

Cons

Although we haven’t encountered any issues with using the zippers on the bag, we did find them to be slightly fragile. This can mean that they can potentially break if you’re not patient enough with opening and closing your sling bag.

We also didn’t like that unlike with some of the other sling bags, this one doesn’t allow you to switch up the way you carry it to relieve some tiredness from one shoulder. Osprey Daylite Sling Bag and Patagonia Atom Sling Bag have the same issue which isn’t a big deal but is still an inconvenience. We’d expect a bit more functionality from a sling bag with a 10-liter capacity that’s bound to get heavy.