Be in the bag game for any length of time and you start to get familiar with the heavy hitter fabrics of quality bags. You have the wide spectrum of weight and durability with CORDURA fabrics, and more and more companies are integrating recycled fabrics and materials into their bags. But at the very upper echelons of bag construction, a few materials stand out from the pack, like the highly durable and waterproof laminate X-Pac. Aer has dabbled in this technical material before with their 5th anniversary collection, but now they bring its unique properties to two of their compact offerings, the City Sling and Cable Kit 2. It’s a welcome upgrade to the two’s utility, and now’s a great chance to step up your bag game with one of the most high-tech materials out there.
City Sling
The City Sling is one of Aer’s most compact slings at a 2.4L capacity, but thanks to its adjustable and compressible design, it’s able to take on more than its share of larger objects and loadouts. The new exterior comes in VX-42 X-Pac sailcloth offering some of the best durability and waterproofing you can buy, and paired with YKK AquaGuard zippers you can rest assured your gear stays protected when the weather takes a turn. The other significant upgrade comes by way of a hi-vis orange ripstop nylon interior, to better identify your gear as well as add a touch of striking aesthetic to the bag to complement the black X-Pac.
You get plenty of organization across the City Sling’s three main compartments. The front compartment gives you quick access and a key leash, the center compartment holds dividers and the largest space, and a rear pocket discreetly holds more sensitive essentials like your phone or passport. Holding it all together is nylon webbing both for compressing the main compartment as well as providing a wide, comfortable strap, accented by Duraflex hardware and reflective zipper pulls unique to Aer’s X-Pac offerings.
Cable Kit 2
The Cable Kit 2 is Aer’s contender for the EDC tech pouch, and this second iteration of the model gets the X-Pac treatment as well with this release. Similar to the City Sling you get three compartments to sort out your gear. The front facing compartment comes with a variety of mesh and zip pockets and webbing loops to store everything from pens to cables to memory cards. The middle compartment is a bit roomier for larger items like a power bank, and the flatter rear compartment is perfect for a minimalist wallet or pocket notebook.
The X-Pac upgrade gives the Cable Kit 2 a much more robust exterior, but also the hi-vis interior and reflective zipper pulls to match the rest of the collection. It’s a solid upgrade especially against wear and tear if you find yourself moving the Cable Kit 2 a lot between bags or everyday loadouts.
