Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag In-Depth Review
If youโre looking to travel light and stay organised, a good sling bag is without question a must-have!
Not only are slings a great way to keep your essentials such as phones and documents within handโs reach, they also allow you to keep valuables close to your body and away from pickpockets.
The trendy Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag has recently taken the internet by storm, and has quickly gone viral on social media platforms such as TikTok.
Priced at only $19.90, it is an affordable option in its category, but how does it hold up on the road? Weโve taken two with us on our last trip, so letโs see how well they performed during our travels!
# Design
The Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag is as minimalist in design as it could possibly be, as it is really not much more than a large pouch with a shoulder strap attached to it. Yet, the simplicity does work to its advantage!
First of all, the half-moon shape of the bag allows it to be carried either on one shoulder or crossbody. With the latter, we found it more comfortable to carry it closer to our side rather than to the chest as we would have done with other slings, as this also made it easier to access the inside of the bag. The design is also very much unisex, especially with darker colours.
The Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag, here in the Red colour.
The bag is made entirely of nylon, with a zippered access to the main pocket. This bag is cheap, so donโt expect any YKK zippers here, and the durability of the soft nylon fabric can of course not compare to other high-end models, but for what it costs the bag feels very well built and sturdy.
One side of the shoulder strap is attached with a plastic loop that feels pretty solid, but weโve already considered replacing it with a steel carabineer to allow the strap to be secured around items.
# The Interior
The interior of the Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag is, at least out of the box, its only major shortcoming. It consists of a single large pocket, with two additional open pockets on one side, and thatโs it.
No zippered pockets on the inside, no key clips, no way to secure any items inside the bag. The two pockets are also pretty much useless for carrying small items, as they are way too loose to hold them securely.
The bag is very discreet, and suits both men and women.
That might not be an issue if you just chuck everything in your bag but, if you prefer keeping things tidy, the lack of compartments will be a little problematic. Weโve found that separate pouches such as the Eagle Creek Pack-It Mini fit inside really well, and provided the level of organisation that we were looking for.
As for a key-clip, Iโve simply drilled a hole in the the nylon tab that that contains the washing instructions, passed a carabineer through it and voilร , instant key-clip. Only time will tell if this DIY will hold, but so far itโs the best solution I could come up with.
Size-wise, the Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag can carry a lot more than what it might initially seem. Passports, wallets, glasses, cameras, even 1l water bottles, they all fit easily inside. Heavier items might cause the bag to loose its shape a little, but we didnโt feel any discomfort from it.
# Carrying Comfort
I am not exaggerating when I say this bag is so comfortable youโll forget itโs even there.
Itโs extremely light, and even when completely filled the shape allows it to fit perfectly against the body. This also stops it from moving around too much, making it a breeze to carry it when out on long walks.
We last used on a 12h journey that included a car ride, two planes and a 7h layover, all during which we kept the slings on us. We even slept on a bench in the airport while wearing them, and they caused zero discomfort.
The Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag also works very well when used in conjunction with a backpack, as youโll barely notice the thin shoulder strap.
Itโs not as easy to carry closer to the chest as it will bulge out a little more and will be more difficult to access, but that is the only negative when it comes to comfort.
# Safety
One the main reasons to carry a sling bag is safety.
You can easily stow your most valuable belongings close to you, that way you wonโt loose everything in case your main luggage is stolen.
When it comes to safety, the main advantage of the Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag is discretion and size. The bag has a very unassuming look, without any branding or logos, and this already will likely make it less interesting to potential thieves.
In addition, the compact size allows it to easily disappear under a jacket or a coat, provided the bag is not too full.
With that said, the nylon fabric is very soft and will likely not stand against a blade if a pickpocket tries to cut it, as can for example happen of crowded public transport.
The zipper also lacks any sort of locking mechanism, but we easily DIY-ed one by tying a piece of paracord around the shoulder strap and attaching a Nite Ize SlideLock Carabineer to the zipper pull tab. The carabineer can be clipped to the paracord loop and then lock, securing the bag.
Plus, it looks pretty good too!
Weโve attached a Nite Ize SlideLock Carabineer to one of the bags for extra safety.
# Pros & Cons
+ Light
+ Fabric is very nice and soft to the touch
+ Affordable
+ Discreet (no branding or logo)
+ Comfortable to carry
+ Spacious (can easily fit a mirrorless camera with a large attached lens!)
+ Easily customisable
+ Multiple colours to choose from (more colours available in store than online)
- Lacks basic features such as key laniard
- No organisational space on the inside
- Not as durable compared to high-end models
- Hardware is made of plastic
The bag is also very comfortable to carry as a classic purse.
# Should You Get One?
So, TikTok's and influencers aside, should you get a Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag for yourself?
Well, it dependsโฆ
If youโre hoping to get the same out of it as you would out of a premium brand such as Bellroy or Peak Design, this bag wonโt be it. It has no extra features, such as more pockets, organisation spaces or even a basic key-clip, and can also not stand against the competition in terms of durability.
You get what you pay for, and if what you want is the best youโll have to shell out more money.
If, however, what you are looking for is a bare-bones basic sling to carry all your essentials during your travels or day to day activities, then you canโt go wrong with this one. Itโs stylish, light, compact and wonโt be overly painful to replace if lost or damaged.
It looks extremely discreet and wonโt attract as much attention as some of its higher-end competitors. Plus, because of the low price, it makes for a fun project to modify and tweak to your liking!
All in all, we would recommend the Uniqlo Round Mini Shoulder Bag.
Itโs a great travel sling, with the only thing bringing it down being its lack of extra features. When you factor in the price however, it is a bargain that is hard to pass by!
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