REVIEW: Think Tank Photo TurnStyle™ Sling Bags (SPECIAL OFFER)

These bags are extremely lightweight and hold a surprising amount of gear plus a tablet!

A while back I did a product announcement about the release of these cool new sling bags by Think Tank Photo, and my inbox filled up quickly with people asking to learn more about these bags. I shot a quick email to TTP and before I knew it I had the TurnStyle™ 10 & 20 at my doorstep ready to review.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been living with these bags to see if they were any good. My prior experience with sling bags from all brands has been terrible. Generally the bags didn’t protect my gear well and/or they hurt the hell out of my shoulder after a typical outing. TTP’s, previous attempt at a sling bag, the Sling-O-Matic, was very well done but still not something that won me over.

TurnStyle 20 Inside Look (Photo: ThinkTankPhoto.com)

In real-world use, I found myself wishing that the TurnStyle™ 10 would work, but it was too small for my gear. If I had a X-Pro1 or X-E1, then I’d definitely use the 10, but I don’t so I kept reaching for the TurnStyle™ 20. It’s super lightweight and easily fit my DSLR with a standard telephoto zoom, flash and extra zoom lens. I also loved that I could carry along a tablet and other goodies.

Photos can’t really capture the inside of these bags very well so check out the videos to learn more. If you only watch one, watch the TurnStyle™ 20 video review at the bottom of this article.

Video Reviews

Please note that these videos were filmed with a Canon 70D that was reviewing using the EF-S 55-250mm STM lens and the new FlexZone AF feature. My apologies for the occasional focus misses.

TurnStyle 10 or Click here to view on YouTube

TurnStyle 20 or Click here to view on YouTube

Conclusion

I’ve reviewed a lot of Think Tank Photo bags, so I have so many that I literally have a closet dedicated to them. I’ve gotten aggressive about not collecting any bags that I won’t realistically use, so if I only had to pick one I’d pick the TurnStyle™ 20. I’d really use it to, which is more than I can say for the Sling-O-Matic which lost favor after about a month due to its large size & weight. I might hang on to the TurnStyle™ 10 for when I eventually bite the bullet and pick up a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses, but I’d never use it for my DSLR.

Personally I found the 10 to be too cramped for a DSLR, unless you are using a 50mm, or you put it on its side as shown in the photo at the top of this article (shown with a 70-200mm lens attached). That configuration works fine with the 5D Mark III, but I find it less useful as it means you can either bring an extra lens or flash – but not both. I always have both.

I would love to see the interior dividers include fold down flaps to more easy accommodate the lens down configuration I show in the video.

The TurnStyle™ 20 is my winner of this comparison for DSLR owners, and it’s a bag that I’ll definitely be putting into service for short run usage. I highly recommend the TurnStyle™ 20.

Where to order

Click here to learn more and get FREE SHIPPING plus a FREE GIFT when you place your order!

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Learn more about Think Tank Photo Special Offer Details and read my other reviews
  
• BlackRapid SnapR Camera Bag + Sling Strap – better for compact cameras like the x100s, x20, etc… if you prefer a sling, else see below
  
• Think Tank Photo Mirrorless Mover

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this. I was also provide with these bags to evaluate by Think Tank Photo under no obligation.

NEW: Think Tank Photo TurnStyle™ Sling Bag

These bags are extremely lightweight and hold a surprising amount of gear plus a tablet!

My friends at Think Tank Photo just announced the release of a new line of sling bags, the TurnStyle.  Lightweight with easy access, the three TurnStyle™ models are ideal for DSLRs and mirrorless systems. Their soft, body-conforming shape means all-day comfort and their tough water-resistant fabrics offer lasting protection.

Easy rotation gives you fast access to your gear, including a zippered tablet pocket on all three sizes. These hybrid bags can we be worn as a shoulder sling bag or as a belt pack for increased versatility and comfort.

• TurnStyle™ 5: Fits a mirrorless system with two to four lenses plus a small tablet. The front organizer pocket holds memory cards and other small accessories. Examples: Fuji X-Pro1 with 50mm f/1.4 attached + 38mm f/2.0 + 60mm f/2.8 with hoods reversed OR Olympus E-P2 with 14-42mm attached + 17mm f/2.8 + 40-150mm f/4-5.6 + VF-2 viewfinder + FL-14 flash.
• TurnStyle™ 10: Fits a standard size DSLR with one to three lenses plus a small tablet. The front organizer pocket holds memory cards and other small accessories. Examples: Nikon D800 with 24-70 f/2.8 attached + 50mm f/1.4 hoods reversed or Canon 5DMIII with 50mm f/1.2 attached + 16-35mm f2.8 hoods reversed.
• TurnStyle™ 20: Fits a standard size DSLR with one to four lenses plus a large tablet. The front organizer pocket holds memory cards and other small accessories. Examples: Nikon D800 with 70-200 f/2.8 attached + 50 f/1.4 (or flash) hoods reversed or Canon 5DMIII.

And don’t forget, as special friend, when you click on this link you receive a free gift with your purchase.

Where to order

Click here to learn more and get FREE SHIPPING plus a FREE GIFT when you place your order!

Other articles you may enjoy

If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy these:

• Learn more about Think Tank Photo products and Special Offer Details

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission. It doesn’t cost you a penny more, but it does help to support future articles like this.

Test Drive Think Tank Photo Sling-O-Matic Bags for 30 Days!

My friends at Think Tank Photo have just announced that they are launching one of their popular Test Drive programs.  This one is for their revolutionary Sling-O-Matic sling bags.   

With Think Tank Photo’s Sling-O-Matic™ line-up of bags you have the photo industry's first sling bag that can be easily switched back and forth to either shoulder. The Sling-O-Matic's adjustable, fully padded shoulder strap "automatically" slides along a set of rails to change which shoulder the bag can be worn on.  

You can try a Sling-O-Matic for free for 30 days!  If you don't want to keep it, ship it back to Think Tank, no problem.  If it meets your needs, on the 30th day your credit card will be charged.  (Offer limited to U.S. addresses.) 

This innovation is the solution to the problem inherent with sling bags: they are designed to be to worn over one shoulder only. With one smooth motion, the Sling-O-Matic can be quickly switched to the opposite shoulder without losing the characteristics that have made sling bags popular among photographers.

The Sling-O-Matic series offers three unique bags to choose from, depending on the photo gear you carry. The Sling-O-Matic 10 can carry a pro-size DSLR and three to four lenses, including a 70-200 f2.8. The Sling-O-Matic 20 and Sling-O-Matic 30 can each carry a pro-size DSLR and four to six lenses, including a 70-200 f2.8. The Sling-O-Matic 30 also features a separate laptop compartment for carrying a 15.4" laptop

Key Features:

• Industry's first sling bag that can be easily switched back and forth to either shoulder.
• Each bag fits a DSLR with up to a 70-200 f2.8 lens with lens hood in position.
• All bags are flexible to fit pro size DSLRs with a lens attached.
• Discreetly stylized to avoid obviously appearing like a camera bag.
• Long side pocket for carrying a tripod, large water bottle, or other accessories.
• Large handles on three sides.
• Wide zippered pockets on front, back, and side.
• Business card pocket for identification.
• Removable/adjustable straps and waist belt for additional stability.
• Small storage pocket for storing removable straps.
• Fully padded compartments for protection.
• Seam-sealed rain cover included.

Click here to learn more about how to test drive one of these bags!

Be sure to see my review of the Sling-O-Matic and other Think Tank Photo bags on this blog.

Disclosure

If you make a purchase using links found in this article, I may make a commission.

Think Tank Photo Bag Giveaway – Winners

Thanks for all of you who helped kick off the first month of the Ron Martinsen Photography & Photoshop Forums by posting questions and answers. As a reward for their contributions in getting the forums going, I’d like to announce the following winners:

Frank Trinkle (SittingElf)

Frank Trinkle (SittingElf) – Forum Fan

Frank was the most enthusiastic user on the forum with a lucky 13 posts. For his efforts, Frank Wins a:

Urban Disguise 50 (review)
Sorry Frank, no gear is included!

Get to know Frank in his own words in his intro post here on the forum.

Top Moderators

I’d also like to thank the top two forum moderators Tommy Williams (twwilliams) with 41 posts and Michael Schene (MyOtherFocus) with 21 posts. For their devotion to keeping the blog going and the spammers at bay, I have awarded the following bags (gear not included):

Tommy Williams (twwilliams)

Sling-O-Matic 10 (review)

Michael Schene (MyOtherFocus)

Urban Disguise 70 (review)

Thank You

I’d like to thank the winners for their support, those who participated but didn’t win for their contribution and of course Think Tank Photo for providing these bags to give to my readers,

Disclosure

The bags featured in this article were given to the people mentioned by Think Tank Photo on behalf of ronmartblog.com. I may also get a commission if you purchase using the links in this article.

REVIEW: Think Tank Photo Sling-O-Matic

See Special Offer at the end of this article

From left to right - Sling-O-Matic 10, 30 & 20

A month or so ago I was surprised when I got box from Think Tank Photo with the new Sling-O-Matic 10 bag as I hadn’t heard anything about it yet. Personally I hate sling bags because I have an injured left shoulder from a bad car accident and a bad back, so when I saw the bag I wasn’t very excited. However the first thing I noticed about this bag is that it has an unconventional around the body strap rather than a simple single shoulder strap which made it a lot more comfortable than other sling bags that I have tried.

My current bag for this class of small compact bags is the ever popular Glass Taxi, although I find myself favoring the larger Streetwalker Pro more these days. However, I had this bag so I decided to give it a try for a bit and see what I think.

Overview Photos

Sling-O-Matic 20 is deep enough for a long lens, but not the 10

The shot above is of a Sling-O-Matic 20 so a long lens can be accomidated, but refer to my video below to see how the 10 won’t work that way. You can put the 70-200mm on with the hood in the extended position inside of the Sling-O-Matic 10 without any problem (although facing the other way is usually best). There was still enough room for a 580EX II flash behind it as well.

Not shown below is the rain cover which comes with all Think Tank Photo bags, although I’ve yet to experience a rain hard enough to require it.

Sling-O-Matic 10 is long enough for the
5D Mark II & 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
with the hood in position

Below you can see a shot of me wearing the bag (although it was empty so it didn’t hang straight like it normally would). You can see how it fits in the center of the back and the weight is nicely distributed between the left shoulder and the right waist area for the most comfortable fit I’ve experienced from a sling bag.

Notice the how the bag
comes around my left shoulder
and right part of my waist
to distribute the weight

Video Overview

Here’s another one of my crappy late night videos where you need to turn your volume ALL the way up to hear what I’m saying, but you’ll get an idea of what this bag is really like:

As you can see from the video, it is pretty well made and has a lot of storage space despite its small size.

Conclusion

As I mentioned at the beginning of this article, I’m not a fan of sling bags. However they seem to be popular so I write my conclusion for those considering a new sling bag – not my personal opinion of sling bags in general.

Construction-wise this is the best built sling bag I’ve seen to date. In fact, it’s built more solid than even some other TTP bags I’ve seen so that’s saying a lot about the quality. I also feel that the over the head shoulder strap design is good as it helps to distribute the weight over the entire body but at the expense of traditional shoulder & sling bag on/off speed.

I felt the Sling-O-Matic 10 was too small for my needs, but it is suitable for those carrying small or kit lenses. If I were to care for this type of bag I’d get the larger Sling-O-Matic 20 which I think would more comfortably hold a Canon 5D Mark II with a 24-105mm and  hood in the on position. To me that is what I’d want from a sling. I’m not sure if the Sling-O-Matic 30 makes sense as I wouldn’t want a backpack size sling – I'd rather just go straight to the more practical StreetWalker HardDrive if carrying a laptop was important to me.

My wife who is very fashion conscious loves this bag and will be using it now that I’m done with it, so I think that is enough data for me to classify it as not being a ugly geeky bag!

So in summary I have to say that if you are in the market for a sling bag then this is an excellent choice, but I’m not a sling bag guy so I’ll stick with my other bags.

Special Offer

Visit the special ThinkTankPhoto page on this blog to see the special offer program available for this bag when you purchase using links from this blog.

Disclosure

ThinkTankPhoto sent me a free Sling-O-Matic 10 bag for review and I may get a commission if you take advantage of the special offer.