Taking Moment’s backpack on this easy excursion let me get a sense of its limits. It also affirmed how good it is as a daily backpack. It has all the makings of a pack that you could use to go back and forth to school or work. Moment started as a photo gear company and has a unique place in the photo world. The backpack features an add-on camera insert for those interested in using it for their photography needs.
The Moment M-TW Backpack is an intriguing backpack because it can be so many things for different people. It’s big enough to carry a healthy amount of gear but consolidated enough to be nimble and remain lightweight.
Moment’s MT-W Fanny Sling is another everyday carry product from the company that falls in line with the backpack. It can be worn across your body or around your waist. Best of all, though, is its great organization and ease of use. The two items complement one another nicely.
Testing the Moment M-TW Backpack
When I decided to take the backpack from California to Colorado, I knew the bag didn’t have a massive amount of space. It is meant more for day trips and short outings. Still, my interest here was in seeing how far I could stretch it for other uses.
The clearest discovery I made carrying it along was that the M-TW Backpack can hold a certain amount of gear, and then that’s it. It has a rigid shape that it doesn’t budge from. This is great in daily use to keep it from becoming unwieldy. It makes it harder to keep stuffing in just one more thing, though.
The rigidness radiates out from its firm back panel, which is covered in foam and rests against your body. The area serves a dual purpose, helping it both to lay straight against your back and to secure the slot that carries laptops and tablets. The foam straps are thin but generous in their comfort.
Simplicity is where this Moment backpack really hits a home run. It has plenty of pockets and ways to organize items, and makes use of them in a thoughtful way that doesn’t feel cluttered.
The zipper opening closest to the back reveals a thin slot for a 16-inch laptop and any size iPad. There are also pockets across the top of that slot in which I could tuck my passport in beautifully. The inside of the backpack’s main compartment is a blank canvas. It’s just open for whatever you need. On the outer part is a single vertical zipper that reveals several places for all the smaller items you might be carrying—including slots that fit a phone or sunglasses near perfectly.
A spot for a water bottle resides on the exterior, but it’s not obvious. You have to look closely to notice this feature’s cleverness. The exterior material wraps around the side to form the bottle slot. It employs two elastic bands to keep it taut regardless if a bottle is being held or not. I’m a big fan of this design for its attention to detail.
It’s clear from my use that Moment’s M-TW Backpack was made for short outings or daily commuting. It can be an all-purpose bag because its organizational design doesn’t limit where or how you can use it. It just can’t be a bag that contains everything, because it wants to remain compact, purposefully.
Using the Moment M-TW Sling
Slings are a great small carry solution that haven’t really caught on in the U.S. as they have in other parts of the world. That’s a shame. It’s a great product for hikes, bike rides and shopping trips.
While the Moment M-TW Backpack is all about simplicity, the M-TW Fanny Sling attempts to be clever. The sling isn’t overly complicated, but it does feature more clips, straps and zippers than its counterpart. You see this cleverness right away in the main compartment’s phone slot. You see this cleverness right away in the main compartment’s phone slot. It features thick padding and a U-shaped slot perfectly created for easily accessing your iPhone.
Beyond the phone slot, the main compartment has a number of small pockets for organization. I fit a 12-ounce water bottle along with my phone and wallet here with ease. It’s roomy when fully opened, but it can be cinched tight with the outside straps. All the zippers slide effortlessly when pulled, but they never came loose or slipped during my use.
I tended to use the sling over my shoulder, and it was plenty comfortable, despite not having any padding on the thick strap. The exterior material is soft and rests well against the body. Overall the sling is a great companion.
Should You Buy the Moment M-TW Bags?
Even if you aren’t a photographer, Moment’s M-TW bags are wonderful everyday carry options aimed at minimalists. Both bags can hold enough items to make them useful, but they don’t afford unlimited space.
The backpack retails for $159.99, while the sling comes in at $59.99. These are not inexpensive bags, but the prices are very reasonable and compelling for ones of this quality.
The best thing about both the backpack and the sling is how well their internal organization is thought out. The backpack defaults toward simplicity, but both it and the sling have nearly a perfect amount of compartments. The exterior fabric is attractive and water-repellent. All around there are very few flaws to point out. These are winners.
Buy the backpack at Moment.
Buy the sling at Moment.
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