Review: Alpaka Flow Satchel (4L)
Disclaimer
I bought the Alpaka Flow Satchel with my own money. The opinions in this hands-on are entirely my own. The links to Amazon are affiliate links. I receive a commission if you make a purchase using my link. Thank you for considering.
Alpaka Flow Satchel (4L) in black Axoflux 210D with 500 ml Kinto water bottle.
Introduction
Since moving to a new, more walkable city, I needed a sling that could handle a water bottle and be bigger than my Bellroy Venture Ready sling. After some research, I ended up picking up the Alpaka Flow Satchel 4L, and it did not disappoint. It can fit everything I need while still maintaining some breathing room, and it has an excellent pocket that allows me to carry a water bottle upright and on the outside of the bag—an outstanding feature that puts it well ahead of other slings that implement awkward water-bottle-carrying options. Of course, nothing is perfect, and the Flow Satchel has flaws, but if it worked for me, it might work for you too.
Experience
I’ve used the Alpaka Flow Satchel as my daily sling for about a month now and took it with me on a trip to the north of Thailand. It served me well both as a travel companion and as a versatile urban explorer.
Aesthetics
Thank you, Alpaka, for calling it a “satchel” and keeping my manly ego intact, but it’s a murse, all right.
The shape of the Flow Satchel is going to be divisive. I was skeptical at first as well, but I have grown to like the look of this bag. The curve, and the fact that it tapers off at the top, give this bag a casual vibe and help it look sleek rather than boxy, and the ripstop pattern and matte PU-coated zippers bring just enough “techiness” to the bag.
Organization
The Flow Satchel has three compartments and an external water bottle holder. Let’s start with a hidden back compartment. The zipper to the compartment is the only non-PU-coated zipper on the bag, but it is covered by a flap. It’s big enough to fit a Kindle or an iPad mini, but I’ve been using it to carry a passport and a backup card holder.
Just above this compartment is a carry handle that doubles as a luggage pass-through. I don’t use it to actually carry a bag but it’s comes in handy when getting in and out of the car.
The main compartment has two PU-coated zippers that allow you to open the bag wide, providing clear access to your stuff. Inside, there are four almost full-depth drop pockets along the perimeter of the bag. While the pockets are not made of stretchy mesh, they still have some “stretchiness” to them. The primary area of the compartment allows you to carry bigger items, like an umbrella or a Kindle in a bulky case. However, it should be noted that, since the bag tapers at the top, you won’t be able to fill it to the brim and close it. So the extra space at the top of the compartment is better treated as breathing room for easier navigation inside the bag.
The front compartment features a magnetic key leash and provides a convenient place to store items you need quick access to. That said, I think this compartment is a bit tight. I usually carry my wallet here and squeeze in a phone from time to time, but it won’t fit much else.
The star of the show is a water bottle holder. It allows you to carry a water bottle upright, can be expanded to fit an even bigger 1-liter Yeti bottle, and features an elastic cord that keeps the bottle secure. Smaller bottles like my 500 ml Kinto can fit into the holder without expansion, but they do eat into the space of the main compartment.
Another notable feature—the bag stands on its own. The base is flat and has a thin layer of padding, allowing it to stand upright. It’s a great feature that lets me put the bag on the table and easily navigate inside it without worrying about it toppling over.
The shoulder strap can be detached—it’s the feature I use frequently to change the position of the bag from crossbody to my shoulder. The strap can be replaced with a padded strap that is sold separately. However, the padded strap is way too long for me; at its shortest setting it’s about 17 cm (6.9 in) longer than the standard strap at my preferred length setting. This makes the bag sit on my bottom rather than my back. Honestly, it’s something I find wild, and as of the moment of writing this review Alpaka has not addressed this issue even though many people have the same problem. Personally, while it is disappointing, everything else about the bag, including the standard strap, works well for me, so it didn’t become a deal breaker.
There are a lot of external attachment points around the bag, so you can easily clip a carabiner or two. I have a little charm and a carabiner I use to carry a hat or clip a grocery bag while taking something out of the Satchel. Useful feature, and I’m glad it’s there.
Disappointment about the padded strap aside, the Flow Satchel has fantastic organization that strikes a great balance between being minimal and overly organized, with the water bottle holder as a standout feature.
My standard daily load out: passport, backup cardholder, Bellroy Hide & Seek wallet, Penco A7 notebook, Muji pen, hand sanitizer, Muji foldable tote, Anker power bank, Kindle in a case, medicine pouch, 500 ml Kinto water bottle, masks, wet wipes, tissues, Nitecore Tiny 2 TI flashlight on Nite Ize #1 carabiner, Nite Ize DoohicKey multitool, Nitecore NTK05 knife.
Maximalist load out: same stuff as above, but the 500 ml water bottle is replaced with a 700 ml tumbler; umbrella, Osmo Pocket 3, mosquito-repellent bottle, Kindle (without a bulky case).
Materials, Hardware, and Build Quality
The outside of the Flow Satchel is made of lightweight 210D ripstop nylon. This material is smooth and almost cool to the touch. The inside lining is a light gray 150D ripstop polyester. In my opinion, it’s the perfect combo of materials—lightweight, durable, and easy to clean. It’s what I like about my slings.
The zippers are YKK PU-coated zippers (the zipper on the back compartment is the only non-coated zipper). While the zippers are smooth, they can be hard to get going because of the coating, so opening the bag with one hand is problematic, not least because the hypalon zipper pulls are not as grippy as they may look; my fingers slip from time to time.
The hardware on the shoulder strap is made of plastic, and it’s just alright. It does not feel premium, nor does it feel super cheap. It’s not magnetic; instead, you have to hold the button to pull the buckle to attach the strap. It may be more secure compared to a magnetic buckle, but it takes some getting used to.
The stitching is well made both inside and outside the bag, with reinforced bartacks on weak spots such as the handle or the gusset of the water bottle holder.
Overall, the quality of the bag feels on par with the price point, but I would have liked the zipper pulls to be grippier and the zippers themselves to be easier to get going.
Comfort
The controversial shape of the Flow Satchel is what makes it comfortable. The curve and tapering make the bag adapt to the shape of my body and sit comfortably, especially when worn on my back. The bag’s curved edge also provides a good place to rest my hand when I carry it on my shoulder.
The shoulder strap is a little thin at 2.5 cm (0.8 in) and can dig in slightly when the bag is packed with heavy items. For my personal load out, it’s adequate, but I admit that a padded strap would have come in handy sometimes.
Generally, the comfort is good enough, with the shape playing the crucial role, but I would have preferred the strap to be a bit wider.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Convenient organization with just enough pockets.
Outstanding water bottle holder.
Casual aesthetics with some “techniness” included.
Comfortable shape.
Practical handle that doubles as a luggage pass-through.
Ability to stand on its own.
Lightweight, durable, and easy-to-clean materials.
Cons
The standard strap could be wider.
The padded strap is too long.
The zipper can be hard to get going.
Zipper pulls are slippery.
The front pocket is a bit tight.
Conclusion
The Alpaka Flow Satchel has become the everyday and travel sling I’ve been looking for—its clever water bottle holder, body-hugging shape, and just-right pocket layout outweigh the skinny strap and sticky zippers. It’s one of the rare bags that are unique in it's form factor and yet it just works.
