The Lowdown
The Machu Sling Bag is Namba Gear’s latest DJ bag. It’s a nice combination of size, comfort, and storage that could work for DJs who don’t need to take along a lot of gear to shows. If you are looking for a DJ bag that can carry the items most digital DJs could consider essential while still maintaining a low profile, the Machu Sling Bag might just be what you are looking for.
Video Review
First Impressions / Setting up
Namba Gear is a US-based company that has been making DJ bags for over a decade. The company’s latest bag is called the Machu Sling Bag, and it features a more compact single strap sling design reminiscent of body bags that were popular in the late 90s. It has a smaller form factor that is perfect for DJs that don’t want to lug around a huge DJ bag.
It uses the same military grade materials like all of Namba’s previous bags with thick water-resistant ballistic nylon, rugged zippers, and a padded pocket for your laptop. Besides the main cross body strap the Machu Sling Bag features two carry handles, one at the top of the bag like most backpacks and one on the side that allows you to carry the bag more like a briefcase.
The bag features two main compartments, a smaller easy to access pocket for items like your phone or keys, and a pocket to hold a water bottle. The bigger main compartment features the padded sleeve that can comfortably fit a 13” laptop, a large storage area, and a zipper pocket. The second compartment features a bigger netted zipper pocket great for housing something like a pair of headphones, another pocket behind it, and three small accessory pockets that can hold things like cables or USB flash drives.
The small accessory pocket is a nice place to keep things you might normally keep in your trouser pockets such as a smartphone, wallet, and your keys. This is a feature I wish more DJ bag makers would include as it’s always nice to have quick access to your everyday carry essentials. Finally, we have the water bottle pocket that I found useful to quickly stash a light jacket or sweater.
In Use
When it comes to DJ bags, I am a serial overpacker. I tend to carry a lot of items for “just in case” situations because I always want to be prepared. That’s why I use a huge DJ backpack for gigs. However, while testing this bag I had to change my packing philosophy to carry just the items I knew I would need since it’s a smaller bag.
I was a little worried that I would not be able to comfortably fit my gear, but I was pleasantly surprised: I was able to carry all the essential items I use on a nightly basis, including a Pioneer DJ DDJ-SP1 controller I use with Serato DJ. This bag would be perfect for gigs where all you need to do is plug in and play.
Conclusion
The Machu Sling Bag is another addition to Namba’s line-up of durable, high-quality bags. It’s a nice combination of size, comfort, and storage that could work for DJs who don’t need to take along a lot of gear to shows. If you are looking for a DJ bag that can carry the items most digital DJs could consider essential while still maintaining a low profile, the Machu Sling Bag might just be what you are looking for.
