Review- For some time, I have been looking for a good travel bag for my DJI Mini 2 drone, because the bag bundled with the drone I received has almost no protection for the drone itself. When I had the opportunity to look at the Hex Ranger Blackout Camo camera mini strap, I was very interested because it looked very suitable for my needs and size. It turned out to be smaller than I expected (they wouldn’t say “mini” meaninglessly in the product name), but it was a good thing for me. Good materials and good structural quality make up a beautiful small package. As an added bonus, this sling can also be used as a “pocket bag” (sorry any British readers!).
What is it?
The Hex Ranger Blackout Camo camera mini strap is a small padded waterproof gear strap. The adjustable shoulder strap also allows it to be clipped to the waist for use. The “blackout camouflage” pattern is almost invisible in a dark room, but provides interesting patterns when outdoors. I am not usually a camouflage fan, but I like this realization.
Overall, the strap does fit its mini name, it is not suitable for large SLR cameras, but it is very suitable for mirrorless cameras or small drones.
What’s in the box?
- Just the Hex Ranger Blackout Camo mini strap
Hardware specifications
- Dimensions: 5.5 inches high x 10.5 inches wide x 3 inches deep
- Material: Cordura ®, Velcro ® and artificial fur, 900D Poly waterproof outer layer, EVA liner
- Zipper: YKK with metal slider
- Internal partition: adjustable
- Weight: 0.8 pounds
- Capacity: 2.5L
Design and features
The Hex Ranger Blackout Camo camera mini back has 3 compartments: a small faux fur-lined outer pocket for mobile phones or sunglasses, a middle pocket for small items, and a large pocket with customizable padded inserts. Can be used to place your items. If you need to make this already small sling smaller, there are compression straps on both sides of it.
This is a photo of a cell phone/sunglass pocket. I can even fit a very large cell phone inside, the artificial fur is very soft inside.
The next compartment has a series of small pockets (suitable for storing batteries or tools or other items a few inches or smaller in size), and a removable key ring.
Above is the main compartment. Each of the 3 padded squares with Velcro tags can be almost infinitely customized according to your needs in this main compartment. You can set up a few small compartments, or a very large one, or in my case, I set up a diagonal divider for my drone and its controller, as shown below. I also like the zippered mesh compartment at the top of this area, which is more suitable for storage.
The interior is soft and the surrounding filling is also good. If it falls on a hard floor, I won’t believe this, but it can absorb some slight bumps very well. If I were to change one thing on this bag, it might be some extra padding at the bottom of the bag. It is better than what I have been using, but you can always use more, right?
The zippers are smooth and work well (just like my previous experience with YKK zippers). The metal handle has the Hex brand logo, and you can also add a leather handle through its wide hole. When the zipper is closed, these look very waterproof and you can barely see the zipper itself.
On the back of the strap is a handle, which is perfect for quick grabbing and moving. This is flush when not in use, so it will not interfere.
The Cordura fabric used in the construction feels strong and protective. I like its waterproof function, and when the zipper is closed, most of the zipper is covered, so I believe it can withstand some drizzle, but I might seek shelter in the downpour.
There is a pair of adjustable shoulder straps at the bottom, which can be used to fix a tripod, umbrella or even a jacket.
what do I like
- Small size still provides good storage space
- Customizable main compartment and many other small places for equipment
- Reliable design and construction quality
What will i change
- A little more padding at the bottom will not hurt
- I like that the waterproof bag also includes a cheap and fully waterproof lid for use in really humid environments, and I would also like to see it included
- The length of the sling is not easy to adjust, if it is a quick-adjustable style, that would be great, so that you can quickly set from the waist to the sling (or shorten them when not used as a sling)
Final thoughts
The Hex Ranger Blackout Camo camera mini strap turned out to be the perfect bag for taking my small drone on an adventure. Wear it as a sling when riding a bicycle, or tie it around the waist when hiking, it can easily access items and provide good protection against bumps and rain. I like the soft black camouflage design, everything seems to be durable. If you are looking for a sling or belt bag for a mirrorless camera or small drone, this may be what you are looking for!
Price: USD 69.99
Where to buy: Hexadecimal with Amazon
source: The sample for this review is made by Hexadecimal
