Zyber Multi-Functional Sling Bag - Budget... at a Cost

Given the rapid growth of virtual reality in recent years and the variety of headsets currently on the market — February saw the release of Sony’s PlayStation VR 2 — it’s understandable that a wave of universal third-party accessories have hit the market. Among them is Zyber’s low-profile Multi-Functional Sling Bag, which offers an alternative to first party protective bags whilst attempting to combine functionality and style. But, is this bag of all trades a master of none?

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Box Contents

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The Zyber Multi-Functional Sling Bag arrives in a no-nonsense package with all accessories stored within. Upon opening the bag, users will find: a male to female USB-C cable which can be inserted into the side of the bag for external access, a cross-body strap with the option to fix to either the left or right hand side of the bag, a folding storage cube for your VR controllers, an eyepiece cover to prevent damage to the lenses of your chosen device, and a fabric cable tie to keep things tidy. The bag also features a mesh storage pocket and a secondary pocket on the back to hold a portable charger.

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Aesthetics

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At thirteen inches top to bottom and four inches deep, Zyber’s Multi-Functional Sling Bag has the form factor of a small camera bag, with a carrying handle placed on top and the option of a cross body strap (included). Zyber boasts its ability to house the Quest 2, Quest Pro and the PSVR 2 — one at a time, not all at once — and as a catch-all carrying case is designed to allow you to travel with your VR unit, storing the headset and controllers whilst on the move. The bag will even allow you to charge your device (if possible) whilst it’s stowed, courtesy of an included USB-C cable.

It’s an impressive little package on the face of things, and its minimalist all black colour scheme makes it discreet. After all, you don’t want something like this to scream “there’s a VR headset in here!” when you’re out and about.

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Usability

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Given its small form factor, everything fits in here rather snugly with elastic strapping and velcro to hold things in place against the soft materials inside the bag. But whilst you certainly don’t want your expensive tech moving inside the bag, there is a concern that the fit is a little too tight.

Zyber’s bag certainly does what it set out to do, but I still found the overall build quality to be lacking in a few areas. I initially thought I was going to break the zip to the main pocket which, even after some use, is tough to open and close. Upon opening the bag, I found that whilst it was padded there wasn’t a lot and what was there was only thin. The included storage cube is basic but does the job of keeping your controllers together, all whilst being secured into the bag with a hefty piece of velcro. The included cross-body strap is adequately padded, and the hard plastic clip and carabiner that fasten it to the bag are surprisingly robust.

The bag also offers the option for USB-C charging within the bag itself. On paper this is great, and in practice it does work, but having to fight with the lining of the bag before manually inserting the enclosed USB-C adapter into the external plastic housing took the feeling of premium functionality away pretty quickly. Thankfully, once it’s in you’re good to go and it seems like the hard plastic shell that surrounds the adapter should withstand the associated wear and tear. 

As for the rest of the materials, the bag’s main outer fabric is touted to be waterproof and the seams are tight, and my limited testing showed no signs of letting anything in. Would I want to try this out in the rain though? Absolutely not. The main pocket is lined with a soft cotton fabric to prevent scratching, whilst the pocket itself is protected by a hardened shell. The selling point of the bag for most, it’s certainly hard enough to withstand a few drops or the odd bang but it doesn’t offer the kind of protection I’d want if I was travelling with a fragile and expensive VR headset. 

Comparing this bag to Sony’s official carrying case for the original PSVR headset — the only other case I had on hand — it lacks structure and feels too thin, especially as the fit of the bag around a headset can be tight. 

With an RRP of £38.99, I understand this is a budget-friendly option. Still, I can’t stop thinking that this all just feels like the bare minimum. 

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Overall
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Zyber’s Multi-Functional Sling Bag does what it claims, but never quite felt secure enough for me to trust or recommend. Its sleek, all-black design ensures that it won’t stand out if you are out and about and whilst its included accessories are basic they do their job to a decent standard. However, “decent” is levels below what I’d want from a bag designed to carry hundreds of pounds worth of VR equipment.