Leather Sling Bag in English Tan Horween® Dublin
The Ashland Leather Sling Bag is a handcrafted crossbody sling made in Chicago from full grain Horween® Dublin leather in English Tan. It measures about 9 x 5.5 x 2 inches, weighs 15.77 oz (under 1 pound) unloaded, and has a black cotton webbing strap, YKK Excella® zippers and a Cordura® nylon lining, plus a quick-access zipper-closed phone pocket on the back, one larger open compartment inside, and two organization pockets inside. It is $495.
The best of both worlds: durable, well-aging leather on the outside and a high-performance, functional Cordura® nylon interior.
The phone pocket
A dedicated zipper-closed pocket on the back of the bag keeps your phone separate from everything else and quick to reach, without opening the main compartment. It zips closed with a YKK Excella® zipper.
The leather and patina
Horween® Dublin is a full grain, vegetable-tanned cowhide from Horween® in Chicago, in the same tannage family as Shell Cordovan, with a hard wax finish. It picks up marks early; most minor scuffs buff out with a finger, and daily wear builds a patina that is yours alone. English Tan deepens with use. See how Horween® leather patinas.
Ashland Leather was founded in Chicago in 2011 by two former Horween® tanners. Every Sling Bag is handcrafted in Chicago.
Care: no conditioning needed at first. After six months to a year, a dab of Tanner's Blend with a soft brush.
Organization: what fits
The Sling Bag has a quick-access zipper-closed phone pocket on the back, one larger open compartment inside, and two organization pockets inside. The open compartment holds a wallet, sunglasses or a compact charger, the two organization pockets keep cards, keys, earbuds or a pen sorted, and the phone pocket keeps your phone within easy reach.
The strap: why black cotton webbing
We tested nylon, leather and cotton straps. The black cotton webbing was the most comfortable against the neck and it stays put on the shoulder instead of sliding. Wear it crossbody or at the waist for hands-free daily carry. A die-cast metal buckle adjusts the fit.
Weight: under 1 pound
The Sling Bag weighs 15.77 oz unloaded, under 1 pound, on our scale. It is leather, about the weight of nylon.
How it compares
Here is how the Sling Bag lines up with several popular everyday slings, using each brand's published specs.
| Feature | Ashland Leather Sling Bag (English Tan) | TOM BIHN Side Effect | Aer City Sling 3 | Peak Design Everyday Sling 3L | Peak Design Everyday Sling 6L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior material | Full grain Horween® Dublin leather, English Tan | Ballistic (also offered in 420 Spectron) | 1680D Cordura® ballistic nylon (bluesign® approved) | 400D double poly-coated DWR-impregnated nylon canvas, 100% recycled | 400D double poly-coated DWR-impregnated nylon canvas, 100% recycled |
| Lining | Cordura® nylon | 210 Cerylon or 200 Halcyon (by color) | Lightweight nylon ripstop liner (bluesign® approved) | High-visibility grey nylon interior; 900D bottom liner | High-visibility grey nylon interior; 900D bottom liner |
| Weight | 15.77 oz unloaded | 5.3 oz (420 Spectron) to 6.9 oz (Ballistic) | 0.82 lbs (about 13.1 oz) | 0.99 lb (15.84 oz) without dividers | 1.28 lb (20.48 oz) without dividers |
| Capacity | About 1.6 L (calculated from outside dimensions) | 1.7 liters (ASTM Standard Measure); sold as 1.5L | 2 L | 3L | 6L |
| Dimensions | About 9 x 5.5 x 2 in | 9.0 x 5.5 x 3.1 in | 13 x 5 x 3 in | Not listed (diagram only) | Not listed (diagram only) |
| Strap | Black cotton webbing, die-cast metal buckle | 5/8" shoulder strap (material not listed) | Adjustable webbing strap (material not listed); Duraflex® hardware | Padded cross-body strap with quick-adjuster (material not listed) | Padded cross-body strap with quick-adjuster (material not listed) |
| Main closure | Zip (YKK Excella® zippers) | Zip (YKK zippers) | Zip (YKK® zippers) | Zip (UltraZip) | Zip (UltraZip) |
| Notable pockets | A quick-access zipper-closed phone pocket on the back, one larger open compartment inside, and two organization pockets inside | Front zippered pocket; two open-top interior pockets; 5 O-rings | Dual-access front pocket with keychain; secure back pocket | Internal stretchy pockets; 1 FlexFold™ divider | Internal stretchy pockets; tablet sleeve; 2 FlexFold™ dividers |
| Made where | Handcrafted in Chicago | Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam or Seattle, WA, USA (varies by colorway) | Designed in San Francisco (made-in not listed) | Not listed | Not listed |
Competitor capacities are as listed by each brand. The Ashland capacity is calculated from outside dimensions.
Sources: TOM BIHN https://www.tombihn.com/products/side-effect (weight, volume and dimensions checked Oct 23, 2026; made-in and zipper rows checked Oct 25, 2026, plus https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/fall-2025-factory-update-faqs and https://www.tombihn.com/blogs/main/zipper-updates ). Peak Design (3L and 6L) https://www.peakdesign.com/products/everyday-sling , checked Oct 23, 2026. Aer https://www.aersf.com/products/city-sling-3 , checked Oct 25, 2026 ("Designed in San Francisco" is from the aersf.com footer). Ashland specs are from Ashland Leather.
How it handles rain
Is it OK in the rain? Leather is skin. Is your skin bad in the rain? Horween® Dublin has a hard wax finish on the grain that gives some protection. The leather takes on some moisture, breathes and dries out, and water speeds up the patina.
Specs
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Leather | Full grain Horween® Dublin, English Tan |
| Dimensions | About 9 x 5.5 x 2 in |
| Capacity | About 1.6 L (calculated from outside dimensions) |
| Weight | 15.77 oz unloaded (under 1 lb) |
| Strap | Black cotton webbing, die-cast metal buckle |
| Lining | Cordura® nylon |
| Pockets | A quick-access zipper-closed phone pocket on the back, one larger open compartment inside, and two organization pockets inside |
| Zippers | YKK Excella® |
| Main closure | Zip |
| Wear | Crossbody or waist |
| Made | Handcrafted in Chicago |
| Price | $495 |
FAQ
How much does the Sling Bag weigh?
15.77 oz unloaded, under 1 pound. It is leather, about the weight of nylon.
What fits in the Sling Bag?
The Sling Bag has a quick-access zipper-closed phone pocket on the back, one larger open compartment inside, and two organization pockets inside. Your phone goes in the phone pocket, a wallet, sunglasses or a compact charger in the open compartment, and cards, keys, earbuds or a pen in the organization pockets. It measures about 9 x 5.5 x 2 inches.
What leather is the Sling Bag made from?
Full grain Horween® Dublin in English Tan, a vegetable-tanned cowhide with a hard wax finish, in the same tannage family as Shell Cordovan.
Why a cotton strap instead of leather?
We tested nylon, leather and cotton. The black cotton webbing was the most comfortable around the neck and stays put on the shoulder.
What zippers does the Sling Bag use?
YKK Excella® zippers.
What happens if the Sling Bag gets wet?
The leather takes on some moisture, breathes and dries out, and water speeds up the patina. Leather is skin; it handles rain the way your skin does.
Where is it made?
Handcrafted in Chicago by Ashland Leather, founded in 2011 by two former Horween® tanners.