SLNT Faraday Dry Bag Review
SLNT Faraday Dry Bag Pros & Cons
Cons:
Score: [9/10]
TLDR: A roll-top bag for someone who doesn’t like roll-top bags. Keeps your gear dry and off-grid.
First of all…It’s pronounced “Silent” not “Slant”. We weren’t sure at first.
As faraday bags become more and more popular, there’s ample opportunity in the market for differentiation. Though all should do the same trick, i.e. protect your gear, eliminate electronic signals, etc, that doesn’t mean there isn’t other ways to stand out from the crowd.
The SLNT Faraday Dry Bag is just that. A different iteration, aimed at protecting gear from water damage, in a very sleek style. It’s a throw-over-your-shoulder sling bag you can grab and go.
Our Verdict
We really like it. While the material noise may give some users pause, there really aren’t many faraday bags like the SLNT Dry Bag. It’s sleek, tough, and genuinely effective at keeping your gear dry and off the grid.
Keep reading below for our full review.
SLNT Faraday Dry Bag
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Specs
- Exterior Material: 420D Waterproof Nylon
- Interior Lining: Multishield® Faraday Shielding Material
- Weight:
- 2.5L: .56 lbs (.25kgs)
- 5L: .62 lbs (.28kgs)
- 10L: 1 lb (.45kgs)
- Hardware: Duraflex® UTX buckles
- Warranty: 1 year limited
- MSRP:
- 2.5L: $54.95
- 5L: $69.95
- 10L: $99.95
Who It’s For
SLNT’s bags fall more into the “trip to the big city” category than tacticool, but nonetheless, they’re well within reach price-wise. Several other brand’s come in much higher for the same amount of protection.
Currently available in 3 sizes – 2.5L, 5L and 10L, the SLNT Dry Bag is one of our picks for Best Faraday Bags.
This faraday bag will be great for trips to the city, on a fishing boat, or while you’re watching your kids soccer game in the pouring rain and need water protection.
Anyone wanting a faraday bag with top-tier electronics protection and waterproofing will appreciate the SLNT Dry Bag.
Key Findings
Let’s start with aesthetics, because let’s face it, that’s what 95% of the “bag” market is all about. This bag looks cool. I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for all black gear so this gets my attention, but nonetheless, it’s got a good look to it.
In general, I’ve never really been a huge fan of roll-top bags; not for any particular reason, just personal preference, but I can’t help but like this one. I keep looking for reasons not to, but it keeps proving me wrong.
We tested the 5L version.
Built with 420D Waterproof Nylon, the bag feels durable enough for daily use. The fabric is rubberized and is completely waterproof which we tested by putting it under a sprinkler for a good soaking and I also went for a walk in the rain.
Through it all, the inside stayed totally dry. Very happy with that.
The exterior of the bag features a laser cut molle web for attaching accessories as well as a weather sealed zipper pocket (non-faraday protected).
The snap hook strap is good. I’m a slim built guy and I appreciate that it actually adjusts short enough to keep the bag fairly snug against my body instead of swinging freely while I walk and move around.
The slide buckle stays put very well. Maybe a little too well.
I like to cinch it up while I’m wearing it and then slide it loose again to take the bag off.
The slide buckle requires just a tad more intentional effort than I would prefer for quick adjustment. Maybe it just needs more break-in time, but a quick release buckle would be a really great addition to this design.
Not a deal breaker at all, but an honest critique.
The universal D-rings on the bag make it easy to swap out the strap with a different one of your choice. Keep in mind though, if you do swap out the strap, you will want a swivel hook on at least one of the ends (like the original), because the roll-top design of the bag will twist the strap.
SLNT also offers an add-on padded insert and divider if you need to protect items from getting bumped around inside.
How We Tested the Faraday Protection
Here’s what SLNT’s site says about the protection offered.
The main compartment of this bag is a Faraday cage and is rated to the following specifications:
Silent Pocket® Faraday Technology Instantly Blocks:
- Silent Pocket® with Multishield® (Faraday Shielding Material) is MIL‐STD‐188‐125‐2 compliant, and exceeds IEEE 299-2006 (1 – 40GHz) standards. (100,000:1 reduction, see testing page here)
- Blocks 100 dB+ Cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, RFID, NFC, EMP, and EMF Radiation
- Blocks CDMA, GSM, DCS, PHS, 3G, 4G, 5G, LTE
- Blocks WiFi (2.4 – 5 GHz), Bluetooth (2.4 GHz), and GPS (1-2 GHz)
- Blocks RFID and NFC @ 13.56 MHz
- Shields against EMP, HEMP, CME, Solar Flare, and static shock. Blocks Carrier, hardware, and OS agnostics
We tested it for ourselves by putting a Baofeng GMRS radio inside the bag and attempting to transmit to it. With the bag sitting in my lap and transmitting from a mere 12 inches away, there was zero signal reception inside the bag.
I also switched the radio to the NOAA weather channel. While listening to the forecast, I dropped the radio inside the bag and, instantly, the signal was lost. I also tested with a cell phone which was completely unable to receive a call while inside the bag.
Lastly, I tested it with an Airtag tracker which as soon as it was inside the bag could not be located with the FindMy app on my iPhone.
Verdict: The faraday signal blocking fabric does it’s job.
Downsides?
There’s really only one issue we took with the bag when testing it.
Ironically, the “Silent” faraday dry bag is… not silent. It’s actually noticeably noisy like a very heavy duty plastic bag. Not necessarily a problem by itself unless you’re wanting to use it for hunting or some other scenario where material noise is a specific concern.
SLNT Faraday Dry Bag
Warranty Info
The warranty info is pretty standard. 1 yr that covers manufacturing defects. If it’s damaged from use or accidents, you’ll have to buy a new one.
Here’s what they state on their site:
We confidently stand behind the quality and effectiveness of our products with a 1-Year limited warranty. In the unlikely event that your product suffers from a manufacturing defect within this period, we promise to repair or replace it at no additional cost. Please note, our warranty does not cover damages resulting from misuse, improper handling, accidents, or unauthorized modifications.
Final Verdict on the SLNT Faraday Dry Bag
Here at CAT Outdoors, we’ve used many of the faraday bags on the market, so we’ve seen a good bit of what works and what doesn’t. I’m pleased to say that the SLNT Dry Bag is top-tier and did exactly what we wanted it to do.
You have multiple size options, depending on the amount of gear you need to protect. And it does the two things I expected it to do – protect from water and block out electronic signals. The fact that it’s as stylish as it is is the cherry on top.
What do you think? Does this fit in with your experience of SLNT products? Do you have something you think would work better? Let us know in the comments!
Also, be sure to check out our roundup on the Best Faraday Bags to see some of our other favorite picks.
