WaterField’s CitySlicker Bag Gives the Switch a Touch of Grown-Up Class

The Switch is oddly appealing to grown-ups for a portable Nintendo console, so it makes sense that at least some of them want to treat their handheld to premium accessories. WaterField’s CitySlicker bag serves this market.

The CitySlicker is a compact case for the Switch and a few mobile-friendly accessories, suitable as a travel clutch on its own or as an organization and protection tool to drop into a bigger bag. It’s pricey at $80, but considering the quality of the materials and construction, not unreasonably so. The CitySlicker should serve well for people who want a more grown-up way to carry their Switch, with real leather replacing Mario’s face on the exterior.

A single-flap design hides a surprising amount of organization inside the clutch. Open the main leather flap, a dark red on our review unit subtly emblazoned with “WaterField, Made in SF,” and you’ll immediately see a row of tight leather tabs for easy access to spare Switch cartridges. It’s got smart little finger holes in the bottom to quickly pop them out; I only wish I had a cartridge around to show you. Since I’m all-digital with my games, an SD card will have to suffice.

Inside the main pocket, you’ll find super-soft, felt-lined protection for the Switch itself. A dedicated microfiber patch cleans the screen every time you remove it. There are two slim pockets on either side, but with the compact nature of the case, they can’t hold anything more substantial than a spare Joy-Con controller or two—and filling them both at once would stretch the bag to capacity. There’s just enough room for a slim hand grip, if you find the Switch’s controls a little cramped.

Around back is a zipper pouch stretching the length of the bag. This isn’t big enough for a full-sized controller, but the stretchy material gave it just enough room for an AC adapter and my trimmed-down dock. More typically, it would be a good spot for a rechargeable battery and some headphones.

Two small leather pouches on either side of the CitySlicker look nice, but I couldn’t find anything useful to do with them—you might just be able to cram a MicroSD card in there. A small strap running along the bottom-center seems decorative, too.

What I like most about the bag is that big flappy flap. The full grain genuine dead cow looks fantastic and should get a nice patina after a few months. It’s secured with two magnetic clasps that are firm enough not to come undone in your bag but have enough give that opening the CitySlicker with a single hand is never difficult. The choice of tougher nylon for the body and felt for the interior is appreciably utilitarian.

The CitySlicker costs $80, a pretty decent chunk of the Switch’s retail price. But if you constantly carry yours with you, and you want a bag that shows off some sophisticated style instead of broadcasting, “I’m carrying a game console,” it does a nice job. The bag is available in a variety of colors with add-on accessories, and sizes for the Switch, Switch with a hand grip, and the new Switch Lite are on offer. WaterField also makes a CitySlicker for the older Nintendo 2DS XL and 3DS XL, among other bags and cases for the Switch.