Gear Review: 20 Fannypacks I Actually Own
The Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide? You tell me.
Ok so it’s actually 15 fannypacks I actually own and 5 that I either have owned at one time or still own but cannot find them, they are probably in the house somewhere. But in any case, you can rest assured that this is one holiday gift guide with absolutely zero ad placement, sponsored content, or commerce affiliations. I have actually bought and paid for *at least* 20 fannypacks. These 20 fannypacks.
Some criteria for what qualifies as a fannypack. I am including quite a few convertible items - mostly handlebar bags that are also fannypacks. Frankly this is almost a criteria for all my fannypacks because why would I buy just a fannypack or just a handlebar bag when I can have a TRANSFORMER! There are many ways to design a fannypack that is also a handlebar bag, but I think the simplest and lightest weight method is to ensure the handlebar bag has two tabs/hooks to attach this type of detachable fannypack strap.
A fannypack must be wearable across the waist, and not across the shoulder; and it must be able to carry items. The following types of items did not qualify as a fannypack and were not included in the list (despite the fact that I own one or several of each).
Slingbags
Messenger bags
Purses
Belts with no carrying capacity. When I was 15, I did own a punk rock zipper belt which could conceal a dime bag, but I have not included it in this list.
Climbing harness. Though technically it can be worn around the waist and has a great amount of carry capacity depending on how many carabiners you have. Is a hotdog a sandwich? Is a climbing harness a fannypack? You decide
Chalk bags. Same as above. I guess there must be a closure to qualify as a fannypack. I demand closure.
Oops, Substack is telling me a 20-fannypack review has too many words for email. Why are you reading this on email? Go to the site. Ignore all the popups.
Anyway, without further ado, here is Cheetah modeling 20 fannypacks I actually own.
1. Mountainsmith Trippin’ Fannypack
Still available? Yes, in different colors
Just a fannypack? Yes
Waterproof? No, water resistant cordura with nylon lining
Price: $30
It’s just a fannypack with no frills - no padding, no side pockets, doesn’t convert into anything and it’s not even waterproof. And yet this is the one I reach for on most days. It’s just a great balance of size and weight. At 5 liters, there is a ton of capacity, but the lack of pads and frills keeps it light and collapsible. It looks and feels good carrying anything between a tube of chapstick and a giant rolled up jacket and a bottle of water. There’s 3 compartments - front and lid compartment help keep small things organized without giving up any space to the massive main compartment. The 610d Cordura is sturdy and water resistant. The waist straps are obnoxiously long - on the plus side you can use it as a sling bag, but they do need to be tucked in when riding. Comes in a variety of colors and pretty cheap compared to some other models. Top billing because I own 3 of these.
2. Sealline Seal Pak Hip Pack
Still available? Not listed at Sealline anymore but it’s on Ebay. It’s also on FlyFishUSA.com. This guy gets it, please read this glowing review.
Just a fannypack? It’s more of a drybag on a belt
Waterproof? Hell yeah
Price: $50
Seriously, just read the FlyfishUSA.com review. If you find yourself in a situation where you need a fully, fully waterproof fannypack, this is the fannypack for you. It will survive all-day-long rainstorms. It will survive falling out of a kayak. It will survive life as a fly fisherman. Because it’s pretty much just a dry bag on a belt.
3. Fjallraven x Specialized Expandable Hippack
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? No, its also a backpack!
Waterproof? No, water resistant “vinylon”
Price: $120
The Fjallraven x Specialized line of hipster bikepacking gear has given us plenty of head scratching items like short sleeve puffies and matching padded puff shorts, $370 rain ponchos, and this outfit, but I went out on the limb with them with this fannypack that is also a backpack and it actually works well as both! You give up a little bulk packing the rolled up backpack top into the lid of the fannypack, but the fannypack still feels quite light on the body when worn and has plenty of space left over in the main compartment as well as two small bottle slots on the sides. The backpack straps hook on to two little tabs on the side of the pack, allowing everything to be detached easily and tucked back in cleanly. As a hiking daypack, the backpack is quite functional, and even has a hydration pouch, though it’s missing a chest strap. I am a big fan of biking/hiking multisport trips so this new purchase has skyrocketed all the way to number 3 on my list. It’s also great for bike tours where you don’t really need a backpack except for that last grocery trip before camp where you just buy too many things. Simply TRANSFORM! and chuck that extra 6-pack or head of lettuce into the backpack compartment and off you go.
4. Custom Hold Threadworks Handlebar Bag
Still available? Maybe if you ask Ben?
Just a fannypack? No, it’s a handlebar bag
Waterproof? Yes-ish
Price: $100
I designed this with Hold Threadworks, modeled after my Tufa Xpac handlebar bag which died this year. Made with ultralight 210D gridstop, it’s a baguette style handlebar bag with side pockets, fannypack conversion tabs, and a reflective stripe for road riding and finding your bike in the dark. We added a flap to solve two issues I had with the Tufa - potential waterproofing failure through the zipper and sag onto front wheel. My tiny bike has very little clearance and even small baguettes sag and hit the front tire when empty. The flap was designed with a bungee that pulls back and clips behind, lifting the middle section of the bag so that it doesn’t sag onto the wheel. We added a custom nameplate (Lolly is the bike’s name) and an American Kestrel. Only points off for Ripstop by the Roll lying to me and this fabric not actually being completely waterproof. The triple layering with the flap makes it damn near close, but VX21 next time. Or whatever the drybag pack is made out of.
5. Blue lug Xpac Handlebar Bag
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? No, it’s marketed as a handlebar bag
Waterproof? Yes-ish
Price: $30
It’s ultralight, waterproof X-pac and it has a neon kitty with a skateboard on it. I wish they made this in every size. Blue Lug has pictures modeling this item as a handlebar bag and an under saddle bag and not as a fannypack, but there are two tabs to attach fannypack straps in the right place. The neon coral zipper is nicely tucked in for better waterproofing. The size is a bit small but that’s the only way it works as a saddle bag. There are a few failure points for waterproofing though, possibly near the seams. Ran it through the sink test only so will have to see how it actually does in a rainstorm.
6. Tufa Xpac Handlebar Bag
Still available? No, no response to my Etsy message
Just a fannypack? No, it’s a handlebar bag
Waterproof? Extremely waterproof for 3 years and tons of miles before failure
Price: $80
Damn did I love this bag before it died. Xpac (VX21 I think, possibly even hardier) baguette handlebar bag that came with the fannypack conversion straps, this bag survived many countries, mountains, rainstorms and thousands of miles attached to a Lolly or to my waist. It finally succumbed to water failure and wheel rub after 3 years and a lot of use.
7. Naturehike Waterproof Packable Fannypack
Still available? No, but similar ones exist
Just a fannypack? Yes
Waterproof? Yes
price: $15
I was envious of Cass’s Matador and found this knockoff online. For a $15 Amazon buy, it’s pretty legit. Surprisingly actually waterproof and compact, it’s good for adding a little phone and snack pocket that folds up into nothing when you no longer need it.
8. Levi’s “Utilitarian Crossbody”
Still available? Nope, out of stock
Just a fannypack? Yes. Don’t listen to it pretend to be a “crossbody” humph
Waterproof?
price: $15
I know I said no slingbags but even though this was marketed as a man’s sling bag, it works much better as a hip-slung urban utility belt. There’s two sliding nylon pockets, one with zipper and one with a button, that slide along a car seatbelt. I wear it on each hip like holsters for my phone and my mini u-lock and then push both pockets to the back when I ride. One time I was wearing this belt with shorts, a ballet tee and knee socks and a random gay man on the street said I was “giving tomb raider chic”. I have never felt so seen.
9. Tourbin “Vintage” Handlebar Bag
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? It’s a handlebar bag. And possibly a purse.
Waterproof? Water resistant canvas
price: $22
Another handlebar baguette that came with a convertible strap. TBH I think this one is supposed to TRANSFORM! into a purse but wear it as a fannypack. It’s canvas and leather so I can bring it to a tweed ride.
10. Lexi’s Tree Fort handlebar bag
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? It’s a handlebar bag. And possibly a purse. But clearly marked on Etsy as “also a fannypack”
Waterproof? Water resistant cordura, waterproof vinyl
price: $97
This bag was stolen from my friend’s car while we were ice climbing Platte Clove. Damn upstate rednecks. The broke the windows of a bunch of cars at the trailhead. Three months later, Saugerties PD found it on the side of the road covered in meth and ants. I said I could come pick it up and wash it. They said it would be a lost cause. RIP Lexi’s bar bag.
Lexi makes great bags of all kinds on Etsy, in colors ranging from leopard print to unicorn. I bought the XL version which I used it almost exclusively as a fannypack because it was slightly too large for my wheel clearance. Though it did work as a bar bag on this snowbike I tried to ride once.
11. Bullmoose Mini Sling Thing
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? You can sling or fanny
Waterproof? Water resistant Cordura
price: $20
It’s a little phone and wallet size pouch attached to paracord on a slider. It was great for keeping some essentials easy access while bike commuting or walking to the store, and was also useful as an added low profile side pocket for hiking. Points off because it broke and the strap won’t attach on one side anymore. Lots of cute options from this guy out of MA though.
12. Patagonia Black Hole 5L Waistpack
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? Yes
Waterproof? The old tag said waterproof. It is not fully waterproof. The new description says “highly weather resistant” which is more accurate
price: $69
It’s a great looking fanny pack that can carry a ton of stuff. However, I purchased it thinking it was fully waterproof, which it is not. The current description now says “weather resistant” which is much more accurate. Not sure why they didn’t choose more waterproof zipper options. Also there’s too much padding - I’m mostly carrying rolled up jackets and water bottles, not rocks.
13. Snack watermelon frame bag
Still available? Yes
Just a fannypack? It’s a tiny frame bag
Waterproof? Water resistant cordura
price: $34
The world’s tiniest frame bag is the only frame bag that fits on my bike. Luckily it also has side tabs to attach Fanny pack straps. It’s a watermelon, there’s not much else to it.
14. Outdoor Products Fannypack
Still available? Similar
Just a fannypack? Yep
Waterproof? Water resistant
price: Currently $16
I got this at Walmart for $5 on clearance because it only cost $5. I have never used it because I already have too many fannypacks. It’s fine though. Perfectly fine. I think it even may have come with two water bottles.
15. Mountainsmith Trippin’ Again
I’m sorry, this is just a repeat of the first one. I told you I own three of them.
16. Mountainsmith Trippin’ Again Again
And here it is again in a different color. They were on clearance, what can I say?
17. Mountainsmith Lumbar Pack
Still available? Yes. Never change, Mountainsmith.
Just a fannypack? It’s a “lumbar pack”
Waterproof? Water resistant
price: $89
How big can a fannypack be? This is quite possibly the largest fannypack on the market, so large it’s created the new category of “lumbar pack”. There’s a detachable should strap for when it’s packed super full. It was ok but not great. It dug into my shoulder after a 50 mile ride.
18. Gossamer Gear Detachable Waist Belt
Still available? Yes, but there’s a backpack attached to it
Just a fannypack? It’s the waist strap for a backpack
Waterproof? Water resistant
price: $255, including backpack
Is it a cop out to include the detachable waist strap of an ultralight backpack? I say no, because I have actually used this in fannypack mode. I was carrying a whole winter overnight setup into the Adirondacks, dropped the backpack at the bottom of Colden, attached a dry bag with a jacket and water bottle to this belt and did a up and back to the peak. They need to invent a modular things that attach to it though, like a removable bottle holder that velcros onto the patch of velcro that’s already there.
19. Galaxy kitty fannypack
Still available? Some variation
Just a fannypack? Yes
Waterproof? Nope
price: $17
This bag is probably somewhere I storage. It’s basic but it has space kittens on it. Here is me in 2015 dresses as a Cat Lady for Halloween
20. Leather Belt Pouch
Still available? Some variations
Just a fannypack? It’s a belt pouch
Waterproof? Leather
price: varies
I bought a little leather belt pouch in Argentina at the flea market. I can’t find it but it looked kind of like this. Out of all the past fannypacks I can’t find, this one will round out the list
Fannypack FAQ
Why do you own so many fannypacks?
I’m a shopaholic
Wait, I tallied the prices. Did you spend like $1000 on fannypacks?
…Maybe…
Are fannypacks Aero?
My roadie friend famously told me fannypacks are not aero. I went down a google hole and found this though, so maybe fanny packs are aero if you wear them in the front or down your shirt?? Does this mean boobs are aero??
Who invented the fannypack?
Either native Americans or some Australian lady named Melba. Ötzi the Iceman, Europe’s oldest mummy, wore a leather beltpouch. This Wikipedia article is pretty great in general
What if you wore all 20 fannypacks at once?
Here is me wearing the 15 that are not in storage or dead by upstate methheads, but I think I could have fit 5 more
I love my Mountainsmith fanny! I have the purple/black one, too! <3