Once mocked as a tourist trope, the fanny pack — also known as a belt bag, bum bag, or even waist pack — has become a must-have. Now it’s just as common to see one as you would a backpack, gym bag, status tote, or cross-body. There’s a good reason it has made such a transcendent comeback: Much like the Crocs renaissance, a fanny pack is, simply put, practical. “Gone are the days of bulky wallets and carrying around an entire vanity’s worth of makeup — a phone, card wallet, lip gloss, keys, and your mask is all you need,” says stylist Lauren Messiah. “Make it completely hands free, and it’s a no-brainer.” And the bright-neon nylon fanny packs of yesteryear are still here — but you’re more likely to see them in styles similar to the latest “It” bag: Take Coach’s suede and leather one, for example, or even this jacquard option from Dior.
To find the most stylish (but still functional) fanny packs, we asked more than a dozen fashionable people, including models, photographers, stylists, and some of our own writers and editors, for their favorites.
A fanny pack can be dressed up for date night, thrown on while hiking, or even used as a hands-free diaper bag — the material will help determine its functionality. Water-resistant ones like nylon and polyester will ensure your things stay dry. Leather and neoprene, which can be hand-washed with light detergents, are easier to clean. We note the material of each fanny pack so you can pick the one that’s right for you.
Whether it sits above your hips or across your chest, each fanny pack has a specific way it closes. A buckle closure is typical, but a few on this list are unique in their design.
Most fanny packs have adjustable straps to tighten or loosen them to fit your size or activity needs. But some have a limit on how long they go, so we’ve made note of that wherever we can.
Material: Neoprene | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 36 inches
Here at the Strategist, we love the neoprene backpacks, carry-ons, and work totes from Dagne Dover, and its fanny pack tops our list, as it maximizes function and style. Strategist editor Maxine Builder uses the brand’s fanny pack because its “logo is hidden on the backside, in relatively small print,” making it more discreet than her other fanny pack, the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag. And since it’s made of “forgiving, easy-to-clean” neoprene, “it expands a fair bit,” so she can stuff more into it. “It also feels a little less sporty, so it’s a nice ‘going out’ option,” she adds. Content creator Bethany Everett-Ratcliffe of Twenty Something also recommends this one, noting that it comes in ten different colors and “is small but durable.”
Their recommendations convinced me to try the bag, and it has become my go-to on daily walks. I like how it holds its shape even when I’ve stuffed it full of my essentials. But I love the bag’s key clip. I’m known for scrambling around my bag, sure that this time I’ve lost my keys for good — only to find them wedged between my SPF and claw clip. Now, they’re easy to find right inside the bum bag, which also has a handy back pocket for cards.
Material: Polyester | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 50 inches
“JanSport is known for its high-quality book bags and sports bags,” says stylist and designer Alljahni Mack, who adds that the same durable construction can be found in this fanny pack. While it’s one of the cheapest on our list, this pack comes in over 20 colorways and patterns. It will add a “beautiful splash of color to your outfit and is compact for an active day spent hiking or working out.”
Material: Recycled polyester | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: Not listed
As a complement to your abroad looks, consider this sporty Patagonia waist pack, which comes to us courtesy of Charlotte Stone, who runs her eponymous shoe label. Stone first heard about the pack from one of her best friends, who works as the color designer at Patagonia (and updates the brand’s shades every season). She opted for the lime-green and dark-teal combination, by the way. It’s “ridiculously functional,” she says, as she keeps training treats and doggy treats in it on daily walks with her two dogs. Stone even tethers their leashes to the bag’s webbing straps to go completely hands-free. The Black Hole line from Patagonia is a favorite among our editors; the 40-liter duffel is our pick for the best weekender bag. This is a nice complement but also stands on its own.
Material: Nylon | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 40”
Travel writer Gabby Beckford has an entire blog dedicated to packing light. When she’s on the move, she clips on this slender fanny pack from Westbronco, which is just two inches thick. “It’s sleek and stylish enough to be worn with just about anything, but comes with tons of large pockets that maximize the space while keeping you organized.” Its water-resistant nylon means “you don’t have to stress about it getting damaged if you want to ride ATVs in Jordan or explore Conch Island off the coast of Anegada in the British Virgin Islands,” she says. Even if you’re not traveling that far afield, the bag comes in eight shades to suit your style.
Material: Nylon | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 48 inches
For essentials at the airport — like a passport or some water — Strategist writer Dominique Pariso likes to have this fanny pack handy. “It’s less out of a fear of pickpockets and more out of a desire to remain completely hands free in the airport,” she says. Once on the plane, she squeezes the pack into the seat pocket in front of her: “All my essentials are within easy reach, and I don’t need to dig through my backpack every other minute.”
Material: Polyester and nylon | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 41.7 inches
Lululemon makes some of our favorite gym bags, and like those larger packs, this belt bag maximizes function and style. Strategist editor Maxine Builder finds the Lululemon branding on the front “a little embarrassing at times,” but it’s small enough to go unnoticed. She says that it fits all of her necessities for everyday errands, including a sunglasses case, wallet, phone, and car keys, and she can “easily sling it across my chest.” Plus, “it’s fairly sturdy” and “water-resistant,” so she can wear it in a rainstorm and not worry that anything will get soaked. Since blowing up on TikTok, this bag is often sold out on Lululemon, so you’ll want to check back regularly for restocks. You can still order one via Amazon, but you’ll be paying almost double the price (and stock is currently low).
Material: Nylon | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: Choice of either 34” or 45”
As you may expect, photographer Jacq Harriet likes a fanny pack that can hold her chunky 35mm camera. This one from Baggu “holds pretty much everything, like a Mary Poppins never-ending bag,” she says. It comes in a range of six colors and is made of durable nylon.
Material: Leather | Closure: Belt closure | Strap length: 29–45 inches
This fanny pack from Clare V. is quite a popular pick — two of the people we spoke to name-checked it, and actor Brooklyn Decker even mentioned it to us as one of the things she can’t live without. Decker got it as a gift from a friend and uses it whenever she’s running around or just soaking up the great outdoors. Stone has been eyeing it too, explaining that she thinks this fanny pack will “truly go with everything” and appreciates the sort of collegiate vibe it has going for it. Iva Pawling, the co-founder and CEO of Richer Poorer, is a big fan of it as well and now owns it in three different colors (and recommends it to anyone who will listen). Originally meant as a go-to for outings with her two kids, she wears it daily: “Clare’s designs are everyday gear with a hint of cool and whimsy, which make them perfect.”
Material: Leather | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: Not listed
Molly Fergus, who is the general manager of TripSavvy, has been eyeing this fanny pack from beloved French brand Longchamp. She appreciates the chicness of the black leather (it also comes in red, caramel, and navy) “that can easily go from day to night.” She would wear it tight around the waist when touring a new town and as a shoulder bag when out to dinner. While this fanny pack is the second-most expensive on our list, if it’s within your budget, we think it’s an ideal investment piece.
Photo: retailer
Material: Nylon | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 21–34 inches
Parents, please allow us to point you to this belt bag, which writer Sarah Hoover uses as a minimalist diaper bag. It turns out, Hoover writes, she didn’t need all the frills — from bassinets to bounce seats — that she thought she did once her baby was born. Once she left her house with her newborn in tow, she “discovered that, for day-to-day excursions, a fanny pack is far superior to any proper diaper bag.” At first, she would carry two diapers, a Ziploc of wipes, and an extra onesie in the bag. But as her son has grown, her load has actually gotten lighter — with more space to spare for her own essentials, like a ChapStick and credit cards (which she keeps in the front pouch of the fanny pack). “Paravel’s pack, in its austerity and attention to smart design, goes well with jeans and simple dresses, but has a price that makes me not too worried if it ends up with a little baby puke on it,” Hoover says.
Material: Vegan leather | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 33–49 inches
After being sent this diaper bag–fanny pack combo by Kibou, it has become Strategist senior writer Lauren Ro’s “go-to.” While it’s technically meant to act as a compact replacement for a diaper bag — it has space for diapers, a waterproof pocket for wipes, plus a built-in changing mat in the back — she has begun using it as her everyday bag, she says. “What makes it convenient for baby use is what makes it great for everyday life: Everything you need is easily accessible, and it’s small enough to not get in the way,” she adds. Ro says she especially likes the pocket in the front with cardholders, which lets her grab her credit card without having to dig. She also likes that it’s made of easily wipeable vegan leather. “It’s just big enough to carry the absolute minimum: The main compartment fits my wallet (which is admittedly fat), phone, keys, a small bottle of hand sanitizer, lip balm, and a mask,” she says. “I take it everywhere, and it’s convenient for when I need to be hands free, whether that’s at the grocery store, chasing my toddler around the neighborhood, or at protests.
Material: Neoprene | Closure: No closure | Strap length: Strap in S–XL
This pick comes from frequent flier (and regular runner) Molly Fergus, who is the general manager of TripSavvy. Although it’s much more athletic-looking than others on our list, Fergus is “extremely loyal” to this belt, owning more than five of them in different colors by her calculation. “The neoprene belt sits squarely on your hips and is tight enough to keep from bouncing around when you’re running,” she says. “The design is ingenious too: It’s essentially a neoprene tube about the width of your phone, with slits to slip in essentials,” she adds. “Once full, flip the belt over so the openings are close to your body and nothing falls out.” Fergus always packs one for trips — since she has to carry her vaccine card much more on these trips, it’s become especially handy. “I’ve considered using this as a money belt when I’m in crowded areas. It could easily hide underneath a baggy shirt, so your passport, cash, and CDC card — perhaps the most valuable item of the three — are safely hidden,” she explains.
Material: Polyester | Closure: Buckle closure | Strap length: 54 inches
I went to three festivals last summer and a fanny pack was essential. I wanted something durable and showerproof — summertime or not, I was still in Britain. This Carhartt waist pack ticked both boxes and was roomy enough for my phone, keys, money, snacks, and a little tube of sunscreen. You can hook water bottles and a packable rain jacket onto two loops sewn onto the bag, too. It’s since seen me through several raves and events. Though you can cram a lot inside the waist pack, it’s not cumbersome on a busy dance floor and looks understated thanks to its simple slate-gray polyester shell.
• Gabby Beckford, travel writer
• Maxine Builder, Strategist editor
• Brooklyn Decker, actress and model
• Bethany Everett-Ratcliffe, content creator of Twenty Something
• Molly Fergus, general manager of TripSavvy
• Jacq Harriet, photographer
• Sarah Hoover, writer and art historian
• Alljahni Mack, stylist and designer
• Dominique Pariso, Strategist writer
• Iva Pawling, co-founder and CEO of Richer Poorer
• Lauren Ro, Strategist senior writer
• Charlotte Stone, women’s-footwear designer
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