Fanny Pack / Hiking Hip Pack
Hands free is the only way to walk cobblestones in Savannah or scramble through the Smokies, and a fanny pack is the fastest way to get there.
The carry problem nobody talks about
You don't need a 20-liter backpack to spend a day on Broadway in Nashville. You don't need pockets big enough for a laptop to hike to Alum Cave Bluff. But you do need your phone, your ID, some cash, a snack, and sunscreen — all accessible without stopping and digging. Stuffing everything into jeans pockets makes you a pickpocket target and wrecks the pockets. Carrying a tote leaves one arm useless. A small hip pack solves all of this: it weighs nothing, it stays out of the way, and every compartment zips shut. Once you use one on a city day, you'll wonder why you ever brought a full bag.
What we looked at first
The Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is the obvious reference point — Instagram-famous, genuinely well-made, and $38. The problem is it has one main compartment and one small pocket, which isn't enough organization for a hiking day. We looked at basic single-zip belt bags under $15 and found they stretch out within a few months and the zippers start sticking. We looked at tactical MOLLE-style packs that are durable but military-boxy and too stiff for city use. The sweet spot is a two-to-four-pocket design with a main compartment big enough for a large phone and a secondary pocket for the things you need without opening the main zip — that's the category these land in.
What you get
- 4 zipper compartments — main for phone and wallet, front for quick-access items, sides for keys and lip balm
- Adjustable strap fits waist or chest-strap style — reposition based on activity
- Built-in headphone port on some models — run your cord to earbuds without opening the pack
- Water-resistant exterior; 55,000+ Amazon reviews across the category — high confidence in durability
Who this is for
This is for the traveler who alternates between city sightseeing and day hiking on the same trip — Nashville's Music Row one day, Radnor Lake the next. It's for anyone whose phone is too large for a pocket and too important to leave in the car. It works for solo travelers and couples who don't want to carry a full daypack through a farmers market. If you're visiting any city where walking is the primary mode and pickpocket risk exists — Savannah's tourist squares, New York street markets — the hip pack is the right carry.
Where to use it on your trip
On Nashville's Broadway strip, you'll be in and out of venues for hours — a hip pack keeps your hands free for live music, no bag-check anxiety, and nothing dangling off a shoulder in a crowd. On the Alum Cave Trail in the Smokies, the scramble sections near the bluff are easier with both hands available and no pack shifting on your back. On Savannah's River Street cobblestones, the uneven stones are easier to navigate without a bag to balance.
Who should skip it
Multi-day hikers who need a hydration reservoir, a rain layer, and emergency gear — a proper daypack is required. Travelers who prefer a crossbody bag or small purse and don't mind one occupied hand. If you're in a single location for a day and have a locker or car nearby, the organizational benefit matters less.
Our take
Buy this if you're mixing city days and trail days on the same trip, or if you've ever stuffed a phone, wallet, and sunscreen into your jeans and regretted it before noon. Skip it if your hiking requires more than a liter of water and a snack — at that point you need a real daypack.
We may earn a commission if you purchase through our link, at no extra cost to you.