The 15 Very Best Fanny Packs

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: 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. While the Everywhere Belt Bag historically has been pretty much always sold out, lately Lululemon’s stock has been holding — so you can finally get your hands on your own in one of 14 colorways.

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 I spoke to name-checked it, and actress 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: 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.