Top 11 Best Fanny (Lumbar/Waist) Packs For Hiking 2021
When planning a hiking trip, arguably, the most important thing to do is pack your gear. Bringing the right gear can make the difference between an enjoyable hiking trip and a difficult and uncomfortable one.
One of the most worthwhile decisions to make is how to carry all of the things that you are going to need. Of course, in many cases, you will be opting for a backpack, but it’s not always the best option for the type of hike you’re going on or for your particular circumstances. In many cases, using a fanny pack makes the most sense. There are many hiking fanny packs/lumbar packs/waist packs on the market, so let’s take a look at the best ones.
Disclaimer: This article includes affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Why Use A Fanny Pack For Hiking?
There are lots of reasons why you might opt for a fanny pack over a backpack. That’s not to say that you should throw out your backpacks immediately. There are still several situations where a backpack is 100% the best option, but it isn’t the only option.
- Shorter hikes where you don’t need to carry as much
- Back or shoulder problems – the weight is carried on your hips, not your back
- Hiking in hot weather – stops your back from getting hot and sweaty
What To Look For In A Fanny Pack For Hiking
Water Storage
Taking enough water with you when you hike is absolutely vital. It is quite scary how quickly the effects of dehydration can set in, especially in hot weather.
A rule of thumb is to take 1/2 litre of water for every hour you are taking in moderate activity. The amount of water you need will go up if the weather is hot or if you are going to be doing some strenuous hiking. Most fanny packs will have places where you can store water bottles, but others have built-in water storage solutions.
Weight
Another thing that can be surprising is how much you start to feel the weight of what you’re carrying as you hike for a long distance. So, ideally, you want the container to carry your gear in to weigh as little as possible. With that being said, you might want to prioritize sturdiness over lightness with some types of hiking.
Amount Of Storage
Some fanny packs for hiking are on the large side, with lots of pockets. Other fanny packs are sleeker and more streamlined, making them lighter and less bulky to carry, but it also means that there isn’t as much room for storage. Pocket placement is something that you should consider as well. How easy and convenient will it be to get your stuff out of the pockets when you need it?
Fit
Some hiking fanny pack brands differentiate between men’s and women’s fanny packs. There isn’t usually enough of a difference beyond styling to warrant splitting them along gender lines. But keeping an eye on the fit is important. In particular, how long the waistband is.
Top 11 Best Fanny Packs For Hiking
The list of the top best fanny packs for hiking isn’t in any particular order, mainly because some of the features that the different ones have will be important to some people and not others, so it is impossible to compare directly.
With that, here are the top 11 fanny packs for hikers:
- Mountainsmith 2020 Tour
- Osprey Talon 6 & Tempest 6
- Source Hipster Ultra 5L
- VgoOutdoors Fanny Pack For All Adventures
- Nine Trails Waist Pack 8L
- REI Co-op Trail 5 Waistpack
- Camelback Podium Flow Belt
- Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack 13L
- Genius Earth Pack
- Evoc Hip Pack Pro 3L
- Sierra Designs Flex Lumbar Waist Pack
Mountainsmith 2020 Tour
Size: 11.5″ x 10″ x 5″
Weight: 1 lb 12 oz
Waistband: 28″ – 48″
Capacity: 9 litres
Water storage: 2 water bottle pockets
The Mountainsmith 2020 Tour is made of durable ripstop nylon, so it should last you a while. And it has plenty of padding around the waist so that you can be sure it doesn’t rub. It even has a special smartphone pocket so that you can easily access your phone to capture any amazing scenery that you come across.
The great thing about the Mountainsmith Tour is how much storage it has. It has a 9-litre capacity and is pretty big with plenty of pockets. So, if it is important to you to carry a fair amount in your fanny pack, then this is the one for you.
Mountainsmith has been making hiking fanny packs for decades. In fact, they credit themselves with starting the trend back in the 80s. They regularly update their fanny packs, and this is the 2020 edition.
Osprey Talon 6 & Tempest 6
Size: 7.9″ x 12″ x 8.3″
Weight: 11.8 oz
Waistband: 25″ – 50″ (Talon 6) or 24″ – 44″ (Tempest 6)
Capacity: 6 liters
Water storage: 2 water bottle pockets (bottles included)
The Osprey Talon 6 has a 6-litre capacity, hence the name. While it is more compact than some other fanny packs for hiking, they still manage to fit in an impressive amount of storage. This includes two straps with buckles at the front that can carry wet-weather gear, which is perfect for hiking in changeable weather.
The other great thing about the Osprey Talon 6 is how breathable it is. The part of the pack that is against your body is made of breathable foam and mesh, with air channels built in. Basically, they have done everything they can to make this fanny pack as breathable as possible.
As a bonus, the Osprey Talon 6 comes with two ergonomic water bottles to fit into the two pockets at the side of the pack.
The Tempest 6 is made for women, but it is essentially identical to the Talon 6. The only differences are colour options and that it can fit smaller waist sizes.
Source Hipster Ultra 5L
Size: H 8.7″ W 32.3″
Weight: 1 lb 5 oz
Waistband: 31.5″ – 53.1″
Capacity: 5 litres
Water storage: built-in water tank
The Source Hipster Ultra 5L is the updated version of the Ultra 1.5L with extra storage capacity. Its main feature is its Widepac Hydration Reservoir. You don’t need to bring water bottles and take them in and out of the pack to use them. Instead, you can drink straight from the reservoir in the pack through a magnetic-clipped drinking tube.
Besides the hydration reservoir, there is a main pocket, 2 hip pockets, 2 elastic mesh belt pockets, and a flap at the front that you can use to store a lightweight jacket. The belt is padded and ventilated to make it as comfortable to wear as possible.
VgoOutdoors Fanny Pack For All Adventures
Weight: 14.5 oz
Waistband: 31.5″ – 53.1″
Capacity: 5 liters
Water storage: 2 mesh side pockets for water bottles
The VgoOutdoors Fanny Pack is super lightweight and packs in loads of storage. There are eight pockets in total, including the main compartment that is big enough for a lightweight jacket, a zipped mesh inner pocket, and belt pockets. There are also two mesh side pockets to carry water bottles.
However, the main selling point of this fanny pack is the versatility of how you can wear it. It comes with two shoulder straps. You can attach both so that you can wear them like a backpack, or you can attach one to wear it on your shoulder.
It is also breathable, with a padded and ventilated waistband that features a ventilation channel to make it even more breathable.
Nine Trails Waist Pack 8L
Weight: 13.4 oz
Waistband: 26″ – 34″
Capacity: 8 liters
Water storage: built-in hydration reservoir plus 2 water bottle storage compartments
The Nine Trails Waist Pack 8L is also a really lightweight pack with various storage compartments. It also features an overstuffing capability. So, if you want to take more than normal, you can overstuff the pack and secure it with a tie rather than the zipper.
It contains a 1.5-litre Hydropak water reservoir, but there are also two water bottle storage pockets at the side. So if you’re hiking a long enough distance or in hot enough weather, to need extra water, you can take some extra along. The waistband range is smaller than some other hiking fanny packs, with a maximum of 34″.
REI Co-op Trail 5 Waistpack
Size: 11.5″ x 7″ x 4″
Weight: 9 oz
Waistband: up to 52″
Capacity: 5.25 liters
Water storage: 2 water bottle storage compartments
If you prefer a more streamlined design, with pockets on the inside of the pack rather than the outside, the REI Co-op Trail 5 Waistpack is a good choice for you.
This pack has four external pockets, which are fewer than most fanny packs like this, but the inside of the main compartment is cleverly organized. There are many pockets inside to organize your gear exactly the way you want it and find it with ease. It is top-loaded in a bucket style, so you can reach in without having to search around for which bits to open.
There is space for a water reservoir if you would prefer to use that, but there are also 2 water bottle storage compartments on the side. It is also made from recycled nylon, which makes it an environmentally friendly choice.
Camelback Podium Flow Belt
Size: 5.1″ x 17.3″ x 4.5″
Weight: 6.7 oz
Waistband: 28″ – 40″
Capacity: 2 liters
Water storage: 1 bottle compartment (bottle included)
The Camelback Podium Flow Belt is a great choice for shorter hikes. It is much smaller and lighter than many of the other fanny packs available but is perfect if you don’t need to take very much with you and/or hope to be as lightweight as possible. It is also ideal for trail running.
Because Camelback makes it, hydration is a key feature of this pack. It features a specially angled water bottle compartment that sits at the perfect angle for you to be able to access the water bottle easily and quickly. Included with the pack is a 20oz water bottle to fit the compartment.
Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack 13L
Size: 13″ x 6″ x 12″
Weight: 1 lbs 12 oz
Waistband: 28″ – 48″
Capacity: 13 liters
Water storage: 2 side bottle compartments
On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Mountainsmith Day Lumbar Pack 13L, the perfect pack if you want to take as much stuff as possible. The 13-litre capacity is much larger than many other similar packs, and you can fit just about anything in it.
This pack features a smartphone pocket on the belt that can fit larger smartphones, a padded internal pocket for your tablet, and an Inner Sanctum pocket for storing smaller valuables.
If you want to add even more to the Day Lumbar Pack, there are external clips to add more gear to. It is compatible with the Mountainsmith straps for converting to back or shoulder carrying, although these would need to be bought separately.
Genius Earth Pack
Size: 13″ x 5″ x 6″
Weight: 10 oz
Waistband: 18″ – 50″
Capacity: 4.3 litres
Water storage: 2 side bottle compartments (bottles included)
The Genius Earth Pack is great if you want a versatile and adjustable pack. Genius Earth suggests that men, women, and children can wear this, and this is because of the waistband, which has a much bigger range than most other hiking fanny packs. So if you have a waist outside of the standard fanny pack range, the chances are that the Genius Earth Pack will fit you.
It has a reasonable capacity size, lots of internal pockets, and two side water bottle compartments. The pack comes with two bottles to fit these compartments, although these are not insulated. The backpack is lightweight, making it easy to carry during hikes.
Evoc Hip Pack Pro 3L
Size: 18″ x 28″ x 8″
Weight: 12.3 oz
Waistband: 31.5″ – 41.3″
Capacity: 3 liters
Water storage: 1.5-liter water reservoir
The Evoc Hip Pack Pro 3L is all about ventilation, so it is perfect if you are hiking in hot weather.
It features back ventilation with a Venti Flap system that allows the distance between the belt and your back to be adjusted. This gives you the ability to create more airflow between the pack and your back when you get hot or make it tighter if you need it to stay snug.
In addition, the Evoc Hip Pack Pro has vertically guided air ducts to create as much airflow as possible, keeping you cool.
It includes a 1.5-litre water reservoir to keep you hydrated without fiddling around with water bottles. There are also compartments for your snacks, phone, keys, and tools.
Sierra Designs Flex Lumbar Waist Pack
Weight: 12 oz
Waistband: up to 52″
Capacity: 7-10 liters (adjustable)
Water storage: 2 mesh side pockets for water bottles
Last is the Sierra Designs Flex Lumbar Waist Pack. The biggest selling point of this pack is its adjustability, making use of the Sierra Designs Flex Capacitor expanding gusset design.
This pack can be used at a 7-litre capacity or expand the gusset to make it a 10-litre capacity. This is great because if you’re not planning on taking too much and want to keep it at a lower capacity, this means that your gear won’t be rolling around inside because of space. But if you want to take more, you can adjust it to a higher capacity.
It also features dual compression straps to ensure that your load is stabilized, which can become really important the longer your hike is. There are 2 mesh side pockets for water bottles so that you can stay hydrated, and there are hidden compartments to store your valuables.
The Bottom Line
There is a huge variety of hiking fanny packs on the market, so finding the best one for you that suits your circumstances shouldn’t be too difficult a task. Whether you’re looking for maximum storage, something that’s super lightweight or breathable, or a pack that prioritizes hydration, there will be a hiking fanny pack for you.
