Lumbar Packs and Crossbody Bags You’ll Wear Everywhere

Everyone loves a good comeback story, but fanny packs? Who’d ever expected (or wanted) to welcome those dorky accessories back on the scene? It’s certainly no secret that trendsetters and tastemakers often dip into the lure of yesteryear. Now, they’re resurrecting style relics from decades past we hoped wouldn’t escape a ‘90s fashion time capsule—or at the very least our parents’ closets. Luckily, most of the time these retro pieces receive a glow-up before landing back on the radar of fashion trends (matching terrycloth sets for the pool, anyone?). But the real revelation is that fanny packs never deserved their unappealing reputation in the first place—they’re actually some of the greatest gear you can buy—not just for travel but everyday use.​

Today’s more stylish iterations deserve a new name that eschews the image of a glaringly obvious American tourist abroad. So let’s put a moratorium on the “fanny” and start by calling these handy sacks something else: lumbar packs, waist packs, or even bum bags (thank you, Brits). Whatever label you use, there’s basically no denying the convenience of storing your essentials in one of these bad boys. And news flash: You don’t actually have to wear the pouch on your waist like a human-marsupial hybrid. Go ahead and sling it over your shoulder. Or buckle it across your midsection (boom, crossbody bag). Here are six options that put the “hip” in hip pack.

1. Want Les Essentiels Siza ECONYL Waist Pack

Founded by Canadian brothers Byron and Dexter Peart, Want Les Essentiels designs some of the finest leather goods and gear for the modern explorer. The brand has a collection of sustainable bags constructed in Econyl, a regenerated nylon material made from repurposed fabric scraps, fishing nets, and waste from landfills. The ergonomic Siza waist pack takes you from city streets to hiking trails with reinforced rip-stop construction, a padded mesh back panel with a hidden pocket, and a front D-ring for clip-on attachments.