The best tactical fanny packs to ride the clout train

Alongside Crocs, heavy glasses, bright colors, and high waistlines, fanny packs join the growing list of iconic fashion trends. The once-ridiculed waist pack has seen a surge in popularity lately thanks to TikTok influencers as well as the tactical community not just because it’s a throwback to 1980s fashion, but because it’s actually functional.  

Traditionally, a fanny pack is a small bag with a belt that fits around your waist. It’s designed to hold things like a wallet, keys, phone, or whatever handheld object you need. They typically rest on your hip or fanny — the old-time word for butt, and British Commonwealth term for something much more scandalizing — but wearing them crossbody is now common as well. Whether you wear it as a hip pack or over the shoulder, a fanny pack will give you extra storage so you can comfortably carry what you need. 

For this article, we focused on the best fanny packs for things like concealed carry, everyday carry, and medical supplies alongside the classic JanSport as a testing control. We also cover features you should consider before buying a fanny pack for tactical purposes.

• Control: JanSport Fifth Avenue
• Best Overall: BDS Tactical Fanny Pack
• Best Budget: Helikon Tex Bandicoot
• Best EDC: Ex Umbris Designs EDC Fanny Pack
• Best Medical: Mystery Ranch Hip Monkey
• Best Multi-Role: Shaw Concepts RAID V2

Control

JanSport Fifth Avenue

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Pros

• Wide color variety
• Durable material
• Spacious without being overly large

Cons

• Poor stitching
• Cannot be opened wide
• Loud material

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Black, green, blue, and many fun patterns
• NIR-compliant: No
• Mounting options: Waist strap

Why It Made The Cut

• This is what many people think of when they think of fanny packs, and to establish why it’s better to get a specifically tactical fanny pack, we reviewed it.

Best Overall

BDS Tactical Fanny Pack

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Pros

• Loads of mounting points
• Affordable
• Great internal storage

Cons

• No Velcro for organizers
• Overtly military appearance
• Heavy fabric retains water

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Coyote brown, black, ranger green, multicam, multicam arid, multicam tropic, multicam black, M81 woodland
• NIR-compliant: Yes
• Mounting options: Waist strap, MOLLE
• What does it do better than a JanSport? Durability, NIR compliance, Velcro space, MOLLE, tactical camo patterns

Why It Made The Cut

• BDS Tactical made an ultra-durable fanny pack that’s everything a military fanny pack ought to be, with tons of MOLLE space, storage, and old-school charm.

Best Budget

Helikon Tex Bandicoot

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Pros

• Durable construction
• Excellent internal organization
• Huge color variety

Cons

• Not all colors are NIR-compliant
• No water drainage
• Too large for some, too small for others

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Adaptive green, black, coyote, olive green, multicam, M81 US woodland, and 24 other colors and patterns
• NIR-compliant: Multicam, PenCott GreenZone, PenCott Badlands, PenCott SandStorm, and A-TACS only
• Mounting options: Waist strap, belt sleeve, external loops, internal Velcro
• What does it do better than a JanSport? Internal organization, NIR compliance, storage, durability, and mounting options

Why It Made The Cut

• We were seriously impressed with the performance and features of the Helikon Tex Bandicoot, a decidedly tactical fanny pack, as well as the incredible level of internal organization.

Best EDC

Ex Umbris Designs EDC Fanny Pack

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Pros

• EDC-specific features
• Durable
• Handmade in the U.S.

Cons

• Too small for many military applications
• High cost
• Lacks military-specific features

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Black, coyote, ranger green, multicam, M81, tigerstripe, and many others.
• NIR-compliant: Yes
• Mounting options: Waist strap, interior Velcro
• What does it do better than a JanSport? Compact size, durability, excellent finishing, EDC-specific features

Why It Made The Cut

• EDC fanny packs are growing in popularity, especially for people who live in gym clothes. This is a purpose-built square fanny pack, made by hand in the USA.

Best Medical

Mystery Ranch Hip Monkey

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Pros

• Huge carrying capacity
• Can be converted to over-the-shoulder
• Padded for long-term use

Cons

• Limits mobility
• Not NIR-compliant
• Limited tactical colors

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Black, desert fox (coyote brown with blue accents), DPM camo, garnet (red), hunter (blaze orange), lizard (olive drab with bright yellow zipper pulls), splash (blue), steel (gray with fuchsia)
• NIR-compliant: No
• Mounting options: Hip strap that doubles as shoulder strap
• What does it do better than a JanSport? Roomy, can be worn as a shoulder bag, padded for comfort, can be compressed

Why It Made The Cut

• This large, roomy, and padded fanny pack can carry everything that you could possibly need, making it a hybrid of a fanny pack and a small backpack.

Best Multi-Role

Shaw Concepts RAID V2

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Pros

• Can be used as a fanny pack or dangler
• Supports many external attachments
• Fantastic build quality

Cons

• High cost
• Too complex for those who just need a fanny pack
• External bungees are a snag hazard

Product Specs

• Patterns offered: Coyote brown, ranger green, black, multicam, multicam arid, multicam black, multicam tropic, M81 woodland
• NIR-compliant: Yes
• Mounting options: Waist strap, detachable Velcro flap, outer bungees, internal organization straps
• What does it do better than a JanSport? Mounting options, lay-flat opening, armor potential

Why It Made The Cut

• This is a fanny pack that transitions from fanny pack, to dangler pouch, to medkit, and all the way back, offering unparalleled modularity and access to the contents.

Things to consider before buying a fanny pack

Dimensions

A bigger pack equals more storage — it’s as simple as that. However, different fanny pack sizes are good for different purposes. 

• 2.5 liters and under are where I’d generally place “compact” fanny packs that are good for EDC. 
• 2.5 to five liters is where I’d place utility-size fanny packs that are good for dedicated use, but which might be slightly too large or overt to wear in civilian clothes. 
• Finally, five liters and up is where I start to question where fanny packs end and full-size waist packs like the venerable ALICE buttpack begin.

NIR compliance

Materials meet near-infrared (NIR) compliance when they appear at the same radiation level as the surrounding area. It essentially helps camouflage your gear against night vision. Without getting too technical, materials or fabrics are treated so they don’t glow with an unnatural shimmer when seen through night vision goggles. 

Intended use

If you need a fanny pack for EDC versus needing one to hold a first aid kit in a military setting, your needs will likely differ. While both parties may need a durable fanny pack with lots of internal organization, the former category of person will likely want something that blends in as a stylish fanny pack, rather than something that is covered in MOLLE webbing, tourniquet sleeves, and military camouflage patterns.

Mounting options

How a fanny pack attaches to your body and what can be attached to the fanny pack is very important. Some people prefer to integrate their fanny pack into a belt rig, so special clips or a sleeve may be required. Others prefer to attach magazine carriers and compasses to theirs, meaning that MOLLE will likely be required. 

FAQs about fanny packs

Q: How should a man wear a fanny pack?

A: Men and women can wear a fanny pack however they please. They’re typically worn around the waist or over the shoulder. 

Q: How do you conceal-carry with a fanny pack?

A: Concealed carrying with a fanny pack would be considered off-body carry. If you want to do it (and meet the legal requirements), you would first need a fanny pack that can hold your firearm. Some are made specifically to store and access a firearm. 

Q: Can you wear a fanny pack while running?

A: Running fanny packs — or running belts — exist and are a popular choice to carry personal items while on a run. However, there are alternatives like armbands, running vests, and specially-designed shorts that are just as popular. 

Q: How do you wear a fanny pack in 2023?

A: It needs to be a Supreme fanny pack, Prada fanny pack, or some other hypebeast brand, and you wear it across your chest so that everyone can see the brand without awkwardly staring at your crotch. Then you get a faded perm and start obsessively speaking in appropriated AAVE. Bussin fr. On God. On baby. No cap. Sheesh.

Final thoughts

Tactical fanny packs really grew on me as a concept. I used to think it was a silly trend, but the reality is that it’s very convenient to have a purpose-driven utility pouch that you can wear anywhere, regardless of whether or not you’ve got your armor or belt on. The BDS Tactical Fanny Pack has been my go-to since I started this article, mostly because I use fanny packs in the field, and I don’t particularly care that it looks overtly military in that environment. Additionally, we’ll be looking at other fanny packs and potentially adding them to this list in the future, so stay tuned for updates. 

Methodology 

Every fanny pack on this list was tested and evaluated on the basis of how well it serves its stated purpose. To make this list, every option had to be durable, have a distinctly relevant tactical use, and most importantly, do what a $20 JanSport could not. These fanny packs were tested on how they perform in the field for practical tasks, their durability against tears and abrasions, and how popular they were for Marines and soldiers from a wide variety of military occupational specialties, to ensure that this isn’t just my opinion, but it’s a well-developed general consensus.