are fanny packs out?

V

Vermont woodsman

Joined
Jan 22, 2005
Messages
212
I dont see to many people using fanny packs anymore, so does anyone know of anything i can carry to put my edc flashlight, pen, cell phone, knife...etc....any ideas?
 
Maxpedition Fatboy or Thermite! :) I like my khaki Fatboy.

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Hi Vermont-

They are still very practical whether used walking around Chicago or dayhiking out in the country. They carry a decent amount of stuff without being too obtrusive. A fanny pack is also hands-free unlike other bags that need to be "managed" to keep them on your shoulder.

If you're looking for something small to contain your EDC stuff while out in the country, it's probably worth it to couple the bag with a hydration system like a Camelbak M.U.L.E. or similar.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Ya, I've mostly moved to a shoulder-type bag as well. I have a Fatboy, but have recently picked up one of these REI Minis I have the all-black model, and in some ways like it better than the Fatboy for a number of reasons. First, it rides flatter and more comfortably, and more importantly, it stays against your back instead of tending to float around to the front like the Fatboy. Second, despite how it may look to you in that picture, the REI Mini somehow ends up looking both less tactical and less man-purse-ish than the Fatboy -- messenger-style bags look more stylish and less purse-ish, in general. Third, due to shape, it can accept some things the Fatboy won't, e.g., on a recent trip I stuffed my parka into the Mini, couldn't get it into the Fatboy. On the downside, the Mini is not overbuilt like the Fatboy, and doesn't have attach points, etc. But the Mini is so well thought out, that overall it just plain works better for me.

In any case, the general theme here is that messenger-style bags are what are "in" these days.

Joe
 
Thanks for the replys, im looking for something for around town, out in the woods i carry a small rutsack. This kinda reminds me of the seifeld episod when seinfeld is carrying his european carry all, but his friends are calling it his purse.
 
Another vote for the Fatboy, big enough but not too big. New models (S-type) have a belt loop to help keep it in place.
 
Joe Talmadge said:
...I've mostly moved to a shoulder-type bag as well. I have a Fatboy, but have recently picked up one of these REI Minis I have the all-black model...
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Great, something ELSE I want now. Thanks a lot. ;)

But seriously, folks, I'm always in the market for a smallish shoulder-type bag that looks as good with jeans and a sweater as it does with khaki slacks and a blazer -- for when I want to make a good impression, but still want to be prepared.

I am currently investigating compact camera cases for this very purpose. Black if I can find it, brown if I can't. Nylon is more versatile, but I'm open to leather as well.
 
Heh. Aside from how comfortable the Mini is, I can't say enough about how cool they look, given how "in" messenger-type bags are these days. A year or two ago, I was convinced that a man couldn't carry gear around without looking like a european fancy boy ("it's not a purse, it's European!"), a super nerd, or a tactical poseur. The Mini defies all 3 categories.

Oh yeah, the mini has anchor points for the should strap at both ends of the bag, so can be configured from righty to lefty, and back again, if your shoulder gets tired.

Joe
 
Hi Cardimon-

It seems we're all carrying a bit more "cargo" than we were twenty years ago. My vote still goes to a fannypack versus a shoulder-mounted bag because it can be slipped off easily and tends to be of lower-profile under most circumstances. Shoulder bags tend to be larger and have longer straps with which to contend if you're hand-carrying it someplace or need to stash it under a seat.

In terms of material, leather is much more trouble than it's worth for this application. It stains if wet, it can rot, and it's heavy. Leather will eventually crack with age if not moisturized on a fairly regular basis. Some of the better manufacturers use a high-grade ballistic nylon or cordura that looks very sleek and presentable yet cleans easily with a damp cloth.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
Im gonna have to recommend the Fatboy as well. I bought a blackone a few months back and I love it. Works great for knife shows and local knife collector gatherings like the one I am going to this weekend.
 
I have a cool fanny pack I still use now and then, but have to admit the Fat Boy has pretty much taken it's place....
 
Seems to me a Fatboy would be a good replacement for a small backpack - something you wear while traveling, then take off at your destination.

A fanny pack, OTOH, is something that you might wear all the time, to, from, and while you're at your destination (work, home, etc.).

Or, did I miss the boat with the Fatboy? I'm doing everything I can to justify buying one because they look cool :)
 
Joe Talmadge said:
...I was convinced that a man couldn't carry gear around without looking like a european fancy boy ("it's not a purse, it's European!"), a super nerd, or a tactical poseur....
Click to expand...

On a forum somewhere I read the comeback line I decided to use, "It CAN'T be a purse -- it doesn't match my shoes!"

I have used it myself to great effect. At a recent family gathering, my sister teasingly told me not to forget my "purse." I replied with the line above, and the babysitter she got for her toddler laughed, saying, "That's a great line!"

When you can make the babysitter laugh WITH you, that's a good thing. :D
 
Vermont woodsman said:
are fanny packs out?
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Were they ever really in? Those things were so awful looking. I was given one as a gift. I wore it once and couldn't get over how bad of a design it really was. You barely had room to fit anything in it without it bulging out like a tumor below your stomach or above your ass. Thank you Maxpedition for saving us from looking like tumor infested geeks!!!
 
I like vests, I have a couple of fishing vests and a photographer vest, I also have a small shoulder bag, I still see plenty of fanny packs in sport and camping shops, some look like good designs but they bulge too much under a jacket and they don't fit well over stuff that I want to wear on my belt (cell phone, multitool, harmonica).

Luis
 
Bobwhite said:
Do what you want. Don't worry about what is "in" or "out".
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Amen.

I'm sure I've bought two of everything since the Industrial Revolution. I have a bewildering collection of fanny packs, camera bags, laptop cases, belt packs, etc. Of course I have a Fatboy. Bought it as soon as I read the first description here - but there are occasions where I need to carry stuff and I don't _want_ to look like an Army medic. So maybe I grab a leather shoulder bag. And no one has ever called _me_ a "European purse-totin' fancy-boy" to my face.

(Well, yes, there was that one guy a few years ago. But I think his body must have nicely decomposed by now so I guess I won't count that.)

Wear/use what you like and what YOU are comfortable with.

Cool. Uncool. Old. New. Fancy. Plain. Who cares! :)
 
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