Most fanny packs are made to hit a price point, not a performance standard, and they don’t solve any real problem. The materials are heavier than they need to be, the zippers are generic, the pockets are an afterthought, and the strap gets uncomfortable after 20 minutes. Hold a Red Paw Packs Flex Fanny Pack next to one of those and the difference is immediate.
This video is a direct comparison: your standard fanny pack vs. ours.
What the Flex Fanny Pack Actually Is
The Flex Fanny Pack gives you versatility whether you’re hitting the town or hitting the trail. It’s made from ultralight, waterproof, durable fabric and built to last.
- Weight: about 3.6 oz including the hipbelt (3.4–3.7 oz depending on fabric)
- Size: 8″ long × 3″ deep × 4.25″ tall
- Zipper: #5 YKK waterproof, matte black
- Interior phone pocket to keep your phone separate from everything else
- Removable 1″ hipbelt with Slik Clips, so you can clip the pack straight onto your backpack’s hipbelt
- Seam-sealed on Ultra 200/400 and TX50 versions
- Fabric options including Ultra 200X, Ultra 400, ECOPAK EPX 200, VX21, TX50, and many more
The Stretchy Top Pocket
The Flex Fanny’s signature feature is the Venom stretch mesh “flex pocket” on top. It holds a 500–700 ml water bottle, snacks, sunglasses, or anything else you want to grab without unzipping. Mass-market fanny packs just don’t have this.
Built by the Person Who Designed It
The Flex Fanny was our first product design, and it has stayed largely unchanged for good reason. It has all the features you want and nothing you don’t. When your pack ships, it was built by the same person who designed it, someone who can tell you why every seam is where it is.
Proven Everywhere
Customers have taken the Flex Fanny on all the major US thru-hikes, including the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. It’s been to New Zealand, Australia, and Japan, through ultramarathons, long shifts in the emergency room, and ecological fieldwork. We’ve sent a Flex Fanny to every continent except Antarctica.
The consistent feedback: the quality holds up under real use in a way store-bought alternatives don’t.
From Town to the Grand Canyon
Because it’s so small and light, the Flex Fanny fits into almost any kind of trip. Wear it around town as a daily carry. Clip it to your backpack’s hipbelt on a thru-hike so your phone, snacks, and water are always in reach. Sling it across your chest on a trail run, a bike ride, or a day at a festival. If something will fit in it, you can bring it.
Then there’s the extreme end. Jonathan, aka Meow Hikes, went backpacking in the Grand Canyon carrying only a Flex Fanny Pack. That meant no backpack, just the essentials packed into one ultralight hip pack, in one of the most rugged landscapes in the country. It’s a crazy, inspiring trip and a great example of how far a well-built fanny pack can go. Watch the whole adventure here:
You probably won’t take yours out in the Grand Canyon with nothing else on your back. It’s still good to know it can handle that.
Get Yours
- Flex Fanny Pack (In Stock): ships same or next day
- Custom Flex Fanny Pack: pick from the full range of fabrics
Already have one? Check out my Flex Fanny Pack tips and tricks video.
— Matt Evans, Red Paw Packs
