The Ultralight Fanny Pack by High Tail Designs Review

Bottom Line

The Ultralight Fanny Pack by Hightail Designs is a standout minimalist solution. We’ve been wearing during travel across the US, urban walks, and short hikes around Boise, Idaho.

Its compact design features a ¾-inch sewn-on belt, a single main compartment, and an envelope-style inner pocket. These elements minimize bulk, offering an excellent weight-to-capacity ratio ideal for ultralight enthusiasts.

What sets this pack apart is its bold dye sublimation printing, a departure from the typical Dyneema aesthetics. The vibrant patterns and local-artist designs give it a unique, personalized touch. Additionally, it’s crafted by a small USA-based business, ensuring attention to detail, quality, and durability, with features like fully taped seams and a water-resistant zipper. While not the most budget pack on our list, the price tag is lower than many Dyneema packs. With all the features of the pack, it is well worth it’s cost.

Pros include its lightweight, sleek profile and unique, customizable designs. However, the pack’s minimalist size and limited organizational features may not suit those carrying extensive gear. Overall, it offers an innovative blend of performance, durability, and style, and for these reasons, it earned a spot on our guide to the best hiking fanny packs.

How We Tested

First used as a travel pack, this compact and versatile bag accompanied us from Idaho to Tennessee. It proved incredibly convenient, allowing us to keep our essentials easily accessible, yet it was small and lightweight enough to stow away in a larger bag when necessary. We used it around town and in work environments, testing the limits of its capacity. Once back in Idaho, the Ultralight was put to the test on several day hikes, where it comfortably carried a phone, keys, dog bags, and other small essentials. In addition to these real-world uses, we also conducted targeted tests to evaluate its abrasion resistance, water resistance, and ease of cleaning.

Comfort

Weighing just 1.8 oz, the Ultralight by High Tail Designs is the lightest pack on our list. When worn with a light load, it’s so airy that you barely feel it. With only 1L of available storage, it keeps weight to a minimum, making it ideal for short, fast-paced trips where you don’t need to carry much. Despite its small size, the waist belt is highly adjustable, fitting waist sizes ranging from 13” to 52”, and the webbing anchors provide added support.

While the thin 2cm strap might become uncomfortable when worn around the waist with heavier loads, it’s not much of an issue when the pack is carried as a sling bag. The pack’s lightweight design and versatility make it a solid choice for those seeking a minimalist option for short hikes, trail runs, or everyday carry, where comfort and adjustability are key.

Durability

Made with ultra-durable Dyneema fabric, this pack performed exceptionally well during our abrasion test. It showed only slight fuzzing and no holes or broken threads. 

Even when used as a packable fanny pack, it maintained its structured shape, which speaks to the material’s resilience. The Dyneema fabric does an excellent job of hiding wear and tear, ensuring the pack stays looking new for a long time. Additionally, it was easy to clean with a simple scrub and a bit of soap. 

The zipper showed no signs of snagging or blowouts, even when overpacked, and was smooth and easy to operate with one hand. The sewing and seam taping were surprisingly polished, rivaling larger manufacturing facilities, despite the pack coming from a small, independent maker.

Features

Not every pack needs an extensive list of features, and the Ultralight fanny pack embraces simplicity. True to its name, this pack focuses on cutting weight rather than adding extra features.

Constructed with durable Dyneema fabric, it includes a water-resistant zipper and fully taped seams, which made it highly effective during both our rain and submersion tests.

A unique feature of this pack is the sublimation process used by High Tail Designs, allowing vibrant designs to be printed on the Dyneema fabric. Not only are you supporting local artists, but it gives the pack a more fun, stylish look rather than the typical techy appearance.

While the Ultralite excels in performance and design, one notable downside is the lack of a keeper strap for the waist belt, leaving any excess webbing dangling loosely. Despite this small flaw, the pack remains a solid, lightweight option for minimalists seeking simplicity and durability.

Organization

The Ultralight fanny pack offers minimal organization, featuring just one envelope-style security pocket inside its open main compartment. This pocket is ideal for keeping small items like IDs and bank cards separate from your larger essentials, such as snacks and sunscreen.

With only 1L of capacity, there’s not much room to clutter the pack, so you won’t find your items lost at the bottom. While this lack of complex organization may not suit everyone, it’s perfect for those who prefer a simple, streamlined design. The pack’s small size encourages careful packing, keeping everything easily accessible and in place.

Should You Buy the High Tail Designs Ultralight Fanny Pack?

For ultralight hikers seeking a compact storage solution or a trail wallet that also doubles as a stylish accessory for urban outings, the Ultralight Fanny pack has a place in your gear collection. While it comes with a premium price tag considering its small size and limited features, the durability and high-quality craftsmanship make it a worthwhile investment, especially if you plan to use it for multiple seasons. The pack offers a variety of color and pattern options, allowing you to express your personal style while on the trail or around town.

However, it may not be the best choice for those looking to carry more than the essentials on longer hikes. While it functions well as an everyday carry option, there are more affordable alternatives available for those seeking a simple, urban fanny pack.

If you prioritize weight savings and durability, this pack is a great choice.

What Other Fanny Packs Should You Consider?

Below are some options similar to the Ultralight by High Tails Designs that made it to our guide to the best hiking fanny packs.

Atom Packs – The Roo Review: If you love supporting small makers and are looking for a unique, durable fanny pack with a bit more storage than the Ultralight – check out the Roo from Atom Packs. Made from fabric offcuts, each pack is unique, but the Roo Re is available in all black for those who prefer a subtle look. 

ThruPacks Eco Summit Bum Review: Long-distance hikers looking to add a fanny pack to their kit may want to check out the Summit Bum by Thrupacks. While capable of being worn as a classic fanny, it also easily attaches to the hip-belt of backpacks. It remains in the same price range as the Ultralight, doesn’t sacrifice weatherproofing, and has a 2.5L capacity.

LiteAF Featherweight Review: What if your backpack doesn’t have a hip belt? This is where the Featherweight shines. An ultralight pack with a bit more versatility, the Featherweight can be worn as a classic fanny or attached with Sliqclips to provide accessible storage on ultralight backpack designs. With a lower price tag, it sacrifices durability using a lighter fabric. If you take good care of your gear, the Featherweight is a solid choice.