Lorain, our Guide to DIY Fashion, posts that fanny packs are utterly unfashionable and her commenters generally agree. Mini-backpacks are the thing nowadays. I still wear a fanny pack with water bottle holder for some walks, especially ones I do for speed but need access to water. Taking off your fashionable mini-backpack to take out your water bottle is going to be inconvenient and you'd be likely to skip drinking far past the thirst point, risking dehydration.
What I want to discourage is carrying a water bottle in your hand. Every physical therapist I've spoken to says that is a set-up for a repetitive strain injury of your shoulder, elbow or wrist. It is very important to keep water handy to drink while walking, but don't risk injury or make drinking inconvenient. Dare to be unfashionable if a water-carrying fanny pack is your easiest choice. Or, try the Aquaclip to clip your water bottle to your waistband.
By the way, your British friends would call them "bum bags" as fanny means something very different to them!
Photo © Wendy Bumgardner
Gotta agree, Wendy!
If carrying your water is going to cause a kind of stress injury, it’s best to be unfashionable than get hurt. I’ll sacrifice my feet for a cool pair of heels every now and then, but you’d better bet I’m kicking those suckers off under my desk at every opportunity.
Our Guide to Vintage Clothing just posted about the comeback of the geek look, so I think we’re in luck!
Good to hear that going geek may be in! I’m more of an old-school backpack kind of guy. I try not to load it with too much junk, but if I’m gonna be out and about for awhile, I gotta have my stuff.
-Arthur
I like fanny packs. I’m sad they’re “unhip”. But I do appreciate the hydration backpacks. They are a lifesaver!
Oh man! I always carry a water bottle in my hand. I switch hands. Does that count? lol. And I walk only three miles a day. heavy sigh.
I don’t want a bottle banging at my side. Guess I need to investigate a cool holster.
Definitely invest in a Camelbak for those who don’t fancy the fanny pack.
I have started training to walk a half-marathone, for a fund raiser. I went shopping for fanny packs to hold two bottles and some energy sncakes ang goo. The one I used for hiking came too far around the waist so that I had to keep my elbows out when walking. I tried on several of the packs that have the two bottles at a slant, making extraction easy. However, I found that the tops of the bottles hit me in the kidneys. So I ended up with a pack that has the bottles more straight up and down, but do not interfere with kidneys or elbows. It is actually very comfortable. It is a now discontinued version of the Naviti Hydration Waistpack. I am very happy with it as it has a wide padded and webbed (wicking) waistband, pockets on the waistband to hold music player and keys and emergency rescue inhaler, and a loop for my sweat rag. This will get me through my first-ever half marathon quite well.
Wendy, 7/16 as I was watching the Today show while on my treadmill they showed what is called a “wine-cooler.” It is a plastic bag with a sipper. The bag is worn under the clothing. There’s even one for beer! I think the one for wine would work for water for walking or running. Most likely the info. could be found on line.
Pat
Fanny Packs do not need to be unhip!
I love my Happy Cow fashionable Fanny Pack it is very easy on the eyes, extremely practical and handmade from recycled leather!