I'll Never Ski Without This Lightweight, Spacious Fanny Pack Again

As a lifelong skier, I know what I need to thrive on the mountain. Comfortable snow pants, a warm jacket, and anti-fog goggles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to crucial gear for a solid day on the slopes. But during my two decades of skiing, I've never bought a carry-all bag.

Over the years, I've somehow stuffed my phone, lift ticket, wallet, lip balm, energy bars, sunglasses, and beanies into various zippers of my ski jackets, fully knowing that a small backpack would more conveniently hold everything. I just haven't prioritized adding a bag to my go-to gear. And now, I'm glad that I didn't, because I found something even better than a ski backpack: a fanny pack.

When State Bags offered to send me a spacious fanny pack two weeks before my planned Vermont ski trip, it felt meant to be. The Lorimer Fanny Pack is larger than an average crossbody bag and made of waterproof nylon, making it ideal for snowy conditions. So, I decided to ditch my typical stuff-every-pocket-full method and give the hands-free bag a try — and to say that it made a difference in my ski experience would be an understatement.

To buy: statebags.com, $85

With an adjustable strap and clip waistband, you can fit this fanny pack (which comes in black, navy, and olive) comfortably to your body. I situated mine across my chest, where it stayed secure over my coat all day long. Unlike a backpack, which you need to take on and off to unzip, having this bag on my chest made everything inside easily accessible. I was able to conveniently slip out my phone to look at the trail map and apply lip balm while waiting in lift lines.

The amount of items this fanny pack fits inside its two zippered pockets is seriously impressive. I packed two sandwiches, a bag of carrots, a hat, my phone, a face mask, hand sanitizer, tissues, my ID, my debit card, my vaccination card, and lip balm. You would think with so much inside, it would have felt heavy on my chest, but this fanny pack was so lightweight, I truly forgot I was wearing it when I was skiing. The back also features an exterior slip pocket which I stuck my phone in for easy access when I was taking a drink break in the lodge.

It's hard to believe that it took me this long to add a bag to my ski gear, but now, I'll never hit the slopes without this game-changing fanny pack again. Plus, I've also worn it while running errands around NYC, and the convenience factor is just as helpful on the city streets.

Trust me when I tell you, your skiing or snowboarding experience will go so much more smoothly with this bag on your chest. Snag the multi-purpose, spacious fanny pack for yourself at State Bags, and never deal with smooshed sandwiches or an overloaded jacket again.