WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection: Not Your Typical Fanny Pack

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The WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection is yet another product designed based upon input from customers. This “community-designed” collection is perfect now that the summer heat has arrived. Available in two sizes, it can be used as either a hip bag or as a sling bag. I don’t see using it as a hip bag (AKA fanny pack), but I do love a good sling.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

Raina and I recently purchased small, light backpacks for hiking. They are a great way to carry what needs to be carried without weighing down our pockets. There are, however, times when you don’t want or need a backpack but still don’t want to stuff your pockets with a wallet, a phone, some headphones, keys, etc. That’s the perfect time for one of these new WaterField Hip Sling Bags.

The WaterField Hip Sling Bag collection includes “upscale practical packs with interchangeable straps that offer the versatility of either a belt bag or a trendy crossbody.” There are three sizes available to carry the minimum up to an iPad plus essentials. The bags are made of premium full-grain leather and waxed canvas or ballistic nylon.

The regular Hip Sling Bag is available in a compact or full size for $169 and $179, respectively. The Mini Hip Sling Bag is just $89. Each item in the WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection works equally as a hip bag or a small sling bag. The smart design means contents stay in place whether the bag is held horizontally or vertically. The double zippers allow easy access to contents regardless of how the bag is being carried.

A plush-lined pocket stores eyeglasses, double zippers allow multi-angle access, and an innovative strap system fastens with a self-finding magnetic Fidlock buckle. All three sizes share the unique features of a gold water-repellent liner that makes it easy to locate items, moisture-wicking padding on the back for comfort, high-quality metal hardware, waterproof zippers, and a 12-inch leashed key fob that keeps keys safely tucked in their own pocket and extends far enough to allow keys to be used without detaching them from the bag. For ultimate flexibility, users may choose from two hi-tech, easy-to-adjust straps: a waist-only or an adjustable waist-to-sling strap.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

The Hip Sling Bag is made from your choice of either 1050 Denier Ballistic Nylon or Waxed Canvas; both have full-grain leather accents.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

The compact size measures 10″ (l) x 2.25″ (w) x 7″ (h). It weighs 0.7 lb and has a capacity of 2.5 Liters.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

It can hold an iPad Air 10.2” and similarly-sized tablets, a Nintendo Switch Lite, a small camera, glasses, a Travel Wallet (medium), and a small notebook.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

The full-size Hip Sling Bag measures 13″ (l) x 3″ (w) x 8.5″ (h). It weighs 1 lb and has a volume of 5.4 Liters.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

It is large enough to hold everything the compact version holds as well as an iPad Pro 11” or similarly sized tablets, a Nintendo Switch with Joycons light jacket, and a light jacket.

Of course, if you need something even smaller, you can check out the Mini Hip Sling Bag we’ll mention later in this post.

The 1.5” wide shoulder straps are wide enough to not cut into your skin, and the availability of two strap lengths means you’ll get the right fit regardless of your height or girth. But while the bag stays put while you wear it, WaterField also designed it in such a manner as to make it just as easy to take off as it is to put on. This is accomplished thanks to a self-finding magnetic buckle that locks into place, the use of a quick-adjusting webbing-length cam lock, and a quick-release pull. All of that comes together to make clear that WaterField does truly design their products based on what consumers actually NEED.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

Other features include:

  • Moisture-wicking padding on the back for comfort.
  • Plushly-lined pocket to stores eyeglasses.
  • Padded tech compartment fits for tablets.
  • The front pocket holds quick-access items like a phone, pen, earbuds, etc.
  • Long tethered key hook.
  • Gold, water-repellent liner makes it easy to locate items.
  • Premium full-grain leather front panel comes in various colors.
  • Vegan-friendly options: all-ballistic nylon, all-waxed canvas.

WaterField Mini Hip Sling Bag

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

The Mini Hip Sling Bag measures 11.5″ x 0.75″ x 5.5″ and weighs a quarter of a pound.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

Thanks to a pleated design that expands the bag’s capacity by 50%, it holds 0.78 Liters. Made for 1050 Denier Ballistic Nylon or Waxed Canvas, it has a full-grain leather accent.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

The Mini Hip Bag is small enough to fit under a coat but large enough to carry your essentials like a phone, sunglasses, or headphones. Inside, it has WaterField’s traditional gold textile lining, so items stowed inside are easy to find.

WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection

Other features include:

  • A 12-inch tether with a key hook.
  • Two interior pockets separate keys and sharp items from scratching other contents.
  • Secret zippered pocket in the back for cards & ID.
  • The back is lined with sweat-wicking mesh.
  • Waterproof zippers with double zipper pulls for accessing right or left, up or down.
  • Vegan-friendly options: all-ballistic nylon or all-waxed canvas.
  • This bag can be inserted into bigger bags.

The small size of the Mini Hip Bag makes it perfect for running around this summer.

I love the fact that this new collection was designed based on input from customers. It reflects WaterField’s commitment to creating the products people actually want and need.

As company owner Gary WaterField explains,

The great thing about involving customers in our design process is that we gain insights we otherwise wouldn’t. Thanks to them, the new bags present a refined look. WaterField has incorporated padded iPad compartments in two of the sizes, and they include a flexible strap system—all of which really differentiate these from other hip bags.

One of the things I love about WaterField products is that over the many years we’ve been covering them, their quality has stayed the same or gotten better. They’ve never been one of those companies to establish themselves and then begin cutting corners to save money or increase the bottom line rather than maintain the commitment to producing a quality product at a fair price. These are an example of that.

Here’s a quick video look…

You can check out all of the new WaterField Hip Sling Bag Collection on the company’s website.

 

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.