In recent years, fanny packs have come back into hiking fashion in a big way. I think anyone who hiked in the 80's is rolling their eyes and thinking I told you so, but I digress! Long gone are the days when fanny packs are dorky. They're quite practical, very versatile and often times make a ton of sense to wear with a backpack on hikes! Today I'm reviewing one I've been wearing lately for Utah adventures; the 2.5L SwitchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear.

A lot of ultralight backpacks don't have hip belts, so folks are using a fanny pack in the place of a hip belt. This is how I've been wearing the SwitchPack by CTUG. I keep all the little bits of gear I commonly use in it, along with my camera. It works out well. Off trail, the 2.5L SwitchPack also makes a nifty little cross-body bag for kicking it around town.

Below you'll find out where the 2.5L SwitchPack truly shines, and where it may fall a bit flat.

Quick Rundown of the 2.5L SwitchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear

• X-Pac (VX21) with water-resistant zippers
• Volume: 2.5 liters
• Weight: 5.2 ounces
• Main compartment is spacious and zips
• 6 pockets, including one large zip pocket on the front
• 55 inch strap can turn this fanny pack into an external pack attachment or can be extended to use as a cross body bag

My Experience with the 2.5L SwitchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear

Over the past couple months I have been hiking extensively in eastern Utah and have been wearing the 2.5L SwitchPack by CTUG. My LiteAF backpack doesn't have a hipbelt, but I like to have a handful of items within reach without having to remove my backpack, so the SwitchPack is a great solution to this. It's ultralight, a Goldilocks size and offers a fair bit of water-resistance for when times get wet.

This fanny pack has one main compartment and six pockets. The internal pockets are small and nice for keeping things like memory cards, batteries and chapsticks organized. The outer zip pocket is also nice. I like to keep trash in there. The back mesh pocket is kind of pointless because it's loose. I've never found a reason to actually use the back pocket.

The back pocket is the inside part of the 3D Spacer Mesh that optimizes comfort and breathability of the SwitchPack. For comfort purposes, this all works out great, and I do find it to be remarkably breathable. I'm very rarely left with a sweaty patch under the SwitchPack. Even when I seriously load it up.

I love the long straps on the SwitchPack. Usually I wear this piece as a low slung front fanny pack, but when I need to do more technical maneuvering, I tighten the straps and spin the pack around 0r to the side. I've strapped it to the outside of my backpack before when I don't feel like having it on my hips. Of course it makes a nice sling for errands too off trail. Because it's so durable, it's able to handle whatever you're getting up to!

The size of CTUG's 2.5L SwitchPack is pretty darn versatile. It can hold everything you'd want within arm's reach, including a small camera. If it's not holding much gear, it does not feel clunky, but goes unnoticed, which is awesome.

If you have a snack explosion in the SwitchPack, this is a very easy to clean piece and can be wiped down. I've found the durability of the pack to be wonderful! It can scrape against granite, sandstone and barbed wire without ripping or snagging. After about 200 miles on trail, my 2.5L SwtchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear still looks (mostly) new.

If you're fanny pack curious, this is a great one to check out. It's lightweight, comfortable, durable and comes in at a competitive price for high quality UL gear.

2.5L SwitchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear: Pros and Cons

The 2.5L SwitchPack by Chicken Tramper Ultralight Gear is a versatile, ultralight pack. Check out the pros and cons below to see if it’s right for your adventures:

Click here to learn more about the 2.5L SwitchPack by CTUG!

My review is independent of the supplier and reflects my own opinions. Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission if purchases are made through those links at no additional cost to you.