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Best bum bags to buy in 2024

The 90s called – bum bags are back in a big way. We round up the best of the bunch.

By Alice Cruickshank | Last updated Dec 20, 2023

Woman wearing a leather bum bag

Whether you wear yours boldly across your body or stick to the conventional way of clipping it round your waist, there’s no denying that bum bags are incredibly useful.

The bum bag has shaken its slightly frumpy, ‘practical’ reputation to become a popular alternative to a handbag for many occasions. A good bum bag will serve you well while you’re out walking the dog or exploring a new city or at a festival. And it’s handy for stashing bits and bobs (and snacks) in for the school run, leaving your hands free to deal with little ones.

If you’re looking for the perfect option for your needs - whether your focus is on practicality or style - we’ve rounded up the best bum bags below.

Here are the best bum bags to buy in 2024.

1. Best overall bum bag: LuluLemon Everywhere Belt Bag 1L

Lululemon - Everywhere Belt Bag 1L

Price: RRP £38 | Buy now from LuluLemon

Key specs

Size: 19 x 5 x 13 cm | Material: Nylon

What we love

  • 1 litre volume means you can store a lot inside

  • Available in a range of colour

What to know

  • A little on the pricey side, but many Mumsnetters will argue it's a price worth paying for a stylish, robust and spacious quality bum bag

What Mumsnet users say

“I just got a really good one from Lululemon. I’m really pleased with it - plain black, some different pockets, just the right size.” Recommended by Mumsnetter TawnyPippit

Our verdict

Once you start enjoying the convenience of a good bum bag you’ll never want to stop using one, and we love this option from Lululemon for its everyday versatility. The minimal design and black colourway is stylish enough to dress up for days out and holiday adventures, yet the secret internal pocket and waterproof exterior mean this bum bag is practical too.

Although we love the black bag for its versatility, the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag is also available in a range of different colours too, so your bum bag can be as muted or as loud as you want it to be - electric lemon, anyone?

2. Best budget bum bag: Wandf Waist Bum Bag

Wandf bum bag

Price: RRP £9 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Price: 27 x 16 x 15 cm | Material: Polyester

What we love

  • Low price means this is a great buy for those who are not bothered about designer labels

What to know

  • Limited colour choice

  • Puts practicality over style

Our verdict

With its sturdy design and multiple zip pockets, this Wandf Bum Bag offers great value for money. There’s plenty of room for all your essentials as well as interior and rear zip pockets to keep valuables safe. As an added bonus, there’s an earphone hole; a useful option for both running and travelling.

The neutral colour options might not be the most inspiring, but at less than £10, this spacious and versatile bum bag from Wandf is a bargain.

3. Best bum bag for festivals: Eastpak Springer Money Belt Bum Bag

Eastpak Springer bum bag

Price: RRP £16 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Price: 8.5 x 23 x 16.5 cm | Material: Polyester

What we love

  • Great price

  • Hard-wearing and will see you through many years of festivals

What to know

  • Not as big as other bum bags on our list - but should be big enough to hold the essentials

Our verdict

A good bum bag is a festival essential and Eastpak’s compact Springer Money Belt is a fun and colourful option you’ll use for years to come. Just like its iconic backpacks, Eastpak’s bum bags feature a resilient polyester exterior, available in a range of colours.

This isn’t the largest bum bag out there, but this money belt is just the right size to hold your valuables and leave your hands free for dancing (and/or holding a drink!). The main pocket will fit festival must-haves such as hand sanitiser, sun cream and sunglasses, while the hidden back zip pocket will keep money and debit cards safe and easily accessible.

4. Most versatile bum bag: Kipling Abanu convertible crossbody

Kipling Women's Abanu Multi Cross Body Bags

Price: RRP £35 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Size: 13 x 19 x 8 cm | Material: Synthetic

What we love

  • Can be worn around the waist, over the shoulder or across your body, depending on your mood

  • Available in different colours and sizes

What to know

  • Best used as a day-to-day bag rather than being dressed up for a special occasion

What Mumsnet users say

“I have this one [...] can be converted into a shoulder bag as well.” Tried and tested by Mumsnet user chipsandpeas

Our verdict

If you are looking for a versatile bag that can be adapted according to your outfit, mood and occasion, then the Kipling Abanu convertible crossbody is the one for you.

Deceptively small, the Abanu has a two litre capacity and features twin main compartments, inside and outside pockets and a handy removable shoulder strap, allowing you to switch between practical bum bag and cute crossbody. But make no mistake, despite it's small appearance, the Abanu is a hard-wearing bag. And yes, of course it comes with the signature Kipling monkey!

5. Best bum bag for travelling: Dakine Hip Pack

Dakine bum bag

Price: RRP £24| Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Price: 23 x 13 x 8cm | Material: ‎Polyester

What we love

  • Budget-friendly price

  • Good choice of colours and designs

What to know

  • Not the most stylish or fashionable bum bag around

What Mumsnet users say

"Dakine make lovely patterned ones" Recommended by Mumsnetter BarchesterFlowers

Our verdict

Bum bags are useful for keeping your passport and phone to hand at the airport, and the Hip Pack from Dakine is stylish enough that you’ll be happy to wear it on holiday too.

What marks this particular bum bag out as a handy travel accessory is its fleece-lined front pocket, specifically designed to keep sunglasses safe and scratch-free. There’s also a small inner zipped pocket suitable for keeping cash and cards to hand. Dakine’s bum bags come in a wide range of colours and patterns, so why not get one each for all the family?

6. Best dog walking bum bag: Doggone Good Rapid Rewards Deluxe Bag

Doggone Good bum bag

Price: RRP £35 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Size: 19.4 x 18 x 4.4 cm | Material: Polyester

What we love

  • Specially designed to make life easier for dog walkers

  • Zip-free to allow for easier access

What to know

  • Different shape to a normal bum bag

What Mumsnet users say

"I have a Doggone Good treat bag which has loads of room for treats, poo bags, ball and a handy zipped pocket at the bag for my phone & keys" Rated by Mumsnetter JohnCusacksWife

Our verdict

Take a leaf out of a professional dog walker’s book, and start using a bum bag when out with your pooch. Doggone Good’s Rapid Rewards pouch and belt features a roomy main compartment for holding dog treats as well as a rear pocket to keep your phone and keys safe. There’s no awkward zips either, with the drawstring and magnetic closure offering quick access and there’s a handy poo bag dispenser in the side pocket.

The short, deep shape might be a little less comfortable than a standard bum bag, but as a specific option for dog walking, the Rapid Rewards pouch is a great buy.

7. Best running bum bag: MyCarbon Running Belt with Water Bottle Holder

My Carbon running bum bag

Price: RRP £15 | Buy now from Amazon

Key specs

Size: ‎25.2 x 14 x 3.8 cm | Material: Nylon

What we love

  • Easy storage for all your running essentials

  • Good budget option

  • Waterproof

What to know

  • There are better-looking running bum bags out there

Our verdict

Keeping hydrated is essential when out running, and this clever bum bag from MyCarbon has a handy water bottle holder that can be tucked away when not needed. As well as a compact main compartment with three sections, this runner’s belt bag has a secure key toggle, a headphone hole, and a rear mesh pocket.

While the black nylon exterior might not win any style awards, the reflective strips are a useful safety feature, and the waterproof exterior will keep your valuables dry.

8. Best designer bum bag: Mulberry Utility Postman's Buckle Cross-Boarded Grain Leather Belt Bag

Mulberry Utility Postman's Buckle Cross-Boarded Grain Leather Belt Bag

Price: RRP £580 | Buy now from John Lewis & Partners

Key specs

Size: 17 x 23 x 6 cm | Material: Leather

What we love

  • One of the most stylish bum bags out there

What to know

  • Pricey!

  • Leather requires maintenance to keep it in top condition

If you are a connoisseur of designer bags, have you thought about adding this sleek little bum bag (sorry, belt bag) from Mulberry to your collection? Crafted from cross-boarded grain leather, this bag is built for function, with two roomy zipped pockets providing more than enough space for all your essentials, but it is stylish enough that it can be dressed up to suit almost any occasion.

As you can expect from a leather bag with an eye-watering price attached, it does require some maintenance to keep it in great shape. Mulberry recommends investing in a quality protective leather gel or spray to improve water resistance and keep the bag from being damaged by dirt and moisture.

How to choose the best bum bag

Bum bags are a popular fashion item right now, which means you’ll find them for sale pretty much everywhere. Knowing what you intend to use your bum bag for will help you make the best choice. Are you after something practical for dog walking or running? Or would you like something you’d wear with pride on a city break or at a festival? The number of compartments and the overall size of a good bum bag is up to you, although we recommend making sure you nab one with at least one internal zipped pocket to keep items like cash, cards and keys easily accessible.

What can you fit in a bum bag?

Bum bags might look compact, but often you can fit more than you’d think inside! At the very minimum you should be able to fit in your bank cards, keys, phone, and other out-and-about essentials like a small bottle of hand sanitiser. Larger bum bags will even fit a small water bottle, sunglasses, sun cream and make up inside too.

How do you wear a bum bag?

The name ‘bum bag’ might be a bit misleading, as the current trend is to wear it sash-like across your chest. However, you might find it more comfortable and convenient to wear yours the conventional way – across your waist or hips. Look for a bum bag with an easily adjustable strap to provide the most options as trends come and go.

What is the best bum bag to buy?

A good bum bag should be spacious, versatile, and hardy enough for everyday wear. For that reason we’ve chosen the Lululemon Everywhere Belt Bag as our best choice to buy. We like its simple, stylish exterior and roomy pockets for a useful handbag alternative that works for both practical tasks and more dressy occasions.

How we chose our recommendations

We’ve thoroughly researched the bum bags you can buy, including evaluating trusted reviews from a range of reliable sources. Here's how we carefully selected our picks.

Recommendations from real Mumsnet users

The first place we always go to for recommendations is our Mumsnet community. We read hundreds of posts written by Mumsnet users, weighing up their reviews on the brands and bags they love or have put through their paces over the years. We then combined this analysis with ratings and comments from other sources before compiling our edit of the best bum bags for women.

Authentic customer reviews

We made sure to investigate insights from bestseller lists and other authentic reviews from a variety of retailer sites to decide which bags were truly the best buys. We’ve included a pros and cons list with each bag which lays out an honest evaluation of each one.

About the author

Alice Cruickshank is a content creator, with experience covering topics from parenting, business, fashion, and environmentalism. When she's not writing or making fun Instagram Reels, Alice works to inspire women to love their wardrobe and wear the colourful outfits of their dreams. You'll find her (and her vibrant wardrobe) at Styled by Alice and on Instagram.

Why you should trust us

We make sure we do our homework before we recommend any product. We’ve conducted thorough, extensive research, looking at lots of different bum bags before deciding on the best to shop.

We know that the best reviews are the ones written honestly and independently so we made sure we included bags loved by Mumsnet users at the top of our list.