Fanny Packs or Backpacks? Here at the Glitter Gang, we are all about those serious questions (JK). An essential part of every festival outfit is going to be some sort of bag. I am a woman who doesn’t wear a handbag in everyday life and yet when it comes to festivals even I can’t avoid having a bag with me to carry the nine hundred and one things it takes to have the best festival experience possible (earplugs, gum, chapstick, Pedialyte packets, charging pack, etc.).

It was only recently when I attended Escape Pyscho Circus with a friend of mine that I stopped to wonder which was actually the best bag to have, especially if you are cheap like me and are only going to buy one of the two. She wore a mini backpack both days, while I sported my trusty fanny pack and the sheer amount of stuff she had managed to fit into it. I won't lie it made me question my commitment to my fanny pack. I spent enough time thinking about it that it seemed worth it to break down the pros and cons of both bags for any festival newbies who may have been debating between one or the other.

I personally tend to lead towards the fanny pack. Yes, it doesn’t hold a lot less than a backpack, but there is something to be said for the convenience of being able to reach down and take out your things without needing to take the whole bag off. With a fanny pack, you also won’t need to worry about it bouncing around on your back when you dance, which can be annoying as all hell. Another benefit is that you can be confident that no one is going to be opening your bag and taking anything out while you aren’t paying attention. The only other downside is that it is really easy to accidentally have things fall out of your fanny pack while you are digging around for something in particular. I have lost many a good stick of gum because I was trying to dig out a tub of chapstick jammed in the corner of my fanny pack.

There are definitely a few things to recommend the backpack. First off, you can carry a ton of stuff. You don’t need to worry about picking and choosing every little thing you plan on bringing with you the way you do with a fanny pack, and as was mentioned previously, you are really unlikely to have anything fall out of your bag when you open it. The biggest downside with a backpack is that it is going to be a lot bulkier. Yes, you can find some cute, tiny little backpacks but they are still going to be bigger than a fanny pack.

Personally, I would suggest that you give a fanny pack a try before you go for a backpack, especially if you are a first-time raver. The fanny pack is going to be a lot easier to manage and one less thing to worry about during your first event. You don’t need the anxiety or the extra weight that comes with a backpack. I would also recommend the fanny pack for a first timer because it is most likely going to be the less expensive option. I have had my trusty fanny pack for over a year, and it only cost me about eight dollars. It fits everything I could need to bring with me and also forces me to be a little more organized and selective about what I carry with me. The size of the bag means I can really only bring what I need, which also means I am not carting around a million things that I don’t need all evening.

The final reason I would suggest that you go for the fanny pack over the backpack has to do with hydration packs. I like to rave solo as I have discussed in previous posts ( RAVING SOLO). When I go to events by myself, I am forced to be way more self-reliant which means taking care of my own water supply. For obvious reason’s I can’t wear a cute backpack with my CamelBak, which is why I lean towards a fanny pack. Even if you tend to rave with friends, I think it is always a good idea to have your own hydration pack, especially if you like to wander. Since you can’t really wear to two backpacks at a time, I would say we need to give fanny packs the win for the best festival bag.

If you have some sort of random vendetta against fanny packs and are only looking for backpacks, then I would suggest you buy a small one. Mini backpacks are incredibly cute, and the size restriction will have the same positive effect as with the fanny pack.

Well, I hope that this has been in some way helpful, especially if you have been on the fence about what kind of bag you need for your next event. At the end of the day, it is about what works best for you. If you don't want to carry a hydration pack, rock out a backpack, but if you're going to be a little more self-sufficient andf carry a Camelbak, I would go with the fanny pack. No matter which one you prefer, all that matter is that you have something to hold everything you need to get through the night. If you need any ideas about what should be going into your back check out the post of FIRST TIME FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS for a complete list of everything you need.