Bottom Line
This cozy hip-hugging or shoulder slinigin buddy is pretty awesome. Because it’s small, we wear it a lot in the front country. The KAVU Spectator is a well-constructed belt bag that excels at carrying essentials for travel, festivals, and casual outings.
Its 600D polyester fabric offers solid durability, and the structured design ensures it retains its shape. The 2” wide waist strap and padded back make it comfortable to wear, whether around the waist or as a sling.
Like all bags, the Spectator is not for everyone. Its 0.5L capacity is extremely limited, making it more of a wallet-on-a-strap than a versatile pack. Additionally, it lacks waterproofing, so it’s not ideal for staying out in wet conditions. Despite these limitations, its affordability and aesthetic appeal make it a great option for those looking for a stylish and practical small pack.
For those who need more storage or weather protection, other options in our guide to the best fanny packs may be a better fit.
How We Tested
The KAVU Spectator came in handy in place of a purse during airport travel to keep essentials separate and accessible. We tested abrasion resistance with 160-grit sandpaper, ease of cleaning, stain resistance, and water resistance with rain simulation and a dunk test. This pack was worn on urban bike rides, dog walks, and some short hikes around the Boise foothills.
Quick Specs
KAVU Spectator
Best Budget Everday Carry Fanny Pack
CleverHiker Rating: 4.3/5.0
Price: $25
Measured Weight: 4.6 oz.
Capacity: 1 L
Pros
- Stylish
- Lots of color options
- Great for travel
- Comfortable, curved shape
- Padded back
- Wide strap
Cons
- Low capacity
- Not weatherproof
Comfort
With its 2” wide waist belt and back padding, the Spectator by Kavu is one of the top scorers in this metric. The pack’s sleek design hugs the body and doesn’t shift or ride up, even with vigorous movement.
The Spectator is very structured, which helps it maintain its aesthetic look even while carrying the lightest loads. Although it’s advertised as a waist pack, we find it just as comfortable to wear as a sling.
While we don’t have many complaints concerning comfort and fit, the padded mesh back doesn’t offer much ventilation. It gets sweaty on longish hikes and is slow to dry. KAVU does offer a strap extension as an additional accessory, but the standard size is narrower than other fanny packs on our list.
Durability
Constructed from durable 600D polyester fabric, the Spectator is a sturdy and reliable belt bag.
During our abrasion test, the heavy-weight fabric held up well, showing some pilling from 160-grit sandpaper but without compromising its integrity or causing any thread breakage. While the bag might not retain its pristine appearance over time, its functionality will remain intact for years.
As a well-established bag-maker, KAVU’s craftsmanship is evident in the clean construction of the seams and zippers, which performed flawlessly during testing and were easy to open with one hand.
Although tough and resilient, the fabric lacks waterproofing and is slow to dry. Dirt is a bit more challenging to remove, and despite testing a darker color, we’ve got some permanent stains. Lighter color options will likely require more care to maintain their appearance. Otherwise, the Spectator is a durable, long-lasting choice for everyday use.
Features
The Spectator is designed for simple, everyday carrying. Its limited features prioritize comfort and style over technical performance. At just 0.5L, it’s more of a wallet on a strap than a full-fledged fanny pack, but it excels at providing hands-free storage for essential items.
The 2” strap is comfortable, with slack keepers on both sides to keep the ends neat, while the padded back ensures a body-conforming fit for added comfort. The zippers are curved across the body, allowing for easy, one-handed access to your belongings.
One downside is the lack of waterproofing. Unfortunately, the Spectator won’t keep your essentials dry in wet conditions. During our rain simulation and dunk test, moisture made its way into the pack, and it took about a day to dry out completely. That being said, it makes a great, sleek pack to wear on sunny hikes or while traveling.
Organization
With two zippered compartments, the Spectator offers practical organization for your essentials. The smaller front pocket is perfect for car keys and chapstick, while the larger main compartment can comfortably hold a smartphone and wallet. The dual zipper on the main section ensures easy, one-handed access to your belongings. With a 0.5L capacity, it’s clear this bag is meant for minimal storage.
Due to its compact size and body-hugging design, items inside the Spectator will sit tightly against each other. When used as a travel pack, we found that even with multiple items in the main pocket, accessing a single item often required emptying the pack entirely. As such, it’s best to keep your packing to essentials when using this bag. While ideal for light and everyday use, the Spectator may not be the best choice for those needing to carry a lot of items.
Should You Buy the KAVU Spectator?
The Spectator is a sleek and stylish belt bag best suited for holding essentials. We see this pack as more of a travel wallet, jogging fanny, festival bag, or as a simple everyday carry.
KAVU’s seasonally changing color options and retro-inspired design of the Spectator will appeal to all types of hikers. With the second-lowest price tag on our list, this bag will be a great investment if you plan on using it a lot and won’t cause buyer’s remorse if you don’t.
If you love the Spectator’s look but want more storage, KAVU offers a variety of bag and style options. However if you’re looking for something to add to your long distance backpacking kit or for inclement weather hiking, you might want to keep shopping.
What Other Fanny Packs Should You Consider?
Maybe you want something a little more bigger or more rain-ready? Check out some other comparable options below from our best fanny packs gear guide:
Patagonia Black Hole Mini Hip Pack Review: If you like the sleek design of the Spectator but want a bit more storage, look no further than the Black Hole Mini Hip Pack by Patagonia. You’ll be paying a bit more for the additional 0.5L of storage, but the Mini Hip Pack actually cuts an ounce of weight without sacrificing durability. It still provides a close-body fit, with the added bonus of being packable for travel.
Gossamer Gear Bumster Reveiw: The Bumster offers nearly three times the storage at half the weight of the Spectator. With an understated design, the Bumster still looks at home in front-country environments like city walks and concerts. It offers a bit more weather protection, making it a more practical choice for use on trails. Even with the additional storage and coated fabric, it still has a wallet-friendly price.
High Tail Designs – The Ultralite Review: For those eyeing the Spectator for the variety of designs and color options, check out the Ultralite by High Tail Designs. Not only will you be able to choose from colors, patterns, or artist collaborations – but you’ll gain storage and drop base weight. The Ultralite is made with Dyneema, so it will be ultra-durable. The price does reflect the premium nature of this product, but you’ll get the added bonus of supporting a small, US-based bag maker.
