INTRODUCTION

    Sometimes, you need a light and flexible way to carry multiple gadgets and gear other than in your pockets. This, my friends, does not mean you should use a fanny pack, however. Those were popular in the 90′s, which are, thankfully, long gone. So what ever will you do? Urban Tool presents their hipHolster, a multi-function pack that can be worn on the hip or over the shoulder, both with or without a leg strap. But will this too be relegated to the realm of Weird Al’s "White and Nerdy"? Or can a geek be fashionable and functional?

AT A GLANCE

    Certainly a worthy fanny pack replacement, the hipHolster is made of 80% polyamid and 20% lycra. This makes the pack both comfortable and flexible while remaining very light. It has a total of six pockets, on pen slot, and a velcro strap to secure the gear you need without looking like a real tourist with a total lack of fashion sense. I have to say that while wearing this pack, I got very few looks, and only questions from geeks who were keen enough to notice. Most people didn’t even seem to notice the holster strapped to my leg, even in heavy traffic areas (such as malls and supermarkets).

(all images link to higher resolution)

    The unit we received came in Urban Tool’s "fango" color (tan). You can also purchase the holster in black and a new limited edition camouflage. The stitching on the bag is tight and clean and the overall look is aesthetically pleasing. In other words, it doesn’t scream geek, it merely mentions.

    I really like the fact that Urban Tool not only included a large amount of strap with this holster, but that the clip design is well thought out. Once adjusted, if you clip the ends together, you will be hard pressed to get the strap to shift at all and thus eliminates future slippage in the process. The clip itself is strong and sturdy, locking tightly, but releasing easily.

    With a total of five front pockets and a pen slot, the hipHolster provides plenty of space for whatever you would like to pack around. The velcro strap is a great idea, and easily secures any cables (such as headphones) to the holster. Hiding inside the corner pocket is a removable Keyjojo (meaning an extendable key ring). Simply attach your keys to the ring, slide them up and then pull the bottom over and your keys are secured. I have a large set of keys and I must say that I barely noticed them once they were pocketed here.

    The included elastic strap can be removed and replaced depending on how you want to wear the hipHolster. Sliding through a small loop accented with the Urban Tool logo (found on the bottom of the largest pocket), the elastic band secures itself via a dual ring clasp.

    Looking to the back of the hipHolster, we can see the black neoprene and its secret velcro pocket. This pocket is so well hidden that if I hadn’t been feeling the back of the unit, I may not have noticed it at all. Taking up the majority of the surface area, you could easily store a wallet or passport here.

    Once your gadgets are hidden into the unique flexible pocket design, you can see the bulge, but it still doesn’t look bulky. In the example above, I have my XV6700 in the largest pocket, my Creative Zen Vision:M next with the headphones in the velcro strap, wallet in the secret pouch, and my keys in their appropriate place.

    Worn on the left side, the hipHolster seems conform to the body a little better, and the largest pocket doesn’t flap as much. The pants pocket access is still readily available too. As you can see in the image above, I don’t have the elastic leg strap installed. This doesn’t effect the stability of the holster, unless you plan on doing some jogging/running, in which case the largest pocket will flop around a bit.

    The hipHolster can be worn on either hip, and so here is the right side view. As you can see above, the elastic strap is at its end for my leg size and that my pants are folded over on the back, causing a little bit of rub.

    The least geeky, yet still as comfortable mode for the hipHolster is over the shoulder, messenger bag style. It’s not quite as easy to get at your gadgets in this configuration, but because of the unique pocket design, you won’t have to worry about others getting at them either. Weight management and comfort in any of these configurations is excellent.

THE DRAWING BOARD

    While not much can be done to lower its geek factor, the one thing that I would like to see changed is the elastic leg strap. It was just a little short for my thigh and thus chaffed a little as it folded over my pants. Other than this small inconvenience, the hipHolster was very well designed.

PURCHASING

    You can purchase Urban Tool’s hipHolster here for $49.99 USD.

PROS

• Multiple pockets
• Comfortable
• Can be used over the shoulder or on either hip
• Lightweight

CONS

• Folks will know you are a geek (but do you care?)
• Elastic leg band can cause issues
• Largest pocket isn’t as secure as it could be (when elastic is unused)

Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

What
do these ratings mean?

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OVERALL IMPRESSION

    Let’s be serious here, folks. If you wear this hipHolster, you will be making a statement. And that statement will politely say, I am a geek. Have and use a fanny pack? Do yourself a favor and dump it now. Then take your newly redeemed pride and snag one of these far more interesting and useful holsters instead. Your ego will thank you. Urban Tool’s hipHolster is an excellently made and designed product that will come in handy in a variety of situations. But we don’t recommend wearing it every day. After all, you do want to be hip, right?