Gossamer Gear Bumster Fanny Pack Overview

Backside Line

The Gossamer Gear Bumster impressed us with its light-weight sturdiness and flexibility. With a wonderful weight-to-capacity ratio, it affords nice worth and earned a stable spot on our checklist of our favourite climbing fanny packs. This pack served us effectively in a wide range of eventualities, from airport journey and canine walks to city bike rides and sunny day hikes across the Boise foothills.

Whereas the material offers some waterproofing, it received’t hold your ins and outs dry in notably moist situations or on soggy hikes. 

The Bumster doesn’t supply many storage choices, and its lack of construction can have an effect on the usability and luxury when packing bigger, hard-sided objects. 

Nonetheless, its tender form makes it simply packable, rolling up neatly for journey or spontaneous outings. Regardless of these minor limitations, the Bumster stays a stable, purposeful selection for these looking for a light-weight and adaptable fanny pack for on a regular basis adventures.

How We Examined

The Bumster proved helpful on a Mississippi River hike to stash fossils and rocks and on day hikes within the Boise foothills for snacks, water, and canine luggage. It additionally got here in helpful throughout airport journey to maintain necessities separate. We lab-tested abrasion resistance with 160-grit sandpaper, ease of cleansing, stain resistance, and water resistance with rain simulation and a dunk take a look at.

Consolation

The Gossamer Gear Bumster is a flexible and adjustable fanny pack that stays safe throughout dynamic actions, making it very best for a wide range of out of doors actions. What units it other than many others on our checklist is its intensive adjustability, with a waist belt starting from 14” to 48”, permitting it to suit a variety of adventurers.

Whereas it lacks padding, the Bumster’s unstructured design is modern. It comfortably conforms to the physique with out including pointless bulk and affords a minimalist but purposeful really feel.

Nonetheless, the mid-sized capability and unstructured form do current some challenges. Bigger objects, corresponding to a 16oz water bottle, match inside however could cause the pack to turn out to be cumbersome and awkward. For heavier masses, the pack can really feel uncomfortable when worn across the waist, because the 1” strap could dig in. In these instances, sporting the Bumster as a sling can assist alleviate discomfort and distribute the burden extra evenly.

Regardless of these drawbacks, the Bumster stays a wonderful choice for these looking for a light-weight and well-fitting pack; we frequently attain for it for brief hikes.

Sturdiness

Constructed with sturdy 70D Robic nylon created from recycled supplies, the Bumster stands up effectively to each put on and the weather. The zippers transfer easily, and the pack is well-constructed, with bolstered stitching for added sturdiness. Regardless of testing a lighter colorway and dragging it by grime, the pack cleaned up simply with minimal effort, exhibiting no noticeable stains.

Throughout our abrasion take a look at, the material exhibited some pilling however held up impressively effectively, with no damaged threads or compromise to its construction. Whereas the general building is stable, there have been a number of free threads in some areas, indicating that the stitching may very well be a bit cleaner.

Nonetheless, the stitching itself remained safe in high-stress areas.  With its sturdy materials, ease of upkeep, and budget-friendly value, the Bumster is definitely worth the funding.

Options

The Gossamer Gear Bumster is a sensible mid-sized fanny pack, designed with simply sufficient considerate options to boost usability. The highest-access predominant compartment has a curved zipper across the prime and is straightforward to entry one-handed. On the again, a zippered safety pocket retains valuables near the physique, providing peace of thoughts throughout lively use. The pack’s material has a weatherproof coating, permitting it to face up to mild rain in our simulations. 

Nonetheless, it did soak by throughout submersion and retained water for 2 days afterward, indicating restricted waterproofing. The stash pocket is a considerate characteristic, however we discovered it tough to entry whereas sporting, and on one very hot, lengthy hike, sweat seeped by and dampened our telephone.

Whereas the Bumster lacks superior options like hydration compatibility or long-term rain safety, it excels as a easy, purposeful pack at an reasonably priced value level.

Group

The Bumster prioritizes affordability and light-weight design over intensive group, making it a stable selection for hikers preferring a minimalist method. The primary compartment affords ample area, with a break up mesh pocket and a key clip to maintain small necessities like playing cards and keys organized.

The total-length zipper offers quick access to your gear, minimizing any fumbling if you’re on the transfer. A zippered stash pocket alongside the again provides an additional layer of safety for valuables, although it’s not the best choice for quick-access objects in the course of the hike.

The shortage of construction limits the usable area if packing hard-sided objects, however carrying tender objects like an ultralight rain jacket lets you take full benefit of the pack’s 1L capability with out sacrificing consolation.

Ought to You Purchase the Gossamer Gear Bumster?

For base-weight-conscious hikers in want of further storage, the Gossamer Gear Bumster affords a powerful weight-to-capacity ratio. It’s a wonderful addition to backpacks that lack a waist belt or hip pockets. The safe match makes it versatile sufficient for high-impact actions like operating.

The pack’s understated design additionally makes it appropriate to be used as a competition carry or journey bag with out drawing an excessive amount of consideration. With its reasonably priced value, the Bumster serves as an excellent “entry-level” pack for these inquisitive about incorporating a fanny pack into their gear however not sure of how typically they’ll use it.

Nonetheless, if you happen to plan to hold heavier objects or often hike in difficult climate, chances are you’ll wish to discover packs with extra padding and extra options. Bigger hikers may also discover the waist-belt adjustability considerably limiting. For these with minimal load and average wants, although, the Bumster stays a stable, budget-friendly selection.

What Different Fanny Packs Ought to You Think about?

To see the total lineup of our prime picks, head over to our examined and reviewed information to the most effective climbing fanny packs of the yr.

Atom Packs – The Roo Overview: The Roo from Atom Packs is a superb different in case your solely criticism concerning the Bumster is waterproofing. With the identical liter capability, the Roo can also be a extra structured pack created from ultra-durable Ecopak material. Count on the next price ticket, because the Roo is taken into account a premium product.

Cotopaxi Bataan Del Dia 3L Overview: For those who love the unstructured vibe of the Bumster however require extra storage capability – the 3L Bataan Del Dia by Cotopaxi can be a wonderful selection. Doubling the capability does double the burden. Nonetheless, the pack nonetheless holds a powerful weight-to-capacity ratio, particularly with it solely costing a number of extra {dollars}. 

Patagonia Black Gap Mini Hip Pack Overview: The Black Gap Mini Hip Pack is a stable substitute for hikers most inquisitive about a pared-down pack for holding necessities. This 1L pack is in the identical value vary because the Bumster and is supplemented with the backing of Patagonia’s ‘Ironclad Assure’, making it an excellent worth.