The 5.11 Allhaula Waist Pack 2L is a compact, water-resistant waist/crossbody pack built from Tac-Lam-style 840D nylon with a TPU coating that handles drizzle, dust, and daily abuse like a pro. Over about three weeks of light hiking, errands, and dog walks, worn strictly crossbody, although it can also be used around the waist, it worked well as a small, everyday bag that was big enough for a large phone, slim wallet, keys, a small med kit, and snacks, but small enough that you aren’t tempted (or obligated) to carry more. Basically, this pack is a practical everyday essential for women who travel light and like to keep their hands free.
At-a-Glance Specs & What Matters
- Capacity: 2 L allows you to carry true essentials only, such as a phone, slim wallet, keys, passport, compact med kit, or snacks. Jackets and big cameras stay home or go in a bigger bag.
- Fabric: Water-resistant, easy-to-clean nylon with TPU-style coating is built to handle rain, dirt, and sticky messes, then wipe clean, which follows the same fabric philosophy as the Allhaula duffels
- Carry Options: Quick-release adjustable strap up to 50” is designed to run on the hip or crossbody
- Pockets & Layout:
- Main compartment with internal organization and gear loops
- Front zip pocket for quick-grab items
- Rear zip pocket for hidden valuables
- MOLLE webbing on side wings for modular add-ons.
- Intended Use: Light hiking, errands, travel, dog walks, and days when you just want your phone, wallet, keys, and a few extras.
Overall, this pack feels like a mini technical wearable duffel, not a fashion fanny pack which shows in both materials and behavior.
Test Methods & Conditions
- Duration: About three weeks of regular use.
- Activities: Light hiking on local trails, errands, and dog walks where it carried my phone and keys instead of shoving them in my pockets.
- Weather: Low 40s to mid-60s, mostly dry with some cool, damp mornings—no heavy storm testing, but enough moisture and grit to see how the fabric behaves.
- Carry Style: Strictly crossbody since I don’t really do traditional waist/hip carry. No pairing with backpacks or chest rigs for this review.
- Loadout: Large smartphone, slim wallet, keys, chapstick, compact med kit, and a couple of snack bars.
Unboxing & First Impressions
Out of the bag, the Allhaula Waist Pack 2L looks like a scaled-down technical travel bag, not a basic fashion fanny pack, especially in the sage green color. The shell has that slightly slick, structured feel you associate with duffels that live in truck beds and overhead bins, and it keeps its shape even when empty. Zippers run smoothly around the corners, with pulls that are easy to find by feel, and the branding is present but not overly bold, so it’s easy to pair with leggings and a hoodie without feeling like you’re wearing a billboard.
The pocket layout is great for daily use. The front pocket is perfect for chapstick, hand sanitizer, and receipts. Inside the main compartment, the internal organization and gear loops break up the “black hole” effect so keys, passport, and small tools don’t become lost in the void. The rear pocket is exactly where you want backup cards or cash when you’re in a crowd or moving through a city.
On first try-on, worn crossbody on a 5’6” athletic, slightly curvy frame, it sits flatter than expected and doesn’t immediately try to migrate up toward the neck or across the chest. It feels more like a small, structured organizer than a floppy pouch. I’m not sure how the fit would feel on someone with a larger chest circumference.
Rating: 8 / 10
Performance in the Field
In actual use, the Allhaula acts as a small, organized pack for your must-haves. With the typical essentials—phone, slim wallet, keys, and a protein bar or two—it never felt cramped or overstuffed. There’s enough structure that items are easily accessible, but not so much bulk that it feels heavy or awkward on your front.
Crossbody stability is solid. While walking, climbing stairs, stepping off curbs, or walking my dog, the pack stayed mostly planted where it was set. It doesn’t swing wildly or slam into your ribs with every step, which is a common failure point for smaller crossbody bags on female frames. On light hikes, it stayed out of the way when stepping over rocks or brushing through low vegetation.
Zipper access is easy and straightforward. I could grab my phone or keys one-handed without having to pin the pack down with my other arm while carrying groceries, and the ease of access to the front pocket naturally made it a place for small, frequently used items, which kept the main compartment nice and organized.
Within the tested conditions, weather resistance was more than enough. Cool, damp mornings and a bit of trail dust wiped off easily, and the fabric didn’t absorb moisture or show water spots. This isn’t a dry bag, but for everyday errands and light hiking, it performed exactly like a water-resistant pack should.
The limitation is predictable: if you try to treat it like a day pack, the pack’s limit is reached quickly. It’s excellent for carrying essentials, but not designed for all the “just in case” items that typically live at the bottom of a purse.
Rating: 8 / 10
Durability, Materials & Build Quality
The Allhaula family leans into durability, and the waist pack is no exception. The nylon shell and coating feel significantly tougher than the thin, fashion-oriented hip packs you see everywhere. Over three weeks of use—vehicle seats and floors, concrete benches, light brush, and the usual “toss it away” treatment—there were no obvious scuffs, loose threads, or areas where it started losing its shape.
Stitching is clean and reinforced where it matters: strap anchors, zipper ends, and MOLLE wings. The hardware feels more duffel-grade than purse-grade, which gives it that tactical feel. The side-release buckle closes with a reassuring click and doesn’t loosen on its own; the strap adjuster holds position instead of slowly creeping looser as you walk. Zippers glide smoothly and feel sturdy like you’d expect from a tactical piece.
It’s too early to declare lifetime durability, but the materials and early wear suggest this is a long-lasting pack. For women who tend to be hard on gear, that’s a big part of the value proposition.
Rating: 9 / 10
Comfort & Ergonomics
Comfort-wise, this is where a lot of small packs lose women. The Allhaula avoids most of the usual sins. Worn crossbody, it sits flat against the torso instead of sticking out like a lunchbox, which matters if you’re curvy through the hips and waist. On a 5’6” athletic/curvy frame, it rode comfortably just below the bust line without constantly creeping up toward the neck. I also wore it a bit higher up across my upper chest, which was just as comfortable since it stayed in place.
The strap length and adjustability work well for this size range. There’s enough room to run it over light and mid-weight layers, yet it cinches down without leaving a ridiculous tail on smaller settings. The webbing is soft enough not to dig into your shoulder but not so slick that it shifts with every move. The side-buckle placement keeps hard plastic off your spine, which you really appreciate when you’re leaning back in a car seat or on a bench.
Under light loads, no hot spots or pressure points were noted during errands or short hikes. Overpacking will always make a small bag more noticeable, but within its intended use, the pack remained in the background.
Women on the very petite or plus-size ends of the spectrum will want to pay closer attention to the 50” strap limit and where they like a crossbody bag to sit, but for my build, the ergonomics were great.
Rating: 8 / 10
Comparisons & Alternatives
Within 5.11’s own lineup, the Allhaula Waist Pack 2L is the minimalist sibling to the larger Allhaula duffels and cooler-style bags—a shared fabric story but scaled down to everyday carry. Compared to more overtly tactical sling packs and waist rigs in the line, it has a cleaner and more streamlined look which many women will appreciate for daily use.
Against classic outdoor-brand hip packs, the Allhaula is heavier and more structured, but this translates to a more protective shell that is easy to wipe clean. Those ultralight nylon hip packs win if you want something that compresses into a backpack pocket and weighs almost nothing. The Allhaula wins if your life includes dog drool, coffee spills, and dusty trailheads.
If you’re considering dedicated CCW waist packs, there are more specialized options with built-in holster pockets and faster draw access (consider checking out my review on the Athene tactical leggings). The Allhaula has enough interior space to house a micro/small pistol in a minimalist holster if you choose, but that use case wasn’t tested here and it’s not the primary design focus.
Who It’s For / Who Should Skip It
The Allhaula Waist Pack 2L is for women who want their essentials with them without committing to a full purse or backpack. If your essential items include a phone, slim wallet, keys, chapstick, small med kit, and maybe a snack, this pack is tuned for exactly that lifestyle—light hikes, farmers markets, Saturday errands, dog walks, travel days.
It’s especially compelling if you’re outdoorsy enough that your bag regularly encounters dirt, rain, and questionable surfaces. The ability to wipe the shell clean and not worry about harsh treatment is a big quality-of-life feature.
You should skip it if you’re a habitual over-packer who needs to carry extra layers, full-size water, or other large items. You should also look elsewhere if you know from the start that a 50” strap will be tight over your favorite winter coat—there are larger, more adjustable packs that will better suit your needs.
Value & Price-to-Performance
Sitting around the $50 mark at full price, the Allhaula Waist Pack 2L falls in the “technical but attainable” zone: more expensive than big-box fashion hip packs, but less than many premium outdoor-brand crossbodies. You’re paying for tougher materials, weather resistance, and reliable daily usability rather than trendy colors or designer logos.
If you’re going to use it several times a week—errands, light hikes, dog walks, travel—the cost is easy to justify. You’re effectively buying a small bag that keeps you organized, that doesn’t mind getting dirty, and that won’t blow out a zipper the first time you load it.
If you only wear a waist/crossbody pack twice a year, the value calculus changes; a cheaper, less durable option might scratch that itch. But for women who live out of a small bag, the Allhaula feels appropriately priced for what it delivers.
Rating: 8 / 10
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Tough, water-resistant shell that wipes clean easily
- Simple but genuinely useful organization with rear security pocket
- Crossbody-friendly shape that sits flat on a female frame
- Quick-release strap with side buckle keeps hardware off your spine
- MOLLE side wings add modularity without overwhelming the design
- Feels equally at home on trails and around town
Cons
- 2 L capacity limits carry to essential items only
- 50” strap limit may be marginal over bulkier winter layers on larger frames
- More structured and heavier than ultralight hip packs
- Not a purpose-built CCW rig, even though it can physically fit a small pistol
FAQs
Will it fit a large smartphone in a case?
Yes. The main compartment is sized with modern large phones in mind, leaving room for a slim wallet and other small essentials beside it.
Is the fabric actually waterproof?
It’s highly water-resistant and very easy to wipe clean thanks to the coated nylon shell, but it’s not a fully sealed dry bag. Prolonged or heavy rain can still get in through zippers and seams.
Can women wear it comfortably crossbody?
On a 5’6” athletic, slightly curvy frame, it rode comfortably and stayed put across three weeks of use. Very petite or very busty women may need to play with strap length and angle, but the flat body and side buckle help it sit well on most builds.
Does it work with a backpack at the same time?
Although this review didn’t pair it with a backpack, the footprint is small and flat enough that wearing it crossbody with a small or mid-sized pack should be workable, especially if you run the strap slightly higher on the torso.
Is it big enough to replace a full purse?
If your purse is already minimalist, yes. If your purse is an everything-bag with water bottles, notebooks, and “just in case” items, the Allhaula is better as a curated essentials pack, not a full purse replacement.
Care, Maintenance & Longevity Tips
Day-to-day, the Allhaula asks for very little. Most dirt, dog fur, and mystery gunk will come off with a damp cloth or wipe thanks to the coated shell. For a deeper clean, hand-wash lightly in lukewarm water with mild soap, rinse thoroughly, and let it air dry away from direct, harsh sunlight.
Avoid machine drying or blasting it with high heat; that’s what breaks down coatings long before the fabric itself fails. Try not to store it crushed under heavy loads for long periods, so the structure and padding don’t permanently crease. A quick periodic check of zipper pulls, strap stitching, and MOLLE slots will help you spot wear early and keep the pack in the rotation for years.
Rating: 9 / 10
The Verdict
If you’re a woman who likes to travel light but hates juggling a purse every time you leave the house, the 5.11 Allhaula Waist Pack 2L makes a very strong case for being your everyday small carry. It’s tough, easy to clean, and is a genuinely comfortable crossbody pack, with just enough organization to keep things tidy.
It’s not the answer if you need something to carry a water bottle, jacket, and everyone else’s stuff in a single bag, and women who need extra strap length over bulky winter layers will want to measure carefully. But if life is light hikes, random errands, dog walks, and travel days where you want your essentials secure and hands-free, the Allhaula is exactly the right fit.
Overall Rating: 8 / 10
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