How big a waist bag do you need?

The waist bags here come from Nike, Palladium, adidas, Puma, New Era, Jansport, CAT and more. They are made for small daily items such as a phone, keys, cards or a wallet. Size is the first choice to make.

• Mini, about 1 litre: the Nike Heritage Crossbody and Heritage Retro are both listed as Small, 1L. The New Era Cord Mini and Micro bags are compact too.
• 3 litres: the Nike Heritage Waistpack (3L) has a main compartment for your phone, snacks or wallet, plus a small accessory pocket on the back.
• Roomier packs: the Connect Fast is 3.8 L and the Jansport Swing is 4 L, and the Mintra Waist Pack measures 34 x 13 x 11 cm.

Waist bags for running, rain and travel

adidas made its Sport Waist Bag to run or train hands-free. Its zip pocket has a long puller loop for keys and cards. The Puma Phase adds reflective elements, and the Puma Deck has a reflective band and is made from 50% recycled materials.

For wet days, the Under Armour Summit Trail uses UA Storm water-resistant technology and has elastic cording to stash a jacket or a water bottle. Palladium's Outdoor Waist Bag is made from water-repellent nylon, and the Puma Phase and Plus use water-resistant fabric.

Around the waist or across the body?

Several waist bags here work both ways. The adidas Linear Bum Bag and the Palladium Ny 02 are listed to wear around the waist or across the body. The Nike Heritage Crossbody has an adjustable strap with several carrying options. CAT bags close with a quick-release buckle.

If you want one bag for phone, keys and wallet, start with the Nike Heritage Waistpack (3L). Runners should start with the adidas Sport Waist Bag or the Puma Phase. You can also compare cross bags, men's bags or women's bags.