Most savvy travelers would consider fanny packs to be a fashion tragedy. However, a lot has changed, and there is a new breed of hip purses that can offer you the ease of a pack with the look of a clutch. The Escape is a small, faux-patent leather clutch-style bag with a removable and adjustable waist strap and a handy clip that hooks over a belt or your waistband. The purse is small and works best to just carry your money, ID and a lipstick. Unfortunately, my passport did not fit without some folding. I preferred carrying the purse as a clutch most of the time, and clipping it to my belt when I wanted my hands free. While I thought the bag’s concept was good, the construction was poor. Sadly, for a purse that retails $22, it looked more like a purse you could find for half that price at most malls. (www.hippurse.com) — Deborah Dimond, Art Director
Kelly Moore Kelly Boy Bag
As much as I loved the feminine stylings of the Kelly Moore B-Hobo Bag (see above), there were some instances where I didn’t always want to carry a purse. The Kelly Boy Bag, with its unisex messenger-bag style, was much larger than the B-Hobo Bag; in fact, I’m certain I could have placed my small 13.5-inch laptop inside of it, too, along with my SLR camera (the bag also comes with a removable laptop divider). The Boy Bag can even carry a lens up to 10 inches in length. The removable Velcro dividers were ideal for compartmentalizing the bag’s interior capacity, and the padded strap was also much appreciated, especially when my load started to increase. As with the B-Hobo Bag, however, I wish the bag itself were a little lighter; by itself, this bag weighs a hefty 2½ pounds. $199. (www.kellymoorebag.com) — Deanna Ting, Senior Editor
Pacsafe MetroSafe 250
The MetroSafe 250 shoulder bag, also from Pacsafe, offers all the security features of its sister bag, the VentureSafe 300 but, to me, it seemed to look a little more like a traditional daypack. The front pocket, while smaller and lower, had a much wider zip-around mouth, making it easier to insert odd-size objects and to find my perpetually lost keys and passport. The tradeoff, however, is that the bag’s main opening is narrower so, overall this bag feels like it holds a little less than the other bag. Both are large enough to fit most magazines, an iPad or plenty of other items for a day spent on the road. If you or your clients are looking for a traditional-style bag that will probably hold its shape better over time, the MetroSafe 250 is the better choice. If you want the flexibility of a larger bag with more storage capacity, turn your eyes toward the VentureSafe 300. $69.99. (www.pacsafe.com) — Monica Poling, Online Editor