Gregory Rhune Belt Bag Review

Gregory is known for making high-quality backpacks and packs for hiking, backpacking, and travel, and the Gregory Rhune Belt Bag is no exception. It is a minimal, compact bag ideal for everyday use or special events. It offers a super comfortable and straightforward design with intuitive compartments and organization. Despite its minimal storage, it can still fit a good amount of gear, making it the perfect size for everyday adventures, festivals, and concerts. The bag could even function as a nice travel companion, providing easy access to essentials like a phone, headphones, hand sanitizer, and a snack (or two!) without being too intrusive.

External Components

The Gregory Rhune Belt Bag is made from recycled materials that feel comfortable and soft to the touch. It features smooth metal YKK zippers with a loop of cord covered in molded plastic at the end woven through the metal pulls. While they may initially seem slightly clunky, the grips make the zippers easier to grab and use. The bag’s compact form features minimal padding.

On the bottom are two attachment points with reflective webbing for visibility. While the reflective elements are a nice touch, they may not significantly enhance visibility due to their size. These attachment points are underneath the bag and remain out of the way when you’re not using them. In our testing, these are pretty sturdy and can hold small water bottles without any issues. However, due to the bag’s small size, hanging large or heavy gear from these points could be awkward and potentially uncomfortable.

The bag’s branding is pretty minimal, featuring just a simple logo on the front with minimal design in an off-black aesthetic. This subtle branding ensures the bag doesn’t draw unwanted attention, maintaining a low-key appearance. This can be a pro or a con, depending on your preference.

The bag features a wide strap with a large, sturdy plastic buckle that is easy to use. The strap does an excellent job of distributing the bag’s weight for a more comfortable experience. A tensioner system minimizes excess strap dangling while maintaining adjustability. The lack of dangling straps is always appreciated, especially when it is cleverly done like this. However, the strap is not removable, and the buckle’s fixed position on one side may be less convenient for users who prefer to switch the bag between shoulders. Despite this minor drawback, the overall design of the strap gives this bag a comfortable and functional carrying experience.

Fit Notes

The bag’s pill-like shape provides an intuitive design for storage. It feels like an expandable tube that can accommodate a decent amount of items, offering capacity and storage throughout the entire bag. Despite its functionality, the bag maintains a low profile, not protruding excessively or drawing extra attention.

This belt bag can function as a waist pack, a shoulder sling, or a crossbody sling thanks to its design and wide strap. It is incredibly easy to switch from one carry method to another. In our testing, we found that wearing the bag was comfortable both in the front and in the back, even with a jacket or a coat. The bag can be effortlessly slid to the front without compromising comfort or functionality under outerwear.

Inside The Bag

The Gregory Rhune Belt Bag has an intuitive interior designed with functionality in mind. A dark orange lining provides excellent visibility for gear inside, making it easy to locate items quickly. At the back of the bag, there’s a zippered pocket ideally suited for flatter items such as wallets or phones. While the single zip design can be somewhat inconvenient depending on your preference and desired side, it is worth noting that despite lacking any gusset or stretch, it can comfortably fit even larger devices like an iPhone 15 Pro Max with no problem. Because of its zippered design, this pocket can also work as a simple slip pocket for convenience when left open but can also be securely zipped for added protection.

The main compartment on the Gregory Rhune Belt Bag has a wide opening, providing a fantastic overview of everything inside. An expandable gusset design allows the bag to adapt to various gear without becoming too unwieldy. For additional organization, an internal slip divider pocket effectively separates and organizes items. A nylon leash in the top corner ensures easy access to keys clipped to a plastic carabiner. The remaining space in the compartment is pretty versatile, accommodating a variety of everyday items. This design creates an ideal space for storing essentials, keeping them within reach while maintaining a compact and manageable profile.

The Gregory Rhune Belt Bag is a versatile and super comfortable bag designed for everyday use and all-day events, and it keeps the essentials within reach while traveling. While you’ll still likely want a larger personal item bag for the plane, this is a great place to tuck your phone, wallet, keys, and earbuds, so you have them within easy reach at your seat. Since you can wear it on top of or under a jacket, it may be the perfect travel companion as you explore a new destination throughout your trip, as long as you don’t mind the lack of ambidextrous carry.