Go further. Stay found. Keep your phone where you need it on the trail.
Backpackers depend on their phone for navigation, weather, and emergency communication. The problem is every carrying option either buries it in a pack or leaves it bouncing in a hip belt pocket. The KOALA 2.0 by HANGTIME was built to solve that.
Why It Matters
What backpackers actually need from a phone solution
The Honest Comparison
KOALA 2.0 vs. every other option backpackers use
| Option | Security | Accessibility | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOALA 2.0 Harness | Bungee tether keeps phone on your body — even on technical terrain | Chest-mounted, one-handed access, no digging through a pack mid-trail | Best overall for backpacking |
| Hip belt pocket | Phone can bounce out on rough terrain or scrambles | Requires stopping, unclipping the hip belt, and digging around | Inconvenient when you need it most |
| Top lid pocket | Secure but completely inaccessible while moving | Requires dropping your pack every time | Safe storage, zero usability |
| Shoulder strap pocket | Phone can work loose on steep descents | Awkward reach, limited to small phones | Better than nothing, not good enough |
| Leave it in the car | Safe from the trail, useless on it | No navigation, no emergency calls, no photos | Not an option in the backcountry |
How It Works
Built for the backcountry. Not the trailhead.
The KOALA 2.0 uses a Super-Grip silicone pad and bungee tether to keep your phone locked against your chest — accessible while you move, secure on technical terrain. No pack to dig through, no hip belt to unclip every time you need to check your GPS.
One-handed access means you can pull up a topo map, snap a summit photo, or call for help without stopping. Featured in The New York Times as an essential piece of outdoor gear.
Where It Works
Day hikes. Multi-day routes. Thru-hikes. All of it.
Weekend backpackers use it to navigate without stopping. Thru-hikers use it to document the journey without slowing down. Mountaineers use it because their phone is their emergency device — and it needs to be reachable, not buried under a rain cover.
Works over a base layer, a fleece, or a hardshell. Fits virtually all smartphones without a case. 2,040+ reviews from hikers, climbers, and paddlers who've put it through real conditions.
Common Questions
Everything backpackers ask before buying
Ready to Hike Smarter
Stop digging through your pack. Start moving.
The KOALA 2.0 ships free on orders over $50. 100% no-worries warranty. 2,040+ five-star reviews from hikers, climbers, and paddlers who've put it through real conditions.
Shop KOALA 2.0