FannyPack: Belt Bag for Extra Hotbar Slots
Inventory management in Minecraft can quickly turn into a juggling act. Between tools, building blocks, food, and potions, the standard nine-slot hotbar often feels restrictive. The FannyPack: Belt Bag for Extra Hotbar Slots add-on provides a practical solution by letting players carry and instantly switch between multiple hotbar configurations without opening a backpack or chest. This mod is designed for players who want a clean, dependency-light way to expand their quick-access storage.
Core Functionality and Design
FannyPack introduces a wearable belt bag that occupies the dedicated belt slot provided by the Baubles mod. Once equipped, the bag grants access to an additional hotbar by default. The switching mechanic is straightforward: press the assigned hotkey, and the current nine slots are swapped with the next set. The default key is the backslash (\), but it can be remapped in the controls menu to suit your preference.
What sets this mod apart is its scalability. Each Nether Star consumed by the bag adds one more hotbar layer. This means players can build a multi-tiered inventory system, keeping separate bars for combat, construction, farming, or storage bags. The progression creates a meaningful incentive to explore the Nether and challenge the Wither, as the maximum number of hotbars is limited only by the stars you collect.
Required Components and Crafting
The mod requires Baubles as a mandatory dependency, as it provides the belt slot. The crafting recipe is resource-light and typically uses leather, string, and an iron ingot, though the exact composition may vary depending on the modpack configuration. The bag is available early in the game, making it a practical first upgrade for any playthrough.
Installation and Version Compatibility
FannyPack: Belt Bag for Extra Hotbar Slots for Minecraft is built specifically for Minecraft 1.10.2 and requires the Baubles mod to function. The installation process is standard: place the downloaded jar file into the mods folder and launch the game. However, for players managing larger mod collections, using a launcher that automatically resolves dependencies is recommended. Many launchers now offer one-click integration, which checks version compatibility and pulls in Baubles automatically, eliminating manual conflict resolution.
After installation, a new belt slot appears in the inventory interface. Equip the crafted bag there, and the hotbar switching becomes available immediately. The mod does not add complex configuration files, keeping the setup as simple as the gameplay mechanics.
Comparison with Traveller's Belt
Players familiar with Tinkers' Construct will recognize the inspiration behind this mod. The Traveller's Belt offered a similar two-hotbar switching system, but FannyPack improves on that concept in several ways. It operates independently of the large Tinkers' framework, making it a lighter addition to any modpack. More importantly, the number of hotbars is not capped at two. Each Nether Star expands the capacity, allowing for a genuinely layered storage solution on the player's belt.
Additionally, the use of the Baubles belt slot ensures compatibility with other accessories like rings and amulets. You can wear the bag alongside other functional items without sacrificing gear slots.
Practical Usage Tips
- Construction: Dedicate one hotbar to core building materials, another to tools, and a third to decorative blocks. Switching between them speeds up large builds.
- Cave Exploration: Keep weapons, torches, and a pickaxe on one bar, while reserving the second for food, potions, and emergency blocks.
- Farming: Separate seeds, bone meal, tools, and harvested crops across different bars to streamline mass collection.
- Storage Management: If you use storage bag mods, assign one hotbar to those bags for quick access to resources without cluttering your main bar.
Behavioral Nuances
When switching hotbars, the item currently held in hand is not dropped or reset until you manually select another slot. This allows you to keep a sword ready while cycling through panels to find potions. On death, the contents of the additional hotbars remain inside the bag, which either stays in your inventory or drops as a single item. Keeping track of the bag itself is essential, as losing it means losing all stored hotbar sets.
Final Verdict
FannyPack: Belt Bag for Extra Hotbar Slots is a compact yet highly effective quality-of-life mod. It solves the persistent problem of limited quick slots without adding unnecessary complexity. The Nether Star upgrade path provides long-term progression, and the mod integrates seamlessly with vanilla aesthetics. If you want to know how to install it, the process is simple: download FannyPack: Belt Bag for Extra Hotbar Slots, ensure Baubles is present, and drop the file into the mods folder. With modern launchers handling dependency checks, you can be up and running in minutes, spending more time playing and less time organizing your inventory.