The Best Way to Easily Carry Your Phone, Keys and ……
Where’s the best place to hold your keys while running? Years ago I put my keys in my pocket and somewhere along a wooded trail, they fell out. Since then, I’ve always tied my car key into my shoelace. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work if you want to run with your smartphone as well. The issue is further complicated if you want to carry energy gels, money, driver’s license or anything else. The bottom-line is, my quest has continued in search of a solution to easily carry my phone, keys and more. Finally, there’s a solution that meets any runners’ needs.
I recently found and tested what I feel is the best solution,a Running Belt Pack . This belt is not just for runners. Hikers, bikers and skiers can also comfortably wear and secure their keys, smartphone, wallet, credit cards, cash, driver’s license, energy gels and more, while working out.
Exercise belts that allow you to attach small water bottles typically have a small pouch, that’s insufficient to carry a phone and a protein bar. Putting these necessities in your jacket or running shorts’ pockets isn’t desirable because it’s either not comfortable or the pockets aren’t big enough. A few running belts with lightweight pockets have hit the market the last few years, but in my experience, they rip too easily if you try to carry too much. Bigger, more durable bags may be okay for cyclists, but are not appropriate for runners because they are uncomfortable.
These days there’s no escaping the need to carry a smartphone while running. People want to listen to music or podcasts. Additionally, there’s a growing use of mobile apps like RunKeeper, Endomondo and others that track mileage, pace, heart rate and other vitals. The market demands a comfortable, spacious and durable pouch that won’t interfere with your athletic activity.
My Field Test of the Running Belt
I started wearing my running belt about 3 weeks ago and I’ve worn it on every outdoor run since (I run on hotel treadmills about 2 times/week). I can easily fit my iPhone or any other smartphone inside one pocket. Since the pouch is stretchable, I believe it will hold big phones.
Just one pouch can easily fit a protein bar, keys, money and my id. I tested this on a few runs and haven’t noticed any tearing. Besides durability and storage space, my other concern is comfort. The problem I’ve always had with water belts is that they ride up my hips. I’ve been able to correct this problem by attaching my belt to my shorts with clips (kind of “Rube Goldberg” type of fix). The running belt is easily adjustable, so I was able to get it to fit snugly around my waist. To my delight, the belt doesn’t slip (up or down) on my hips when full of my gear. In fact, I didn’t even notice the additional weight of the belt.
Features of the belt
- Two stretch phone holder pouches
- Quick-release buckle – super simple to get on/off
- Reflective pouch zippers
- Headphone grommets – great if you don’t have cordless/Bluetooth headphones
- Fits Waist Sizes 26″ through 44″
- Fits iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6, Samsung Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy S6, and other smaller smartphones
Overall summary….get the running belt
I really enjoy this belt. It meets all of my needs. It’s durable, comfortable and has plenty of room for my smartphone, keys and energy gels. Finally, I can run with my iPhone and use my newly purchased wireless headphones to catch up on podcasts. All while I use my exercise tracking app, Endomondo (I’ll be writing a review of this app in future blog posts). My recommendation is to give a Running Belt a try, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
You can purchase a Running Belt from Amazon
