I have made it no secret that I was in search of the perfect way to transport my phone while I run. I’ve tried jackets with zippers, armbands, clips…nothing has been quite right. Until last Saturday, where I saw the Spibelt at a race expo.
At first I thought it looked pretty dorky; effectively it’s a fanny pack for running. But I tried it on at the urging of the rep, and immediately fell in love. First of all, the Spibelt looks small but holds a fair amount of stuff. I can easily fit a Gu, my Droid and my house keys in it without a problem. More importantly, between its small starting size and the stretchy belt material it uses, once it’s strapped on nothing is moving. Being able to run without being smacked by my Droid, or constantly adjusting an armband, is heavenly!
I have worn the Spibelt for every run since last Saturday, and it’s fantastic. Once I get it adjusted with the pack at the small of my back, I honestly forget it is there. There’s little to no bounce, the elastic straps are comfortable, and my phone stays snuggly and safe while tracking how far I’ve gone. While it requires a bit of twisting, it’s not terribly difficult to pull my phone (or a Gu, keys, etc) out of the pack while it is still on my waist. Best of all, the Spibelt comes in multiple colors. I picked eye searing green not because I love neon, but because I figured it made me marginally more visible in low-light situations.
Spibelt offers a number of styles, including reflective and waterproof belts. I opted to go with the traditional Spibelt, but if you need something more heavy-duty they offer that as well. And if you’re truly fashion-conscious, the Spibelt is small enough that you can tuck it under your shirt, so no one has to know you’re wearing a high-tech fanny pack!
Seriously, I can’t say enough great things about my new Spibelt. Amusingly, I had several friends over last Saturday, all of whom were in the race on Sunday, and I was excitedly telling them about my great new purchase … at which point two of them told me they owned and loved their Spibelts too! For $19.95 for the base model, you really can’t go wrong giving these a shot!
Spibelts can be purchased direct from the company
MSRP: $19.95 to $29.95.
What I Like: Transports a lot of stuff without movement and bouncing; comes in bright colors that add visibility; great build quality
What Needs Improvement: Sort of dorky looking (but so am I!)