Runner’s Guide: Flip Belt

For me personally, one of the most important items to have while running, especially long distances, is some sort of belt or armband to hold my stuff.  In my regular, day-to-day life I’m one of those people that likes to be prepared, and have whatever I might need with me.  Not surprisingly, the same is true for me when I’m running.  I like to have access to a few important essentials, and I’ve been searching for the best way to carry them.

In comes FlipBelt.  It’s a belt that you wear around your waist and it has small slits in it so you can hold some tiny things – an ID, ipod, phone, etc.  I even managed to fit a small energy bar in there too.  At first glance it doesn’t look like it can hold much, but you’ll be surprised.

What’s even more surprising is how comfortable it is.  Even when it’s full of items, I don’t feel it on my person at all.  Not while I’m running, and not while I’m standing still.  It never slips around or anything like that and feels super secure!  You can flip it over to be certain that nothing will fall out (hence the name), or you can leave the slits facing out for easier access.  I personally always leave it unflipped to reach my stuff and I’ve never had a problem before!

The only thing I will mention is that it is a little tough to get items in and out of it while you are moving.  So if you’re looking for a belt where you can open it up and grab something out of it while you’re running, that’s something to be aware of.  I personally use a run/walk method, so it’s easy enough for me to get something from it while I’m walking.

They also make them in a variety of fun colors.  You can go with a classic color like gray or black, or get something bright and fun!  I’ve found that you can also wear it so your shirt goes over it if you don’t want it to be seen.  However, I think they look cool and would have no problem wearing it on top of your clothing either.

One of my favorite things about it, though, is that I found a second use for my FlipBelt besides running!  I wore it while I did the Hershey 10k, and it was great for that.  However, when we went into the theme park, I realized I forgot my “boy shorts.”  One of the frustrating things about theme parks is when they make you leave your stuff in a locker or by the side of a ride when you go on a roller coaster.  I don’t like carrying and leaving my purse around, so I bought a pair of shorts with big pockets to hold my cell phone, wallet, etc.  However, the FlipBelt worked really well for this!  I could wear it right on the rides and stash my cell phone, credit card, and ID in it without having to worry about anything falling out.  I’m sure I’ll wear it to more amusement parks in the future.