FlipBelt Review – Excess Baggage Allowed

I am a Sweat Pink Ambassador, and I am participating in a Fit Approach campaign for FitBelt. I received a free product for the purpose of this review. Please see my Disclosure Policy for more information.

source: Colin Hayes – Guts Without Glory – The Resurrected Runner

I have a lot of baggage.

If you know me in real life, you’re probably nodding and smirking right now. But I’m not talking about THAT kind of baggage, thank you very much.

What I mean is that I don’t travel lightly. Not when I go on vacation, and not when I go for a run.

When I was planning this post, I was going to blame my excess baggage on my asthma. And it’s true – having asthma means that I can never just lace up my shoes and go. I always have to have my rescue inhaler with me. I learned this the hard way.

But that’s only part of the story. I don’t take JUST my inhaler along with me when I run. I take a LOT of stuff, especially on my long runs.

On a short run (less than 5 miles), I also take my keys, phone, earphones, lip balm, and water.

On a medium run (5-10 miles), I bring all of the above, plus at least 2 packages/baggies of fuel.

On a long training run (longer than 10 miles), I bring more fuel, depending on the distance. I also bring ibuprofen, headache powders, Imodium, band aids, tissues, and (if I can squeeze it in) hand sanitizer.

Whew.

Needless to say, I almost always run with some sort of fitness belt. Sometimes two. I’ve tried all kinds of belts – some with stretchy pouches and some with more structured pouches. On my first few group runs, I even rocked a fanny pack, because I’m awesome like that (and also because I didn’t know that fitness belts existed).

FlipBelt

I love trying new fitness products, so when Fit Approach gave the Sweat Pink Ambassadors the opportunity to review a FlipBelt, I was first in line. Seriously – if only I could run as fast as I hit “reply” on that email.

I was able to select a FlipBelt in any of the 9 available colors.

Almost all of my running gear is pink or black. But with so many pretty colors to choose from, I decided it was a good time for a change. I was torn between Violet and Neon Punch, so I let my 8 year old decide for me – she chose Violet. FlipBelts come in sizes, and I found the size chart on their website to be accurate.

What I Love About My FlipBelt

There’s a lot to love about the FlipBelt. Here are my top three things:

It doesn’t move. The FlipBelt doesn’t bounce, and it doesn’t ride up. FlipBelt.com explains that this is because it is a balanced, tubular waistband, not a pouch attached to a strap like typical fitness belts. One thing that drives me crazy about my other belts is that I can hear my Sport Beans (one of my go-to fuels) rattling around in the pouch. It makes me feel like a human maraca. But my beans stayed snug and quiet in my FlipBelt.

I also have one belt in particular that is constantly coming loose. I’m always tightening the straps and adjusting it during my runs, which is both an annoyance and a distraction. I love that my FlipBelt doesn’t slip down or ride up.

It holds my phone. My cell phone is on the large side, and I was skeptical that it would fit inside of a FlipBelt. I’m happy to tell you that I was wrong – in fact, it’s a really easy fit. I can slide my phone right inside and attach my headphones through one of the openings on the belt. It’s almost literally at my fingertips, which makes it easy to change the station or skip a song on Pandora. When my phone is in an armband, I have to use the touchscreen through the plastic cover, which can be a huge pain in the butt. Also, my arm chafes underneath my armband, especially when I slide it off & on more than once or twice. FitBelt = no chafing.

It holds lots of baggage. In addition to my phone, I can fit my inhaler, keys, and an entire first aid kit inside of the FitBelt. This baby is roomy.

Other Features

Here’s some other cool stuff about the FlipBelt, according to FlipBelt.com:

• 3M Quality Reflective Logo
• Machine washable & Machine Dryable
• EPA Certified, Odor Resistant, Pilling Resistant, Anti-Bacterial Fabric
• Moisture-Wicking Spandex-Lycra Blend

Room for Improvement?

The FlipBelt is pretty darn ingenious, so as far as suggestions for improvement? I don’t have any. It really is the standout among my collection of fitness belts. The only reason that comes to mind for why I might use another belt on a run is that the FlipBelt doesn’t hold a water bottle. And that’s not an actual issue with the product because the FlipBelt is not designed to be a hydration belt – so it’s not supposed to carry water. On a long run where I’m going to need to carry my own supply of water, I’m probably going to stick with my old hydration belt. But on a shorter run where I don’t need to bring water, or when one handheld bottle of water will suffice, I’m going to make good use of my new FlipBelt.

Want To See For Yourself?

From now until 9/7/14, you can save 10% off your entire order at FlipBelt.com! Just click here to order your FlipBelt and use the promo code sweat33 at checkout. You can also learn more about FlipBelt by following them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Do you have a FlipBelt? Or did you buy one after reading about it on a blog? I’d love to know what you think of it!