The best running belts | Tom's Guide

Oct 22, 2024

The best running belts allow you to keep all your essentials in one place while you train

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Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise—just lace up a pair of the best running shoes and hit the roads or trails. But one thing I’ve always found frustrating is figuring out how to carry essentials like keys, a phone, or gels securely and in one place. That’s where the best running belts come in handy.

Whether it’s house keys, hydration, energy gels, a credit card, your phone, or even sanitary products, every runner has items they need to bring along. As a female runner, I often find that running shorts either lack pockets entirely or have pockets that aren't spacious enough to store my essentials, so I’ve come to appreciate the convenience of a good running belt.

But not all running belts are the same, and it’s important to choose wisely. When shopping for a running belt, consider a few key factors: Does it fit comfortably and securely around your waist? Will it stay in place without bouncing as you run? Are the pockets easy to access mid-run, and can they hold the items you plan to carry? If you’re a runner who logs longer miles, you might also want a belt that can accommodate extra hydration or nutrition without adding bulk.

During our testing of multiple running belts, these are all things we took into account. We've selected a mix of belts we thought stood out from the rest, ranging from very minimalist designs to belts that can carry essentials for bigger mileage. Keep reading to see what running belts made our list.

Best overall

Best overall

The Lululemon Fast and Free Belt might be more expensive than others, but you get what you pay for — this belt does not budge, even when you’re picking up the pace.

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Best for hydration

Best for hydration

The Camelbak Flash Belt proved to be one of the best belts during testing, especially if you’re marathon training, or running in the summer and need to carry water with you.

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Best for marathon training

Best for marathon training

We liked that this belt had two insulated water bottles, which better helped distribute the weight across our hips. We did have to readjust, but this is a good belt for long-distance runners.

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Best budget

Best budget

The Spibelt fits well and during testing, we had no issue with the running belt sliding or moving around. Even while using this running belt for faster sprints, it stayed put.

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Best runner-up budget

Best runner-up budget

The Flipbelt is one of the most popular running belts, and for good reason. Firstly, it's available in several different colors, but also it’s offered in several sizes for a more secure fit.

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Our expert review:

With Lululemon getting into the running world (check out our review of the Blissfeel running shoes here), it only makes sense that they would make a running belt for those of us training for longer races. The Lululemon Fast and Free Belt might be more expensive than its competitors, but you get what you pay for here — this belt does not budge, even when you’re picking up the pace.

During testing, I found this running belt really lives up to its name during faster sessions — I felt fast and free, and was able to run without feeling restricted, or weighed down by my belt. It was my favorite low-profile belt for most runs. For longer runs, I found I was able to hold my iPhone 11, a couple of gels, and my keys in the belt, but there wasn’t much room for anything else, and there was no option to carry hydration here.

The downside with this belt is that it’s a snug fit getting your phone in and out of the belt — I found if I tried to pull my phone out mid-run, everything else in the belt would come with it. This wasn’t too much of a problem for me — I’m the kind of runner who zips my phone away and forgets about it, but if you’re a runner who loves to stop for a mid-run selfie, you might find this irritating.

Our expert review:

The Camelbak Flash Belt proved to be one of the best running belts during testing, especially if you’re marathon training, or running in the summer and need to carry water with you. The belt comes with a 17oz Camelbak water bottle, which has double-walled insulation to keep your water cool for longer as you run.

Running with the Camelbak Flash Belt is easy — you can adjust it to the correct size, and the belt is one size that fits most. The straps are adjustable, and it's one of the more forgiving belts I've worn — many belts won't fit bigger sizes without feeling tight, but the Camelbak Flash Belt adjusts to fit larger sizes. Even when the water bottle was full, I had no issue with the belt bouncing or moving on the run.

The belt holds hydration, fuel, and a cell phone, but only just — the main drawbacks are that the pocket size is limited, and it might be big enough to hold some larger smartphones. During testing, I found it could hold my iPhone 11, two gels and a credit card, but if you’re a runner who doesn’t travel light, this might not be the belt for you. It’s also slightly heavier than other belts on the market, but in my opinion, the heavier weight is a trade-off for the belt’s ability to carry hydration. This proved to be my favorite belt, especially when I hit the trails, but if you’re a super-speedy runner, it might not be the running belt you reach for on race day.

We liked that this running belt had not one, but two small insulated water bottles, which better helped distribute the weight across our hips. In addition to an adjustable clip in the front, this running belt has two elastic cinches on each side, so you can get a snugger fit if you feel the belt slipping as you run. It was easy to adjust; we were able to tighten it without breaking our stride. As a bonus, you can also use these elastic cinches to hold gels.

The two water bottles also fit securely in their holsters, but were equally easy to remove — and put back in their place — mid-stride. We're not convinced of the necessity of the bottles being insulated, but at least the insulation is reflective, which made us more visible to traffic in darker conditions.

In between the water bottles is a padded, double pouch; the inner, zippered pocket was spacious enough to hold an iPhone 14 Pro, while the outer pocket — secured by a strip of Velcro — is big enough for several gel packs.

We ran with the Nathan Hydration belt for several hours, and aside from having to tighten it a few times, found it to be very comfortable and barely noticeable.

Our expert review:

The Spibelt is the original running belt — it’s been worn around runner’s waists since 1970, and is still topping the lists of the best running belts to buy. That said, when I first unpacked my Spibelt, I thought, “is that really going to hold my cell phone?” The belt looks like a thin pocket with an adjustable strap, and is far more compact than a lot of the other belts on this list.

That said, the zippered pocket expands a hell of a lot more than you think it will. I was surprised that I was able to hold both my iPhone 11 with a bulky case but I would worry it won’t fit some of the larger smartphones on the market with a case. Thanks to the adjustable waistband, the running belt can be tightened or loosened to fit securely — once you find the right fit for you, the Spibelt fits well and during testing, I had no issue with the running belt sliding or move around. Even while using this running belt for faster sprints, I had no worries about it bouncing against my lower back as I ran.

The drawback with this belt is that it’s pretty simple — there are no options to attach hydration bottles to it, and the size might be limiting for runners with larger phones, or lots to carry. If you are heading out on a longer run or hike, check out the best hydration backpacks here.

Our expert review:

The Flipbelt is one of the most popular running belts, and for good reason. Firstly, it's available in several different colors, but what makes the Flipbelt unique is that, instead of an adjustable band, it's offered in several sizes, so you may need to try on several of them to decide which size fits your waist most securely. Of course, the downside with purchasing by size, with no adjustable feature, is that if you lose or gain weight, you'll have to buy another size.

When out running, the Flipbelt stays secure — during testing, we had no issue with the Flipbelt moving or bouncing on the run. I also found it can hold a lot more than you think — I was able to fit several gels, an iPhone 11 with a case, a small water bottle, keys, and nutrition in the belt, and there was still a little more room for say a hairband, credit card or lip balm. Flipbelt even offers accessories, such as compatible water bottles and lights, so you can tailor the belt to your needs.

Fit A good running belt will fit snugly without feeling restrictive and it won't bounce around as you take your strides. Some brands will offer different sizes of a belt meanwhile others offer adjustable straps, allowing you to tailor the fit to your body.

Storage: Think about what things you personally need to take on your runs. If you like to bring hydration on your runs then look for a belt that holds water bottles. If you like to carry lots of little items such as lip balm, tissues, keys then you might like a belt that has more than one pocket so that you can store things separately. On the other hand for the minimalist runners, there is no point in buying the biggest and best running belt if you don't need the extra storage.

Durability

If you want a running belt to last you long then you are going to want one that is made from suitable and durable material. A running belt sits around your body so it should feature similar sweat-wicking and breathable tech like your running clothing offers. You are also going to end up wearing it in a number of conditions so look out for waterproof material and keep your essentials protected from the elements.

Specific running goals

If you're new to running or you simply prefer shorter distances, a lightweight belt with minimal storage may be enough for essentials like keys and a phone. Alternatively, long-distance runners or marathoners might prefer belts with more storage capacity for gels, snacks, and hydration bottles to sustain them over longer periods. Meanwhile, if you're into trail running, a durable, weather-resistant belt with multiple compartments can help store items like a small first aid kit, map, or energy bars.

To understand the capabilities of each running belt on this list, we went on several different runs while wearing each of them to see how they performed during easy runs, and hard efforts. We looked at whether the running belt was easy to adjust for a secure fit against the waist, and how much it bounced against the back during a run.

We also tried packing the belts with a number of different items you’d want to carry on the run. For example, we tried all of the belts with an iPhone 11 with a bulky case, as well as a number of different gels, snacks, credit cards, keys, and a lip balm, to see how much room there was to spare.

We then looked at the little things — how easy it was to adjust the straps on the belt, how easy it was to remove your phone mid-run, and the overall weight of the belt when packed.

A running belt is a belt that has been specifically designed to be comfortable when running or hiking. It'll have pockets for your stuff, and sit comfortably against your waist without bouncing. A fanny pack might fit this brief, but they have not been designed for this purpose, and might not be as sweat-wicking, fast-drying, or easy to clean.

The ideal place for your running belt is on the front of your body, on the widest part of your hips, however it's often down to personal preference. If, on race day, it's easier to wear your belt on the back to prevent it covering your race number, that's fine, as long as it's pulled tight, fits well, and isn't bouncing against you as you move.

First of all, buying a quality running belt made from moisture-wicking fabric will help to prevent this. I learned the hard way after buying a $10 belt online. During a hot day, I wore it underneath my shirt on a run, and it ended up causing my belly button to blister after just one use.

This leads to the second point, you can also wear the belt over a layer of clothing to create a barrier between your skin and the belt and reduce the chance of irritation. Or, apply an anti-chafing balm or petroleum jelly to areas where the belt might rub, such as around your waist or lower back.

Yes, you can wear a running belt during a race, and many runners prefer it as a minimalist way to carry essentials like gels. However, it's important to check the race's rules and regulations, as some events may have specific guidelines regarding gear, though running belts are generally permitted.When choosing a running belt for a race, make sure it fits comfortably, doesn’t bounce, and has easy access to whatever you need while running. Many belts are designed to stay snug around your waist, so you can focus on your race without distractions. Just make sure to test it during training to ensure it works well for you.

This is a purely personal decision, depending on what fits you best - some runners hate having anything around their arms, and others can't bare a running belt around their waist. That said if you're hoping to carry more than just your phone, a running belt might be the better option, as they often have a larger capacity.

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