Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Product Review: SLS3 Dual Pocket Run Belt

From time to time here on the blog, I like to review a product. I know when I'm shopping for new gear, I always take a look around and see what people think. This sport can be expensive when you add up all the costs (so shhhhhhh, we just don't do that at my house!) so you want to make sure your money is well spent.

Occasionally, my status as a blogger whose blog gets read by either people in the sport, or bored and supportive family members allows me to review products I didn't have to pay for, and I always try to disclose that. This belt was sent to me by SLS3 to test and review. The opinions are honest and my own, though!

The first thing I notice was that the belt is very sturdy. I've had a couple of SpiBelt knock-offs that I could tell were going to wear out quickly. This is not a knock-off, and only similar to SpiBelt in that is is a zippered-pocket running belt. 
The blue and black option I received in the mail.

The belt has a wider waistband than a SpiBelt, about 1.5 or 2 inches in width, and a secure buckle that clicks around your waist. It's adjustable, but fit my 34 inch hips on the smallest setting without being adjusted. I could probably loosen it a bit. When I clicked it on, I could tell that the strong elastic in the belt was going to keep it in place, and I was right.


Close-up of the zipper pocket and wide waist band.


The biggest problem I've had with running belts, even my beloved FlipBelt, is that when I wear slick materials, such as lyrca leggings, the belt slithers up from my hips to rest around my waist instead. I don't like it being up that high, especially when I'm hot, sweaty, and want NOTHING touching my stomach. Also, that's where my leash belt rides when I run with my dog. The elastic in this band has enough tension on it that the belt stays where you clip it, for real. I liked that a lot.

The pockets are plenty roomy for my Nokia Lumia and the two separate pockets mean you can stuff your phone in one and keys in the other and not worry about scratches. Or, keep your nutrition separate so you don't drop your phone reaching for a GU.
The waterproof liner is a nice touch!
The insides are lined with a waterproof liner, which is great for excessive sweaters like me! I've almost killed a phone or two sweating through my belt, so that's nice extra insurance without having to put your stuff in a plastic baggie.

There are no rivets or strings for race numbers. However, you still don't have to resort to safety pins! When I use a belt to run, I have a set of reusable zip ties that work great! You can find an example here.

The only detraction I have about the belt is that once your stuff is in, it's not the easiest to get out on the go. The zippers are a good quality, but since the belt fits so snugly there is a lot of tension on the center line where the zipper goes, so it's hard to pull something out. This is the one feature that makes me love my FlipBelt, even though it's not waterproof like this one- I can slide my phone in and out easily without stopping. However, if you're not a person like me who has to be jockeying things in and out mid-workout, then it's really not a problem, and the rest of the features are great.
No one's butt looks good in Nike shorts, but the belt holds a Droid X with Otterbox case, no problem!

For the price, especially right now when it's only $12.90 on Amazon, it's a worthy buy for sure. It'd be great for the gym, hiking, running, cycling, walking the dog, or carrying your stuff on any race day. 

If you want, there's even a raffle to win one! Enter here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Like I said, these belts are also on sale on Amazon right now in several different colors. 
This is a special limited time introductory pricing of the Dual Pocket Run Belt - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017DRIKFY  It's nearly 50% off! ($12.90 instead of $29.00) Plus free shipping!


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SLS3 Twitter - @SLS3USA

#RunBelt #SLS3 #SLS3DualPocketRunBelt

2 comments:

  1. Does it have tabs for race numbers? Or you just pin your # to it? (Hate pin holes in my apparel). Either way, for that price, I'm in. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Great question! I will edit the review to add this, but no, it does not have a place for race numbers. However, I have a set of these reusable zip ties for my race numbers that I use all the time. They're cheap and work great with no safety pins! http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Releasable-cable-50LBS-100pcs/dp/B004C4ZRIK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1453830750&sr=8-2&keywords=reusable+zip+ties

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