StashBandz Running Belt for Women & Men – No-Bounce Fanny Pack with 4 Secure Pockets & Zipper for Phone, Money & Essentials – Flip Belt Style Design for Running, Travel & Everyday Use

This thing has been a Godsend for me - I have an LVAD, a mechanical heart pump, that is attached to me 24/7, with a couple of huge (and heavy - 10 lbs combined weight, easy) batteries that I usually have to carry around in a crossbody bag (which made me neck and back ache), or in a backpack (which made me hot all the time), and I was desperately looking for another solution when I found these bands. It works beautifully! It holds up all the weight without sliding down or running up, and it distributes the weight so evenly I forget I even have all these robot parts attached to me while I’m wearing it. I am able to move normally, and do housework and even workouts without having to worry that my controller or battery packs are going to slip out and hit the floor. It also holds everything snuggly against my waist so it doesn’t shift or tug if I have to bend down to work on something, but it’s not too tight - I can go from standing to sitting with no pinching or pain, and I can get in and out of a car (or any seated position) like normal, without having to tug the band up or down or worry it’s going to slide or try to squeeze me in half when I change positions like that. It’s even comfortable enough to sleep in it. The pockets are nice and big so they can accommodate the two, 7”x5” batteries and the 5”x4” receiver, while still leaving a ton of room to spare, and they don’t gape or sag even with the large, heavy equipment in there. It sits well against my waist so that with a slightly loose top on, you can’t even see all the hardware I have on, which is really nice. It’s also machine washable and has stood up well against months of daily use - I’m ordering more now, but this one has survived daily use and being washed multiple times a week for a good 6 months and it’s still in great shape. If you have any kind of medical equipment you have to wear/lug around all the time, this is an excellent solution. Or if you just need an amazing way to carry your stuff securely when you run or jog, these bands would work wonderfully for that too. I can’t recommend this product highly enough! If you are going back and forth between several listing options like I was, choose this one!

I have nevereverever left a review on Amazon. Maybe I'm shirking my Amazonly duty, but the point is that I've never been impressed enough with a product *and* the company's customer service to warrant the time investment to write a review. In April I was heading overseas on my first international trip and had been told repeatedly by many people that a money belt was essential for passport, tickets, cash, etc. I spent way too much time researching belts and ordered three of them just to send them back for various reasons (too small for passport, couldn't zip it up with phone inside, scratchy, etc.). I don't remember what search terms I used to finally stumble upon Stashbandz, but I was very enamored of the idea of wearing something so thin and flexible that didn't feel like it was riding somewhere north of my ribcage. It's essentially a wide spandex belt with four pockets, one zipped, that you wear around your hips. There are two front pockets and two back pockets taking up the entire band, meaning you'd have to work really hard to overload them with your stuff. The pockets have a slight foldover at the top to ensure that nothing falls out. You simply step into the band and pull it up over your hips (or waist if you prefer). You can wear it over your pants where things are more easily accessible rather than under a shirt where it's impossible to efficiently grab anything when you need it. (But under the shirt is certainly an option if that's preferred.) I think it was originally meant as something to hold your phone, etc. while you're out walking or running, but it's also hands down the best money belt you can buy. I bought it in black and it blended in perfectly with my pants. It held my phone, passport, tickets, cash and some other stuff and performed 100%. I could walk down the sidewalk and put the phone in or take it out without missing a beat. Everyone else on the trip had to step aside and dig around in their money belt under their shirt, telegraphing "TOURIST" to the rest of the world. Me? Nope. It looked and felt like I was just taking something out of a front pants pocket. Easy to take out, easy to put away. Since coming home, it has become an indispensable part of my wardrobe when I'm wearing any pair of pants that don't have pockets (or any functional pockets). It just looks like part of the pants or shirt and keeps my phone and other stuff close at hand and secure but with the ability to easily grab the phone or whatever I need. Since the band is stretchy, there's no worry that your phone is a toooouch too wide, long, whatever. It accommodates anything you want to throw at it. But the best part about this company is their customer service. I was so happy with the awesomeness of the belt that I dashed off a quick e-mail just to tell them about said awesomeness. I happened to mention that the size small was perfect for yoga pants but that I wondered how it would hold up when being pulled up over jeans or thicker material over and over again. The same day I received a response from (gasp) a human. She sounded genuinely excited that I was so tickled pink about the belt and--wait for this one--*offered to send me another belt on the house* because she wanted to make sure I had one that would fit over jeans. Mind you that I never asked, hinted, or alluded to anything free; I sent them the e-mail solely to tell them I appreciated such an excellent product. But she picked up on my offhand speculation about wearing it over thicker material and offered to send me a slightly bigger one that would fit well over jeans. I was floored. When I replied and said I'd love to take them up on their offer, she responded later that afternoon with a tracking number. I'm doubly floored. Gobsmacked, even. Flabbergasted! I have never experienced service like that. I have quickly become a lifelong fan of this company, not only because of a quality product that works perfectly, but because it's owned and operated by people who so obviously care about their products and their customers. I can confidently say that you won't find a better money belt or running belt. Trust me. I ordered pretty much every other one on the planet to try them out.

Helpful to carry passports around Europe. Pros: Great idea- sort and comfortable. I felt secure wearing it. Not sweaty. Good stretch. I like this better than the rigid money belts. I tucked it into the waistband of my pants- otherwise it would ride up to my waist and twist. Cons: There’s only one zippered pocket- there should be two,(or three!) Otherwise you have to stuff everything of value into the one pocket, and it feels very lopsided… plus the pocket isn’t that large. The unzippered pockets are pretty much worthless. The zipper puller is too small and hard to grab, as it constantly gets stuck in the seam.

Runs small. 4 nice size pockets. Comfortable. I also use the wrist one to get to my ID, cards, cash, Cell phone quickly. No purse to lug. No purse to have snatched. No purse to lay down and forget.

UPDATE: It's been three weeks, and I still don't like how it feels flimsy and slippery. Meanwhile, I ordered another product -- the "Slim Running Belt for Men Women, Running Fanny Pack, Phone Holder for Running, Waist Bag, Moisture Wicking Storage Belt Bag for Walking, Travel, Sports, Hiking, Workout" from Brand: LSORPWK which costs less than half the price -- $10, on sale now for $7. ASIN B0BHTHW6BL. And I actually like that one better. It's sturdier. The mesh fabric breathes, but is a grippy material that holds my medical device in place very well. It could use a couple of more stitches -- I plan to pull out my sewing kit (or a stitch gun) and add some, because it's basically just one large pocket that goes all around. For the same price as one StashBandz I can get three and a half of these other ones, and get something more sturdy and grippy. So I'm taking away one star from my StashBandz review. I originally rated it higher because there was literally no competition. Well, now there is. ========== ORIGINAL REVIEW: I've been using these for five years, ever since I needed to start wearing a medical device. The pump is about the size of... about three large smartphones stacked together. The pump came with a fanny back which was super bulky and uncomfortable with annoying snaps on it. This belt fits under my clothes and makes the pump completely invisible. I don't even notice I've got it on. HOWEVER, I just bought it again (because one of my older ones was a bit too big and stretched out after five years of use -- and I lost a bit of weight, too). And the new version is of a lighter, stretchier, slipperier material. I don't know yet how the new material will hold up. The previous version felt a bit sturdier. I'll see. But I *do* have to size down one more size because the new belt is stretchier, and I need to be able to hold the heavy pump securely against my body. It also rolls up in the back and sides instead of lying flat. (Again, because the material is slippery and not very sturdy, so doesn't hold its shape.) Back when I was first diagnosed, StashBandz was pretty much the only option on the market. I'll be keeping an eye out for an alternative, though, that's a bit sturdier.

This is about the 5th or 6th running belt I have owned over the past two decades, and it will be the last. The pockets are big enough to hold my phone even in its case, a full size wallet, keys, nutrition. The zipper is a little flimsy plastic thing but that doesn't matter, the pockets are quite secure and don't need a zipper to keep things in place. I got the same size as my usual t-shirt size and that worked fine, just tight enough to stay put without bouncing around. I will probably get another in a different color and maybe go a size smaller. Easy to put on and stays in place. This belt would work well for travel too, to keep your documents and money safely out of site, hidden under your clothes.

I bought the first one in black to hide my money for traveling in Europe. However, I ended up using it to go to the gym. It got used so often that I bought a second one in beige to alternate when I wash the other one. It has several pockets (big enough for my iPhone) and one with a zipper for my keys. I even put an orange in one of them. I normally wear a small but bought a medium for the ease of removing my phone. When it is too tight, it is hard to use.

I love the pockets on this one. One pocket has a zipper which is nice. The fabric is so soft comfortable and fits very well. I purchased one other brand with pockets that were to narrow and it didn't fit as comfortably. Can't wait to go hiking and travel with this one.