Review on FlipBelt: Made in the USA Original Patent, Design, Shipping, and Warranty by Emmanuel Chouinard

EDIT: After a few months of use I'm reducing my rating to 3 stars. To be honest it's just not worth the money and I would recommend any cheap adjustable zip belt. Even two of them (that's how I often run) are better than this one. I *really* wanted to like FlipBelt. But the water bottles keep falling out, the phone is an odd fit, my KEYS fell out of the (very bad) plastic key clip (very grateful they hit the floor). And frankly, you just can't tune this thing. And there are no zippers, it's not waterproof. I really don't know what else to say. The idea is great, especially with tight bottles, but it doesn't work. My runs are much better with a cheap belt or two. I can only see this belt for you if you absolutely must have 20+ ounces of water around your waist and don't have to carry your phone/keys. First Review: I decided to write a comprehensive review of FlipBelt as I struggled and spent a lot of time researching and testing other products before firing here. Others can benefit from my experience. I've used the strap for three runs - a 3 mile, a 2.5 mile, and a 6.5 mile in that order (I don't usually wear water on the shorter ones and I don't need to put on 11oz the 6.5, but I only took it with me for testing). In my picture you can see the FlipBelt with the bottle on the left and the other belts I talk about in my review on the right. My final thought (in first place so you don't have to read everything): while it's not perfect, in my experience there is no such thing as a belt. I'm giving this five stars because it allows me to conveniently carry more water over longer distances, which is the main focus of my book and the reason I made this investment in the first place. On its own, without a dedicated water bottle, not only is this belt overpriced, but I find it less functional than my other cheaper base belts. If you have to carry lots and lots of things when you run, you might feel different. Check here while doing some sort of comparison with my experience vs those (see image for what I'm comparing). Each of these straps costs $10 and could carry a phone and key *or* a very small 6-ounce water bottle. If I just need a phone and a key, I use my favorite cheap strap. If I need to add 6 ounces of water during a run, I add a second strap and hold my phone on one hip and the bottle on the other. I can also easily slip a granola bar or whatever into one of these straps. This system works for me. In my experience, none of these cheap options can do more than that. I tried a standard (16.9 oz) bottle in one that could even fit, and no matter where I placed it on my hip or back, the bottle bounced too much . And I didn't really have a choice for anything in between, but I suppose the same would be true if I tried. In my experience, 6 oz is really the maximum. Factors that are important to me and will talk about are 1) fit, 2) feel, 3) water retention, 4) other grades. Here: 1) FitSo, I *don't* like that the FlipBelt isn't adjustable. I understand that the design precludes that possibility. But my waist size can fluctuate depending on the time of year and/or my level of fitness, and I've always played around with the size of my other adjustable belts. I just feel better when I can choose the size whenever I want. If I need a different size FlipBelt, I'll have to buy a DIFFERENT belt and hope it works. I wear pants with a 36" waist and bought a large (32-35") here and I'm glad I did. Fits tight. Still feel less comfortable than my other straps (a little bulky, a little tight), but it works. 2) I *need* to have my phone in a specific spot on one hip, and I *need* water in a specific spot on my other hip in order to walk comfortably. This is a delicate balance for me, and I get distracted and disturbed when the balance is upset. I appreciate being able to get the perfect result every time in my other dual belt system. FlipBelt makes this possible - sort of. So far I've found myself spending the first ½ to 1 mile in a constant state of tuning, trying to get the right feel, moving the bottle and/or phone as best I can until the balance is right. It's not a big problem, but I have to deal with it on the go. On my first run, the water bottle (which I had to buy separately for another $10) actually fell out of the harness twice during the first mile. I've since learned to just stick it in there and it hasn't happened since, but the fact that it happened at all tells me that the open entry design leaves things open to fall out. where there would be no zipper design. Putting a water bottle on my lower back does NOT work for me. It was joyous and impracticable. This may be due to the size of my waist versus the size of the belt or simply my physique, but this is something to be aware of. If you and your body can make it work, I can say that this position is the most comfortable feeling at rest and I wish one day it would work for me. Just doesn't work for me when running. Everything fits well on my hips, fits snugly to the body and doesn't wobble. To me, that's wonderful for 11 ounces of water. And phone: okay... my case (just a standard plastic/rubber protective case) creates friction, which is probably good for preventing it from falling out, but it doesn't make it very easy to put in and take out when I need to do it mid-run. My other cheap belt is easy, I just unbuckle it and pull it out. It requires effort and logistical tweaks that I don't like trying to focus on on the road, but it's not a deal breaker or anything. By the way, it's an iPhone 7, nothing special. If I had a huge phone this could be a problem. 3) Water Holding Capacity That's why I bought the Flip Belt and it's really the ONLY feature I really like and prefer over other belts (but probably the most important). I wanted to be able to carry more water and still feel comfortable. I don't like running with a water bottle (it's fine for hiking, but I don't really like running) and I need that feature in a belt. The design of the bottle is fantastic for the lower back. (which doesn't work for me, but it could just be me). This is normal for the hip. Not perfect (I could use more flex) but 1000x better than any other water bottle. It slides in and out easily. The lid is a little difficult to open and close, but that's probably a good thing because it doesn't accidentally open and splash water on me. I love the bottle, love that I can carry 11 ounces of water and still feel comfortable. 4) Other Notes This belt needs a small key clip and I'm glad it has it. Otherwise my key would have flown into a ditch because of open entry points. It is not waterproof and absorbs moisture. There's just a lot of stuff here. My other belts are basically a utilitarian elastic band with a pocket, and I've rarely (ever?) felt the need to wash them. This item needs to be washed well. Cost: This is an investment. However. In the end, it's probably worth it if you need to carry more than 6 ounces of water and have at least one long run a week. Appearance: This is a cool belt. Elegant and stylish. Overall I'm happy with the purchase, but the belt and water cost almost $40. I would NOT review this belt without a water bottle. You can get the same or even better functionality for a fraction of the cost elsewhere. But the water option was important to me, and it really helps.