Are you an active person who always listens to tunes or a podcast during your workout or outdoor adventure? If the answer is yes, then the SPIbelt may be for you. The SPIbelt is a bounce-free belt which can carry all of your personal items such as your wallet, phone, and credit cards. It comes with a waterproof sealable pouch to keep your phone nice and dry.
PaddleXaminer tested the SPIbelt while paddling on Lake Dillon in Frisco Colorado. Once I clipped on the belt I didn’t even notice it was there. I connected my phone via Bluetooth to my headphones and was able to listen to a book on Audible while I paddled for two hours on a beautiful fall day. The waterproof pouch will fit most phone sizes. The belt comes with an adjustable elastic strap to fit around your waist so you can tighten it as need or easily adjust if you share it with a friend. Putting your phone in the waterproof pouch is key because if you don’t, your phone may get wet from your sweat even if it doesn’t get splashed or dunked in the water!
The phone is easy to control even while inside the pouch, you just have to push a little harder with your finger. PaddleXaminer does not recommend trying to take a phone call with the phone in the pouch unless you have a Bluetooth device.
One downside, at least while paddling, is the lack of length for the strap connecting the waterproof pouch to the belt. The model I tested, the strap is two inches long. It would be ideal if the strap was elastic and longer so the user could pull the phone out to face level. This would allow easier access to the phone while on the water instead of having to fumble with getting the phone out of the belt. We recommend taking pictures with the phone out of the pouch. Any pictures taken with the phone inside the pouch are slightly blurry. (see examples below).
Overall, the SPIbelt in great for any active person who wants to keep their phone, and other small personal items on them while they run, paddle, hike, climb, ski etc.
