22 of the best running belts to carry your phone, keys and gels

There's much more to this running belt than meets the eye — namely three expandable compartments that mean you can carry everything you'd possibly need with you — yep, even a (foldable) water bottle. We've fit a phone, cards, key, gels, water and protein bar and still had room to spare.

Aside from the excellent storage options, this belt is lightweight, adjusts easily with a simple buckle fastening and stays put as you move. The adjustable belt section is comfortable and stretchy so you can get a close fit without any chafe — the dream.

Choose from eight colours.

This belt from The North Face is a great alternative to a traditional hydration vests, providing an easy way to carry water or poles without the bulk of a backpack.

Made from lightweight, breathable fabrics with micro-perforations, this belt features four strategically placed stash pockets for small items such as energy gels or keys, and a secure-zip pocket perfect for your phone.

There’s a quick-access water bottle pocket – which you can use to store a soft flask (although the belt doesn’t come with a bottle, so you’ll have to purchase that separately), hiking poles or even stash a compact windbreaker.

During testing, we were pleasantly surprised by how well our water bottle stayed securely in place – no matter how bumpy the trails. We also liked that the belt didn’t ride up and offered a snug yet comfortable fit. Trust us when we say you won’t want to hit the trails without it.

US brand FlipBelt has an army of dedicated fans, with good reason. This clever belt has been designed to sit flat against your waist, so it won't bounce around or ride up when you run.

It comes with multiple pockets to store your essentials and it's available in a huge range of colours (we personally love the Acrylic Summer design for a pop of colour against an all-black outfit), plus the key hook is a nice touch.

This also works well as a money belt when travelling!

A key clip would be nice lululemon is made from the same fabric as the brand's famous leggings, so it promises to feel soft and comfortable against your skin over any distance.

It's also reassuringly light, sweat-wicking and big enough for all your essentials, plus there's reflective detailing to keep you visible and an adjustable buckle to ensure a snug fit. Wear with the storage either on the front or back — it's comfy either way, but we tend to put it on the back.

Available in two colours.

This running belt is a great option for training and race day if you want to carry all your fuel, but don’t want to wear a race vest. There's room for two small or one large soft flask, all the gels you’d want to carry, your phone, keys and whatever else you might need. It's also incredibly light, so depending on how you load it, it can feel like you're not wearing anything at all.

It's super stretchy and compressive, and there are five different sizes to choose from, so you want to try and get that fit right — wearing it too tight could put unnecessary pressure on the stomach, but if it's too loose it will bounce around. Get it right though and it’s a great option (and, some have said, an excellent dupe for the cult Naked Running Band — which we're trying to get our hands on).

If you're a fan of traveling light this minimal hydration belt will appeal. It includes a sizeable flask that moulds to the shape of your body for water breaks, while the 3D mesh material will help you keep your cool.

The front compartment is zipped and fits loads of stuff, plus there's attachment points for keys and trekking poles.

Available in three colours.

This compact little number is super light and unobtrusive but still packs enough space to carry your phone gels, keys and bank card. It's easily adjustable and fastens with a simple buckle, plus it feels great to wear, with padding on the back of the storage section for no chafing and a friction-free run.

The main compartment zips shut and there are mesh pockets inside to keep things organised, plus reflective detailing on the outside is handy for twilight runs.

Twilight and winter (sorry!) runs call for greater visibility, so add this super reflective running belt to your jogging wardrobe. It has reflective detailing all the way around, plus three pockets large enough to stash your phone, keys and a spare gel.

It's breathable and sweat-wicking, with comfortable four-way stretch that feels good against skin. Available in highlighter pink and yellow shades.

This wide belt made from breathable and stretchy fabric has a number of hidden pockets to store all your gear, so it's well suited to slow runners, hikers and even sightseers on holiday who need somewhere to stash their essentials.

It also comes with diagonal straps with a silicone grip to secure a jacket or walking poles and it's also available in red.

Mountain runners take note! The Trailblazer 3 from Montane is a lightweight belt with multiple pockets and a padded, breathable mesh back panel, so it's ideal for a tough day out in the hills, but will look just as fly packed with Snickers bars at your local parkrun too.

Wear with the storage at the back for the most comfortable fit. Available in three colours

Let's get one thing out the way: this is not a minimalist, barely-there running belt. Largely because it comes with a 500ml hard water flask, it is on the more substantial size. But that is by no means to say that this feels obtrusive or weighs you down as you run.

Thanks the padded, breathable back and clever angling of the water bottle pocket, this feels comfortable to wear, while offering tons of storage options. We're talking a large zipped compartment that extends behind the water bottle section, two mesh pockets within that section, two drop-in pockets on the front (idea for gels), plus the water bottle pocket and bungee cords to keep hold of any spare kit. There's also an elastic cord with an adjustable toggle to keep the bottle in place. Phew!

The belt adjusts with a buckle and there are useful clips on the band so you can tidy up any loose webbing. We'd advise wearing it on the back, but it can be worn front ways too thanks to the slanted bottle pocket (it doesn't get in the way of knees) — this might be preferred if hiking. The whole thing is also very brightly reflective, so is a great option for low-light runs.

If you’re an experienced hill runner planning to go further afield but don’t want to lug a backpack about, this classic pack from UK adventure brand OMM is a great compromise. It holds up to three litres of kit but even at full capacity it promises to remain stable against your lower back.

The wide waistband keeps things comfortable around your middle while mesh back panelling will help you stay cool.

Also available in green.

Cheap, cheerful and infinitely useful, this simple running belt is brilliant value. Available in four colours, it has a main compartment thats split into two so your keys don't scratch your phone, there's a wire hole for your headphones, and the elastic waist is both comfortable and adjustable.

Because the belt is secured to the top of the pocket we found it can bounce around a little so probably isn't suited to long distances, but is a great option for beginners or your 5K jog.

One for experienced runners with miles under their belt, this clever waist carrier from our favourite Cumbrian brand INOV8 comes with a three-litre central pocket, leaving plenty of room for all your essentials — and it even has a sleeve big enough to hold a 500ml soft flask.

Like all INOV8 products, it's designed to be durable – so you can use it for casual urban runs or hardcore fell running.

Designed to sit close to the body as you move, this simple Nike running belt can be expanded to fit a smartphone as well as your keys and a gel or two, making it the ideal storage solution for a quick 5K around the park.

The section around the zip is reflective, keeping you visible in low light, and it adjusts with a simple buckle. Don't expect any bells and whistles, but if you're someone who can't run without a few essentials, this is a solid option.

Training for a big race and looking for a kit carrying solution? problem solved. This clever running belt has space to hold two 250ml soft water flasks (included), gels, bars, a smartphone and wind jacket.

The adjustable strap fits sizes 2XS to 2XL and best of all, it comes with two clips so you can pin your race number onto the front, leaving you free to sprint across the finish line and claim that PB.

If you're a beginner and not sure whether a running belt is for you, or just want something simple and lightweight for casual 5Ks, this pared back number from H&M is a great option.

The single zipped pocket fits a phone, keys and a gel or two, and the zip is surrounded by reflective material to keep you visible in low light. The elasticated belt section is easily adjusted and fastens with a buckle for a close, no-bounce fit.

At just under £9 it won't break the bank, and you can pick up some of H&M's excellent running gear while you're at it.

This classic pack is an excellent option for beginners on a budget. It's durable and weather resistant, so will cope with a spring shower or two. And if you're a fan of wired headphones, there’s also a handy port for your lead to slip through, plus the front pocket features reflective detailing for improved visibility after dark.

Also available in yellow, red and blue.

This clever running belt from US brand SpiBelt expands to fit just about everything you might need without bouncing, plus it comes with handy loops along the strap to hold your gels.

This is a great option for smaller runners, as the belt can be adjusted for just about all waist sizes. It doubles up as a handy passport storage belt for your holidays too.