Running Belt Replacement Time
The time has finally come – some may say long past – for me to replace my trusty running belt. An elasticated belt that holds my phone and keys while I'm out in the world.
But, it's not just my runs. It has been with me on most of my bike rides, too. This thing has seen thousands of miles, activities, and plenty of wash cycles. I think it's done a pretty good job. So I decided to find out (roughly) what this thing has been through.
First thing, when did I get it? According to my order records: 17th August 2017. Okay, that's far older than I expected. I picked up the Starwoodsports Running Belt for the mighty price of £9.99 8 years ago. 8!
Looking at my Tredict (referral link) data from August 2017 to now, there is a little over 15,000 miles (ca. 24,140 km) logged across running and cycling. For £10, this thing has been an absolute trooper.
However, it has been looking a little worse for wear the last year or two. Neither of the zips work. One is stuck open, and one is stuck closed. But, as it's a loop, things just got stuck in the open side and pushed around to the closed. The contents weren't going anywhere.
I'm still not going to be throwing it out, though. It's going back in the drawer as a backup because it is still perfectly usable for the job it needs to do. Hell, I could probably teach myself how to sew two new zips onto it.
Coming into service is the Salomon Pulse in a rather eye catching "High Risk Red" colour. At £32, this is substantially pricier than the previous. So, I'll be expecting great things from this. And it better be able to put in at least 8 years of service. This one does also have the added bonus of being able to hold a 500ml soft flask, which is a considerable bonus for the 2-hour runs, where a running vest is just overkill. And, I'll be able to fit a bigger phone in, too. Getting more than my iPhone 8 in the Starwoodsports belt was … troublesome to impossible.
Do you have a piece of sports equipment or clothing that's been by your side for years? What is it?