You’ve got a good pair of shoes, a supportive sports bra (if needed), and some comfortable clothes. But when you head out on a run, there’s one more apparel-related issue you have to solve: where to put your phone.
You could, of course, leave your phone at home, which we all did in the olden days. Or if you are fancy and have an Apple Watch, especially the kind that can make calls, you may not miss your phone at all. But many of us prefer to carry a phone, whether it’s for music, step tracking, or the safety of having a way to call for help just in case. And the bigger your phone, the harder it is to find a good place to put it.
A belt with roomy pockets
A running belt is the ideal solution for most of us. You can strap it on over whatever you are wearing, and it’s snug enough that it won’t bounce and annoy you. As phones have gotten larger, belts have to keep pace, so make sure when you buy a belt that it will actually fit your phone.
Mine was a cheap find at Target (I think I paid $5) and has two enormous zippered pockets. I put my keys in one and my phone in the other. Unfortunately, it seems to have been a limited time deal. If I had to buy another, I’d go for something like the large pocket SPI belt or the Flipbelt zipper.
Pockets in your clothes
“Why don’t you just put it in your pocket?” said a bunch of clueless dudes who read this headline but never really thought about the question. A lot of workout clothes, and women’s clothes in general, don’t have any. Or if they do, they’re tiny. (Pro tip: check the inside of your waistband. A lot of running clothes have a hidden tiny pocket for your keys.)
But if you buy the right clothes, you may be blessed with large, running-suitable pockets. On anything loose fitting, including jackets, a zipper is key to make sure your phone won’t bounce right out. Check the pocket dimensions before buying to make sure your phone will fit.
Leggings (and legging style shorts) with pockets are also becoming more popular. The pocket tends to be on the side of the thigh, and there’s no zipper but the snug fabric is enough to hold it in. I have these shorts from Senita, and ran a half marathon in them with my phone in my belt and snacks in both pockets. But the pockets work for phones too.
The classic armband
As phones get larger, armbands become less and less tenable, but hey, some folks like a good armband. Make sure you get one that fits your phone, and consider whether it’s water-resistant (some are, which is a rarer feature in running belts).
In a pinch, tuck it in
If you wear compression shorts, try tucking your phone into your waistband or placing it alongside your thigh. I haven’t found this to work very well, but some people swear by it—I guess it depends how tight your shorts are.
A sports bra, meanwhile, is an underrated storage item. You can often fit small items, like keys, in the armpit area without any chafing. And I’ve definitely used my bra as storage for my phone if I forgot my belt—or in the winter, when body heat can help keep a phone from dying. The best spot will depend on your and your phone’s physical characteristics, but I tuck mine under one shoulder strap, and then tuck my headphone cord under my shirt or under the opposite strap.