Earlier this year, I was contacted by Fitletic and asked if I would like to review one of their running belts. After a quick trip to their website and a few conversations with their marketing director, we decided the Ultimate II Running Belt with the 8-Ounce Hydration Add-on would best fit my needs.
My goal was to avoid wearing two belts like I have had to in the past. I had a favorite snug-fitting, low-riding, non-bouncing running belt that was just big enough for either my iPhone or camera, but not both. If I wanted to carry water, I still had to wear my hydration belt just above it. Ali listened to my needs, took a look at the picture of me looking like a pack mule with my two belts, and suggested I give the Ultimate II Running Belt with the 8-Ounce Hydration Add-on a try.
My items came in a cute little mess carrying bag, and I couldn’t wait to dig in and give them a try!
I threaded my water bottle holder onto the belt fumbling with it a bit at first; but once I figured out the best way to get it over the plastic belt buckles I was set, and haven’t had any trouble with it since. I was ready to take that bad boy on a run!
At first I thought that I had gotten a defective water bottle lid because it doesn’t have the little pull-up tip, but soon realized that it is designed without needing one. You simply squeeze the water in your mouth when you need it, yet it doesn’t leak if it’s laying on it’s side. Perhaps I live under a rock, but I hadn’t seen this design before. No more chipped front teeth from pulling that thing up with my teeth. Yes, I did that once, but that’s a story for another day!
The Ultimate II belt comes with race number holders, and I decided to give those a try, too. At first I was afraid that the bib would be too low and bother me so I almost backed out from using it. But at the last minute, I decided to forgo the safety pins and take advantage of all the options my belt had to offer. I wouldn’t know if I liked it if I didn’t try it, right? The lower slung bib didn’t bother me for either of the races I ran using it; however, if I used it for a marathon or a race that was really quiet (runners spread far apart), the noise the bib makes hitting against my legs might get annoying.
And finally, my belt has loops on the belt band to hold fuel. I’ve seen these before, but have never had a belt with them. During my Reston 10 Miler, I carried Shot Bloks and it worked great. I was pleasantly surprised!
I actually think my new belt makes me run faster! Just kidding! But once I strap it on, I can forget all about it, knowing that my phone, camera, car key, fuel, water, and bib are safe; and put all of my energy into racing!
After using the Ultimate II Running Belt and the 8-Ounce Hydration Add-on for the past six weeks, I give it an overall very good rating (two thumbs up). I will certainly continue to use it on most of my runs, but can’t guarantee that I will use it exclusively. There might be times that I prefer using one of my old belts for various reasons. If I didn’t already have my other belts, and tried this belt, I would look no further and be very happy.
- Pros:
- Holds iPhone and camera
- Has separate pocket for car key so it doesn’t fall out when grabbing my camera
- Has hydration add-ons available that can be used, or not, depending on your needs
- Has race bib holders
- Holds Shot Bloks and other fuels without having to put them in the pouch and risk getting your camera or phone sticky
- Fits snuggly and comfortably
- It’s water resistant
- Cons:
- Sets right over my bladder and you know how often I stop at the porta-potty without that added pressure
- Bib hangs lower than I’m used to and makes noise (tolerable for shorter races)
- Even though it’s easy, it takes a few minutes to put on and take off water bottle holsters
- If the hydration add-on isn’t placed on the side of the hips, it can cause the belt to slip down (once I figured this out and moved it back to the side, it was fine)
If you would like to try any of the Fitletic products, please us code CAN1410 for a 10% discount during the month of March!
Fitletic – “Our mission is to unleash
your inner athlete
and enhance your performance
without compromising comfort.”
Disclaimer: Fitletic provided the Ultimate II Running Belt And 8-Ounce Hydration Add-on to me free of charge in exchange for a product review. All opinions are my own and receiving the product free in no way influenced my review.
- Questions:
- Do you use any type of belt when you run?
- Do you carry water in a belt or by hand?
- Who raced this past weekend?
Great review! I am wondering… do you think that’s enough water for a long run?
Other than that concern the belt looks like it has a LOT of bells and whistles that would be handy. 🙂 I liked that you were able to carry so many things PLUS bring along shot blocks. Thanks for the information.
[email protected] recently posted…Happy Birthday, Mom!
I plan to order a second bottle for the other side, and for my distances and the fact that we run past water fountains on the W&OD Trail so I can refill, 16 ounces will be plenty. If I were training for a full marathon and didn’t have the water fountains, two 8-ounce bottles wouldn’t be enough.
Good review! That sounds like a decent belt. I’ve been looking into getting one more now that I’ll be running much longer distances. Might have to check this one out.
Courtney @ Don’t Blink. Just Run. recently posted…Guest Room Makeover
Oh cool! Let me know what you think if you buy it.
Looks like a great product with a lot of options! Thanks for the honest review.
I almost never take water with me when I run (bad habit) but vowed last year to always take my phone. I’m getting better!
In triathlons I wear a number belt and I actually like it better than pinning a number on!
Abby recently posted…Shedding layers
After seeing those bears last summer, it’s a good idea to be safe. I’m happy to hear that you’re carrying your phone with you now!
That looks like a pretty good belt! Do the loops for fuel tighten, so that you could put an empty gel or Shot Blok packet in it to avoid littering? I used to use a waistpack that held a 20oz water bottle at a slant at the small of my back. It also had a small pocket, but it wasn’t even big enough to fit the flip phone I had at the time. I had a lot of issues with it staying in place and eventually switched to a handheld. I’ve been running with the handheld for about a year and a half and I am really happy with it thus far. It would be nice if it had two pockets, though, so that I could use one for my car key and the other for my camera or phone.
Meagan recently posted…Weekly Workout Roundup – Mar. 10 – 16
The fuel loops are elastic so they expand for the fuel. I think they would hold an empty plastic wrap, but since I haven’t tried it, I don’t want to say for sure.
I used the waistpack with the slant bottle for years, but after I hurt my back it put too much pressure on it, so I had to stop. I was really happy to find the lower-slung belts.
I don’t like to wear anything around my waist because it usually starts to bounce and annoys me…so I’m hesitant.
Sue @This Mama Runs For Cupcakes recently posted…Cupid Run 5K Recap!
This fits below your hip bones, not on your waist. The secret is to have it adjusted snug enough. If it’s not, it bounces. When I have it on correctly, I don’t think about it.
Great review. Looks like a fantastic belt for all your running needs! Seriously, it seems to have just about everything you need!
Amy recently posted…Colorado Marathon Training, week 9
So far, so good!