Using a water bottle holder for running is a whole lot more convenient than carrying a bottle by hand. You should be focusing on your breathing and pace, not worrying about dropping your water bottle!
There are a variety of belts for holding water bottles available on the market, and we’ve reviewed a few of them here.
Staying Hydrated During Exercise
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Exercise causes our bodies to lose water through sweat, so staying hydrated before, during, and after exercise is a good idea. For intense activities like running, this water loss can cause problems. Not drinking enough water to replenish your body’s reserves can lead to a decrease in your athletic performance, such as slowing down running pace, fatigue, and just not feeling good.
If you’re looking to improve your endurance and feel better while running, drinking water while doing so will most certainly help. Keeping a water bottle close at hand in a holder belt can help you stay hydrated while running.
Securing Your Stuff
Water isn’t the only thing you might bring with you’re out for a run. You’re probably going to bring your house or car keys, or maybe a driver’s license and credit card.
The point is that your shorts or track pants probably don’t have useful zippered pockets that can hold all this stuff. Most water bottle holding belts, including the ones we reviewed, have a pocket or two to store a few things safely. Some even include a little hole in the pocket for threading earbud or headphone wires through so you can listen to your running playlist from your smartphone!
Keep in mind, however, that these pockets aren’t meant to hold a ton of stuff. They’re designed to hold a phone, keys, a bit of money, and perhaps an energy gel or two. Any more than that could weigh down your belt a little more than you’d like.
Running After Dark
With busy workdays and schedules, many people may not get the chance to go out for a jog until it starts getting dark outside. Whether you’re running on the sidewalk or shoulder of the road, it’s imperative to remain visible after dark, especially to motorists.
For this reason, lots of exercise gear has material that reflects light. All of the water bottle holders we reviewed have reflecting stripes to keep you visible and safe while running in the early mornings and evenings.
Bottle Holder Reviews
Multifunctional Zipper Pockets Running Belt by Urpower
This running belt has space for two small water bottles, as well as a zippered pouch. Purchase includes two 6.8oz (200ml) water bottles, but you could use them as a backup if you already own some small running bottles.
The pouch is waterproof and can hold most smartphones, keys, snacks, and anything else you like taking with you on your run.
This belt isn’t just good for running either: use it while hiking, working out at the gym, or even for traveling, as it’s a great place to store valuables, money, and identification.
Pros
- Includes two water bottles.
- Belt is made of neoprene – a breathable and waterproof material.
- Waistband can extend between 23 and 54in. (58-137cm) to fit a variety of body types and shapes.
Cons
- Though this belt is intended to be a universal size, people with smaller waists may find this belt too large and challenging to keep from slipping down.
- There isn’t any elastic in the waistband, which means the belt may flop around a bit while you’re running.
No-Bounce Hydration Belt by AiRunTech
Keeping a single water bottle on a 45 degree angle is how AiRunTech’s belt keeps your water from bouncing around while you’re running, while still making it easy to pull out and drink from the bottle with one hand.
Both men and women, with hip sizes between 20-47in (51-119cm), can use this belt.
What’s unique about this running belt is that there are two pockets: one for your smartphone and the other to hold your keys and any other small things that could scratch up your phone. There’s also a hole that you can pull the wire for your earbuds or headphones through, which means you can listen to music while you’re running or walking without worrying about your phone falling out of your back pocket!
Pros
- Can purchase with or without a water bottle. Designed to hold water bottles that you probably already have in your house
- This belt is very lightweight despite being able to hold a full-sized water bottle.
- Will stop your bottle from bouncing around while you’re running.
Cons
- The bottle and zippered pouch sit on your lower back, or on your side, not in front. This could make it inconvenient to open the zippered pouch up while running, or some people may find it gets in the way of their arms.
- The phone pocket is on the smaller side, so it might be a snug fit for larger phones (check AiRunTech’s phone fitting guides before purchasing).
Waist Pack with Water Bottle Holder by MYCARBON
This belt keeps your water bottle in the front and on its side. The zippered pouch on this belt has enough space to safely your phone, money, or keys, as there are three different compartments. The band is adjustable for waist sizes between 30-45in (76-115cm).
There’s no option to buy a water bottle with this holder, so you’ll have to use one of your own. Bottles that fit this holder must be no taller than 10.6in (27cm) and no wider than 3.1in (8cm).
This bottle holder is suitable for running, cycling, hiking, or even just walking your dog.
Pros
- This belt is water-resistant, so your stuff won’t get ruined if it so happens to rain while you’re out.
- Zippered pouch as three compartments to keep your belongings secured and within reach.
The bottle holder folds up into a pocket compartment if you’re not using it.
Cons
- You must use a bottle with a leakproof lid, since the bottle sits sideways in the holder.
- Even though there’s several pockets, the pouch is a little on the smaller side. You’ll be able to hold the essentials, but not much else.
Hiking Waist Bag with Water Bottle Holder by Waterfly
Meant to be used with your own water bottle (or Waterfly’s, which is sold separately), this holder secures your drink in an upright pouch with an elastic.
The three waterproof pockets will keep your valuables safe and dry if it’s raining, and the breathable mesh on the back of the front piece will prevent you from sweating.
The waistband is easily adjustable to fit most adults, so it’d be a great pack to take running, cycling, hiking, on day trips, or any other time when you don’t want to carry around a backpack or purse.
Pros
- Available in a variety of different colours and patterns.
- There’s enough space to not only hold your valuables, but also things like a small bottle of sunscreen, a pack of tissues, or sunglasses.
- Suitable for running, hiking, walking, and traveling.
Cons
- There’s no hole to thread the wire for earbuds or headphones, unlike the other bottle holders we’ve reviewed.
- The pockets will not fit phones larger than 5.5in (14cm).
Peak Hydration Waist Pack by Nathan
This waist pack includes an 18oz (532ml) water bottle with purchase, but you could also use your own bottle.
The bottle holder is on an angle like AiRunTech’s, positioning the bottle in a good spot for you to grab and drink from single-handedly while running.
The belt can be adjusted to fit waist sizes between 26-44in (66-112cm). Also, the extended side pieces of fabric will better secure this belt to your body, making it bounce less as you run, whether you wear it on your front or back.
Pros
- The expandable zippered pouch can hold your phone, keys, identification, and money.
- Includes a water bottle with purchase. The bottle fits snugly in the pouch, but it’s still easy to take out and drink from while running.
- This belt is adjustable, and it works well for people with smaller frames, unlike many of the other belts we’ve reviewed.
Cons
- Filling up the water bottle completely may make this belt feel a little too heavy for comfort.
- Due to its minimalist design, the zippered pouch is a little small to hold a larger smartphone.
- The water bottle that comes with purchase isn’t leakproof.
Our Favourite
Our favorite water bottle holder out of the ones we reviewed is AiRunTech’s No-Bounce Hydration Belt. If secured and worn correctly, this hydration belt shouldn’t bounce much at all while you’re running.
We like that the bottle pouch is on a 45º degree angle as that puts it in a convenient position for you to grab your bottle to drink from while moving, as well as sliding it back in easily after you take a drink. You won’t have to worry about your bottle falling out while running either, since the bottle isn’t kept horizontally like it is in Mycarbon’s running belt.
Although the pockets are a little small on this belt, you’re probably not going to be packing a whole bunch of stuff with you beyond the essentials anyway. The pockets in AiRunTech’s belt will hold your phone, keys, identification, and even a small snack for those longer outings: just enough stuff to keep you going without weighing you down.
Overall, we like AiRunTech’s No-Bounce Running Belt because it’s sleek yet functional, can be used with a water bottle you already own, and, if properly worn, won’t flop around while you’re running. We hope AiRunTech’s belt will keep you well-hydrated while staying active!