I don’t often venture out into the wilderness on my runs, but when I do I tend to make sure I’ve got plenty of essential gear with me as well as a phone in case something were to happen. However, when I’m doing my usual runs on trails and roads around Sheffield it was very rare I was taking anything with me at all. While it’s nice to be disconnected from time to time, I realised after hearing about some near-misses with friends, that taking a phone for emergencies was probably a good idea (either for myself, or for if I came across someone else in trouble) Shorts with a phone pocket are a great option, but I didn’t want to replace all the pairs I already have.
So I set about trying to find something to stash my phone in on my everyday runs. I already had an OMM 3l waistbelt, which is great for stashing plenty of gear, but I found that even with its effective cinching, it was a bit big inside and my phone would just rattle around in there. Also, the phone would be in contact with anything else you had in there, so it could get scratched. I tested out some other elasticated waist belts that are designed pretty much just for a phone and maybe some gels. While plenty of people love these, I found I could never get the perfect size, either they were too snug, or would move up and down while I was running.
Eventually I found the Rab Veil 1l. The storage was ideal; a dedicated zipped phone pocket inside to prevent the phone bouncing around or getting scratched, a small key hook to make sure it didn’t get lost when quickly taking things out of the bag, and a pretty decent storage space for anything else.
Size wise it just has a long strip of velcro making it infinitely adjustable to get the perfect fit quickly, even when you’re on the move. Also the velcro opens up completely so you don’t need to step in and out of it when taking it off and on. The ability to get a perfect fit means it doesn’t bounce up and down when on the move. I’ve never had the velcro stick to my clothes either, which was a concern at first.
The bag also has really handy side pockets that are quickly accessible and can store gloves, gels, or whatever else you might want to get to quickly without going into the main pouch. In addition to the internal storage, the bag has a handy ‘sleeve’ at the back that would take a rolled-up jacket so that it could be grabbed quickly and easily without going into the zippered main compartment. The bag also has 4 webbing loops if you wanted to add some extra carrying space, though I haven’t tried this so far. It’s impressive what you can fit in the bag.
Used alongside a bigger pack, you could wear it at the front to store snacks and other essentials for a longer day out.
For me this is a perfect option for anyone who wants to carry their phone with them on runs, but also likes the flexibility of a fully-adjustable strap. It also allows you to take extra layers and gels for longer runs, or in changeable weather.
