I have come to realize that I kind of like carrying stuff on my arm while I run. I bought a small pouch to hold my iPhone on my upper arm and found that it worked really well for me. However, the pouch was kind of flimsy and I was concerned after a long run that sweat might seep through to my phone… and that would be bad. So I started to seek out an alternative.

Enter the Armpocket.

At first I thought it looked way too huge, but the more I read about it I was more intrigued. Here are some of the points that sold me:

• It can hold lots of stuff! In addition to my phone it would allow me to shove some kind of fuel (gels, beans, chews) in there as well as my car key.
• The phone would be held on the side furthest away from my skin. Thus reducing the chances for sweat soakthrough.
• There is a window so that I could theoretically use the iPhone controls through that screen.
• Headphone port… hopefully I could control the wires and make my headphones fit a little more efficiently.

But in addition to those, I like that it’s made out of environmentally friendly materials. Some parts are made out of recycled materials, like plastic bottles. Others are made out of bamboo, a fast-growing grass that can be turned into moisture-wicking and breathable material.

I found the material on the inside of the band to be comfortable. I’m still trying to figure out the best way to weave the headphone cord through the pocket, but it is nice to be able to store extra cord length inside. My giant VW key does take up too much space in there* so when the key and phone are both in there, there’s not a ton of room for much else, but it still works.

The one that they sent me has been given to my husband now and I’ve ordered another one for myself. So yes, I feel it’s worth spending the money on!

*The key issue isn’t a design flaw on behalf of the Armpocket product, more on the VW side of things. I bought my car barely used from a VW dealership in town… they didn’t provide me with any valet keys like they’re supposed to. And then when I tried to ask about it when I took my car in for service at later dates they said it would cost about $200 for a valet key. $200!!! Are they making it out of gold?! That’s not even for the whole remote-control clicky key.

The good folks at Armpocket did send me one for review, but like I said… I liked it enough to purchase another one!