Product Review: Armpocket ~ For People on the Move!

Recently, I did something that I admit,

I know is a cardinal sin in running:

I wore a new piece of running gear on the day of a race. And a long race at that. My longest race ever. 13.1 miles. 

There.  I said it. 

I broke the ‘no new gear on race day’ rule.

But I’m happy to report that it turned out to be a very good decision!  Yes, the Armpocket proved itself worthy for all 13.1 miles.

No chafing, rubbing, bleeding, slipping, sliding, dropping, dripping, etc….

Whew! I was worried about this, along with nine million other things on the morning of the Disney Princess Half Marathon, a race that lacked 3 weeks of preparation.

Here’s the back story:

The day before the Disney Princess Half, Hubby and I headed over to the expo, as I shared here, to pick up my race packet, goodie bag, etc…, even though I wasn’t planning on running (illness x 3 wks did me in!).

While there, Hubs stumbled upon an arm band (a place to hold “stuff”) that he really liked.  I, on the other hand, was skeptical. In fact, the nice man who was chatting with us used that very word.  I guess it was written all over my face:  No way.  No thank you.  Won’t work.

Poor guy. He had his work cut out for him.  We learned that this nice man not only had 30+ years as a runner, but that he's also the Chief Engineer behind the Armpocket, so he knew what he was talking about! 

Work he did, and within 60 seconds, Mark Morgan, co-founder of Armpocket Enterprises LLC, (along with Hubs… who was selling this thing, anyway??) was sharing the virtues of the product:

• Made from recycled materials, including sustainable bamboo (a plus in my book!) with reflective piping/trim

• Memory foam that molds to your arm

• Wide, breathable arm strap

• Moisture resistant/made with water-resistant recycled plastic fibers (like a backpack)

• A ‘flexi-lock’ audio port system that threads your earbud wires through to the length you want/need

• Plenty of room for all your ‘stuff’ and securely zips shut

• Different widths to accommodate your ‘stashing’ needs

• Different strap sizes to accommodate your arm size

• Affordable

Hmmmm… so far, sounded good. But I still wasn’t convinced. Hubby donned one and showed me how the BlackBerry fits snugly inside with room for other ‘stuff’ – in my case, Luna Moons (my running gummies) for long runs, Chapstick, and, the kitchen sink. Oh wait, not that!  Mark demonstrated how the thick plastic face allowed for use of phone (BB)or iPod without removing it from the Armpocket and showed us the space would accommodate my glucose monitor if necessary. Mark listened. He understood my concerns. He addressed them. Points for excellent customer service. (and years of running experience!!)

Now you might be thinking, “Well, that’s why I have a spibelt… to hold the BB, phone, etc…” And I’d say that’s true. Except…. I’ve learned that longer runs equal a damp BB when it’s in the spibelt, perched low on my back. Not good. Back to considering the Armpocket for this purpose.

Finally, it was my turn to try it on, while listing the reasons for not liking previous bands I had purchased and returned:

Too tight on my arm to keep it in place (not good for a diabetic)

Too loose, flops around

Pinches and scratches

Mark, the nice runner-turned-engineer listened patiently and assured me I would not have those issues with the Armpocket.

 Hmmmm…. He saw my skeptical face beginning to soften a bit.  And with that, he suggested I give it a try during a run and let them know what I thought. (I had mentioned that I blog about running and all things related and would love to share this product with the world.) At that moment, Jytte Nielsen, the company president (and clearly a runner herself!), walked over and we chatted briefly. Five minutes later, we were walking away with our new purchase: two Armpockets – to try out and write about.

Twelve hours later (4 a.m. to be exact) I was preparing for my very first half marathon, the new Armpocket part of my race-day ensemble, in spite of me knowing the cardinal rule: no new gear on race day.  We purchased the Xtreme 30 model for me, for its size and width on my arm. It felt a little big and awkward at first, but within a few minutes, I didn’t even notice it.

In fact, it performed so well that I was at mile 7 before I realized, “Hey, this thing is good! No slipping, flopping, pinching, scratching, or talking.” Okay, I made the last one up. :-) But seriously, the Armpocket by Armpocket Enterprises LLC, made by runners for runners, is, I believe, an excellent investment.

And just last week, I had the opportunity to try my new Armpocket in rainy, drizzly weather:

 While I was soaked, my Armpocket (and the contents inside, including my BlackBerry) were not.  SCORE!

As a runner who gets easily agitated at things bouncing around on my body when I run (can't wear a hydration belt even though I need to!), I  give this product thumbs up for being comfortable and sturdy.  As a self-proclaimed tree hugger, I give it high marks for being environmentally friendly.   

 Want more info?

Go to armpocket.com to learn about this product

that's friendly to runners and the environment. 

Want to win one of your own? 

Look for Giveaway Details here on the Turtles Blog

later this month...

Happy running, friends....

Robin