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Gear, Uncategorized

Gear Review + Giveaway: SLS3 Dual Pocket Run Belt

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A few weeks ago, a rep from the company SLS3 contacted me about reviewing their Dual Pocket Run Belt. I was skeptical at first, as I’ve tried several different run belts that have been terrible and I’m pretty attached to my Flipbelt, but I decided to give this one a try. After a couple of test runs, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it.

Disclaimer: I was sent the SLS3 Run Belt for free in exchange for a review. All opinions are my actual thoughts. 

When I took the belt out of the package, my first thought was that it would bounce, as it looks similar to another belt (the brand of which shall not be named) I’d tried that bounced so much that I actually turned around, ran back home, and threw it in the yard. I’m not sure what the SLS3 folks did differently, but this belt didn’t budge. My iPhone lay smoothly inside the pocket and didn’t bother me at all.

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Pre-run with the SLS3 belt. And my sweet pink tights.

The best thing about this belt is the pockets. They’re huge without being obnoxious. My iPhone 5 in its Otterbox fit easily in one pocket, and there was still room to spare, plus another whole pocket on the other side. Since I’m not training right now, even my “long runs” are pretty short, but I’ll appreciate all the space once I decide what I’m doing with my (running) life and start running long enough that I need to carry fuel.

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Image from the SLS3 website. See that nice waterproofing?

The pockets are also water resistant, which I definitely appreciate. I’m a heavy sweater, so when I wear my Flipbelt or stick my phone in a pocket, I put it in a Ziplock first. And then it’s a pain to take it out if I want to pretend I’m a decent blogger and take a picture. The SLS3’s waterproofing eliminates the need for a baggie… and also my excuses for not taking pictures. Darn. The water resistance will also be appreciated when I get back to trail running this summer (because I WILL) and need to carry non-sweat-soaked TP.

The SLS3 belt comes in blue, purple, black, and lime green and costs $29.50 — about the same price as most other popular run belts. You can get 57% if you use this Amazon link, or you can win a belt for FREE by entering this raffle!

What’s your favorite way to carry stuff while you run?

 

 

Gear

Tiux Compression Socks: Review, Discount, and IG Giveaway

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I’ve always been on the fence about compression socks. I’ve read all about them, of course: they supposedly aid recovery and help runners stay stronger and faster for longer, but there’s not a ton of research out there, either for or against them (for a more detailed explanation, read this article from Competitor). Plus, those puppies are expensive, and I’m not exactly overwhelmed with earthly wealth, so I could never bring myself to drop $70 on a pair of socks that may or may not actually be beneficial. I have bought a couple of bargain-bin, off-brand pairs, but I could never tell a difference in my running or recovery… probably because they’re off-brand, bargain-bin socks.

That’s a long-winded way of getting to my point, which is this: A few weeks ago, a representative from Tiux, “a small startup with something to prove” (from their website) contacted me and offered to send me a pair of socks to try. Naturally, I jumped at the chance, and a few days later, a cute pair of pink-and-yellow socks arrived in my mailbox. I couldn’t wait to try them out!

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Disclaimer: I was provided with these socks in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own. 

Over the past month, I’ve worn these socks several times, and I have to say, I’m impressed. I’ve worn them during runs and for post-run recovery, and I like them for both reasons. I was hoping they’d be miracle socks that would make my flatlander legs amazing at running hills. They’re not. Turns out, you actually have to run hills to be good at hills, not just wear socks. But my feet and calves ache less during and after runs when I wore these socks, and I love them for recovery. Since my drives to trailheads are 1.5+ hours, I could really tell a difference when I wore these socks on the drive home. I’m no scientist, but they must have helped the blood flow a bit better, because I didn’t feel as stiff and uncomfortable when I got home if I put these socks on post-run.

I wore my Tiux socks while I ran in a vertical line to this point. They are comfortable, but they didn't magically make me not suck wind on the climb.
I wore my Tiux socks while I ran in a vertical line to this point. They are comfortable, but they didn’t magically make me not suck wind on the climb.

My only (minor) complaint about these socks is that they are a little too long for my legs — the tops come to the middle of my knee, which isn’t the most comfortable but is easily fixed by folding them down a little. My ankle and calf measurements had me between a medium and a small, and I ordered medium. I think if I’d gone down to a small, I wouldn’t have this issue, so keep that in mind when you order.

The best thing about Tiux socks is the price. They’re $35. That’s not a typo, and that’s not some special deal Tiux is running right now. That’s the everyday price. Unlike my bargain bin socks, though, these are a well-made, high-quality product. I’ve washed them several times, and nothing has changed (my bargain socks shrank after the first wash). They breathe and wick to keep your legs from getting hot and swampy, and the graduated compression is carefully engineered for optimal support and recovery.

Obviously, I’m a fan of these socks. They’re well worth the money… and the money is much more reasonable than other brands. If you’re looking for some quality compression socks that won’t break the bank, give these a try!

Ready to try your own pair? Enter my Instagram giveaway (through Sunday night), or if you just can’t wait, use this link for 10% off: http://tiux.refr.cc/MQNX73W

Do you wear compression socks? Have you tried Tiux?