The 6 Best Armbands for Carrying Your Phone on a Run

LifeProof’s LifeActiv armband has a unique design in that your phone doesn’t tuck into a clear compartment—it holsters to a universal mount attached to an armband. The biggest advantage of this is that you can still use your touchscreen while it’s on the mount.

run with our phones Runner’s World photographer Lakota Gambill reported that it actually felt less bulky than many of the other options we tried. The downside is that you won’t have any extra storage space for your keys and cash—though that might not be much of a drawback if you’re traveling light or using other pockets.

Here’s how it works: Following the brand’s recommendations, you affix the adhesive adapter to the back of your phone case. After 24 hours, that sucker’s locked on for as long as you want it there.

Gambill was surprised by the system’s efficiency. “The sticker mount is worth the commitment—my phone was secure and easily accessible,” she says. If you don’t want to permanently marry your phone case to LifeProof’s adhesive mount, Gambill has a tip for that: “Buy a cheap extra case for the sticker.”

The E Tronic Edge fits more like a sleeve than a band—which has both pros and cons. On the plus side, the solid band of nylon-Spandex fabric is smooth and comfortable against your skin, so you don’t have to worry about a rough armband scratching against your arm or the possibility of a Velcro closure giving out. It’s also cool, light, and quick-drying, so it doesn’t feel bulky or steamy on hot days.

The only potential downside is that your phone is zippered into the sleeve and somewhat inaccessible while you’re in motion, which isn’t ideal if you’re trying to check your mileage or skip a song on the fly.

It can also be tricky to get the right fit to keep the sleeve from migrating down your arm, so be sure to measure the circumference of your bicep and size down if you’re unsure (here’s a size chart from its Amazon listing). Trust us—the Spandex will stretch.

Although it was the cheapest among the bands we tested, this frill-free running armband from Tribe surprised us with its luxuriously soft, stretchy comfort and unobtrusive, low-profile fit.

There’s not a lot of storage space for much beyond a phone and a credit card here, but that wasn’t an issue for Director of Editorial Operations Jen Sherry, who found that the band didn’t budge at all when worn on bare skin or over a medium-weight jacket.

Sherry also praised the band for being one of the only she’s tried that allowed her to use (with a little effort) the phone’s touchscreen while tucked inside.

If you go running late at night, you’ll appreciate the reflective tape lining this armband, which makes it easier for cars to see you. It’s not enough to keep you seen on its own, but if you find comfort in redundancy, the Fast and Free is a great means for getting just a tad more coverage on your upper body.

Thanks to this armband’s soft exterior (no hard plastic outer cover) and double hook closure system, you can cinch it down pretty tightly without discomfort. In other words, we’re confident it’ll stay put as you run. And despite the lack of a transparent cover for your phone, the thin mesh pocket in which it sits provides reliable touch-screen accessibility (assuming you remember where things are on your screen, such as the skip button for music).

Worried about the elements (or your own sweat) coming in contact with your phone? Try out this neoprene armband from Nathan, which we found protected our phones from rain surprisingly well for a $25 piece of hardware. Better yet, it doesn’t feel grotesquely uncomfortable when you work up a sweat since it’s only water-resistant, not waterproof.

The best part about this armband is that it actually stayed in place, according to former Runner’s World photo editor Kristen Parker, who admits she finds armbands in general to be “inherently a little bulky and annoying.”

Despite her general disdain for the feeling of an armband, Parker ranked this one a 7 out of 10 (on her own scale) in terms of comfort. The material was soft and flexible, and it didn’t dig in or pinch her skin. Her phone didn’t move at all within the window pocket, despite being on the smaller side.

She did report finding the band to be more comfortable over clothes than against bare skin. But once it was tightened in place, she found that the band—designed to fit 9- to 15-inch arms—stayed put without adjustment and was fairly lightweight and unobtrusive.

If your phone is brand spankin’ new, chances are it’s a little too big for most of the hard-cover armbands on this list. That’s not the case with this capacious armband from RevereSport, which can handle screens as tall as 6.7 inches. On top of that, it has a small pocket that has just enough space for some earbuds, a wad of cash, or a gel. Additionally, if it happens to rain while you’re out, its waterproof coating will keep your device protected and intact.

Keep in mind that this is only an ideal option for big devices. RevereSport advertises it with recent large iPhones—the 13, 14, and 15 families—in mind. If you have an Android with similar dimensions, it will also fit, but anything smaller will likely slide around inside unless you pack more stuff in there.