Your first thought might be, “That’s a fanny pack!” WAIT! Please read on because this certainly isn’t a fanny pack and I’m going to explain why the SPIbelt ($19.95) is a great gift…

Sleek & Discreet

The SPIbelt (Small, Personal Items belt) is not big or bulky like a fanny pack.  In fact, unless you are wearing tight fitting clothes or really low-rise pants, people probably won’t even notice that you are wearing it – it’s profile is that slim.

I don’t want to mislead you though!  Just because you’ll be able to carry your gear and still look hot, doesn’t mean you are going to have to sacrifice space.  For me, the beauty of the SPIbelt isn’t just it’s discreet size; it stretches while compressing the items so no matter what you stuff in there, you aren’t going to be stuck with a bulky pack!  It’s a bit magical and I’m probably going to have to create a YouTube video to do this little gem justice.

What can you fit into a SPIbelt?

• My boyfriend was easily able to fit an iPod Touch, cell phone, keys and money into his new SPIbelt (a present for our upcoming trip to Santa Fe) and when strapped it on and you couldn’t see it under his shirt at all! (he was wearing jeans and a polo shirt that fit well but wasn’t tight)
• I wear closer fitting clothing – low-rise jeans, yoga pants, etc. – and I packed my cell phone, keys, money and T pass into mine and it so discreet and small that you could barely notice it!  (I love the colors that they offer but, if you really want it to be discreet, the black SPIbelt fits the bill!)

Of course, I knew this would be great for two things in particular – travel and exercise – so I strapped on my SPIbelt (with the items listed above in it) and took my dog for a run.  Guess what?  Not only does it fit all that stuff inside and not make me look like a dork, it also doesn’t bounce.  Truly.  This will be a much used item in my life when the weather is warmer and I’m wearing exercise clothing that doesn’t have pockets!

Bonus for dog owners:  I could slip Isabelle’s leash loop through the belt before buckling it to create a hands free leash!

Alright, so now that I’ve proven how in love I am with this neat little product, I still need to let you know who on your gift list this is a good idea for:

• *  Men or women who want to travel and sightsee unencumbered - throw in your hotel key, money and ID and off you go!
• *  Fitness enthusiasts – a lot of exercise clothing is simple, form fitting and WITHOUT POCKETS, so this is a great gift for the runner, walker, biker, etc. that needs to keep some things close without affecting their workout
• * Your favorite dog walker – again, warmer weather is coming, which means less pockets and this would be a great way to show your dog walker that you appreciate them by giving them something useful.
• *  A guy who has overloaded pockets – some guys have an iPod, cell phone, earphones, keys, etc. and no purse to stow all their gear!  This is a great gift for that guy doesn’t want to carry a backpack or messenger bag but doesn’t want bulging pockets either.
  
• * Anyone who has to have any medication handy at all times – someone who has diabetes or asthma, for instance, may need to keep insulin or an inhaler close at hand – great way to keep help them keep medication close while still being able to be discreet.
  

Get it in their favorite color or accent color (black with colored zipper).

For a dog walker – enclose a mini-card that has a cash bonus in it or filled with small, useful items like great chapstick or refreshing towelettes.

For a child that needs to have medication with them at all times – give them a stylish way to keep it close at hand, pick a color or pattern that they will love or pick black to help them keep it more discreet – really think about what they would like most.    After you pick the perfect belt, put some really fun, age appropriate item in it, a young child may like a small toy while an older child might like their first cell phone!

For the exercise enthusiast, make sure to choose the water and sweat resistant SPIbelt and then proceed to give them great headphones if they like to exercise with tunes, a pedometer, Nike + or something similar that they will love.

Want to give a little luxury? Wrap up an iPod Touch and slip it inside or for your man or woman who works out hard, include a gift certificate to an upscale spa for a massage.

There are so many more possible ways to personalize this!  What are some things you would like to find in a SPIbelt if you were to receive this as a gift or things that you might put in it if you were to give it?  Leave a comment and let me know!

Happy gifting!