 If you have ever shopped for iPod accessories, you know there is no shortage of iPod carrying cases and armbands. Yet, despite the many options available, most seem to be large and clunky or poorly designed. Fortunately, the Marware Sportsuit Convertible manages to avoid these common design pitfalls.
The Sportsuit Convertible includes a black case that is made out of a stretchy rubber material. It is soft enough to wrap nicely around the iPod nano, but durable enough so that it does not easily scuff or tear. The case is thin enough that it keeps the ultra-slim form factor of the iPod nano intact. While it could fit a little more tightly around the corners, overall the fit is pretty snug.
The case includes a clear plastic rectangle on the front so you can view the iPod's screen. This is a huge advantage over the Nike Sport Armband, which does not include a clear screen cover. The Sportsuit Convertible also has a clear plastic circle that covers the clickwheel so you can control the iPod through the plastic cover. On the top of the case, there is a small white outline that indicates where the Hold switch is. However, moving the Hold switch with the case on is a bit of a challenge because the case moves before the switch does. You really have to press hard to actually move the Hold switch underneath the case. While it is a bit of a hassle, this design keeps the iPod completely covered, which is probably a worthwhile trade-off.
The case has a clip attachment on the back that allows you to connect the case to either the included armband or belt clip. Both attachments work very well and can be useful in different situations. The armband is made with a comfortable soft material and has a velcro strap that can be adjusted to fit nearly any arm size. My only complaint is that the rough piece of velcro is too small and the armband can actually come undone when running, especially if it gets wet. This has happened to me a few times, but fortunately the armband never comes all the way off, so I can fix the velcro before the iPod has a chance to fall to the ground.
The belt clip is also a nice option and is a good choice for taking the iPod with you to work or school or for just going on a walk. It is made with a sturdy construction and has a very tight clamp, so you don't need to worry about the iPod falling off. Marware sells some other attachments such as a bike clip and car stand that also connect to the back of the case, but I haven't tried any of these, so I can't comment on how well they work.
While this case has an abundance of useful features incorporated into its design, it is missing one important one. There is no opening at the bottom of the case for the Nike iPod Sport Kit receiver. Since I bought the case specifically to use with the Sport Kit, I had to "mod" the case to make it work. By carefully cutting a small incision in the bottom of the case, I was able to fit the Sport Kit receiver into the dock connector while keeping the iPod completely covered by the case. After several weeks of running with the the iPod and Nike Sport Kit, I would say it has worked pretty well.
If you are looking for the perfect iPod case, you may want to lower your expectations a little bit. From my experience, the perfect case does not exist. However, if you simply want a good quality case and armband combination, the Sportsuit Convertible is the best one I have found. |
