iPod Cases...and Shirts and Pants
Time for a guest blog item! My friend Julie O'Malley has been trying to accessorize her iPod, and writes...
3gipod.jpg
"After reaching the ripe, metabolism-destroying age of 40, I decided that it was time to incorporate an exercise routine into my daily life. So I packed my gym bag with the necessary clothing, shoes, reading material, and, of course, my trusty 3G iPod.
I realized very quickly during my very first workout that my iPod was awkward to simply carry (especially in sweaty hands), and setting it on the little reading shelf of a cardio machine was a dangerous idea. At the very least, it could easily fall off. It became apparent that a case of some kind was necessary. In my search for the perfect gym iPod case, I have been disappointed numerous times, and I have yet to find the right combination of form, function, and comfort.
fannypack.jpg
At first I had a waist pack to house my iPod. This was convenient because I could also carry my keys, some lip balm, and my headphones. The belt of the pack was also a nice place to hang my gym towel. However, I found that it got in the way when using a rowing machine or recumbent bike, and it would irritatingly bounce around when I was on the treadmill.
ipodstand.jpg
I then got a basic holster-style belt-clip for my iPod. It keeps the iPod controls accessible; however again, it interfered with recumbent bicycling and rowing, because the iPod was sitting right where my legs needed to bend at my waist. Also, many of my workout pants don't have a belt to speak of and the iPod clip often slipped loose, sending the iPod flying, holster and all.
sportsuit.jpg
More searching found the Marware SportSuit Sleeve neoprene case that not only had a removable belt clip, but it also sported a small loop on the back in case I wanted to hang my iPod around my neck. This offered my iPod considerably more protection from impact (as well as moisture). However, if I wanted to adjust the volume, switch playlists, or otherwise change any of the iPod settings, I would have to unplug the headphones completely in order to open the Velcro flap closure and take the iPod completely out of the case. This was not an easy thing to do while working out on a Precor elliptical trainer, and I often ended up juggling my iPod around in an attempt to not drop it, or nearly losing my balance and falling off of the exercise machine. I also found that using the lanyard loop, although better than a belt clip, made my iPod bang against my sternum incessantly during any sort of cardio workout.
ipodwrist.jpg
My next attempt was an Xtrememac arm band case, with a see-through window for getting to the iPod controls. At first, I thought that my search was over...but soon after beginning my workout, I realized that my sweat was making the neoprene arm band stretch just a bit, and the case began slipping down my arm. I tightened the Velcro closures, and within fifteen minutes of working out on the elliptical trainer, I felt my arm start to throb as if I was having my blood pressure tested, and my fingertips went numb and began to turn blue. Fearing an brain-bound armpit blood clot, I quickly took the armband off and hung it on the handrail of the machine. Shortly after that I went to adjust the volume on my iPod, and found that the plastic window had stuck to the front of my iPod, rendering the touch-wheel virtually useless.
3gipod.jpg
"After reaching the ripe, metabolism-destroying age of 40, I decided that it was time to incorporate an exercise routine into my daily life. So I packed my gym bag with the necessary clothing, shoes, reading material, and, of course, my trusty 3G iPod.
I realized very quickly during my very first workout that my iPod was awkward to simply carry (especially in sweaty hands), and setting it on the little reading shelf of a cardio machine was a dangerous idea. At the very least, it could easily fall off. It became apparent that a case of some kind was necessary. In my search for the perfect gym iPod case, I have been disappointed numerous times, and I have yet to find the right combination of form, function, and comfort.
fannypack.jpg
At first I had a waist pack to house my iPod. This was convenient because I could also carry my keys, some lip balm, and my headphones. The belt of the pack was also a nice place to hang my gym towel. However, I found that it got in the way when using a rowing machine or recumbent bike, and it would irritatingly bounce around when I was on the treadmill.
ipodstand.jpg
I then got a basic holster-style belt-clip for my iPod. It keeps the iPod controls accessible; however again, it interfered with recumbent bicycling and rowing, because the iPod was sitting right where my legs needed to bend at my waist. Also, many of my workout pants don't have a belt to speak of and the iPod clip often slipped loose, sending the iPod flying, holster and all.
sportsuit.jpg
More searching found the Marware SportSuit Sleeve neoprene case that not only had a removable belt clip, but it also sported a small loop on the back in case I wanted to hang my iPod around my neck. This offered my iPod considerably more protection from impact (as well as moisture). However, if I wanted to adjust the volume, switch playlists, or otherwise change any of the iPod settings, I would have to unplug the headphones completely in order to open the Velcro flap closure and take the iPod completely out of the case. This was not an easy thing to do while working out on a Precor elliptical trainer, and I often ended up juggling my iPod around in an attempt to not drop it, or nearly losing my balance and falling off of the exercise machine. I also found that using the lanyard loop, although better than a belt clip, made my iPod bang against my sternum incessantly during any sort of cardio workout.
ipodwrist.jpg
My next attempt was an Xtrememac arm band case, with a see-through window for getting to the iPod controls. At first, I thought that my search was over...but soon after beginning my workout, I realized that my sweat was making the neoprene arm band stretch just a bit, and the case began slipping down my arm. I tightened the Velcro closures, and within fifteen minutes of working out on the elliptical trainer, I felt my arm start to throb as if I was having my blood pressure tested, and my fingertips went numb and began to turn blue. Fearing an brain-bound armpit blood clot, I quickly took the armband off and hung it on the handrail of the machine. Shortly after that I went to adjust the volume on my iPod, and found that the plastic window had stuck to the front of my iPod, rendering the touch-wheel virtually useless.
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