OtterBox for iPod Nano (2nd generation Color Nanos)
Company: Otter Products, LLC
Price: $39.95
OtterBox’s Armband
Company: Otter Products, LLC
Price: $14.95
Back in November of 2005, I wrote a review of the OtterBox for the iPod Shuffle. I’ve spent the past two years enjoying my iPod Shuffle, running with it, working around the house and yard with it, exercising with it… in other words, getting my monies worth out of it. But finally, I really got tired of not being able to see exactly what I had on the Shuffle and trying to remember what song might be next.
So a month ago I finally decided that it was time to upgrade to a new iPod Nano. I figured a 2Gig unit would be fine, as I normally don’t have the time to go through every song that I’ve placed on my iPod in a normal day or a week for that matter. So off to the Apple store where I picked up a refreshed unit for $120. I’ve never been impressed with Apple’s idea of an armband so back to OtterBox I went, this time going for the OtterBox for the 2nd generation iPod Nano.
Just as before, the OtterBox is everything that it is claimed to be; designed of clear polycarbonate, the case is waterproof, dustproof, drop-proof, sandproof and very rugged. A thin membrane that permits it to remain fully functional through the case protects the ClickWheel. The belt clip that is included provides cable management for your headphones; just wrap the cord around the clip to allow only the length of cable that you wish to be available for your use. An external headphone jack that is usable with any style headphones that come with a standard mini stereo plug (1/8â€) completes the package. I also asked for the armband for the OtterBox case for use in running and working out.
When the package arrived from OtterBox, the timing was most excellent. I unwrapped everything, placed it in my briefcase along with the iPod Nano and headed for the airport very early the next morning for a trip down to Florida. What a great place to try out the OtterBox. Temps in the mid-70’s when I ran at 6:30 in the morning, along with the usual higher level of humidity to add to the mix. Whether I ran with the OtterBox on the armband or just clipped to my running shorts, I encountered absolutely no problems. No condensation buildup and no slippage of the unit off of the shorts or finding a problem with the armband traveling down the arm. Yes, I even took it to the beach and did some testing there. NO, I did not dunk my brand new iPod and OtterBox in the ocean to see if it held up to salt water. I’d tested the waterproof capabilities in the Shuffle case in fresh water two years ago and figured they’d not changed the OtterBox. I did try it out in the sandy environment and am please to report that all went well. No problems with sand infiltration, the OtterBox kept the iPod intact and clean, even when buried.
Back home I’ve continued to give the OtterBox a good workout. Running, exercising, working in the yard, it has withstood everything that I’ve thrown at it. As it’s gotten warmer and then hotter and the humidity has increased, I’ve had no problems at all with the performance of the OtterBox. I’ve even wound up dropping it, by accident, to the floor and have not suffered any ill effects.
OtterBox does provide a simple shoelace-type lanyard for those that wish to carry their iPod around differently from clipping it on to their belt or shorts.
The lanyard works great and you can wear it under a t-shirt while you’re running or working out because sweat won’t be a problem with the OtterBox. I might recommend that you purchase the adjustable neoprene armband from OtterBox for $14.95 that really does an excellent job of holding the OtterBox case. It’s quite comfortable and stays put exactly where I positioned it on my arm.
So to review:
Pro: waterproof, rugged, dustproof, drop-proof, and sandproof; standard headphone jack that is usable with any style headphone and an unconditional Lifetime warranty which includes replacement of the case only.
Cons: the only thing folks might take issue with is that the OtterBox is not scratch resistant, but then again, neither is the iPod.
Highly recommended!
My Mac rating: 5 out of 5.
OtterBox’s Armband
My Mac rating: 4 out of 5.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.