Griffin Streamline Armband for iPod nano 3G (Black)

At first glance this seemed pretty good, but after using it for a bit, I have changed my mind.

On the positive side, the armband works well, and can fit about any arm. I've used it lifting and running, and have had no problems with it slipping or being too tight. I also feel very comfortable with my iPod in the case - if I dropped it, shoved it off a table, etc, I think there would be no problem surviving a fall.

The main problem I have with this is how it fits with my earphones plugged in. The earphones shove the bottom of the case out, warping the plastic. Just moving around, the plastic pushes against the wheel, sometimes adjusting the volume slightly. It also made it difficult for me to adjust the volume. The plastic keeps getting in the way. I ended up cutting a section of the edge out to fit my earphone plug.

The second problem is that when the iPod is in the case, the hold button is inaccessible. Normally I wouldn't care about that, but since the plastic kept turning my iPod on and off in my bag, my battery was dead a few times when I wanted to use it.

A nice little armband product for your nano. It works as it says it does and keeps your iPod in place as you walk or run (which is what I use it for.)

If you like exercising with your iPod you should get a holder, you will love having the small nano with you when running, jogging or on the stair climber.

Ultimately this product does what it's supposed to do, which is hold your iPod on your arm. The problem is that the iPod doesn't fit snugly in the armband so it's hard to use the click wheel. I wouldn't recommend this product to anyone who wants to adjust their iPod while it's in the armband.

Overall, I really like this armband and feel it was the best option available at the time of purchase (and might still be). I liked it much more than any of the options that accommodated the Nike Sport Kit, and actually cut a transmitter sized slit in the casing to make it work with the sport kit transmitter (with no problems).

All of that said, the case is not without its issues.

The pros:

* The nano fits snuggly in a pocket of neoprene and clear plastic and is not just clipped on to an armband. I have no worries that my nano will fall out, and if I drop it, it's fairly protected
* The armband can be used in several ways. I have smaller upper arms and can use this on my upper arm for with no slippage or discomfort. Seriously, after hours of running (and sweating) this thing is typically still in place. I could probably use it on my upper forearm as well, though I haven't tried it. I have seen guys at the gym (much larger arms) wearing the same armband: one size fits most.
* Very lightweight, comfortable, nonchafing armband. The armband is made out of a woven, lightweight material that's slightly thicker than what I would have expected, but still fairly nonintrusive. I've had other cases with neoprene/plastic armbands and they began to bother me after a while, especially when sweaty. I don't even think about this one, even when I'm sweating buckets. And that's exactly the way it should be--the last thing I want to think about during a workout is my armband.
* I can control my ipod through the plastic. Every once in a while, a control might not register, but I haven't had serious problems with this. I'm mostly just pressing forward or turning the volume up, though. The center button is the trickiest in my experience, but it only rarely fails to register.

The cons:
* The neoprene is slightly thick, and sometimes interferes with the connection for the headphone jack. It's an easy fix: just hold the top of the nano in place and push the headphone jack all the way in from the bottom. Or, make sure it's in there well BEFORE you put it on. But, kind of irritating.
* No access to the hold button: you have to remember to flip the hold switch BEFORE you put the nano in the case, or... irritating.
* Condensation buildup in the pocket, typically after long workouts. I've been using it this way regularly for a year and have had no problems with my nano so far, but it worries me from time to time.
* I remove my nano from the case regularly. There are a few long friction marks on the shiny back of my nano. I can't be 100% sure that it's from the case, but that's what I suspect. If you need to have a super shiny, always-looks-like-new nano, this might not be the case for you.

Overall, this case is exactly what I wanted and has delivered for close to a year. No case will be perfect and the cons for this one are very minor for my usage compared to the benefits.

Griffin Streamline Armband for iPod nano 3G (Black)
Product was exactly what was advertised. We liked it.