iPod Shuffle Armband Review

I’ve been jogging with my iPod Shuffle in the DLO Action Jacket for a month now, and it’s been great!

There are three armbands to choose from for the Shuffle: Apple’s gray plastic armband, the XtremeMac neoprene SportWrap, and the DLO silicone sleeve Action Jacket. All three armbands are comparably priced in the $20 to $30 range. Here’s a summary of some reviews I crawled through before choosing the DLO.

	Reviewers give Apple’s armband high marks for being an Apple product, cool looks, and being lightweight with easily accessible buttons. Reviewers dislike the plastic armband because the hard plastic is uncomfortable, it tends to get slimy after sweating, and it’s hard to adjust for a good fit.
	The XtremeMac SportWrap gets average marks in general. Reviewers like the elastic armband and the space for excess headphone cord so the cord doesn’t flap while running; however, it’s bulky to wear.
	The DLO Action Jacket gets high marks because it has a flexible armband, it’s lightweight, and it is the only case that functions as an armband and a belt clip. Some reviewers find it difficult to control the shuffle through the protective plastic, and some complain that it’s difficult to connect the headphones because the headphone hole is off centered from the Shuffle’s jack.

I settled on the DLO because, from the reviews and pictures, Apple’s hard plastic armband looked too uncomfortable, and the XtremeMac SportWrap looked too bulky. The added benefit of the DLO’s belt clip pushed me over the edge because I was going to get a separate belt clip anyway, which is $15 by itself.

I’ve been jogging with the Shuffle in the DLO Action Jacket for a month now, and it’s been great. The armband is lightweight, and flexes with the arm. The buttons were a little difficult to access at first, but are fine now, and I don’t use them much anyway when running, as the Shuffle is really meant to just play and go.

I used to wear the armband around my bicep, but the strap rubs a bit under the arm. Now I wear it on the forearm and it’s much more comfortable (see the to picture). The belt clip also works great on the waistband.

Some people complain about the swinging headphone wire while they run, but I put the wire under my shirt and haven’t had a problem.

I recommend the iPod Shuffle DLO Action Jacket combination because the comfort, lightweight, and versatility make the combo a great way to listen to music or audio books while on the go.