ipod classic pouch review

hello there


that this has a proper title possibly warns you, dearest of regular reader, that this is more or less a "proper" blog post as such, written in a way to be of any sort of help to them crazy kids that do a google and that ending up here looking for information. i always get a touch annoyed when i can't find decent reviews on products that have the info i want, so the least i can do is try and write what i would want to see.

as the more regular of reader will recall, i have been having something of a plight thing going on of late in looking for cases or pouches for my iPod classic. none of the stalls or shops carry anything at all for this model - as point of fact most places say "rather buy one for that online". the iPod classic is obviously not of the biggest market, then, which is a shame as it remains the only genuinely, no questions asked decent product that Apple make.

after a couple of ill-fated efforts to use very cheap items not designed as cases, and exhausting all stores that might sell some, i took the plunge and ordered not one, not three, but two cases, pouches or whatever you want to call them. the links here are purely to show what exactly i bought; i have not been in any way sponsored or paid. quite the opposite, as we shall see.

first off, then, the one i was most excited about. it is one for a belt that goes on a belt properly, as in not a clip. i didn't like the idea of a clip at all; they tend to break off and that.

here's the USA Gear FlexARMOUR universal and unisex pouch then, one that i paid £7.99 for, which i considered to be "about right". it seemed to serve the purpose for what i wanted.

it features, apparently, neoprene padding (whatever that is), and many pouches, zips and pockets to shove whatever you want in.

i am baffled, as this is not model specific, as to why no store at all that i visited - and there were several - does not simply keep some of these on hand to flog for profit. for the non-standard, non-trendy and non-popular device, this pouch is surely the sort of thing more than just i would be looking for. if so much as one person hits this via a google thing, well that kind of shows that it's not just me, does it not? and many thanks for reading, if you are here looking for information on this sort of pouch. it means that i am not quite so alone in the world as it sometimes feels.

the most important element i was looking for in this was, of course, the belt strap element. or belt loop, i suppose, since the idea is that one feeds their belt through this, rather than one attaching it via a clip to the belt in question.

i have given it a quick test and it seems to sit very fine indeed on the belt, not showing too much strain, bending or flexing as i sit and walk. the big test will be tomorrow, of course.

it looks as sturdy and as strong as one can make it, really. the strap allows for any reasonable size of belt to go through, and when on it seems accessible enough without being either too tight or too loose.

i think this will hold, at least hold better than the £1 effort that i tried. i know this picture does not show it off as well as it could have - sorry - but there's two lines of stitching at the top and and the bottom. i would suggest - and i might regret this, but i am confident - that this makes it pretty secure, as it is unlikely that both at the top or both at the bottom would snap at the same time, meaning it's reasonably safe to assume that at least one of the lines of stitching at the top and one at the bottom will hold steady should one for some reason snap. if not, well, i suppose one will find out on that neoprene padding front, really.

every dream has a price, however. the price i seem to have to pay, beyond the mentioned coins of money, to have something that goes on my belt is some slight annoyances, and things that could be a problem.

first off, it is a single zip. a double would be ace, as that would allow one to draw them to meet at the headphone point. alas no. to zip it up as much as you can you have to put the iPod in it facing down, and even then, as you can see, it leaves quite a gap.

this could be a bit of a problem in the more wetter of conditions, as rare as rain and that are here. again, it's a bit of a downside to the fact that it's a universal styled accessory; there's no way to make it so it's 100% perfect for each and every device out there.

in following on from that, whereas the iPod fits in to this pouch, understand it is not a made to measure, bespoke design for it. the iPod is always going to be a touch loose. so if you have a zip accident or malfunction, she will go tumbling and falling to the ground out of this fancy neoprene safety zone.

it would probably be wise, prudent even, to invest in one of them "skin" rubber or silicone cases for the iPod then. i think i shall throw a few coins at one, just to try and be as safe as i can with it, should it fall. i am not quite so cavalier and excited about the idea of dropping iPod devices to see what happens as my (considerably) better half is. i shall not bore you with the details, but see if i buy her one again.

overall - without a full on field test - this is going to do what i wanted. sure, it means faffing, taking it out to change tunes and that, but then more fault me for not making a playlist i suppose. it seems that it is going to stay on my belt in a most secure way, and that's what i have been looking for.

on then, to the other pouch. the one that i was most intrigued by, but was and am fairly sure will make me seem to look a twat, or more of a twat than usual. yes, the armband pouch for the iPod classic.

whereas ostensibly it is for practical purposes, such as joggers and that, it is not every company that rushes to see if they can have armbands associated with them, due to certain historical reasons that most would prefer not to associate with. Apple, of course, are at heart all about brainwashing people into how their lame ideas make people superior, so there is a touch of the fitting and indeed apt to this.

here we go with neoprene again, whatever it is. i purchased the iGadgitz water resistant sports jogging whatever model of pouch for £9.04. and i see a few days later they have dropped the price to £7.99. swines.

it's pretty good, with one major potential problem. well, one potential problem other than looking like a complete and utter twat wearing it. we shall get to that, but in the mean time there's a quick and easy review for those of you in some sort of rush.

how does the iPod fit in? very well indeed. purpose built and made this is, look you see, so it goes in very well. as in, this is for the iPod classic only; if you have a different model of iPod - this "touch" nonsense, for instance - make sure you get one made for yours.

it allows perfect access at the top to the headphone port and the lock switch, and indeed at the bottom for the 30 PIN thing that Apple made and are trying to get rid of. very handy, really - if you are all that bothered about keeping your iPod in an armband on a permanent basis, there's no need to ever take it out.

it is a snug fit, mind - i suspect it may not fit in properly if you do have one of them "skins" on it.

as i think that picture shows off somewhat, the iPod is held in very well indeed. 10 out of 10 for the safety and security element, then - no loose wobbles.

and, of course, behold - the device attached to the arm, as intended.

hmn. i suspected that this thing would actually bend, weaken and break the headphone jack at the point that it goes into the iPod, but i have to say has been designed really well, and it doesn't do that.

also, i have to confess, it's awesome turning your arm to mess around with the dial and that. it's like something Boba Fett, or Predator even, would have on the go. i even tried making ace Predator noises as i did it. which is awesome. except i am 41, and a 41 year old chap sitting on a bus making ace Predator noises as they operate a vintage iPod is perhaps not a common thing.

the potential downside? the strap. here's a pic. oh, by the way, an actual downside - the elastic like bit at the top of this next picture is where you can supposedly store the headphones. nonsense, you won't fit them in there, no chance.

the strap is quite short on this model. as in to put it on properly it was ultra tight, feeling like one of them blood pressure machine band things in a state of near full inflation. i am big, but i wouldn't describe myself as muscular - certainly not as muscular as those this is aimed at.

the fold over strap is quite class, and adds to the security and safety of it. i note cheap models go straight velcro, with no fold over element as such. but i suspect the downside is that many will feel this a quite tight fit.

so, despite the fact that it accentuates, indeed amplifies, how much of a twat one looks, and even though it's a bit of a tight fit, i really rather like this one. it feels OK on the arm, and that ease of access is amazing.

so, there you have it. for the most part - until it snaps - i will be using that belt one, as it seems most convenient and the least dick-looking like. i shall have to investigate and purchase one of them skin thing cases for it, mind - the iPod not the case - but they seem cheap enough. 

hope this has been of use to anyone also looking to carry around the more vintage yet considerably better version of the iPod!

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!