Reviews

181

I've had my Arctic evo3 on my black 60 gig iPod for a few months now, and here is my comprehensive review.

Good impact and scratch protection, almost total coverage. Easy to access the dock port yet stays protected the rest of the time.

On a personal note, I do find the case to be a little ugly... there are much nicer looking cases out there... but I was willing to pay that price for the better grade of protection.

Like others, I found that non-Apple earphone plugs don't fit as well through the case, but with a little extra effort, I find that my Shure e2c does work without having to slice away any silicone.

I just wish that there was a protective rubber plug for the headphone port to complete the protection, for all those times when the 'pod is just plugged into my Mac in hard disk mode. It would be so easy to just have a little tether of rubber extruding from the case, with a little nub on the end which can go into the jack. If anyone didn't like it, it would be very easy to remove with a razor blade.

I don't like the "wet" marks near the outside of the top left and right corners of the click wheel. I've seen other pics of this case on the iPod, and I'm seeing the same thing. The official photos of the case on the iSkin site of course photoshop away these marks.

Like others, I also found that the case does attract dust and lint, especially in the click wheel area. This can work it's way under the VISOR, and eventually up into the screen area. However, if you are vigilant and diligent, the click wheel area is easy to clean out with a damp q-tip. I just wish I didn't have to worry about that. I will take up the suggestion from another poster on this message board and try using Armour-All.

I found that the solution to covering the hold switch left it only marginally usable. It's a clever idea... but it doesn't really translate well into convenient, daily use. You have to usually really dig your fingernail in there to move the switch.

The quality of the finishing details left something to be desired in a product at this price point. Some of the rubber trimming looked a little sloppy, and the inner edge of the click wheel hole in the VISOR was jagged with hard plastic that should have been glossy smooth. I'm not sure how I should get rid of this hard jagged plastic. Maybe my new dremel tool will do the job.

to be continued....

Posted by Automaton on June 2, 2006 at 11:10 PM (PDT)

182

continued:

The Revo clip seems to work fairly well. By "casual" use, I guess that iSkin just means that it's not meant for running or vigorous sports.... it's just not strong and secure enough. I like the way that I can wear my iPod vertically, horizontally, or at any angle in between. Most screw mount solutions won't allow for this, at least not securely. The fact that the clips sticks out so far is actually a bonus for me, because I can use it as something to wrap the earphone cord around when I'm not listening. I find that I can wrap around loosely when it's on my belt, or tightly when I'm not wearing it at all. I also find that it helps the iPod to fit more snugly into my black Pelican 1010 micro case - it's now a perfect fit for length and width, with only about a milimeter or two travel space for height. However, I HATE the fact that when I choose to detach the clip from the case, there are two plastic pegs sticking out. I can see these breaking off, rendering the clip useless, and they poke into me when the pod is in a pocket. It really detracts from the sleekness of the iPod. It is possible to remove the anchor plate from the case altogether... which means that I won't have a peg problem... but then there will be a loose floppy area in the case with less protection, as the rubber is thinner there to accomodate the plate. I just wish that they could figure out a way to get the pegs to go from the clip into the plate, instead of vice versa.

The VISOR plate seems to be reasonably hard and scratch-resistant, but then I haven't been tossing it around in a gym bag either. However... the way you have to put the rubber and hard plastic components together is so awkward that I managed to score a long groove in the face (right across the screen!) of my brand new iPod. I mean brand new: I had the case all washed and dried and standing by as I peeled off the plastic from the iPod directly after taking it out of the box. I was super careful, but the screen must have had a static charge, because a chunk of lint zoomed in there, between the VISOR and the screen, which meant having to put the case on a second time. That was when the scratch happened.... and I was being obsessively careful too. It's just that the awkward procedure makes some contact almost enevitable, and the edges of the visor have not been rounded and smoothed enough to prevent it from scratching the iPod. It's ironic, as I bought the case in part to protect the face from scratches.

I think that the VISOR is also just unnecessarily thick and bulky. I wish that the rubber on the front was a big thicker (although it's thick enough at the corners) and the VISOR was thinner. I mean, the front of the iPod is already well protected (except from scratches!), since it's made from a thick slab of tough polycarbonate. Essentially, I just prefer the design of the evo2. I think that the idea of having the screen protector float above the actual iPod screen on a layer of rubber is a good idea, it was taken too far. A groove in the rubber around the screen just big enough for a protector that covers the screen alone would be better.

Bottom line: I find that this is the case that generally offers the best every-day protection, and despite a number of issues, I'm generally satisfied. I also wanted to support a Canadian company. Until the perfect case is designed (by me!), this is still one of the top five cases on the market. I'm looking into getting a iFrogz case now... only thing about that is that I hate the embossed logo on the front.

Posted by Automaton on June 2, 2006 at 11:12 PM (PDT)

183

hey everybody im kinda deciding to get either the evo 3 artic or atomic green one. and i just wanted to know how bad the lint really gets? especially on the green case, is the lint pretty bad? alright thanks and thanks

Posted by jg1206 on June 25, 2006 at 11:46 AM (PDT)

184

I got my evo3 in Feb 06 after having used an earlier evo on my old 20mb ipod which I liked. Generally have been happy but...

Immediately I disliked the hold switch cover. It is totally annoying as it makes the switch hard to operate and the plastic eventually rips for digging in to move the switch.

I do have issues at times with the wheel being hard to operate through the thin cover over it.

My more pressing concern is that the other day I took the case off to check the serial # on my ipod and when I put it back on I noticed a hairline crack on the inside center of the visor (hard plastic front) extending from the circular wheel area into the middle of the screen area. Now when the visor is on, I have an ugly line going through my love crisp ipod video screen! Argh!

I didn't do anything strange to the visor when it was off (for all of 5 minutes) and I am very gentle on my ipod in general so I have no idea why it appeared other than stress on the plate from installation which is lame!

*Of course* iSkin will do *nothing* for me. They directed me to their accessories page which is no help as they don't sell the visor separately.

Oh well... I'm going to try something else as it is pointless to pay $35 just to get a new visor.

Posted by aloveforyou on July 6, 2006 at 2:57 PM (PDT)

185

i just got my iskin and i love it! it completely protects the ipod. yes, lint sticks to it, but its easy to brush off. the hold button is covered so i just cut a hole with a razor blade(the hold button shape is already there). i bought it after reading this review and love this site. what portable ipod speakers would you recommend. i'm going to france for christmas and want to know the best i can get.thnx

Posted by ipodnub on July 7, 2006 at 5:34 PM (PDT)

186

About the price....while $35 is an ok price for protection, if you go to ebay you will be able to find it for less. I received one (which I love) from a power seller that charged me $26 (including shipping).

Posted by DarkSchneider on July 8, 2006 at 9:11 AM (PDT)

187

aloveforyou, the iskin website does have a spereate VISOR for the eVo3. copy and past this link

http://www.iskin.com/store/I2shop_access.tpl?cart=1152382371802047&command=showcart&db=products01.db

Posted by ipodnub on July 8, 2006 at 11:14 AM (PDT)

188

After reading some of the negative comments above, I had some trepidation about ordering this case.... but I still liked the look of the iSkin better than the alternatives, so I took a deep breath and ordered one (in Arctic White, for my 60GB vPod). I have to say, I really like it. The fit is great - all cutouts line up perfectly. The "visor" design is a real achievement IMO - surely beats the pants off the other solutions I have seen. The silicone does seem to attract a bit of lint, but nothing that can't be wiped off easily. Most importantly, I am no longer worried about tossing my 'Pod into my gym bag or glovebox - the case seems quite rugged. And it looks good to boot. (Was expecting not to like the look of this thing much, but it has really grown on me - the white on white looks very clean and slightly high tech.)

All in all, it is worth the $$ for this degree of protection, and I would certainly purchase this case again. Thumbs up!

Posted by erockerboy on July 16, 2006 at 10:57 AM (PDT)

189

Hey can anyone send me some pics with any color skin on a black iPod. I'd really appreciate it. Thanks

Email is

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Posted by OB06iPod on July 19, 2006 at 11:59 AM (PDT)

190

TulsaGent...
could you please send me the pic of your iPod. I'm pretty interested thanks.
Email-

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Posted by OB06iPod on July 20, 2006 at 4:23 PM (PDT)

191

yea, I love the skin but I do not know how to remove the belt clip.

Posted by warner1118 on July 31, 2006 at 4:29 AM (PDT)

192

I bought the black eVo3 for my 30GB iPod. Overall, I'm very happy with this case. It does show off the lint that it's attracted very well. But, better that the lint be on the outside than inside.

I'd also have to agree with the minor complaints about the HOLD key cover. To really use it, you have to jab in there with your fingernail or something else to move the switch itself.

All things considered though, it's generally a pretty well thought out case design.

Posted by joetron2030 on August 24, 2006 at 11:47 AM (PDT)

193

i got my evo3 a couple of days ago and im impressed. everything is perfect the dock connecter flap is of no way a bother. i can move the hold switch with ease. i bought the limited edition red an black case. which i recommend because they spray something on it so lint and dust wont stick to it. although it costs more than the other ones its worth it. i also bought it with a pair of red and black special edition cerulean headphones which work great

Posted by (SIC) on August 24, 2006 at 9:55 PM (PDT)

194

Anyone know if these will fit the revamped 5Gs announced today?

Here's the specs for the 80GB

Size and weight (80GB model)

* Height: 4.1 inches
* Width: 2.4 inches
* Depth: 0.55 inch
* Weight: 5.5 ounces

Posted by Dominar on September 12, 2006 at 9:15 PM (PDT)

195

does anyone have pics of colored evo3's on a black ipod? i'm wondering how the arctic looks in particular on a black ipod? thanks

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Posted by rfogile on September 19, 2006 at 4:43 PM (PDT)

196

Just got my arctic eVo3 for my 80GB iPod and I'm pleased. This is my third iSkin product and all have been well crafted and designed. Increasing the value of this purchase was the inclusion of 100 free downloads from eMusic.

It provides a nice combination of aesthetics and protection. I recommend it strongly to those who like the silicone cases as opposed to metal, leather, canvas, or other materials.

Posted by Flippy Hambone on October 10, 2006 at 9:57 AM (PDT)

197

The case is excellent in the way it looks and feels. It protects the entire iPod extremely well. It is sticky in your hand or on dash of your car. The plastic faceplate is brilliant in the way it protects and guides your thumb around the wheel.

My only real complaint is that it's compatibility with speaker docks is limited. It will not work in my Altec Lansing IM11, nor will it work with a Nyko Speaker Dock 2. It does fit into Memorex clock-radio, and into the official apple universal dock without an adapter. I had a very difficult time inserting it into a dock with the flap over the docking port cover, but after cutting it off it works well. It is possible with the flap intact, but it took me a long time time every time i tried and it would wiggle loose. It is looser than a naked iPod with the correct adapter, but not bad.

Posted by Chrystopher on October 16, 2006 at 7:07 PM (PDT)

198

Hi all, I just got a 5.1G (enhanced 5G) 30GB iPod. I'm interested in eVo3. But I'm concerned that the my Shure E4C phone jack will not fit into the eVo3 earphone opening.

Shure E4C phone jack is rather big, around 3/8" (1 cm). iLounge review said the opening in the eVo3 is 1/8". Is that possible? Even the original iPod earphone is around 1/4" (plastic/rubber part right above the 1/8" metal plug).

Is anyone using Shure E3C/E4C with eVo3? Can someone please measure the opening and let me know. Thank you.

Posted by Jimmy K. on October 18, 2006 at 1:23 AM (PDT)

199

Jimmy K, the opening is much bigger than 1/8". I have tried a set of Bose QC2s, and they have a bigger headphone plug than the E2cs.

Posted by anti-luddite on November 18, 2006 at 3:14 PM (PDT)

200

I just picked up the EVO3 in black yesterday at the Apple Retail Store. It protects the iPod really, really well and works with my Jensen JIMS-190. While the hold switch is a little annoying at first, you get used to it quickly. My only complaint is lint, which really shows up on the black. Had I realized how bad the lint would be I probably would have considered the iSkin Claro instead (while another color would have shown the lint less, I got a black iPod for the color). That being said it wipes pretty easily with a lightly damp (lint-free) cloth. Otherwise, the case works very well. I was actually suprised how well it worked with the click-wheel (my previous iPod cases had an exposed area for the wheel).

Posted by mgold on December 17, 2006 at 12:06 PM (PDT)

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