iLounge

Company: MARWARE

Website: www.marware.com

Model: SportSuit Sleeve

Price: $19.95

Colors: BLK, BLU, RED, YEL, GRY

Compatible: iPod 1G, 2G

Note: Also available in Black only with no belt clip.

Marware SportSuit Sleeve

By Dennis Lloyd

Publisher, iLounge
Published: Wednesday, January 16, 2002
Category: Armbands and Athletic Add-Ons, Cases - iPod 1G & 2G (without Dock Connector)

Pros: Excellent protection against the daily grind at a good price.

Cons: No access to iPod functionality without taking the iPod out of the case. You may experience problems using headphone access hole with anything other than Apple’s earbud headphones.

Features

The first thing I noticed about this case is it offers no access to the iPod’s buttons, but it’s a simple pouch to transport your iPod in style. Like all iPod cases, the SportSuit Sleeve provides a hole on top of the Velcro flap for the iPod’s headphone plug. The actual hole is trimmed in hard plastic and is a perfect fit for Apple’s earbud headphones, but my Koss UR-20 headphone plug did not fit into the hole at all. Neither did the Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling headphone’s plug, which I am currently reviewing. MARWARE might consider a larger diameter hole, so that it may accept other headphones other than Apple’s earbud headphones. Other features include a spring-loaded belt clip and a small pocket on the front of the case for your earbud headphones.

Fit and Finish

The 3mm neoprene will provide a great deal of protection against the daily bangs and dings, but a fall is questionable, for any case for that matter. The front and rear panels hold a rigid form which adds more protection againts an impact. The exterior is lined with a protective, vulcanized neoprene on the sides and bottom. Your iPod will be safe and sound within it’s soft, plush lined interior. The fit is not quite as snug as it should be, our iPod had some wiggle room. There were no harmful, exposed stitching or melt points to scratch your iPod, like other cases we’ve reviewed.

Conclusion

This is a simple case with a simple purpose. Protect your iPod against those everyday encounters within your backpacks, breifcases and purses. The minute an iPod plumits to the ground all bets are off. No case can really protect your iPod from a nasty fall, unless it’s three times its size and padded as if you were on your first day of snowboarding. The biggest drawback of a pouch type case is it does not provide for access to any functionality while your iPod is trapped within a neoprene cage. Pouch type cases are fine for cameras, but an iPod needs to live and breath. We need to be able to access all that the iPod has to offer…buttons, scroll wheel, Firewire, headphone port and the “Hold” switch. If you want maximum protection on all sides at all times, this case is a good one to have at only $19.95. If you’re still carrying your case in an old sock, wait, because MARWARE will soon be releasing their SportSuit play-thru case for the iPod. Get the protection of neoprene as well as access to your iPod’s functions.