Review: Gecko Gear Gecko Glove and Sports Armband for iPod nano 4G

Based substantially on earlier Gecko Gloves for the iPod nano, Gecko Gear’s fourth-generation iPod nano version ($13) is available in six different colors — all the ones shown here, plus frosted clear and black — and packed with a microfiber cloth, screen protector, and Dock Connector port cover. Once again, diagonal ribs are their distinctive physical characteristic. The Sports Armband ($20) is based on the Gecko Glove, but is comparatively mediocre in protection and design, with slots in the back for attachment to the fabric armband, and neither screen nor Dock Connector coverage. It’s sold only in frosted clear with the black and gray armband.

While we’re not huge fans of either of these accessories, they do have one thing in common: pricing. The Sports Armband hasn’t gotten any better than its third-generation predecessor in features, but it’s $10 cheaper, a significant price drop that helps it preserve its prior limited recommendation solely on the basis of its affordability. This would not be an armband we’d recommend to the many workout enthusiasts interested in sweat-proofing their nanos—it’s one of the worst we’ve seen in this regard—but if you’re just looking for a way to mount a nano inexpensively on your arm, and have a semi-protective case besides, it’s an option. By comparison, the core Gecko Glove case sold without the armband is a good case on protection, lacking only at the Click Wheel and around the edges of the screen, and is a good pick for the price if you like the diagonal rib design.