Review: iGlove Leather Case

April 17, 2002 3:01 am UTC
by Haider Ali Khan

Pros: Excellent construction and fit. No hassles, no gimmicks, simple but good-looking case. Priced right. All controls at your disposal.

Cons: No cover for the top or ports, but in use, this is a very minor complaint.

The Search

I have been researching the whole iPod case issue since before I even owned one myself.

I have seen a number of cases in person that friends and colleagues have purchased, and to be honest, none of them struck a chord with what I wanted. Well, the search is over!

The Discovery

I purchased an iGlove made by “Software and Things and it is the perfect case for my needs. One thing that I noticed even before buying was the lack of gadgets and gimmicks – I like that. Another thing I noticed was the “inside-out” stitching – meaning that the seams are external and provide a better fit inside – where it counts. I also wear motorcycle racing gloves constructed the same way – they are “bulkier” (only slightly) but fit better and are much more comfortable.

There are no glue marks, uneven seams, or other sign of shoddy workmanship – another reason I chose this case. The display has a clear vinyl piece to protect that area and is easy to see through. Again, the inside is nicely finished with a black velvet-like material to keep your iPod’s shiny sides perfect.

Some people may wish for the top (where the ports are) to be covered, but I see no advantages to this except that it could prevent the iPod from falling out – although you’d have to try hard to get that to happen as far as I can see.

The iGlove fits perfectly – meaning the holes are in the right place and the controls are all accessible, as they should be. The external “edges” would provide extra protection should you drop it, but the top may be more vulnerable, again, due to the open nature of this design.

Less is better!

There’s not much to not like about this case if you’re the simple sort, like me. I wanted a well-designed and thought-out case with no goofy extras – there’s no place to store headphones, but that is not why I bought a case, plus, my headphones are too large to fit into any of the other cases either as I don’t use the iPod earphones.

There is a simple belt-clip on the back (photos are of the non-belt clip version), which is inconspicuous, but works perfectly – again, simple and functional without being gimmicky and superfluous.

In conclusion, there’s not much not to like here – it’s the “less is more” theory that really works. Those who are jogging or mountain-climbing may find more piece of mind with a fully-encompassing neoprene case, but for those looking for the best iPod case going, I recommend the iGlove wholeheartedly, and it’s priced right at $26.95.