Customer Reviews

Belkin Neoprene Sports Armband for iPod nano 3G (Black/Gray)

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

I like this product because:

1. It allows me to tightly secure the band on my arm and I don't get slippage.
2. At the risk of being called a 'wimp' (6 feet 162 lbs), I have no problem with the band being too snug.
3. It is easy to get the player in and out of the holder but it is secure and snug once it is in.
4. I can adjust the volume and select songs on the go.

My issues with the band...

1. The plastic they have used for the outer protective layer of the holder is so thick that the nano usually doesn't respond when you try to use the wheel to control volume. It takes quite a bit of messing with to get it to work. Sometimes I have to remove the iPod to make the wheel respond to my touch. That can be really frustrating and now that I've had the band for a few months, I find it more and more annoying.

2. The metal part of the band that you thread the band through is too narrow. The result is that the velcro catches on the metal and makes it very difficult to thread. Little by little, the velcro is starting to tear off the band because the metal catches the edge every time you put it on. Why couldn't they have used hard plastic with rounded edges instead of a metal piece with sharp edges?

The construction on the armband is top notch. The neoprene is comfortable and it is easy to slip your nano in and out, while being quite snug, so you don't have to worry about it slipping out accidentally. The only problem is that it doesn't fit my arm, really. I don't think that my arms are bigger than a normal guys, so I would recommend this product for women, and runners, who are normally pretty slim. If you have average sized arms for a man, it may be extremely snug, or may not fit at all. Kind of wished I would have know there was a size limit before I bought it and opened it, so hopefully this will help those of you who are thinking of purchasing it. That was the only drawback that I could see, but it is a big drawback, it if prevents you from using the product.

Great Product for Jogging and Running. I have used it to setup mi nike+ accessory. However one drawback is that it doesn't have a slot to put on my nike+ accessory or to connect the USB Cable. I have to use the iPod Nano upsidedown in order to work with the nike plus or to recharge without taking it out of the case.

However, this is a minor problem. I think this is a good product

It has a reflective band around the ipod that reflects light when pointed at. (GREAT)

I want some of whatever the Belkin engineers are smoking, because this thing is IDIOTICALLY designed. Belkin owes me $150 bucks to buy a new ipod nano...

...basically, the armband backing is a really porous, stretchy material. So when you go running (like you do with an armband) and sweat, the sweat soaks through the back and onto the ipod. The front is a completely non-porous plastic, so it doesn't let the sweat evaporate out. Consequently, your ipod nano drowns in sweat after running for about 20 minutes; a week of running later, it starts making cracking noises and is completely unresponsive to button presses. Kinda sucks

The apple engineers were able to get this right, but apparently the Belkin guys never tested the product in the field.

Oh, and a key pocket? Really? As if running shorts haven't had those since the 80's?

I bought this for myself - I'm a man with a bicept of approximately 16-inches. That's not that big for a man. Measure your bicept before you buy this band. If your arm is >14 inches - DO NOT BUY!
I've since given it to my wife. It works great for her. Instead I bought a belt clip that works great. The Nano is so light you can really just put it in your pocket. But the belt clip is a much better tool for a man.
Outside of the size, the band is well-made and looks like it would hold snug on an arm say 9-14 inches.

Don't waste your money. In under 1 month of light usage the armband fell apart. The front cover became separated from the armband itself. This thing would not be worth it at half the price.

Hang tight this is lengthy...
I bought the "Belkin Neoprene Sports Armband for iPod nano 3G" (~$20) and the "Case Logic True Sport Armband for iPod nano 3G (Light Blue) (~$22)". I currently have the "XtremeMac Sportwrap Armband for iPod nano 3G" (~$30) which needs to be replaced since it abused after several years of use. I was looking for something a little cheaper than the XtremeMac so I thought I give others a try. I read other reviews which said the Belkin did not fit normal sized men. That was okay for me because I was going to give it to my son if I couldn't wear it.

Best armstrap fit: XtremeMac
- XtremeMac has the longest strap and it's a little stretchy too.
- Case Logic has the next longest length and it's band stretches too.
- Belkin has the shortest strap and it does not stretch. It barely got around my arm and I don't consider myself to have big arms (wish I could say otherwise).

Best nano case fit: XtremeMac & Belkin
- Both have an opening at the bottom for the earphones and for the nano lock.
- Both have the little flap that wraps over the top of the nano to keep it secure.
- I find that the plastic cover interferes with the controls no matter what so I cut a circular opening for it.
- The Case Logic does not have a bottom opening for the lock, nor does it have a top flap to keep nano secure.
- In the Case Logic, the nano does not fit as snugly as the others (although it does not appear to move so far) and therefore the plastic moves away from the nano and makes the screen display a little blurry. On the flip side it is easier to remove from the case. (I primarily keep my ipod in the sports armband).

Other intangibles:
Belkin
1) Has a keep holder - it's too small for my house key. I would be concerned about it falling out.
2) Nano compartment is not sewn on.

Note: Armband does looks similar, but not exactly, like what I saw when I ordered it. (Older model?)

Case Logic
1) Has a credit card holder behind the nano case. You could also use this to hold a key too.
2) Nano compartment is sewn on.

XtremeMac
1) Does not have a place for a key or credit card.

Summary:
- I personally prefer the XtremeMac in all around fit.
- I've given the Belkin to my young son which is fine for him.
- It's a nicety, but I don't really need a key or credit card compartment.
- However, I'm keeping the CaseLogic because....

a) The slightly blurry plastic cover does not matter much to me since I'm not watching music videos, movies, or necessarily need to see the cover album. I use the armband while I'm practicing Karate or walking. I can push the plastic down if I really need to see something. I play music randomly and just need good control access.
b) I don't think the nano will slide out (note I wear my armband upside down so the controls are facing upward for easy access). If it does slide it will disconnect or pull on my earphones so I'll know. I can always put it so controls are face down if necesasry.
c) Since I'll be cutting out the plastic to have easier access to the controls, I'll also cut a small opening for the nano lock (we have an exacto knife handy).

Well the first two days I thought it was great. It fit well ( I am a woman with pretty muscular arms) and filled it's purpose. On the third day the piece of plastic that holds the i-pod to the armband cam unglued and I lost my i-pod to the gravel on my bike ride. While I am glad my i-pod is ok, I can not say enough bad things about an armband that was good for only 2 days.

Pro's:
+ stays snug on my arm throughout my workout (I know there have been some questions about the fit of it, but it works for me - my arm is not the hugest though)
+ attractive, sporty
+ protects the ipod

Con:
- a little tricky to get the ipod in and out of the armband(which you need to do to sync because the USB is not accessible when the ipod is in the armband)
- the velcro seems to be slightly unglue-ing from the neoprene at the end because that is where my armband gets creased when it's flattened to fit in my bag

Overall I think it's a good product.

Sleek, fits nicely on my trim (not muscular or fat but not super skinny) arm. The front plastic cover is not sewn. Thus it separates from the neoprene with any kind of moisture. Seller was gracious enough to send me a new one, but it turns out that the product just doesn't work for running 30 minutes three times a week.