Customer Reviews

Tuneband for iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS (not for iPhone 4, see description below), Grantwood Technology's Armband, Silicone Skin, and Screen Protector, Assorted Colors

5 star:		(67)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

(The Tuneband reivew is in the last two paragraphs.) I've been through five cases so far. I also used the iPhone "naked" for a while, but that ended when I dropped it and got a crack in the glass above the screen between the edge and the earphone hole. Sob story aside here's what I've used:

My first case was a black rubber Griffin case that would catch sand and grit and scratched and scuffed the chrome bezel.

Second case was some cheap black silicone case I got off of eBay. It was thin and had an unattractive oval over the earphone.

My third case was a black "rubberized" plastic case by Seido called the InnoCase. It lasted pretty long and looked very good, but the little snaps between the front and back pieces wore out and broke over time. You have to pry the two halves apart when you want to open the case so breaking those snaps is inevitable. Plus it popped completely open when I dropped the phone one time, though to its credit it did somehow prevent damage to the phone.

To replace the Seido I picked up the Marware Sport Grip which to be fair is a very reliable case, but it's ugly. It has a ribbed back which is really unnecessary, the rubber grips fine by itself. The Marware logo on the back is cut deep into the rubber so it collects lint. The rubber over the shutter button is thick and doesn't always line up with the button. The rubber around the screen has a raised edge and comes up against the screen so close that it makes it difficult to touch anything near the bottom. And the hole over the mute switch is too small, so you have to dig your fingernail into the hole to hit it.

So along with my dissatisfaction with the Sport Grip and my decision to pick up an armband I looked around and finally decided on the Grantwood Tuneband. The red one I bought looks very very cool against the black of the iPhone. Weirdly it fits both the iPhone 2G and 3G. I've only had it for just over a week and this is the most satisfied I've been with a case. It's thin and unobtrusive yet tough. When you hold it it feels like plastic but you can bend it easily to get your phone in and out. The case comes right up to the edge of the screen but leaves the home button uncovered so you don't have to lift your thumb to hit it. And the armband slips in an out through two slits on the back with ease. Plus it straps and velcros around my meaty (ok flabby, I'm modest) bicep with ease. The only criticism I have is there are two holes above the screen that aren't necessary, but maybe they're meant for sensors on the 3G I'm not aware of.

If you're trying to decide on an armband get this one, it's the best in form and function. That's my 2¢.

I bought this armband to run and workout with. I have an iphone 3GS and I purchased the "new updated design". The pros and cons are as follows.

Pros: The device has a good design. The arm band can be removed and the silicone sleeve used for everyday protection. The arm band itself is sturdy and it works well for working out and running.

Cons: The major con is the silicone sleeve itself. In a word it is thin, flimsy, and does not have a tight fit. Basically it feels like the iPhone wallows around in the sleeve. The sides of the sleeve are extremely lax and flop away from the edges of the screen. Also the silicone is very thin and likely would not provide much protection. When I purchased this sleeve I thought it would have the thicker more rigid and tighter fitting type of silicone. As is I do not feel like my phone is well protected and will have to buy something else.

Addendum: Although the above statements remain correct, The company Grantwood Technology issued me a refund. I am shocked (pleasantly) by the customer service this company displayed. You really don't see this level of customer service/satisfaction anymore. Even though the armband does not work for me I would have no problem buying a different product from them based on this experience. An overall standout company.
In reply to the comment below, wallow refers to the laxity of fit of the silicone sleeve. The case has enough slack and the silicone is thin enough such that the iphone can actually slide up and down and side to side exposing the unprotected edges. If the sleeve was thicker and more rigid as some silicone sleeves I have seen on my friends' phones are it would be perfect. With that modification and the added benefit of the armband I would buy this product over others in a heartbeat.

I bought Tuneband intending to get a case for both everyday use and workouts. Initially I was disappointed that I have to pull the iPhone out of the case to attach and detach the band, and the case wasn't that convenient for everyday use. Then I realized that it probably wasn't the intention of the designers. I bought another case (Otter Box) for daily use and guess what -- my phone with a case on it fits into the resinous Tuneband and this combination works perfectly for me! Before I go to a workout, I just pop the phone into the Tuneband, and I pull it out when I am done. The armband is great. Very pleased with the product, price was great -- I love it.

Just what I needed for my run. I use fitnio to track my progress and this does a wonderful job holding the Iphone in place and positioning it so that I can see the screen and make adjustments if necessary. The case is quality, as is the band. The band is comfortable and doesn't bother me, even on longer runs. Great job!

I read a million reviews before selecting an armband to begin running with my Iphone 3GS. I couldn't find anything ideal but this seemed like the best option. I am NOT happy with it. On my very first run with the armband, it caused abrasions on my arm. I can't run more than a couple miles without having to switch arms. I do not have small arms but have to have it on all the way tight to keep it from sliding down to my elbow. It is painful to use! I never had any complaints when I ran with my nano with a belkin armband but apparently there is not a very good comparable product for the iphone yet. If you run in long sleeves, this would probably work, but I don't recommend it on bare skin!

ADDENDUM TO THE REVIEW BELOW:
I wrote the following review 2-1/2 years ago (as you can tell by the generation of iPhone I cite. Since buying this armband, I have traveled to 16 countries on nearly every content (including 4 months of constant travel), and done workouts in almost all of them. During these years, I've never removed the iPhone from the silicone case, except to clean it. I'm not clumsy, and I try hard to take care of my phone, but I've certainly dropped it a number of times on various surfaces. After all of this, I would still give the product a five star rating . . . even higher if that were possible. It's been extremely durable, it's protected my phone beautifully, it's much less bulky than other iPhone cases I've seen, and when it comes to exercise, it performs like a champ. I'd happily buy another one . . . except my phone will almost certainly be dead long before this case/armband. I just hope there's an updated version of the Tuneband for whatever model of iPhone Apple is on when I do finally upgrade.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
I'm a beginner runner, and a beginner iPhone 3GS owner. I wanted to try out the Nike+ app with the iPhone, but needed a sportband to be able to feel secure about protecting my new investment. The Grantwood Tuneband is terrific. It's a simple design that does its job. I was concerned at first, because the band barely fit around my flabby arm, but the band is actually made from a stretchy material, which allows for a snug fit, no matter how big or small your "guns" are. The band feeds through the back of a silicone case which holds the iPhone. All of the buttons and functions of the iPhone remain easily accessible. I've used this product a number of times on trail runs, and haven't had any problems at all with the iPhone flopping around on my arm - it stays wherever I put it. I like the product because it's significantly less expensive than other similar products I've seen, and does a great job, so why pay more?

I have both the original design and the redesigned model of this iphone 3g case. I own it in purple and it's not too girly - a guy could use this and it wouldn't draw attention to them. The band is a sufficient length for both me and my husband. Some other competing products have bands too short and this one will work with many arm sizes. The first gen of this product moved around quite a bit on my arm when I ran. This updated model stays put and I don't think about it and worry about it. I'm one of those runners who gets distracted easily so I am glad to report that this arm band didn't distract me from my run. Nice updated product Grantwood.

I got this arm band in pink for my wife who loves running on our treadmill. She loves it! She just needed the small arm band that came with the product, even though the extended arm band came with it too. It keeps the phone securely attached to her arm and she says it's very comfortable...doesn't even know it's there anymore when she runs. Before the arm band, she would place her iPhone on the console lip of the treadmill, and end up hitting the ear bud wire with her hands as they were pumping back and forth and send the phone flying! Not anymore. This product does everything it says it will and is perfect for anyone wanting an arm band for their iPhone.

I would highly recommend this product to anyone wanting an arm band for their iPhone. The best part about this purchase was Grantwood Technology's customer service. I had read other reviews where the owner of the company would try and resolve any issues a customer had with the product. This was impressive. I don't know many owners who would do that. After reading through some of the reviews and seeing that a handful of people needed the extended length arm band, I called and asked them for the longer arm band strap after I placed my order. Their staff got back to me almost immediately (within 1 hour) letting me know the extended length arm band would be shipped with my order. I am more than pleased with the overall experience I've had with Grantwood Technology and I'd buy a product from them again should the need ever come up again...even if they are probably buckeye fans. Oh well...nobody's perfect! HAHAHAHAHAHA.

AC

I run daily and tried this arm band out three different ways and setups on my arms. None were comfortable. The actual setup is fine for walkers I guess, but the elestic is not strong enough to keep the phone from torquing on your arm everytime your foot hits the ground. I do not recommend this for runners.

I looked all over for a case and armband and finally settled on the tuneband for the price. Now that I have it I would pay much more for a case like this. It isn't fancy, but it does the job very well. The velcro band is strong yet stretchy enough to not cut off circulation during a workout. When I'm not at the gym or doing work around the house the band comes off and I keep my iphone 3g in the case which easily slides in and out of my pocket or backpack but is "grippy" enough to not slip out of my fingers.