iMojo shuffle Sweats

The iPod shuffle is our favorite iPod for listening to tunes during a workout, thanks to its small size and skip-free flash memory. But how do you carry your shuffle when you don’t have pockets or don’t want your shuffle bouncing around inside them? A popular iPod accessory is the armband for the upper arm, but I’m personally not a big fan, for a few reasons: First, it’s difficult to see your iPod when it’s near your shoulder; this isn’t as significant an issue with the screenless shuffle as it is with other iPods, but you still have to feel for the controls. Second, it can be a hassle to wear an armband on the upper arm with shirts that have sleeves. Finally, some armbands we’ve used tend to rub against your torso during exercise; you end up with a nice raw spot after a vigorous workout.

For these reasons, I’m a fan of forearm armbands such as Marware’s SportSuit Roundabout for the iPod mini. iMojo’s new shuffle Sweats take a similar approach for the iPod shuffle, but with a clever twist: Instead of a neoprene case and band, the shuffle Sweats use standard “sweatband” terry-cloth cotton. In fact, the shuffle Sweats are basically wide (3.5-inch) sweatbands, in black or white, that include an elastic band to hold your iPod shuffle securely in place. But they also include another handy feature: A pair of hard silicone “anchors” around which you can wrap and fasten your headphone cable to keep it just long enough to reach your ears without getting tangled or caught during your workout; you can also use these anchors to wrap your headphone cable completely for storage. (I also like the fact that the shuffle Sweats are machine washable — after all, they’re sweatbands, so they absorb sweat when you exercise.)

One drawback of the shuffle Sweats is that they aren’t intended to protect your iPod shuffle — it’s largely exposed when inserted in the band. And if you’ve got big, beefy forearms, the sweatbands may be a bit too snug. But those caveats aside, iMojo’s shuffle Sweats are currently our favorite iPod shuffle workout partners.

(Shuffle Sweats are sold in packs of two — white/white, black/black, or white/black — for $19.)–Dan Frakes