Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Digital Lifestyle Outfitters’ (DLO) Action Jacket for 5G video iPod is a neoprene case geared for use while exercising, thanks to the inclusion of both a belt clip and an arm band. The belt clip attaches to a small plastic nub on the back of the case while the armband slides through two straps. The armband stretches to fit and is quite snug during use.
The bottom of the case has a rubber-surrounded opening for accessing your iPod’s dock connecter port. Unfortunately, the opening isn’t aligned very well, requiring some effort to move the bottom of the case into the correct orientation. The top of the case — where you insert your iPod — is closed by securing a neoprene strap that attaches to the back of the case via Velcro. Access to both the hold switch and headphone port are maintained.
The front of the case has two clear plastic sections, one for the iPod’s screen and another for its Click Wheel. These openings also don’t line up perfectly, though this misalignment has only cosmetic problems, exposing some of the white of your iPods face; you can still see and access the screen and Click Wheel easily. More concerning is that the plastic covering the Click Wheel is a bit too thick, at times interfering with scrolling.
DLO’s Action Jacket works well for exercising, but impaired access to the dock connector and controls may make it less than ideal for daily use.–Derik DeLong