Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Case-Mate’s Form Fit case is a stiff leather sleeve. The top is open for you to slide your iPod in, and there are openings for the screen and Click Wheel. When the nano is in place, the top and a few millimeters of each side are exposed, but those surfaces are recessed far enough below the case’s “lip” that they’re not particularly vulnerable to casual damage.
Rather curiously, Case-Mate has chosen to include a two-part adhesive screen protector. One part fits over the entire nano except for the Click Wheel, the other is a doughnut-shaped piece that fits over only the outer wheel, not the central button. Although this design allows you to omit the Click Wheel protection for better control sensitivity, lining up the two pieces is a challenge. (At least Case-Mate includes a soft cloth and a rigid card for applying the screen protector.)
The bottom of the case is open to let you plug in your headphones and Apple’s dock connector cable, but the case’s bottom edges prevent placing your iPod nano into a dock cradle. Thicker headphone plugs are a snug fit, as are some third-party accessories that plug into the docking port — some may not fit at all.
A detachable belt clip, which connects to a screw that you thread into the back of the case, is included. I found the case a bit difficult to attach to and remove from my belt, since the bottom of the clip is curved, like a hook. (Although this design does mean that the case isn’t likely to fall off accidentally.) Also, the clip’s “quick release” mechanism relies on a flexible piece of plastic that doesn’t feel particularly solid.
The upside of Case-Mate’s Form Fit Leather Case for the iPod nano is that its thick, reinforced leather will likely protect your iPod from most serious drops. The downside is that the same thick, reinforced leather makes your iPod nano look a bit like a colorful child’s toy. Overall, the leather is a pleasant texture and the construction (apart from the belt clip) is solid. However, the bulky profile of the case means that your iPod nano loses its most appealing feature — its svelte figure. –Dan Moren