Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
If you’re a regular reader of our iPod case reviews, you’ve no doubt noticed that there are quite a few silicone skins available. Some are great, a few are bad, but most of them reside in the bell curve of middle ground. PodsPlus’s Silicone Skin for iPod nano continues that trend; it may not be the silicone skin to end all silicone skins, but it’s a solid entry.
The silicone of PodsPlus’s offering is smooth to the touch, coated with the increasingly common anti-lint finish. The rubber is thick enough that your iPod feels well-protected, but not so thick as to feel that it could withstand a high drop onto a hard surface. You slide your nano through the case’s screen opening — it’s relatively easy to insert and remove — and then slip the clear, hard-plastic screen protector into place. The case actually covers the Click Wheel with a thinner layer of silicone, leaving a faux Click-Wheel “outline” on the exterior, a nice touch that makes it easier to use the controls by feel. The case’s material is also translucent enough to let the labels on the Click Wheel show through, which is handy. There are small openings in the silicone for the hold switch, dock connector, and headphones; all of these are usable with the case on though you’ll need to take the nano out to place it in a dock cradle.
The Silicone Skin includes both a lanyard and wrist strap, both of which attach to a clip that you thread through a pair of small holes on the bottom of the case’s back. This can be a little tricky, given the size of the holes — I recommend turning the case inside out, which makes the procedure easier. I remain a bit skeptical about the long-term ruggedness of the small piece of silicone between the two holes, which bears the full weight of the iPod when the lanyard is attached.
For the price, the Silicone Skin is a reasonable choice. Those more concerned with protection might want to seek out a case with thicker silicone, but many will be happy with the level of coverage this case provides. –Dan Moren