DLO ActionJacket for 5G video iPod

Man alive, do I despise working out. I do it, and have managed to for years, but it's a never-ending struggle of gargantuan proportions to not get colossally bored while doing so. An iPod helps, but for me, music just wasn't getting the job done anymore. Talk radio was a nice diversion, but nirvana would be watching last night's episode of (whatever) while battling the elliptical machine. However, the video iPod, already notorious for scratches, is in need of some serious protection before I would even dare to bring it into the gym. Can anyone save the day?

There are hundreds upon hundreds (if not thousands) of iPod accessories, many of which are cases. Cases, cases everywhere, for every occasion and budget. For me, the occasion was "working out" and the budget was "not much." Now, I had been using my 2G-era DLO case with the 5G iPod, but as I noted in an earlier article, the smaller screen of the old version made it hard to see the 5G iPod's wider screen, which, in turn, made it hard to scroll through music and darn near impossible to watch videos through. Having liked how my earlier-generation DLO product performed under similar conditions, I bit the bullet and decided to go with what I knew, and I haven't been disappointed.

The DLO ActionJacket for 5G video iPod (a name that simply rolls off the tongue) is a soft neoprene case designed to specifically protect the video iPod under workout conditions. And, in true Henry Ford style, it's available in any color you want, as long as it's black (fig. 1). Fortunately, since my iPod is black, I'm quite pleased with the color. I can see the "one true iPod" purists wishing DLO offered a white version, but que sera sera.

Figure 1: The DLO ActionJacket for 5G video iPod in all its naked glory.

The 10,000-foot view

The ActionJacket is thoughtfully designed, sporting a mostly neoprene "finish" accented with rubber edges on the off-chance that your iPod tries to slip through sweaty fingers (fig. 2). Clear plastic areas protect the screen and Click Wheel (fig. 3), while a rubber-lined opening on the bottom allows direct access to the Docking port without having to remove the iPod from the case (fig. 4). A fold-over neoprene strip with a Velcro fastener secures the iPod in place (fig. 5); this strip is tapered to reveal the headphone jack and hold switch. Finally, a plastic object which can only be described as a "nubbin" adorns the back of the ActionJacket (fig. 6), onto which you can attach the included belt clip (fig. 7) or thread the equally included armband behind (fig. 8).

Figure 2: Rubber edges

Figure 3: Clear plastic windows

Figure 4: Open Dock port

Figure 5: Velcro fastener

Figure 6: "Nubbin"

Figure 7: Belt clip

Figure 8: Armband

And with the basics now out of the way, here's the real question: how does it do in the situation I expressly bought it for? Read on to find out...

To the gym!

I can be rough on an iPod. The reason for my first DLO case purchase was because I accidentally knocked my 2G iPod out of the cup holder of the treadmill I was walking on, watching in frozen horror as it bounced multiple times on the belt before meeting its death on the hard tile floor at the end of the machine (only to later be resurrected through a hard drive replacement). I wasn't about to let my 5G iPod suffer a similar fate, so I used the old case for a while before deciding I needed a case that was actually designed for it.

The first issue is one of choice: armband or clip? My old iPod was simply too heavy to work with the clip, but the new ones are much thinner and lighter, so I decided to give the clip a shot first. I wear heavy sweat shorts to work out in, so the clip turned out to be the ideal choice, keeping the iPod out of the way while lifting weights yet keeping my shorts firmly in the "up" position. Now, if you wear light running shorts, even these new iPods may have occasion to pants you if you decide to use the clip, so be warned.

Of course, I also gave the armband a try. It's a much thinner and lighter version than the one that shipped with my earlier case, so it's not a source of awkward extra bulk. It works fine and is quite comfortable, but it does get in the way in the weight room. It's perfectly fine for cardio activities, so it's really just a matter of personal preference, since both the armband and clip worked extremely well and were very easy to attach and detach.

Speaking of cardio, I have to remind myself that I wouldn't even be in possession of the ActionJacket were it not for the fact that I wanted to watch video content while suffering through another session on the elliptical, so the TV test was the biggest of all. I'm pleased to report that the ActionJacket passed with flying colors. It sits happily in a standard clear plastic magazine holder (regardless of whether the clip, armband, or neither is attached), and the lip of said holder is more than adequate to keep the iPod from spilling over. Of course, the rubber Dock port opening of the ActionJacket helps keep the iPod from slipping, and the clear plastic screen protector doesn't obscure any of the iPod's screen. Also, the screen protector doesn't produce any additional glare over what the iPod's screen reflects all by itself. Now, that's not to say that you shouldn't be discerning when deciding what to watch—the iPod screen is still pretty small, and you're looking at at least as six-inch gap between your head and where the iPod rests (depending on what kind of machine you're using), so some content will do better than others. For example, I had a tough time watching Lost last week, since pivotal scenes were either very dark or hinged on being able to read on-screen text or subtitles. However, a show like Scrubs is ideal, since it tends to be brightly lit and isn't, shall we say, the deepest of subject matters.

But I digress. Your choice of programming has little to do with the ActionJacket itself, which does a fine job of mostly staying out of the way and generally not obscuring whatever you want to watch.

Not without some issues

I qualified the last sentence with words like "mostly" and "generally" because the screen protector on the unit I received has a streak in it (it's hard to describe, and impossible to photograph). The best way to characterize it is that it's almost like a scratch, but not quite as noticeable. It's small and thin, and runs horizontally halfway across the screen about two-thirds of the way down. However, when video is playing it's not really noticeable, so it's a flaw that I can live with. I have no idea if this issue is just on the one I received or is indicative of the overall build quality, but be warned.

Also, while this really doesn't bug me, the lack of a cover for the Docking port opening may be unacceptable to some. The Docking port has the potential to let all sort of nasties into your iPod that aren't supposed to be there, and it would be nice to have a flap or something to cover this up when you don't need access. Plus, the opening isn't quite big enough. A millimeter or two would make all the difference. It's not too hard to get the iPod's included USB cable to plug in, but when you try something that's any larger, it becomes a very tight fit (fig. 9).

Figure 9: You're looking at a narrow squeeze if any Dock accessory you have is bigger than the cable Apple supplies.

The next issue of note is that it's a little hard to obtain precise control of the Click Wheel through the so-called "play-thru design" of the ActionJacket. I find this a flaw of the new Click Wheel in general, but the problem is exacerbated somewhat when you factor in that the ActionJacket puts a layer of clear plastic between you and the wheel. However, this isn't an insurmountable problem, and ultimately this is a perfectly workable situation, albeit slightly frustrating.

I also have a small problem with the clip, as it doesn't give you the option to lock the iPod into place at a 180° angle. I'd like to be able to have the iPod upside down, so it's "facing me" (so to speak) when clipped to my waist, as the controls are hard to use and the screen is nearly impossible to see in the default position.

There are also a couple of puzzling things about the fastener at the top of the ActionJacket. For one, it protrudes enough from the back of the unit to make rotating the clip into place a difficult challenge. You have to tilt the clip back and then work it around the fastener to make it rest in its default position. This fastener also isn't quite narrow enough—it slightly obscures both the Hold switch and the headphone jack. You can work around it, but again, a millimeter or two would make all the difference.

The last nit I have is that while the ActionJacket is a nice, snug case, it's almost too snug, to the point where it's difficult to get the iPod out of the ActionJacket. Most times, I find myself trying to push the iPod out of the case through the Dock opening on the bottom to avoid putting undue pressure on the iPod's screen. And I only have the 30-gig iPod—I'd hate to see how much worse the problem is with the slightly-thicker 60-gig version.

The bottom line

Ultimately, none of the issues I found detracted significantly enough from the quality and usefulness of the ActionJacket to make me, well, not think it's a fine product. It provides enough protection to make me comfortable bringing my iPod to the gym, and (even better) it makes it a snap to watch videos while you work out. There are a lot of cases available for the iPod, but I've had great experiences with the two DLO cases I've owned. The DLO ActionJacket for the 5G video iPod is a solid, quality case created especially with workouts in mind, and as such earns a Strong Buy rating.

Filed under: Review on January 20th, 2006

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