Almost everyone involved in action or outdoor sports has heard the sickening crunch that accompanies most great falls, impacts and near-misses. No, it has nothing to do with personal injury. It is the sound of your iPod being trapped underneath you, your bike or board and destroyed. With many of today's high impact sports iPods don't stand much of a chance.
H2O Audio has risen to the challenge again to design a protective housing that will protect your iPod and offer you "total immersion" in your sport and music experience. The outdoor series was created for "land-based sports enthusiasts to protect their iPods from impacts and outdoor conditions, allowing them to freely immerse themselves in sound and action".
The Outdoor Case is available for the 1st Generation and 2nd Generation iPod nano. There is a minimal amount of altering needed to fit either; simply use as is for the 2nd Generation nano or lift out the small spacer in the base to use with a 1st Generation player.
Two sliding latches (one on each side of the case) makes it very easy to open the case to both load and remove your iPod. The latches slide easily into position and once the latches are locked the fit around the iPod is tight and secure.
The scroll wheel offers you the ability to control your iPod as easily as you would normally. The wheel spins (as opposed to being able to slide your finger cross the button) but offers easy operation and control even with gloves on (which I tried!).
The belt clip on the housing can be used on your waistband or belt. It is reversible and can be easily adjusted with a Phillips screwdriver. Simply remove the two screws that hold the clip in place and reverse the clip. The clip holds the case firmly in place, I had no problems with it slipping or falling off. The case also comes with a neoprene armband that you can clip the case to.
Unlike the waterproof series, the Outdoor Case can be used with your own head phones, giving you the same high-quality sound that you are already accustomed to.
Keep in mind that although the Outdoor Case has been designed to stand up to the demands of many sports while protecting your iPod against impact and the elements, this case is NOT waterproof. If you are looking for a case that will protect your iPod during water sports, H2O Audio also has a waterproof housing unit available for a variety of iPod and MP3 styles.
The Outdoor sells for $39.95. H2O Audio has also announced a Sports Integration System which will allow you to mount the Outdoor onto bikes, skidoos, etc. For more information view the H2O Audio website.
