If you're like us, the first thing that crossed your mind upon seeing DLO's new Action Jacket for the second-generation iPod shuffle was: "Why?" Granted, the iPod economy seems capable of supporting virtually accessory dreamed of, but an armband that's many times larger than the iPod shuffle itself seems a little counterintuitive. And that's not even considering the new shuffle's convenient built-in clip...

DLO Action Jacket for iPod shuffle

For DLO, designing this latest Action Jacket must have been as close to a no brainer as possible. A small neoprene cover wraps your iPod shuffle while the armband itself provides a suitable place for clipping the iPod shuffle to (that's right: the armband uses the shuffle's built-in clip, anyway). Unless you're extremely particular about wanting to clip your iPod shuffle by your bicep, the most attractive element of the Action Jacket is the protection that it adds to your iPod shuffle.

The Neoprene cover is about as well designed as one could manage given its tiny stature. The fit, unsurprisingly, isn't perfect, but it works. A cut out provides a place for the clip to stick out and gives you access to the earphone connector, while the iPod shuffle's two controls are completely covered but remain somewhat usable thanks to the labels on the neoprene.

The Bottom Line

It's difficult to understand who the market for DLO's newest Action Jacket is, given that basic skins for your new shuffle can be purchased for a fraction of the price of the Action Jacket. If, however, you have an aching need for an armband—for the next World Naked Bike Ride, for instance—the Action Jacket will suit your needs quite well.