Making a departure from the usual drivel that I pump out into the blogosphere, this post is dedicated to my experience with a product. After my time at university learning how to design them, I am now rarely drawn towards making critical evaluations of products, that is unless they are somehow Apple related. It's usually iPods, Macs and other white shiny things that get my attention, and when Nick from MP3 Additions emailed me saying he'd like me to review one of an accessory for him, the palms of my hands got sweaty and I started to salivate. Pathetic.

Anyway, I was promptly dispatched a sports case for my old 3G iPod. Now I cherish my 3G. When the 4G came out I was slightly jealous to see a thinner model, then when the iPod Photo came out I lusted for a colour screen. But by the time the 5G came out, I was over that, and I started to ooze with Apple nostalgia, instantly yearing for little red glowing buttons once more.

You are hard pressed to find accessories that fit the 3G today, and so I was automatically intrigued by the 'Marware Sportsuit Convertible' case. Essentially it is a 'graphite' (grey) neoprene case, with option of belt clip or armband (for really sporty people) and a removable shell that fits onto the front and can also serve as a carry case for headphones and other small accessories.

The case itself is well built and has a nice feel to it. Getting the iPod in was pretty easy, but it did take a minute to get the PVC screen protector to line up with the buttons, and as you can see from the photo, it doesn't always sit flush. The longest grip edges are made of a synthetic rubber while the iPod is held in the top by a velcro and leather grip. There are a couple of other materials in there too, but it's all of decent quality with good attention to detail.

My usual iPod routine takes one of two directions. Firstly there is walking with headphones, and secondly there is using my iTrip when driving in the Pocket Rocket. Well, it soon became apparent that the second option was not really going to work with this case. I quickly found the Griffin iTrip wouldn't sit comfortably on top of the leather grip. On the first generation iTrips this wouldn't matter so much, but on my newer one the LCD screen is totally obscured by the redundant leather tab.

But I wasn't too concerned by this. I was more interested by what this case might do for me when I was walking, as that makes up 75% of the usage time for my 3G. I currently use a two-part authentic Apple carry case that was thrown in when I bought the iPod, and despite having a really nice feel to it, you can't see the screen when it's in the case. The Sportsuit provides a solution for this very nicely. Although PVC wouldn't have been my first choice for a protective-screen material, and I'd have tried to have made it a bit thinner, the buttons and touchwheel can be activated as normal and the screen clarity is good.

The vacuum-formed and neoprene covered convertible 'lid' is an excellent addition to the product. It can be easily attached and removed (like all the fabric parts on this product - it velcros together) and provides plenty of room to store my iTrip and headphones in one go - a perennial problem which I used to solve using by carrying everything in an old shaving case, but which now I can ditch.

With the hood on, it's an all-in-one player and storage solution; without the hood it becomes an easily accessible, splashproof and durable iPod case that is a good level up from what I am used to when I'm walking. The armband is a little redundant to me, but the bulldog clip feels sturdy and it didn't fall off my belt when I sat down. The accessories list says you can buy a specific belt clip, but if you really want to make sure it doesn't fall off you could just loop your belt through the two seatbelt straps on the back of the case and save yourself a fiver.

The rubberised cover for the cable connector port is very nicely executed, although it isn't much use to me as the case makes it too bulk to fit in the dock. Branding is discrete (the way I like it) and the overall feel of the product is not dissimilar to some kind of climbing accessory. In fact, if you are more outdoorsy than me, this is going to be an ideal candidate for that type of activity.

It's well stitched and feels like it could add some protection if you dropped it. Neoprene was a good choice of fabric, but more caution should have been exercised when using it on the front. Where the screen protector meets the case is the weakest part of the product both aesthetically and physically, which is a shame because it is also the most visible. I've worked with that material before and it's a nightmare to get it to do what you want, and this is the one part of the product I think that really misses the mark.

Overall, it's a very decent way to store and use your iPod on the go, although you will definitely get more benefit from if you are the active type, and also if you are not too picky about the finish on the front. For people like me who sit in cars, it might not be your first choice case, but if you walk, cycle, hike, climb, ride, sail (well maybe not sail - it is only splashproof) this is a good little number if your first choice of iPod is stuck well back in 2003.

Since they have have been so kind, and it's the season of good will, it's only fair to ask that if you are looking to buy this or another case for your iPod, MP3 Additions sell a wide variety of products for all generations, so go and have a look there first.