Belkin SportCommand iPod Remote Review
By Mika | Permalink |
4 comments | November 28th, 2006 | Trackback
Belkin’s SportCommand rocks! I haven’t been nearly so excited about an iPod accessory since, well ever. While having a remote for your iPod is nothing new, Belkin has taken a page out of the Emeril book and “kicked it up a notch” for sure.
During the Thanksgiving weekend, we took the SportCommand out to Sunriver, Oregon at the base of Mt. Bachelor for some outdoor, on-the-job testing which it passed with flying colors. Although it looks durable, we opted to pass on the tree-impact test for obvious reasons.
The quick & dirty:
Where you can get one:
Amazon $69.99
Belkin $79.99Why it rocks:
Weatherproof iPod Remote Wireless with good range Dual use: armband & clip-on Big buttons for gloved fingers Upside-down buttons (read below if you don’t know why this rocks) Why it bites:
Arm-band extension strap a bit clunky iPod dongle is a bit big Seat-of-the-pants rating: 9.5 out of 10. Highly recommended!
Long Winded Version:
What’s better than an iPod on the slopes? Being able to pause, change tracks and adjust volume on that iPod without having to take off your gloves or pull your iPod out of your pocket. Until now, that’s been a bit of a challenge.
The SportCommand straps on to your arm, leg, neck or wherever you want to strap it on to, or can be attached with a carabiner to a buckle or the like. There’s a wireless dongle that clips onto your iPod allowing you to store it in your inside pocket or backpack.
Belkin’s SportCommand is just about sheer genius. It’s made of a canvas-type material that can take the abuse of being outdoors, and isn’t uncomfortable on your arm. Adding the ability to clip it on with a carabiner to your favorite belt loop, zipper or backpack really adds tons of usability also.
The oversize buttons are perfect for winter sports, and allow you to easily control the iPod with gloves on. With the upside-down markings on the buttons, they’re of course right-side-up when you’re looking down your arm at it. See the inset picture for more detail.
iPod compatibilty is something to take in account before buying an accessory, and you’ll be pleased to know the SportCommand works with most of the iPod models out there.
If you’re looking for a gift idea for your hipster kid, yourself, or for a significant other who’s in love with their iPod and likes to spend time outdoors, this is a sure-fire way to please.
Wanna buy one? You can get it from one of these places:
Comments
I Have to agree. The idea is fantastic….but it barely functions below freezing. I had to use the carabiner in order to pinch the buttons, which, by the way, is better than the armband. However, when below freezing, it wouldn’t work then either.
It is also a massive battery drain. The ipod batteries aren’t great in the cold anyway, and I couldn’t get an 8 to 4 day of skiing with this attachment.
Again….the idea is fantastic….the execution is terrible.
using it under your jacket is no option?
I mean, put it on your arm and then put your jacket on. Snowboardjackets arent that thick, so you should still ‘feel’ the buttons ttrough the fabric…
Terrible design with no feedback when pressing buttons. Only works about 5% of the time, and performance is even worse when it’s cold or raining. Outrageously expensive for what it is — $80 for a crappy remote with 5 buttons on it? How do these people sleep at night. The Monster iEZClick is 100 times better, so buy that one.
Post your comment
If you have not commented here before, please take a moment to peruse ourCommenting Guidelines.
Travel with your Gear
- RTW Trip Planner
- Search Youth Hostels
- Cheap Air Tickets
- Travel Insurance Guide
- Travel Message Boards
- World Adventures
Popular Travel Gear
- Waterproof Digital Cameras
- Rolling Backpacks
- Altrec Coupon
- Reef Fanning Sandals
- Dog Backpacks
- Altrec Deals & Moosejaw Deals
- Subscribe to Travel Gear RSS Feed
Monthly Archives
BootsnAll Logues
TRAVEL THEMES
DESTINATIONS
SPORTS
IT SUCKS !!!
I give the SportCommand a D- for misrepresentation. Saw all the advertising that involved being on the slopes boarding and skiing and said that’s exactly what I’m looking for ! Well guess what, the product can’t handle temperatures below 0C/32F ! I’ve taken the product to the slopes for 2 days where the temperature was just barely below freezing , both days the remote failed to function after 30 minutes of being outside ! So can you only use the sportcommand for snowboarding in summer ???
And this is not a defect in my unit , 2 of my boarding buddies are having the same problem… as well as seeing posts on the web about the same issue.
Another problem I have is with the receiver unit that is attached to the IPOD. The receiver unit continues to drain the IPOD battery even when the IPOD is turned off ! Three nights I have left the reciever unit attached to the IPOD and each morning the battery is totally discharged…. even thought the unit was off !!