Do you like to swim for fun and exercise? Do you get bored swimming back and forth, back and forth, back and forth? I know I do. Well, now you can take your iPod swimming with the Otterbox. The Otterbox is a protective case that holds your iPod, and allows you to jump into the water without worrying about the safety of your expensive mp3 player.
About 8 - 10 months ago, I was spending up to 45 minutes a night swimming laps at the YMCA, and becoming both increasingly healthy and increasingly bored at the same time. Unless you’re training for a competition and really pushing yourself, swimming can really dull your brain once you develop your own rythm. I started to think about how joggers, cyclists and other such athletes take the music in their ears for granted, and wondered if there was a solution for swimmers. A few quick Google searches later that night revealed that there is indeed a product made just for swimmers: the Otterbox.
The Otterbox is a plastic case that seals air-tight around your iPod, protecting it from the elements. You can either clip the Otterbox to your swimsuit, or strap it to your arm. I opted for clipping it to the back of my swimsuit, since I felt like having the Otterbox strapped to one arm would both throw off my balance, and possibly hit me in the head.
The Otterbox is a great little tool for the casual swimmer, but of course it creates drag in the water. It took me a little bit of time to stop being conscious of its presence and just listen to the music. If you’re training, or just really pushing yourself, I’d leave the Otterbox at home since it could slow you down or tangle you up.
The Otterbox comes with its own waterproof headphones, and the sound quality is what you can expect from music underwater. It’s a bit muffled, and you’ll end up turning the volume a little higher than usual. Your mp3 tracks aren’t going to sound as good as they do from your normal iPod headphones. You are listening to music underwater, though. I didn’t expect perfect sound quality, so I didn’t mind.
Overall, the Otterbox is a handy accessory for the casual lap swimmer, and is also good for other sports such as skiing and snowboarding that might pose a threat to your mp3 player. The only thing that holds me back from taking the Otterbox snowboarding is its size - I wouldn’t want to take a fall on that sucker. It also makes for a fun gift.Interested in the Otterbox? You can purchase an Otterbox in our Tech Shop.
