The Facts
Specifications according to the manufacturer:

- Slim profile
- Clear protective slip
- Can sync in case
- Opening for earphone jack
- Velcro closure
- Three colors in each pack (Guy Pack or Girl Pack)
- Patented Multidapt® clip system
- Includes one low-profile spring clip
- Additional spring clips available
- Price: 3 pack US $29.95

Construction and Materials
The MetroVue case is made of a fine grain, thin nylon fabric with the Marware logo and multi-colored stripes silk screened onto it. The exterior panels are quite stiff and without any padding, and the iPod sits within a clear vinyl sleeve inside the case. There are cutouts for the clickwheel and the dock connection on the bottom in this clear sleeve. There is also a cutout on the top of the case for headphone port access. A one inch wide piece of nylon fabric wraps around the bottom of the case to hold it closed with a rectangle of Velcro.

The use of a fine nylon without any padding makes the MetroVue case very thin and light. The Marware low profile belt clip and attachment system adds to this feeling of portability.

The clear plastic sleeve that holds the iPod in place is semi-flexible and seems to be good quality vinyl material. However, the first time you insert the iPod, it is a very tight fit, but leave it in the case for a few hours and the vinyl stretches nicely to accommodate your iPod. In addition, the cutout for the clickwheel in all three cases was not quite round and never lined up exactly with my iPod. Usually it was just a tiny bit off at the top of the circle and was a small enough error that it never hampered usage.

Due to this tight fit of the iPod in the plastic sleeve, I would always be careful to ensure that both the iPod and the case did not contain any dust or grit that would scratch the iPod before I would slide it in.

The hole in the bottom of the vinyl sleeve for the dock connector was positioned and sized very well for syncing the iPod while in the case. The hole in the top of the case for the headphone port was sized adequately for Apple earphones, but not for the larger-than-average Shure E3c headphone plug.

One case of the three that I received was rendered unusable due to a misshapen hole for the headphones. This defect prevented listening with the case flap closed. Using a pen and some force, I reshaped the hole enough to allow the Apple headphones to be pushed into the iPod, but they still rubbed on the case and would pull out with the slightest provocation, not to mention the possibility of putting stress on the headphone jack of the iPod. I assume that this case would be replaced under warranty from Marware.

Another problem, and this seemed to be only cosmetic, is that these cases had a lot of loose threads from the stitching. In particular, the area around the headphone port cutout had some loose threads in all three cases. Although it looked like the stitching had the potential to come undone, it never did, even when I rubbed on it and tried to make it unravel.

The removable belt clip is a nice piece. It clamps firmly and has just the right amount of hook shape to the latch so that it grips securely. The low profile design is also a plus. Marware uses this same clip and attachment system on many of their products and although I don't like the fact that it is a proprietary system that forces you to buy additional attachments from Marware, at least it is quality product that works well. A set of clips (bike holder, car holder, and swivel clip) costs $20.

All is not well, however, with the belt clip on the MetroVue case. Once attached, I found it almost impossible to remove. Sometimes it would take me a few minutes of struggling and brute force to get it to release from the case. Seems that the center pin is not allowed to travel downward enough to release the clip. I've experienced this same belt clip and attachment system on the Marware TrailVue and SportSuit Convertible cases and I'm happy to tell you that it works much better on those models.

The overall feeling of the case is one of cheapness. I had this in my original impressions, but it was confirmed after using and reviewing Marware's very good TrailVue case.

Usage
With the exception of the one case who's misshapen headphone port hole prevented me from using it, the MetroVue works pretty well as an iPod case. The front of the iPod is protected by two layers (the stiff nylon flap and the vinyl inner sleeve) and that gave me a sense of security. The panels that make up the outer portion of the case are very stiff, therefore, they are rather protective despite the fact that there is no padding. The low profile clip attachment on the back is less obtrusive than the standard button. The nylon exterior resists dirt and is easy to clean if you're especially messy with it.

The top corners of the iPod are protected, but the bottom corners are not. A combination of an opening in the vinyl sleeve and the top flap that doesn't easily pull all the way down prevent the case from offering full bottom corner protection. Even though the sides of the case are open (so that you can view the iPod within), the vinyl sleeve covers the length of the iPod so that it is still protected on the sides.

The outer panels are so stiff, in fact, that they don't like to be bent all the way around backwards, something that I like to do when leaving my iPod on my desk (takes up less desk space that way). Some flap style cases will also let you bend the front flap backwards to form a 45-degree angle that acts like an iPod stand, but the MetroVue case doesn't like to do that either. No big deal, but I wanted to mention it.

The Bottom Line
This is a light and stylish case that provides adequate light-duty protection to the iPod inside. Although the design of the Marware MetroVue case is sound, flaws in the build quality and in the manner that the belt clip functions detract from its usefulness. Although the MetroVue shares the same design as Marware's TrailVue case, the TrailVue is a much better case. Think of a new car - the TrailVue is the luxury trim level with all of the options packages, and the MetroVue is the stripper model. With the MetroVue, getting three cases for $30 is a good bargain, but you sacrifice quality for quantity. If it were my money I would rather get one really good case for the same money. 3/5 stars

The good: Nice color combinations, thin and light design makes it very portable, adequate iPod protection for light-duty usage.
The not so good: belt clip is nearly impossible to remove, some build quality defects, cut rate feel to the cases

For more information: Marware

Related:
- iPoditude Review: Marware TrailVue case for iPod mini
- iPoditude Review: Pacific Design iPod mini Flip Case

Updated comments after receiving the new revision of the product and packaging from Marware on 6/21/05:
In the iPoditude review I made a joke about the "especially lethal blister packaging," that the cases were packaged in. It was thick plastic and happily formed into spiny shards as the innocent iPod owner tried to open it with scissors. Well, that nightmare is behind me because the MetroVue cases now come packaged in a unique and attractive paperboard box that is easy to open and recyclable to boot. What is unique about this box is the gatefold flap on the back that provides you with information about the product, "One system, many options." Neat marketing idea.

Enough about the packaging, the really important thing is the improvements to the cases. Big difference here. The first thing I noticed about the new cases was the improvement to the headphone port cut out. In the previous MetroVue cases it was loosely stitched and was misshapen on one of my review cases. Now it looks like it's die cut and fused with heat. However they're making it, the cut out looks a lot more professional. It's still too small for the Shure E3c's large headphone plug, but now it's a neat and clean cut out that looks great and was perfectly centered on all three cases.

The Marware belt clip that was nearly impossible to remove before has been modified so that it works just fine now. I should say that the case has been modified so that there is a small empty space directly under the pin that holds the belt clip in place so that when you press it down to remove the clip, it moves downward enough to properly release the belt clip. Works great.

This may be trivial to some: The joints between the stiff outer panels have a much greater range of motion now. This means that I can bend the flap backwards and make an iPod stand out of the case when I put it on my desk. See photo.

Another improvement that Marware has made is that the clear vinyl sleeve that holds the iPod is a thinner and more flexible material than before. The iPod fits more comfortably and the material feels like it would hold up to temperature extremes and regular wear and tear even better.

Overall, the stitching of the cases is better quality and more even. The outer panels are just as stiff as before, but the hinges work better and feel like they'd be more durable. The iPod fits better in the case and the flap closes around it more easily. This case has undergone significant improvements and is much better for it. The problems I experienced that made the case difficult to live with have been fixed by a redesign and the quality of the cases has been greatly improved. Instead of a cheap version of Marware's TrailVue, the MetroVue has now become it's more stylish little brother.