Since the design of all of these products differ greatly, and they emphasize different elements (fashion, function, protectiveness, etc.) it wouldn't be appropriate or fair to rate the them compared to each other. Instead, I rated each device on its own merits, keeping in mind the unique attributes of each one.

There are two entries here that, in addition to providing alternate attachment methods, also include full shuffle skins - the ezGear for iPod ezSkin Shuffle Bodysuit and the Speck Products Connect & Protect. Let me explain why they're included in this test and not the iPoditude Big iPod shuffle Case Roundup. Both of these manufacturers already have a similar shuffle case product included in the other product review. The products that are included here have an emphasis on attachment options, the Speck product has 4 different methods of attachment and the ezGear has two. In their respective product lines, these products are aimed at providing the customer with attachment options, not just concentrating on being a case. I felt that including these products here was appropriate then, and since my rating system focuses on the individual merits of each product, we're still on a level playing field.

Rating System
Because of the disparate design and intended use of each device assembled here, I have rated each one on three factors:

- Aesthetics: In short, this rating describes how cool the product is. How it looks, how stylish it is, how the color interacts with the iPod, etc.
- Utility: This is a measurement of how useful the product. This rating also evaluates aspects of the design of the device as well, since a poorly designed product is not as useful.
- Quality: This rating measures the quality of materials used and the quality of assembly. The design of the device plays a small role in this rating, since a poor design can also lead to poor quality construction.

Each rating is a number from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest and 3 being average.

Methodology
The "Big headphone plug test" was performed because there are a number of aftermarket headphones that have larger plugs than the standard Apple earbuds. This test was performed with the Shure E3c canal phones since they are a popular choice for the iPod and have a large headphone jack. This test is not applicable with a number of these devices, but I felt it was an important enough measurement to include it in this review.

As always, if you have any questions or comments, use the comments field below.

Marware SportGrip
Price: US $9.95 single, US $24.95 for 3-pack (which includes bonus lanyard)
Color: Singles: Black, Gray, White, Pink, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Red, Green, or Plum. 3-packs come with Black/White/Grey or Red/Blue/Black combinations.
Includes cap? N/A
Big headphone plug test: Pass
Web site: Marware.com

The SportGrip by Marware is a difficult product to categorize. I considered whether to include this product here in this test, or in the Big iPod shuffle case roundup. But after I used the SportGrip for a couple of days, I came to think of it as an iPod key chain or lanyard, and not a case. I never felt comfortable putting my iPod in a pocket with keys or thrown into my bag with sundry items, like I would have if it were enclosed in a case. Plus, with the carabiner and the lanyard (included with the 3-pack), attachment options are emphasized strongly with this product.

The SportGrip is made out of flexible, soft silicon rubber that "frames" the iPod shuffle. One end of it has a hole for the headphone port and the other end has a molded loop for a carabiner or lanyard (included in the 3-pack only). There are molded ribs on the sides for grip. The iPod, complete with USB cap attached, slides into the frame easily. The silicon lanyard included with the 3-packs is nice. It's thick and flexible and seems pretty strong to boot. The lanyard's screw-type clasp is a quality piece and never came loose.

The silicon used is good quality and very soft, but there is an excess rubber seam along the sides that is noticeable. The metal ring holding the carabiner can slide to the silver lever part and it's difficult to get it back on the black part where it should ride. On one of the SportGrips Marware sent, the metal joint that holds the carabiner was defective and did not stay together. I'm sure this would be covered under warranty.

The SportGrip provides good protection for the corners of the iPod and it protrudes beyond the iPod's face to provide protection for the front and back when laid on a flat surface.

With the exception of the defective carabiner, these seem to be good quality, they come in great colors, and can be quite useful if this is what you're looking for.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 5
Utility: 4
Quality of construction: 2

XtremeMac SuperClip for iPod shuffle
Price: US $14.95
Color: White
Includes cap? N/A
Big headphone plug test: Not applicable
Web site: XtremeMac.com

The SuperClip from XtremeMac is a small, lightweight plastic clip the hugs the iPod shuffle and features an arm the clips horizontally. It snaps onto the shuffle strongly and stays anchored due to built-in rubber bumpers on the inside of the clip. The white color is a perfect match for the iPod.

The SuperClip has the ability to clip horizontally only, it cannot be rotated. The arm is stiff and short (barely protruding from the width of the iPod), and the joint seems unwilling to flex very much and therefore is limited in what it is able to grip onto. There are molded lines for grip within the clip which help, but the SuperClip is most suited for lightweight uses involving something like a stack of papers or notebook.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 5
Utility: 1
Quality of construction: 4

XtremeMac SuperHook for iPod shuffle
Price: US $19.95
Color: White
Includes cap? Yes
Big headphone plug test: Not applicable
Web site: XtremeMac.com

The SuperHook is a carabiner cap that replaces the USB cap on the iPod. The metal parts are thick gauge and chrome plated and look very nice. Care has been taken to line the joint between the metal hook and the plastic cap with a soft rubber, ostensibly to prevent rattling or scratching. The white color and glossy finish matches the iPod perfectly.

The SuperHook looks and feels like a very high quality, professional product. The carabiner is the biggest I've seen with an iPod product. Unfortunately the cap does not clip on securely enough to invoke confidence, it pulls off the shuffle with about the same effort as the Apple caps. This one fault mares the usefulness of the device, which is a shame, because I quite like it.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 5
Utility: 3
Quality of construction: 5

Speck Products Connect & Protect
Price: US $29.95
Color: Clear
Includes cap? Yes, 4 different ones
Big headphone plug test: Fail
Web site: SpeckProducts.com

Speck Products Connect & Protect is a package that includes a clear SkinTight case along with 4 caps: key ring, lanyard, carabiner, and clip. The case has a covered and embossed control pad and an open slider in back.

These caps feature a unique method to secure onto the iPod, and this works so well in fact, that it makes Speck the leader in iPod shuffle accessories. Each cap features movable barbed nubs inside that grip the iPod's USB plug securely. To remove the cap, you press small buttons on the sides and the cap slides off easily. This innovation makes the caps easy to put on and remove, but extremely secure once they're on. They simply don't come off even if you pull very hard on them. I just want to say it again, this system works really well and Speck has designed a great product.

I've spoken before about how much I like the Speck SkinTight case. It has a great velvety texture, a thick rubbery and bouncy feel to it without being too bulky. The included caps are very good quality, the metal key ring is especially heavy gauge and large. The plastic of the lanyard smells strongly, like those inflatable pool toys you played with as a kid, and can be a nuisance when worn around your neck. The clip cap is for lightweight uses only, there is no hinge mechanism, just a flexible plastic clip with a barb at the end. The color of the caps do not quite match the color of the iPod.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 4
Utility: 5
Quality of construction: 5

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters Flip Clip
Price: US $19.95
Color: Grey
Includes cap? Yes, built-in.
Big headphone plug test: Not applicable
Web site: EverythingiPod.com

The Digital Lifestyle Outfitters Flip Clip is a long clip that is designed to mount your iPod vertically and with the more logical orientation of having the headphone port pointed up. It is made of grey plastic, features a rectangular cutout for the slider, and has a long hinged clip with a pronounced hook on the back. The iPod shuffle mounts to the clip via the USB plug.

Even though the iPod wiggles a little bit to the left/right, it is securely clamped into the Flip Clip by a set of ball bearings just like Apple's USB cap. The square shaped opening on the back that allows access to the control slider is nicely beveled and the overall quality of the Flip Clip is very good. However, the grey color does not quite match the iPod's grey accents (but it's very close).

The one problem with this product is that the clip of the Flip Clip (say that three times fast), which has a nice hook on the end of it, doesn't clamp very tightly. The spring in the hinge doesn't apply enough force to give me confidence when clipping the iPod to something. This one fault limits the utility rating of an otherwise good product.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 4
Utility: 2
Quality of construction: 4

Digital Lifestyle Outfitters Cool Caps
Price: US $19.99 5-pack
Color: Green, blue, orange, purple, white
Includes cap? Yes.
Big headphone plug test: Not applicable
Web site: EverythingiPod.com

The Digital Lifestyle Outfitters Cool Caps are a set of five polychromatic caps that feature a lanyard and cord lock. Each cap is made out of glossy, hard plastic, sport the DLO insignia, and feature a complimentary trim color at the base. The included lanyards are similar to common shoe laces.

I love these things. They're pretty, the cap is just the right size, and they're well made. They snap on securely, quite a bit harder than the Apple caps, so I always had confidence in the Cool Cap.

Don't want the lanyard? Just take it off the cap. The shoestring is easily removed from the cap and it's just as easy to put it back on. Swap the colors, my favorite combination is the green cap with the white lanyard. Want a key chain instead? Just cut one of the lanyards short and tie a knot in it. You've got five of them, and if you ever wanted a longer lanyard again, just go buy a shoestring to replace it.

Works great, looks great. Well done!

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 5
Utility: 5
Quality of construction: 5

ezGear for iPod ezClip Shuffle
Price: US $12.49
Color: White
Includes cap? Yes.
Big headphone plug test: Not applicable
Web site: ezGear4u.com

ezGear for iPod ezClip Shuffle is a clip that replaces the cap of the iPod shuffle. It is plastic and contains ball bearings in the cap to secure it onto the iPod. The clip is a long plastic arm and has a metal piece within the hinge to provide clamping force. There is a small hook at the end of the clip.

The ezClip works well. The clip has a good amount of clamping force, just tight enough, but not too tight. The hook at the end could be a little wider, but it does a good job on clothing. The iPod's plug fits tightly into the opening, even before you encounter the two metal balls. Whether this was intentional or not, it adds a feeling of security. The white color of the ezClip is not a match to the iPod shuffle's white color and the seam that runs along the sides of the device is a little bit uneven. The ezClip is an accessory that works better than it looks, but it does work really well.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 2
Utility: 5
Quality of construction: 3

ezGear for iPod ezSkin Shuffle Bodysuit
Price: US $18.98 2-pack
Color: Frost white, sky blue, lime green, princess pink, grape purple
Includes cap? No.
Big headphone plug test: Fail
Web site: ezGear4u.com

The ezGear for iPod ezSkin Shuffle Bodysuit is a package that consists of two rubber skin cases for the iPod shuffle along with a nylon fabric lanyard and a metal leash clip. Both the iPod's control pad and slider are covered. There is a semi-circular hole in the bottom of the case so you can insert the iPod. This hole is also designed to accommodate Apple's longer lanyard cap. This case feels more rubbery than most other skins and it is smooth to the touch and the shape mimics that of the iPod shuffle, with crisp corners and flat panels. The colors are pastel and the skins are translucent.

Despite being covered, the control slider on the iPod was easy to use through the skin. The nylon ribbon lanyard is a nice touch, the blue matches the color of the blue skin very well and it's soft. The metal leash clip is a good quality piece. Between the fabric lanyard and the metal clip, you have a lot of different ways to carry the shuffle. I was a little skeptical at first sight, but this case does actually work with both of Apple's USB and lanyard caps. Because of the shape of the hole on the bottom of the case, it expands well enough to accommodate the longer lanyard cap and it cover most of it as well. It doesn't even look bad that way either. This permanent hole on the bottom, however, compromises protection a bit. There is some extra rubber material, and some slight cosmetic imperfections around the headphone cutout.

The attachment point on the case is well positioned and unobtrusive, but the material is thin around the hole and makes me afraid that it would tear over time. However, I've tested it and the loop of material is surprisingly strong and seems to hold up well to regular use. It needs to have thicker material around the hole in order to inspire my confidence though.

iPoditude rating:
Aesthetics: 3
Utility: 4
Quality of construction: 3

In Summary
These are all fun products, and a few of them are very imaginative. Some of these products may appeal to a wide audience and they may have a lot of practical uses, while others are more specialized products, designed for a certain task or application. I urge you to evaluate my opinions and the information in this review and apply it to your specific needs in order to make the best decision for you.

The Marware SportGrip is a hybrid of a device and it does a good job of showing off the iPod, while at the same time providing a small measure of protection for it. Think of it as a key chain or lanyard and I think you'll get the point of the SportGrip.

It would be easy to call the XtremeMac SuperClip wimpy. Maybe it is, but it well made and it looks nice on the shuffle. I think that the design limits its practical uses to simple tasks, though.

The XtremeMac SuperHook would be a stand-out product if it wasn't for one fatal flaw. Maybe it would mount more securely to a different iPod shuffle, but it just pulled off of mine too easily (with about the same effort as the Apple caps). It is very high quality, very nice looking, and has the nicest carabiner that I've seen so far on an iPod accessory.

The Speck Products Connect & Protect package rocks. Not only do you get every carrying option that you would probably ever need, but you get the great SkinTight case to go with it. But the best part is the rock solid way the caps clip onto the iPod, yet they're so easy to remove by squeezing the sides. Excellent design, great execution.

I think the Digital Lifestyle Outfitters Flip Clip is another good product that has one flaw that detracts from its usefulness. It's made well, looks nice, but has limited practical uses because the hook doesn't grip very strongly.

But DLO hits one out of the ballpark with their Cool Caps. These shiny polychromatic nuggets of iPod lanyard cap goodness are really fun and look great. They're simple in design and that only adds to their usefulness. Love 'em.

The ezClip Shuffle by ezGear for iPod was a pleasant surprise to me. What it lacks in polish, it makes up for in utility. This product works really well and if you're looking for a clip, this is the best one out there.

ezGear for iPod's ezSkin Shuffle Bodysuit is like one of those things that you never notice because it does its job well and does it without any fanfare. This skin is straightforward and has a simple design, but it works well and provides good flexibility with its leash clip and lanyard strap.

My Favorite
It's hard to pick one favorite, because these products vary so greatly and they're designed to do such a wide variety of things. Overall, the Speck Products Connect & Protect is a class-leader because of the revolutionary way the caps secure to the iPod. I was already a fan of their SkinTight case, but the variety of caps that come in the Connect & Protect package makes it even better. Very well done by Speck. I also want to mention that I like the Marware SportGrips a lot. They are fun and cool, and I like the way they look, despite being somewhat limited in their uses. I also really like the DLO Cool Caps. They add a splash of color to the iPod and they're designed so simply and effectively that they're a joy to use.