Review: SportShell Convertible

by Bill Palmer

Marware’s multi-function Convertible cases have taken on a number of incarnations over the years with various iPod and iPhone models, but they’ve generally centered around the idea of a case that comes with a belt clip and an armband, and can be used with either or neither, depending on the scenario.



The new SportShell Convertible comes in the form of a two (technically three) piece hard plastic dark grey shell that slides onto the iPhone which, while it would be “just another iPhone case” if not for the included attachments and functionality, is well done in its own right; for instance the cut-out for the volume buttons and silencer switch is done perfectly, which is still not always a given, even with the iPhone having had the same identical body style for more than a year now.



But you buy this case because of what it can be converted into. The third grey plastic piece on the back can be substituted with a frosted clear piece that has a vertical belt clip attached. And the belt clip can then be slid onto the included adjustable armband in a way that locks it into place and allows it to feel a lot more comfortable than you might expect for something that sounds potentially cumbersome until you see (and feel) for yourself that it does work well.



Using an iPhone on an armband presents two quandaries, of course. The first is whether you want something that bulky on your arm while you’re active (some iPhone users keep an iPod nano or shuffle around for just this reason), and the other is the fact that Apple has inexplicably still not included a setting that allows you to turn the auto-rotation off in the iPhone’s iPod app, causing the screen to keep rotating back and forth as you try to twist your arm to get the iPhone out of that useless Cover Flow mode. But I digress – and that’s Apple’s fault anyway, not Marware’s.



In all, the SportShell Convertible is a very impressive product. As long as you actually look at the directions first, assembling and removing the various components is easy. My only complaints center around the belt clip, which is oddly large to begin with. And while it can be turned upside down, it can’t be used horizontally, which many users find more comfortable. That aside, this is a great multi-function value.

Learn more about the SportShell Convertible at Marware.com.