Are you the rugged outdoorsy type? Do you like hiking, camping and just getting down and dirty, but like to take your phone or MP3 player with you? One of the problems with today’s devices is that they’re rather fragile and they really can’t stand up to much abuse at all. Don’t even think of getting them wet, they’ll be ruined for sure. Dropping them, don’t do that either, chance are you’ll have a busted device. If you like playing outdoors then you need a rugged case for your gadget, and the one I have for review today might just work for you, it’s the Grace Digital Eco Pod. This case offers more than enough protection for your device from the elements, drops and even altitudes. So read on…  

So it comes in a box that has lots of pictures and info on it.

 

Insides you’ll find the Eco Pod wrapped in a plastic bag.

Along with the case you’ll see ads and a brief instruction sheet.

The Eco Pod is a large plastic case with a clear cover on it.

When you open up the Eco Pod, the insides are covered in a soft felt like material to protect your device. There are two elastic straps that help to hold your gadget in place.

 

The inside of the case has two levels, or a compartment in the lower half. This area is for your earbuds, they wrap around the small stand and then the buds themselves sit in the bottom. You can have the earbuds in the case with your device at the same time thanks to the small compartment.

When you open the lid you’ll find waterproof earbuds, extra sized buds, clips for over your ears and extra filters (not pictured).

 

The clips are used with the earbuds to hold them in place over your ear while running or doing anything vigorous where they might fall out of your ears.

The earbuds themselves are rather large I think, not much really exciting about them but they’re supposedly waterproof.

 

The back of the Eco Pod is bright orange and there you’ll see the air pressure valve. Under it is where the filters go.

 

Off to the side the Eco Pod has  nice nylon strap with carabineer attached to it.

The Eco Pod is secured shut with two large clasps that have safety buttons or locks on them.

 

Here’s the clasps open so you can see the button lock, you can’t open the clasp until you press the button.

 

On the top of the Eco Pod is where the earbuds plug in and there’s a volume knob there. I think having the volume knob there is very handy so you don’t have to open the Eco Pod to adjust the volume.

On the other side of the case you’ll see a very large and sturdy hinge. The slot you see there is a pass-though for a belt so you can carry it right on your hip.

 

 

Specifications:

 

To put your device in you just lay it in place and then use the elastic straps over it to hold it securely in place.

 

Once your device is in place just close the lid and secure the clips. Here’s my devices inside of the Eco Pod:

 

 

 

 

The Eco Pod seems more than able to protect your devices from whatever you and the weather can throw at it.  The case is great really, I would trust my stuff in it without a worry for anything happening to it.

The main issue with this case is not the case itself but the included earbuds, honestly they’re just not that good. If I’m using earbuds I want good sound and these offer audio that is just flat and lifeless really and muffled. I’ve heard inexpensive earbuds that offer better sound that these do. It could be the fact that they’re waterproof and the they muffle the sound because of this, but for the cost of $70 I would expect better sound. You could use a different set of earbuds of course, but you’d have to find a waterproof set to go with the Eco Pod for full protection. In the long run I think it would be worth it to buy a better pair of ear buds that are made for use in harsh conditions as the Eco Pod is well worth it.

 

    

Conclusion:
The Eco Pod from Grace Digital seems more than capable of protecting your devices from the elements and most any extreme condition you’re out and about in. The Eco Pod is made from a tough and durable polycarbonate plastic that should help your device to withstand shocks due to drops, it’s waterproof and it also floats. The carabineer is handy as well so you can attach it to your stuff so it won’t get lost. The built-in volume control is one of the best features as it allows you to control the volume of your music without opening the case and exposing your device to the elements.

The earbuds that come with the Eco Pod are waterproof yes, but the sound isn’t so good. Honestly it’s flat and rather lifeless. The case is nice, but the earphones are very lacking in audio quality.

I can recommend the case as it will protect your device, but not the earphones.

Pros:
+Offers a lot of protection for your devices
+Well made
+Volume control knob built-in

Cons:
-Sound not that good from earphones
-Much larger than the device in it

Grades:
Overall
Design
Performance

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