Need a place to keep your hands free when you hit the gym? Looking for the ideal workout case for your iPhone? The Marware Sportsuit Convertible case for iPhone 3G ($34.95) and original iPhone ($34.95) is a workout case that keeps your iPhone always within reach and your hands free to lift weights, use the yoga ball, run faster etc. It also doubles as a slim-profile sleeve case. And even triples for a clip-on case that is attachable via belt clip. How does it all perform? Does it hold up over time?

Read on for the rest of the review!

What Comes In The Box

Upon opening the box you’ll notice that you have:

Marware Sportsuit Convertible
Arm Band
Belt Clip
Key Pouch

Because it is a ‘convertible’ case, the case can be attached to either the armband, nothing at all, or via belt clip (along with many other accessories sold separately). They also add an optional key pouch, which I found incredibly useful in my testing. Slipping your car key in and out is a cinch and if you have no need for it, you don’t have to attach it.

Design & Fit

The Marware Sportsuit Convertible is made from a neoprene material that is both soft and smooth. The build quality is solid and the material feels great against your skin. The neoprene wraps comfortably around your upper arm and keeps the hard plastic from chafing. Also, the neoprene does a fairly good job in wicking away moisture so the arm band doesn’t stick to your skin when you sweat.

What’s unique about the Marware Sportsuit Convertible is its versatility. Marware stresses that you are able to use the workout case as an independent case as well. Though it may look unsightly, the case itself offers great protection with padded backing and edges and a full screen protector.

The Marware Sportsuit Convertible leaves room open for all of the iPhone’s sensors, the camera, ear speaker, and headphone jack. The belt clip works as well as any other belt clip. Most of my testing concerns the Marware Sportsuit Convertible Case as a workout Case.

Usability

The first thing I noticed in my testing was that slipping the iPhone in and out of the case was an extremely difficult task. Though it should be understood that a tight fit for an iPhone workout case is desirable, the Marware Sportsuit Convertible is almost TOO tight. When trying to remove the case, the tightness of the fit peeled off my Bodyguardz Screen Protector; every millimeter counts. Though the tightness is intended to keep my iPhone safe and sound from the rigors of working out, it was still mighty annoying trying to get my iPhone out.

In my testing, I found the case to be extremely comfortable and usable. I found the case easy to remove from the arm band and most of the iPhone’s buttons easily accessible. There are gray outlines that detail where the buttons on the iPhone are (not like you would forget, but a nice touch). Though the iPhone does lose some touch sensitivity behind the plastic screen protector, it didn’t seem to be a deal breaker for me. Whatever I needed to get done in the gym—changing playlists, increasing volume, make a quick call—the Sportsuit Convertible handled well enough.

The material of the arm band is great and I rarely noticed my iPhone attached to my arm when running. The velcro attaches well and the arm band is always secure. The quality of material that Marware uses in the Sportsuit Convertible was a great choice. As a workout case, the Marware Sportsuit Convertible succeeds.

Final Thoughts

Though it was a complete pain to remove the iPhone from the case, when it was in the case my iPhone felt safe and secure. There was never an issue of looseness and my iPhone was never in danger of falling onto the treadmill (oh the horror!) or getting smashed by some free weights. Obviously, if you were to use this as an everyday case, the plastic screen protector wouldn't be the most ideal for heavy touch screen usage, but the Sportsuit Convertible is perfect for a trip to the gym and is rugged enough for any physically demanding exercise.

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