Carrying case for a ZEN XTRA 30

Question

I was wondering if anyone knew of a carrying case for a zen xtra that you can run with. I have an old CD player carrier that doesnt work too well, as it allows the player to bounce around and actually stop playing. I went to circuit city and I couldn't find anything.
Just curious if anyone has seen any different carrying cases for the ZEN XTRA.
Garrett

Answer 1

One user test I performed with my Zen Xtra was a 5km jog. I had serious doubts about the belt clip but decided to give it a try. 5kms later my Xtra was still firmly clipped to my belt. There had been no skipping or disk troubles with the player during the jog. The problem came when I got into my car 5 minutes after the jog. SNAP! No more belt clip.
Later, I found a small, inexpensi've leather pouch for electronic gadgetry, and discovered it had a leather-clad STEEL belt clip on a pivoting ri'vet mount. At home I cut the clip loose from the pouch, trimmed the leather to fit the back of the Xtra case, removed the single ri'vet on the back of the Xtra case as well as the leather boss that holds the plastic clip in place, and sewed the new clip into position. The new clip is far stronger and holds far more tightly than the original clip ever could. My first user test confirmed that the HDD in the Xtra is rugged enough to stand jogging; the new clip holds the player even more tightly to the wearer's body, and also allows the player to sit horizontally on the wearer's hip, which protects the clip from trauma caused by frequent bending or leg movement. To make a long story short, I use the provided case, modified, and find it sufficient for regular high-impact exercise motions.
Were I to look at this problem more seriously, I would suggest two things: First, the protection of the player demands that it be firmly strapped to the wearer's body; Secondly, the chief cause of trauma to the player is coming from the feet, so, the further from the feet the better. I believe the optimal position is the upper back, so IDEALLY you are looking at a pouch or bag that straps firmly, immobilizing the player, against the upper back of the wearer. If such a pack exists, it would be a specialist jogger/runner/triathlete bit of goods, and thus specialist stores of this nature would be the best places to look.
I have a second piece of improvised equipment which might do the trick. I use an old-issue USArmy Pistol Belt with an old-issue Small Arms Ammo Pouch. The ammo pouch holds the player in its case quite snugly, and the pistol belt can be worn against the skin (it's cotton!). The pouch can be located at any point on the belt, including the rear, thus leaving no obstacles in the path of swinging arms. You will find this equipment at any army-surplus retailer.