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After sitting on my desk unused for several months, I've finally started using my iPod Mini when I work out at the YMCA. I'm not much of a music aficionado, so the main reason I have it with me is to listen to the podcasts I subscribe to (read more about podcasts). The iPod Mini snaps into a nice little included belt clip that you can attach to your shorts. This works, but adjusing the volume or finding a song is tough with iPod down by your waist. It's also very easy to bump your hip into something. I noticed some other people at the "Y" with armbands for their MP3 players and decided that was the way to go.

Of course, all iPod accessories are outrageously expensive. The iPod Mini armband from Apple is $30 and it's basically a belt clip with a neoprene strap that goes through the back of it. I guess they figure that anyone that's willing to shell out at least 200 bucks for an iPod would be willing to pay $30 for such a simple device. Not me. I'm far to frugal for that. (And I got my Mini for free through a Citibank promotion!)

I first did a Google search for "how to make your own iPod mini armband". Surprisingly, nothing relevant came up. So, I headed off to the store with the Mini in my pocket. I didn't know exactly what I was looking for, but it had to satisfy the following criteria:

1. Stretchy and adjustable so that it would fit tightly but comfortably on my my upper arm while lifting weights
2. Hold the iPod Mini securely
3. Easy to take on and off
4. Considerably cheaper (of course)

The local Super Walmart didn't have anything I was looking for, but I hit the jackpot at Target (pronounced Tar-zhay). Target carried a Knee Band Support for $8. A lot of basketball players with sore knees wear these just under the kneecap. They are perfect for an iPod armband because they are thin, made of neoprene, and velcro-adjustable.

This should work for just about any MP3 player. Here's how I did it:

The knee band support is hard in one area in order to compress a ligament under the knee. I needed the armband to be soft, so I used a swiss army knife to cut a small hole at the end of the hardened area and pulled out the support (the green tube in the picture below).

If you want to use the belt clip that came with the Mini, then you are ready to go. Just strap the band to your arm and clip the Mini to it as shown.

Using the belt clip works just fine, but I wanted to provide a little more protection for the iPod. Unfortunately, the silicone case that fits my iPod mini perfectly makes it too big to fit in the belt clip. I had already gotten a mark on the click wheel when I bumped into a barbell while lifting and I wasn't going to let that happen again. I wanted the strap to go right through the back of the silicone case. I was leary about putting slits in the back of the case because the rubbery silicone looked like it would rip easily. Luckily, it didn't rip when pulling the strap through, nor when sliding the iPod down the strap. You can see what I did below. Hopefully, you can cut straighter slits - it's hard to do with an empty case!

The end result works great, looks just as good as the Apple version, and it saves you over 20 bucks.