Changes

* '''Display'''. While you can use an MP3 player without any display, as the {{iPod Shuffle}} shows, a display does make life easier.

* '''Battery Life'''. Most MP3 players will last well over 12 hours, which is long enough for most people. If you're doing a 24 hour race or a 100 miler, you may need a spare.

* '''Spoken Menus.''' Having your player speak the menu items is great if you're operating it by touch, and vital if it doesn't have a display.

* '''Waterproof'''. A waterproof MP3 player makes life easier, but the only options I've found are rather pricy. I generally use a small Ziploc snack bag if it's going to rain, and so far I've not had an issue.

* '''Bluetooth'''. The idea of not having wires to get in the way is appealing, but Bluetooth headphones are not without their downsides.

** The biggest issue is the sound quality of the Bluetooth headphones. They are comparable with other ear buds, but nothing like as good as the Koss headphones. It is possible to use a Bluetooth adapter with regular headphones, and I adapted a pair of Koss headphones to have a short lead and attached the Bluetooth adapter to my running hat.

* '''Software support'''. Managing your music and getting it onto your device is obviously critical.

** If you use iTunes, then the iPods are well supported.

** I prefer [http://www.mediamonkey.com/ Media Monkey] to iTunes, which is free and works with most devices.

=Recommendations=

These four players are my top recommendations depending on your requirements.

! Player

! Recommended for

| Runners who are happy with iTunes and 2 Gb capacity

| 2 Gb

|-

| <jfs id="B0097BEDOC" n="7th gen iPod Nano" msrp="$149.99"/>

| 16Gb

|-

|}

=iPod Shuffle (4th generation)=

* Functionality is limited, with no ability to rate music, voice record, FM radio player, etc.

* The Shuffle is not waterproof, though it's easy to put into a Ziploc bag if it's raining or you're sweating heavily.

** There are waterproof cases for the Shuffle, but they tend to be expensive and comparatively bulky.

* I've found that battery is about 14 hours of continuous playback, but shorter if you use the display much.

* It is possible to use nearly all of the functionality of the player using just the spoken menus and buttons.

* The open source Rockbox firmware does not support DRM formats, including Audible books. (The stock firmware does support Audible.)

There are two simple modifications to the Clip to make the buttons easier to use and to reduce the chance of water damage. The buttons on the Clip are not easy to find without looking, especially with gloves on. I've glued small bumps either onto the Clip itself or onto a silicon cover. These bumps make it easy to find even when the clip is under clothes and I'm wearing gloves. I've lost a number of Clips to water damage, either from rain or drowned in sweat. Putting some tape over the microSD slot, a silicone cover and a cover over the USB socket reduces the chance of water damage dramatically. It does not make the Clip waterproof by any means, but it does improve the resistance to damp conditions. When it's actually raining, I put my clip either in a ZipLoc bag or in a full waterproof bag.

{| class="wikitable"

|[[File:ClipCaseCloseup.JPG|none|thumb|x300px|Here's a close up of the buttons on the silicone case. I've glued the buttons directly to the Clip before, but a slight mistake with the glue and the Clip buttons are glued closed.]]

|- valign="top"

|[[ File:ClipCoverComparison.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| Here's a shot showing the Clip with and without the cover.]]

|- valign="top"

|- valign="top"

|[[File:ClipZipLoc.JPG|none|thumb|x300px| The Clip in a ZipLoc bag, which seems to work pretty well in light rain. I find it's best to lock the buttons and put it wrapped up in a pocket.]]

|}

=iPod Nano=

==iPod Nano Pros==

* The {{iPod Nano}} has 16 Gb capacity, far more than the Shuffle (but less than an expanded {{ClipZip}}).

==iPod Nano Cons==

* The {{iPod Nano}} is expensive to buy at $150 ($9/Gb).

* While the Nano has some buttons, they are badly placed on the side of the player making them easy to press by accident. The buttons are also remarkably hard to find, especially if when wearing gloves. Like most touch displays, the Nano's works badly when wearing gloves or when sweaty.

* There is no way of locking out the buttons against accidental presses, which can make it frustrating to put into a pocket.

* If you already have a smartphone, this is the cheapest option.

* Carrying a phone allows you to [[Running Safety| call for help]].

==Smartphone Cons==

* A smartphone is usually bulky and has to be mounted on your upper arm.

* Most touchscreens do not work well with gloves, in the rain, or with sweaty hands.

* Few smartphones are waterproof, so a specialist case is required to protect it.

=Discontinued iPod Nanos=

* Generation One Nanos are too expensive to recommend as they have become collectable.

* Generation Two had a poorer physical design than the first generation, with slippery, rounded edges that made them rather easily dropped. Available as 2, 4 or 8Gb.

* Generation Three is my favorite form factor, and I didn't find them as slippery as the other generations. Available as 4 or 8Gb and it seems to be slightly cheaper than the other generations of Nano.

* Generations Four and Five returned to the form factor of Generation Two, but with larger displays. They had greater capacity (8 or 16Gb).

=Other SanDisk Clips=

The earlier version of the SanDisk Clip Zip is the SanDisk Clip+, and while it's a fine player, the Zip is better and cheaper, though as prices for the Zip escalate the Clip+ is worth considering. SanDisk introduced two players as replacement for the Clip Zip, the Clip Sport and Clip Jam, but sadly neither supports Rockbox. If you're after a cheap, basic MP3 player with expandable storage, then they might be worth considering.