HBTune Review

*Review update 7/30/13- Plastic piece broke, rendering product unusable. See blog entry: http://barefootstephanie.blogspot.com/2013/07/you-know-hb-tune-iphone-holder-i.html*


A few months ago, while riding the lovely Bay Area Rapid Transit train, some guy on his way to the airport with a suitcase full of phone holders for running gave me one. It's called the HB Tune and it is strapped onto the hand as opposed to other armbands I have used the are strapped onto the upper arm or forearm. I only recently had a chance to run with it, and these are my thoughts:

Pros:
- The standout feature of this iPhone holder (they also make them for larger phones, for you Samsung Galaxy owners!) is the fact that you don't have to awkwardly twist your arm in order to access the touch screen. This is important for people like me that like to change their music often while they run.
- Light and comfortable
- Easy to get phone in and out of case. This has been and issue for me with other armbands. It's actually loose enough that you could have an iPhone in a super bulky case and it would easily fit in the HB Tune.

Cons:
- Not very breathable. It made my hand sweaty on the first run of only 3 miles and it wasn't that hot outside.
- Materials seem a little cheap- it's neoprene and clear plastic that's either glued or heat bonded together, not stitched like other armbands I've used.
- Slightly awkward to strap on, but it isn't bothersome while running.

Conclusion:
Not a bad device holder and I prefer it to my upper arm band because of the ease of screen access. However, for $24.99, it's priced approximately the same with other forearm bands that provide the same convenience. I probably wouldn't spend the money but I'll definitely use a free one given to me on BART!