My first iPod was a 30GB iPod Video. I wasn’t exactly careful with it, and it soon became heavily scratched. I also never got around to getting a case. Now that that iPod has come and gone, and I am on my second iPod, I made a pact to treat it well, and get a case early on. After getting my iPod nano 3G about a month ago, I got a little lax about the case and didn’t purchase one until now. After much personal debate, I went with the Digital Lifestyle Outfitters HipCase over the Speck Runner. There were a few reasons why I went with the former, ranging from better feel, and what hopefully will be better protection.

Read on for the full review and product images.

It’s safe to assume at this point that we’ll be seeing the 4G iPod nano at the September Apple event next week. And, with new iPods comes the inevitable flood of new iPod cases, leaving owners of the previous model behind. 3G iPod nano owners need not despair, however, as there’ll certainly be no shortage of cases available to them for quite some time.

After the break, we’ll take a look at two armband-style nano cases: Gadget Wrap’s nano Case Value Pack and the iSkin DuoBand.