MP3 Players

I use my iTouch that I received for Christmas. As long as you have a good workout case (I use an exercise arm-band) it should be perfectly fine.

What I've found to be a bigger deal than the MP3 player is the headphones. I cannot use those earbuds that come with the iPod. I have some earbuds that have a silicone bud on the part that goes in your ear. They are SO much more comfortable than the plastic things and since they're squishy they kind of wedge into your ear (non painfully) and stay there well, even though I'm running and bouncing and hopping around.

I have an iPod Touch, and absolutely love it. It has become my personal companion and goes everywhere with me along with my cellphone.

The functions an iPod has are awesome (not the classic). The touch screen is simply the best interface, and I use it everyday with an arm strap for running and at the gym since 2008 with no signs of wear and tear. They are quite resilient with minimal care.

Of course, the price was a concern when I bought it, but after these years I am convinced it was the best option. Another drawback is the expensive original accesories, but there is also a huge generic market for that. The large size might discourage some people, but it is not heavy or cumbersome.

As a plus, you can get the MFP App and track your food and excercise on the go (which I of course do), along with many more interesting fitness apps (like iFitness, also very nice).

Hope that helps.

I love my ipod nano 16G. Its small fits lottts of music, and I just use the arm band I bought for exercise and tuck the wire in my shirt so it does not get in the way Only down side is when you sake them they go on shuffle, so you have to make sure the old button is on

My Ipod Classic has survived a lot between my purse and the gym, so I'm pretty pleased with it as well.

I have a Creative Zen Stone. I've had it for 2-3 years and use it constantly in the gym or car. I have a plug in thing that I use to plug it into my car radio so I don't have to listen to the radio. I have small ears, though, and even the silicone ear buds won't stay in, so I use the ear bud like things that have the hooks that go over the top of my ears. My kids had an Ipod and I hated that they could only get music from Itunes. I much prefer being able to get any mp3 I want instead of having to wait for the artist to do a deal with Apple. My Dad is a musician and not anywhere big enough of a name to do something like that, but I can have his music on my mp3 whenever he sends me a file. If you've already got music on your computer that you want to use, its better to not have an Ipod. At least in my experience.

I have a 2Gig Sansa with Skull Candy earbuds. I use it twice a day for eliptical training and walking the dog. I think it's easier to use than the IPod because it's syncs with Windows Media Player, which most everyone has. Also, I downloaded music that was specifically good walking music for about 3 - 3.5 mph. I have to replace the earbuds about every 4 months, but with so much usage that's not too bad.

If you've already got music on your computer that you want to use, its better to not have an Ipod. At least in my experience.

It's actually not hard at all to add music to itunes that's already on your computer. Go to "File/Add FIle (or folder) to library" and then just choose the file/folder from your location. Easy peasy. It will then convert your files to mp3s/AAC if they aren't already.

I have a nano that I use for working out. It's one of the first nanos and so it's now 5 years old. Never a bit of trouble. It's only NOW getting full (It's only 4gb because that's what they had then!) I got the nike+ sensor for it, too, and love using it to track my runs. My sports arm band is great- easily washed in the machine (I put it in a bra bag) and dries very quickly. Also, prices have significantly come down on ipods. You can pretty much get an ipod for the same price as any of the other brands and know you're getting quality!

When it comes to wear and tear, some people like to get "sports" models of gear that is rugged and armored and so forth. To me, however, you can't get better than light-weight. If you make something small and light, it can be moved around and bumped and dropped without taking so much as a scratch.

I use a 4GB Sansa Sandisk. You can find one for about $50 new. I like it for three reasons:

1) It's small and light-weight. You can put it in your pocket, or sometimes I'll just drape the headphone wire around my neck and let it hang from the wire onto my chest. It's light enough that it just hangs there and doesn't fall or cause any kind of nuisance.

2) If I hear a song I don't want to hear anymore, I can delete it directly. A lot of older mp3 players didn't let me do this and I found it annoying since I tend to put entire CDs on it at a time.

3) Other Sansa models had an annoying wheel that I couldn't stand. I think it was meant to look like a iPod, but without the functionality. I prefer buttons. I can use this mp3 player (play, pause, next song, etc.) while doing something else without having to stop and go through a menu system.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v289/lordrahvin/sandisk-sansa-clip-plus-gallery-0.jpg

As for my music lists, it wouldn't help anybody else. I listen to country.