Along with the Zune HD I received a few new cases to check out and sample. One case is the Jam Jacket CordSaver by DLO. Notice the ‘Designed for Zune’ logo. You can be sure that products carrying this logo have gone through strenuous product testing to ensure the item works properly, does not damage your Zune, and is of sufficient build quality.

Hence the “CordSaver” title, one major feature of this silicone case its integrated cord wrap, located on the back of the case. The case covers both the media button, on the side, and the power button, on the top of the Zune HD. The button covers rise above the profile of the case. This differs from the flush nature in which the buttons lay on the Zune HD, without the Jam Jacket. The only uncovered button is the home button. Already slightly raised, this button sits on the front of the device. Also, the case leaves the bottom-facing headphone jack and sync port exposed. Even when using the case, the provided openings allow for easy access to both ports. While the screen is left unprotected, the silicone framing around the front of the Zune HD does recess the screen just a bit. This allows one to leave their Zune HD face down on a table, without worrying about the screen coming into contact with the surface.

I decided to try the case for a day to see how it worked as fashion accessory and item of utility. As you can see in one of the above pictures, my current headphones (Sennheiser CX-400’s) come with a cord wrapping accessory. For the day, I decided to trade-in the included cord wrap accessory for the one attached to the back of the Jam Jacket CordSaver case.

Installation was simple; open packaging, remove case, insert Zune HD into case, enjoy. As I started my fifteen minute walk to class I spent some time figuring out the best length and orientation of the headphone cable to give myself adequate device mobility. The question is, how best do I manage that extra foot of cable left over after going from my ears to my hand/pocket? On the back, There are notches at the top and bottom of the cord wrap utility that allow you to decide which way to orient your headphone cable after wrapping it. At least with my CX-400’s, the CordSaver cannot accommodate the entire length of cable (well, not comfortably). Instead, the CordSaver does is allow me to wrap up enough headphone wire to create a manageable length of cord without having to stuff a handful of headphone cord into my pocket along with my Zune HD. As I reached campus I tried slipping the Jam Jacket + Zune HD combo into my pocket. I did not notice any extra bulk as a result of the case and wrapped headphone cord. Like silicone cases I have used before, this case also attracts pocket lint.

As I walked from class to class, with the Zune HD in my hand, I found that the raised media button made it easier to access track and volume controls. Also, I noticed the raised edges of the Jam Jacked CordSaver prevented me from inadvertently touching the screen, while playing music. When I hold the Zune HD in my hand, my thumb rests across the row of playback buttons below the album art. With the Jam Jacket, my thumb rests on the raised silicone edge around the screen, just enough to prevent it from unintentionally rating a song or skipping to the next track.

The only thing that bothered me about the case was the ‘CordSaver’ aspect. In the day that I used the Jam Jacket, my CX-400’s cable did not like to stay in either of the provided notches on the back of the case. I noticed it generally came unnotched after spending time in my pocket (i.e. during class). After the day-long trial, thinking it had something to do with the thickness of the headphone’s cable, I tried my Sennheiser HD-201s and the headphones that come with the Zune HD. The cord on the HD-201 is roughly twice the thickness of the CX-400’s. These too did not ‘notch’ well. Knowing length of cable wrapped around the sheath calls into question ones ability to notch the headphone wire, I only wound the 201’s once before trying to notch the cord. The Zune HD headphones faired the best. While they too would become unnotched, the cable was able to remain notched while supporting the weight of the device something neither of the other two headphones could manage. Know that in all cases the headphone cord never came unwound from the cord wrap; they just would not stay notched.

The cord wrap accessory I use with the CX-400s also has a tendency to occasionally come unnotched, though not nearly as frequently as the CordSaver case. Overall this is not too big of an issue. I think the problem has something to do with the case resting in my pocket and the design of the notches themselves. The CX-400’s wrapping accessory is tailored to one pair of headphones. With the Jam Jacket CordSaver, DLO is selling to a larger audience and trying to accommodate headphone cords of different thickness. Also, on the Jam Jacket, the silicone used to create the notches is thinner than that of the Sennheiser cord wrap accessory. Perhaps this contributes to the Jam Jacket’s inability to hold thicker cords well.

Overall, the Zune HD and Jam Jacket CordSaver work well together. The case had a nice feel as I held it. It also looked good doing its job, saving cord and Zune. It also provided easier access to the media button than simply using the Zune HD by itself. Do not let the case’s occasional inability to retain headphone cord deter you. The case is worth purchasing because the cable wrap feature is super useful. Constantly wrapping and unwrapping your headphone cord around your Zune, is bad for the wires in your headphones. The friction from the constant bending and unbending around your Zune will cause the wires to fray internally. This leads one or both channels to stop working, with little sign of damage to the outside headphone cord. I think this is the reason why Skullcandy recommends against this practice. It looks like the Jam Jacket CordSaver tries to prevent internal shearing (Cord-Saver, get it?). I think it does a good job by allowing you leave yourself just enough cable to get from your hands to your ears without forcing you to wrap extra cord around your Zune HD. If you have headphones with a thinner cord you might get better wrapping and notching results. For longer periods of storage, and depending on headphone cord length, you can wrap the entire length of your headphone cord in CordSaver utility, creating a compact yet organized Zune HD + headphones package. If you are looking for a silicone case with a little added functionality, the Jam Jacket CordSaver by DLO is not a bad choice.