NewtonTalk.net October 2009 archive: Re: [NTLK] RipOffs Case

From: Matt Howe <matthowe_at_comcast.net>
Date: Fri Oct 23 2009 - 23:37:51 EDT

I have a case for cell phone and Nokia 770 (my 2100 goes in my messenger
bag.) After the first time the metal clip came loose do to vigorous activity
I made a little safety strap. I took a military belt clip from the surplus
store and a small snap link from a key chain and attached them with a short
length of nylon cord. Now when I am doing something like a construction and
a lot of ladder climbing, I just attach my safety line. I clip the snap link
to the metal belt clip and lock the military belt clip over my belt. For
everyday use I just rely on the metal clip. This would answer your bike
issue.

Matt (Ducky) Howe
Owner of a MP2000U and an Emate
SantaMatt@Gmail.com (Nokia N770)
matthowe@comcast.net (Desktop)
http://home.comcast.net/~mhowe41/
http://SantaMatt.blogspot.com

-----Original Message-----
From: newtontalk-bounce@newtontalk.net
[mailto:newtontalk-bounce@newtontalk.net]On Behalf Of James Fraser
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2009 11:05 PM
To: newtontalk@newtontalk.net
Subject: Re: [NTLK] RipOffs Case

Hello,

--- On Fri, 10/23/09, Lord Groundhog <LordGroundhog@gmail.com> wrote:

> Originally I favoured a shoulder holster, so I also wondered about this
> one when I found the website. But then a few folks here (I think Sonny
> was one of them) pointed out that in these post-9/11 days, people
> like the police and airport security tend to be a bit nervous, and
> someone might slip and forget to find out why I'm wearing a shoulder
> holster before they react. (I fly a lot.) I went off the shoulder
> holster idea pretty fast on the grounds that something in plain(er) view
> like a belt holster is easier for someone to assess before they shoot me,
> and also might buy me enough time to explain myself, on the grounds that
> I'm obviously not trying to conceal anything, so why not ask me what it
> is before gunning me down? (Of course, it wouldn't have saved Jean
> Charles de Menezes' life, but nothing else would have either.)

I agree entirely: no one wants to find themselves suddenly doing a Jean
Charles de Menezes impression. That said, if you don't spend a lot of time
trotting (sprinting?) through airports, or in the vicinity of twitchy LEOs,
a shoulder holster-type rig might be the best way to go for you.

I can well understand the appeal of a belt holster, but if you spend a lot
of time on a bike, (versus in a car) a shoulder holster arrangement might
make more practical sense. I don't have a RipOffs case to field-test, but I
find myself wondering what getting on and off a bike would be like with one
of those cases attached to my waist. The steel belt clip certainly looks
like a pretty solid arrangement, but I can't help but think the case is
going to come off your belt when you're cocking your leg to get on/off the
bike. No to mention the lack of a seatbelt to attach the Newton to during
the ride. ;)

The heavy laptop bag I usually have with me also tends to shift around quite
a bit. So frankly, I'd be nervous about it knocking the Newton off my
waist. To say nothing of a waist-level holster impairing my ability to hip
check someone when in a crowd. :)

So while I can understand the allure of the RipOffs case, I'm not convinced
it's necessarily "the" way to carry the Newton for everyone. I guess it's
all a matter of what you need in a Newton case. In my own, um, case, I need
something that's out of the way and that leaves my hips free. And a
shoulder holster rig is, in my own experience, hard to beat for keeping the
Newton out of the way, yet still readily accessible: it's why firearms are
carried in that orientation. Of course, with that very consideration in
mind, obviously there are caveats as far as where you should/shouldn't wear
such a rig.

I was just thinking: could you get someone to make such a rig for you, but,
say, in a can't-miss DayGlo flourescent yellow-green or something? :)

Sure, I'm kidding here, but me being me, I can't help but wonder if the use
of a brightly-colored fabric would allow someone to wear a shoulder rig on a
regular basis while helping to assuage any needless anxiety. [shrugs]

(I guess that wouldn't help with wearing it under something like a sports
jacket, though.)

Best,

James Fraser

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