My recent 20 hour there and back journey to Virginia sealed the deal as far as my absolute and complete love for my 80gb Zune goes. To be able to listen that long to nothing but music I loved personally, without a single song repeated, was wondrous.

But there has been, since I first purchased my Zune - one ongoing problem that was getting really annoying. A protective case. Frankly, for the cost of a Zune - some sort of case should be included. Instead, you are forced to buy that as an accessory.

My first case was bought from the store where I purchased the Zune. And since it was made by Microsoft for the 80gb Zune, I figured that was the best way to go - even though it was ridiculously over-priced at $32. While the Zune fit the case, there was no protective cover for the display screen. Then the hole provided for the headphone/accessory jack was too small, and off-center. Lastly, the bottom was fully closed - so the only way to possibly charge the Zune was to completely remove it from the case. Grade? F-.

Next, I went to Amazon and searched. I found a case that offered open access to the charge/synch port, as well as a protective screen shield. Problem? It wasn’t made for the 80gb model. My Zune slipped and slid around in there like a snake on a skating rink. Worse still, if it need to be charged, it had to be pulled too far down in the case to allow the audio out jack to stay connected. I would tell you which company sold me that one, so you could avoid it - if only I could find them. It seems they’ve stopped selling the case. Wish they had done that sooner.

Finally, I decided to try one last time. After carefully reading reviews, and studying the images, I went with the Incipio Leather Flip case, by now expecting disappointment. But it came in yesterday - and I have finally found Zune protective nirvana. The case is a perfect fit - allows easy access to all connections and controls without having to remove it, has a protective screen shield, and is all I ever wanted in the first place.

If you own the 80gb Zune, this is the only case I would recommend without any hesitation. Functional, nice looking, and fairly priced at just under $18. Considering what you pay for a Zune, this is just money well spent. Grade A+!