Now for oldie-but-goodies: the portable cassette tape player (commonly known as a Walkman) and the portable CD player (also known as the Discman).

Portable Cassette Player

These have been around for many years, and anyone who can use a tape deck should have little to no difficulty using one of these.

Pros

• Easy to use (most people already know how to use them)
• Very cost effective (can find them for $10, sometimes less)
• Usually have a radio feature
• Tapes are pretty inexpensive
• Can buy blank tapes and record from CDs or radio to make your own play list
• Some music (like military cadences) are easier to find on tape

Cons

• Bulky (big, bounce a lot, are hard to hold during run)
• Harder and harder to find tapes of new music
• Most models are battery eaters
• Can't control songs easily (skip or repeat)

Portable CD Player

In my mind, this is a better avenue to go if you are looking for a cost efficient option.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Very cost effective (can find them for about $15)
• Many people already have a CD collection
• Can buy a blank CD and record music from a computer, if you have the right equipment
• Music on CDs is easy to come by
• Can control music easily (skip, repeat, etc)

Cons

• Bulky, though usually weigh less than a Walkman
• Can skip (when running, CDs skip bits of songs and sometimes even shut player down momentarily)
• Most models are battery eaters