[Marathon Fool]

I would like to try and get a definitive answer as to the best system to use.

I would like something that will tell me how far and fast I have run, but also one that will give me this information as I am running. IE. if I choose to go for a 5km run I want to know when I have got to 2.5km so I can turn round and run home!

I know a watch won't do this but will the Nike+ or Garmin 205?

I don't have Nike shoes or an Ipod Nano (but do run with an Ipod classic) so does the sportsband and shoe lace pod work as well as the nano system?

The majority of people on here seem to favour the Garmin, but the nike+ is obviously cheaper, so what more do I get with the Garmin?

I know the 305 has a HRM, but is this integral to the watch, or is there a chest band?

Look forward to getting definitive answers!!

 

[Hrun]

There is no definitive best. Summary as I understand it and then you can make up your own mind up.

Watch £20 (ish)

Can be used to time your run. This can then be combined with something like mapmyrun for distance and pace can be calculated. It is also possible to buy versions with a HRM.

Sportsband £40

Uses a sensor attached to your shoe to measure steps and acceleration. It then uses maths to calculate distance. Comparing this with time gives pace. Accuracy varies as it needs a constant stride and speed which does not happen in the real world. I have both Nike shoes and a pocket on New Balance and find little difference in accuracy. The runs are uploaded to the Nike website which is clunky and flash based but satisfies the inner geek in you. There are sites which report it better. It also estimates calories burned.

Garmin £99 (ish depending on features)

This uses gps satelites to pinpoint your location. Like your car it can then track your movement and calculate distance. With time it calculates pace and estimates calories. Gps is accurate to about 10 metres so should measure your distance with reasonable accuracy regardless of pace. Runs can be uploaded and analyzed to your hearts content. Dependent on model it can also have a HRM.

This is based on my understanding and I have not owned all the technologies. Hope it is helpful.

 

[hot foot]

I would like to try and get a definitive answer as to the best system to use.

I would like something that will tell me how far and fast I have run, but also one that will give me this information as I am running. IE. if I choose to go for a 5km run I want to know when I have got to 2.5km so I can turn round and run home!

I know a watch won't do this but will the Nike+ or Garmin 205?

I don't have Nike shoes or an Ipod Nano (but do run with an Ipod classic) so does the sportsband and shoe lace pod work as well as the nano system?

The majority of people on here seem to favour the Garmin, but the nike+ is obviously cheaper, so what more do I get with the Garmin?

I know the 305 has a HRN, but is this integral to the watch, or is there a chest band?

Look forward to getting definitive answers!!

You do get a chest band with the 305.

Some other features include: interval training, virtual partner-this gives you the opportunity to compete against yourself over a previously run course, your current position is displayed against your old position over the entire length of the run.

Pace alert,hr alert; you can set your upper/lower zones before you set off and the watch will beep if you fall out of your zone.
you can buy a cadence counter ( about £45 I think) and use the watch when cycling too.

You can download training schedules from certain websites.
These are just some of the features that I find useful.:d

 

[Marathon Fool]

Thanks guys. Does anyone have any experience of nike+?

 

[Hrun]

yes me. Hence my post. It is the version I use.

It is not as accurate as a Garmin, but a bit cheaper.

It also allows you to satisfy your inner geek as you can log stats. See www.nikeplus.com

 

[Marathon Fool]

sorry Hrun, i read your post much earlier this evening and forgot the basis of it. I must remember to re-read posts before replying!

 

[Marathon Fool]

Hrun, do you use a nano or a sportsband? Is there much difference? Will it work with a normal Ipod as opposed to a nano?

 

[Hrun]

I use a sportsband.

The Nano version was the first. It requires you to use a nano whilst you run and uses Itunes to upload your runs.

The sportsband is a watch type unit which links to the same sensor. This uses nike software to upload your runs. It is very comfortable (be warned I am 6' 2" and 16 stone. the watch unit fits but I have to button it on 1 of the 2 tabs, hard to explain but if you have large wrists try before you buy)

It is not much use as an everyday watch due to the angle but is effective as a measure of your runs/consistency

HTH

 

[Ito]

I use Nike+ and think it is really fun. The website is good too. I use it in conjunction with the Nike Amp, which is basically a wristband remote control for your ipod that works with the shoe sensor to keep you in tune with your time, pace & distance and lets you choose your music of course! The sensor does need to be calibrated to give an accurate distance, and it is never going to be completely accurate as it's only a pedometer, but it is still a great system.

 

[MSI64]

I use a Garmin 101 quality bit of kit Does everything I need it to do

 

[roadrunnerrob]

I use a Garmin 101 quality bit of kit Does everything I need it to do

That's the one I've got - don't really want/need anything more than my distance covered and time/pace :d Maybe I am not a geek afterall :d

 

[richardsimkiss]

I'm feeling blunt today

GPS systems are more accurate and offer many more features with the ability to analyse stats in a lot more depth. They do however cost a fair bit more!

I tried the Nike+ system (with a nano, before the sportsband was available) and ran the same route (which I now know is a 4.27 mile route) as a slow jog with the nike+ and it reported a run of 4.7miles... I did the same route as a fartlek session and it measured it as either 3.9 or 4.1 miles (I forget which now) suffice to say I didn't keep it much longer.

That said though, I have never heard anyone else experience such innaccuracy with the nike+, so maybe I was doing something wrong? or had a faulty sensor? I certainly didn;t have the nike+ trainers and just had the sensor strapped under my laces.

 

[Ito]

I'm feeling blunt today

GPS systems are more accurate and offer many more features with the ability to analyse stats in a lot more depth. They do however cost a fair bit more!

I tried the Nike+ system (with a nano, before the sportsband was available) and ran the same route (which I now know is a 4.27 mile route) as a slow jog with the nike+ and it reported a run of 4.7miles... I did the same route as a fartlek session and it measured it as either 3.9 or 4.1 miles (I forget which now) suffice to say I didn't keep it much longer.

That said though, I have never heard anyone else experience such innaccuracy with the nike+, so maybe I was doing something wrong? or had a faulty sensor? I certainly didn;t have the nike+ trainers and just had the sensor strapped under my laces.

It's not you... it's Nike +!

The sensor has to be calibrated to get anything close to accuracy. Even after calibrating I can sometimes be up to 50m out over 10k. Also, it's quite common for regular Nike+ users to have two or three sensors calibrated for different types of run; jog, run, sprint, etc.

IMO it is more of a recreational motivator rather than serious training tool.

Probably why I like it :d

 

[Hrun]

I agree. It is not you. To record serious runs it is to inaccurate. Or more accurately you are to inaccurate as it measure your stride which varies.

As a motivational tool it is great as it gives an indication of your amount of exercise and it is reasonably cheap. I suspect the forerunner 50 suffers the same, but I have never seen one and no-one talks about them.

 

[richardsimkiss]

Yeah I'm fully aware it uses the average stride length to 'calculate' your run distance... and as your pace/cadence changes, it throws the unit off and it becomes inaccurate.

I did calibrate the unit by running a known distance... but even that was frustrating because it wouldn't let me calibrate it over a full run (which in my opinion would've made it more accurate surely?). Ah well... it's gone now

 

[Marathon Fool]

So it sounds like a Garmin 205/305 would be my best bet. Does that talk to you too?

 

[richardsimkiss]

If by talk you mean 'beep', then yes, you can set it to alert you when you go in/out of certain speed/pace zones... It doesn't do the whole "Well Done... you just completed 4.3 miles, workout over" in a robotic american voice.

I'm guessing the Nike+ doesn't do that either with the sportband... just with the iPod nano?

 

[Marathon Fool]

Hmm, I like the idea of the Nike+, and I would like a nano, as I am currently using my wife's Ipod classic, but the Garmin is obviously more accurate. As my stride length changes dramatically as I get tired and start to stumble teh Nike+ is going to be very inaccurate I think.

 

[Ito]

Hmm, I like the idea of the Nike+, and I would like a nano, as I am currently using my wife's Ipod classic, but the Garmin is obviously more accurate. As my stride length changes dramatically as I get tired and start to stumble teh Nike+ is going to be very inaccurate I think.

I'm just in from a 10k run and my Nike+ was a full 500m out. That's after calibration. I like the Amp as it's basically a remote control for my Ipod, but as soon as I can afford it I am splashing out on a Forerunner 405. The MotionBased website is the business!

Ito

 

[Platti]

Hi all, new here - I'll stick a little about me in the new members bit shortly.

I've been using the Nike+ for the past 4 months. Yes it can be inaccurate at times which can make it a little frustrating. I spent several occasions plodding miles out just for the purpose of getting the calibration right.

The thing I love about it is all the challenges you can assign yourself or set up yourself to online. I have various challenges ongoing at a time which really motivates me to get out and do some regular mileage.

I'm reluctant to move on from the Nike+ just for this reason but from what I've seen from the Garmin it might be time to move on.

Looking at the 305 as I cycle as well, can anyone tell me do they have anything similar whereby I can have virtual races, mileage comps etc with real people about the globe ?

Great site by the way - looks like its going to be a late night reading through the forums !!