Serious runners will now have a serious time piece to add to their wrists. Garmin International Inc. announced this week the Forerunner 610 sports watch, a slim and robust water-proof touchscreen solution for serious runners. This watch can stand up to rain, sweat and splashes, yet is responsive enough that it can be operated with running gloves.
“Running with Forerunner 610 is like having a coach with you every step of the way,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president of worldwide sales. “From giving the basics such as pace, distance and time to monitoring your effort through heart rate, creating interval workouts and racing a friend on the other side of the world, Forerunner 610 becomes a necessary partner for all serious runners.”
The watch has already won the Red Dot Design Award, which is a compliment to its marriage of style and functionality. The Forerunner 610 uses a vibration motor for alerts such as heart rate, pace and distance when audible tones cannot be heard (heart monitor included in some bundles or available separately). Continue reading Garmin Off and Forerunning Again
Even women’s heart rate monitors can be bulky and masculine. That’s changing, and a trio new styles introduced through a partnership between Oregon Scientific and Gaiam are a mong those with a lighter, more feminine design. Two wristwatch trainers and one pedometer come in attractive colors and are packed with new features.
The Gaiam Zone Trainer ($109) is a heart rate monitor with a tap-on display that you can easily toggle through settings by just hitting the watch face. Settings include heart rate, calories and fat burned. The watchband and buttons are constructed from a silicone material designed for comfort and breathability. Continue reading Oregon Scientific and Gaiam Bring Trio of Watches, Pedometers
There is no fountain of youth. At least not one we’ve found. But with exercise and nutrition you can turn back the hands of time — a few years. But how do you know when you’ve reached that magical and everlasting age of 29? Some tools can help you work towards and achieve your quest. The Mio FitStick is one such tool. This gizmo helps you measure your Heart Rate Variability (HRV), which is one way to gauge what’s going on inside your body. Continue reading Mio Discovers the Stick of Youth
This week cycling in unfamiliar territory may have just gotten a little easily thanks to the newly released Garmin Edge 800, a feature-packed touchscreen GPS device that builds on the industry-leading Edge 500 and Edge 705 models. In additional to tracking statistics for riders, the Edge 800 adds an intuitive touchscreen interface, allowing users to pull up the Garmin BaseCamp route planning, and get access to its BirdsEye Satellite Imagery. The BaseCamp functionality allows users to plan and even preview routes, including elevation changes along the way, and this information can be sent to Edge 800, Edge 705 and Edge 605 devices – meaning you’ll never have to pass out a ride map ever again.
The Edge 800 is truly a biking computer that will appeal to cyclists of all levels, from the casual riders looking for a new route on their weekly group ride, to those who like to go cycle touring and explore distant roads and trails far from home to those looking to wear yellow on the podium. Continue reading Garmin Once Again Gives Cyclists a Real Edge
Ki Fit armband device knows when you've been walking, it knows when you're awake.
My workout doesn’t feel complete if it’s without a heart rate monitor. It’s like driving without a seatbelt. But even my trusty heart rate monitor is somewhat lacking in the data it provides. The Ki Fit, available in the U.K., is a device worn on your arm, and tracks all kinds of movement and body chemistry to give you more information than how hard your heart is pounding during a sprint.
The Ki Fit system tracks calorie burn; physical activity; steps taken; sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Through a subscription to Ki Fit Online Activity Manager, you can analyze the data along with a food log and other reporting. Certain functions such as the physical activity and calorie count are measured by an internal accelerometer. Another sensor can detect your hydration and sweat levels.
Today is National Running Day, and I woke up to pouring rain. In hopes it will soon clear, I’m pointing to some gear to help you hit the trails.
An iPod nano is small enough to clutch in your hand while running, but that’s unnecessary. Secure your music with the iSkin DuoBand. It straps on your arm with an adjustable, breathable porous band. The nano slides into a protective case and then into the cradle.
Check out some of our previous picks. It really helps to have a heart rate monitor to tell you how hard you should push, or ease off, during a run. Timex just released a new Ironman with a tap screen so you don’ t have to fumble for little buttons on the move.
RoadID keeps you safe in the case of an accident. Strap on this bracelet and hope you never need it.
National Running Day might just be the day to replace your running shoes. You should consider replacing them every six months or so. And if you start feeling the ground as you walk or run, run don’t walk to the nearest runner’s shop. The Reebok ZigTech is one to check out. The innovative design reduces the load on your leg muscles.
The heart rate monitor and GPS device is no longer personal for world football players. Australia’s World Cup players are picking up data via satellite for each player’s workout. Teams get competitive data on their own performance, and their competitors, according to “Socceroos go high-tech to gain an edge over rest of the world,” an article published in The Sydney Morning Herald.
Players down under were able to compare their training to that of their Russian counterparts. Team coaches also use the data to provide support for their players. “We’re analyzing the players’ volumes of sweat and composition so we can accurately predict how much fluid they’ll lose during a game and at training,” Australia’s strength and conditioning coach Darren Burgess told the paper. “We want to have a rehydration strategy for each player.”
It will be interesting to see what other teams and leagues pick up this method of training. Will it lead to real-time data access to personal workouts instead of uploading details upon return from a run?
One problem for many people when they first use a heart rate monitor is that there is just too much to understand. Many heart rate monitors can track so much of a workout that the learning curve for new users is difficult – and this can result in some just not bothering. That’s why the Polar FT1 and FT2 are such sound alternatives. These are designed for those who want to get fit and need a bit of motivation and exercise guidance along the way.
The FT1 is also designed for recreational exercisers, and works as a basic training computer. This means it has a large easy to see digital display. Users receive a training summary that includes information on the duration of their workout along with average and maximum heart rate. With the FT1 users can learn how to exercise at the right level, and since it is better to work out with others, it comes with a T31 coded transmitter to ensure that you don’t track your training buddy’s heart rate by mistake! The FT1 will be available in June for $69.95. The step-up FT2 adds automatic heart rate zone functionality, with visual and audible alarms to let people know when they need to slow it down or even pick up the pace. It will also provide workout summary. The FT2 will also be available in June for $89.95.
In the bright sun, in a competitive road race, it can be difficult to read your cycle computer. And even harder to change the display. The Polar CS500 remedies that with a large diamond-shaped display and rocker switch operation. The computer mounts to any bike with a reinforced composite metal dual lock bike mount. In the mount the computer can be adjusted with the tap of your thumb with the two-way rocker switch. Toggle the display to track speed, distance, cadence, heart rate, calories burned, incline, altitude, ascent and descent and temperature. What the CS500 lacks is a GPS reading, which competitive cycle computers from Garmin and other manufacturers provide.
The CS500 is compatible with Polar’s W.I.N.D. technology, which eliminates the issue of data drop-outs or cross-talk between cycling computers and also includes 2.4 GHz transmission. The computer can be customized and used on up to three different bikes, and has a drink reminder that alerts you to hydrate on those long rides.
A bit pricey, the CS500 is for serious riders, mainly those who race. The base set includes the handlebar unit, WearLink W.I.N.D. fabric chest strap, CS speed sensor W.I.N.D., and Dual Lock Bike Mount for $319.95. The CS500 cadence set is $359.95, the Power Output Sensor W.I.N.D. is available as a separate accessory for $359.95, and DataLink, which connects wirelessly to your computer can be added on for $54.95.
Garmin Forefunner 110 tracks progress on your workouts so you can keep your eye on pace.
When your feet hit the road, you have different demands on GPS than in your car. You don’t need turn-by-turn directions, you need data. Speed. Distance. Devices for runners are sometimes bulky, sometimes difficult to use. Garmin is about to release its Forerunner 110. This GPS device is a watch, and just about the size of an average sport watch or heart rate monitor. It’s packed with featuers.
Forerunner 110 has GPS and a heart rate monitor. Once you set it at the beginning of a run it tracks where you go on your run and your heart rate. From this data it calculates your pace, distance run, calories burned, and stores the information until you upload it to your profile on Garmin Connect. You can track your training progress, look back on a whole season of running, or just see where you’ve been by keeping data on your profile. This is one addition to the standard heart rate monitor we like.
Adidas miCoach tracks progress during your run, and prompts you on your pace.
A heart rate monitor alone can only tell you so much about your run. It tracks your heart rate, and based on your age, calculates how many calories you burned, and some other data. Adidas adds to the monitor with miCoach. In addition to the chest strap to measure heart rate, it puts a sensor on a runner’s shoe, and an device on a runner’s arm. The shoe sensor adds more data by measuring distance, pace, and stride rate.
The device on the arm is the computer. It gathers and calculates data from the chest and shoe sensors. Then it tells you to speed up or slow down to get within four workout zones. Headphones plug into miCoach so you can hear its directions. The device is compatible with any MP3 player, so you can listen to music and also get prompts from miCoach.
At home miCoach syncs to an online profile at adidas.com/micoach, and tracks your workout. You can define your goals on the site whether it’s to get in shape or train for a marathon. Those goals then determine the direction you get while on your run. MiCoach costs about $69.99 for the arm piece, chest strap, and shoe sensor.
Chocolates are said to be good for your health, but why not give gifts that are good for the heart and get your sweetie moving. That’s a gift for the heart! KineticShift has a few recommendations to get you on the right track this Valentine’s Day.
Measure heartbeats per minute with the SmartHeart from Oregon Scientific
This water resistant monitor tracks heart rate, calories burned, average heart rate, and vibrates to send alerts. The SmartHeart features a touch-sensitive lens so you can toggle through settings with a tap.
Listen to the beat on these retro-style headphones from Urbanears.
Listen to music with style during workouts or jaunts to the store with Urbanears Tanto headphones. The retro-style headphones has a fabric cord to add strength and has 36 mm handmade drivers. The remote/microphone lets the headphones double for a headset with a cell phone.
Shield mobile phones from breaking with a silicon case from Speck.
Protect your sweetie’s phone during workouts with Speck’s PixelSkin. The no-slip grip is due to its textured silicon construction. The phone-specific case provides access to all the phone’s ports and controls. For Valentine’s Day, Speck is offering 25 percent off red, pink, and purple phones.
They say cold hands, warm heart. That doesn’t mean your love’s digits should freeze off by the end of winter. Lightweight Running Gloves from Nike uses a Dri-FIT material made from high-performance, microfiber polyester fabric to wick sweat from hands to relieve runners and those just smitten of sweaty palms.
Keep him warm on the slopes or any other outdoor activity in the extreme cold. Metal has diamond-faced ColdGear construction to remove moisture while holding in warmth. The top has ventilation zones for heat release and temperature regulation. It also features flatlock seams to increase mobility without causing irritation.
Oregon Scientific introduced a twist on the standard heart rate monitor at the Consumer Electronics Show. In addition to the standard beats per minute and calories burned, the T1 Zone Trainer with Hydration Index tells you when it’s time for a drink. The old advice, “If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated,” was never helpful. With the T1, you’ll get a warning before your tongue dries out. The monitor has three exercise modes: jogging, running, and cycling. In addition to heart rate and hydration it measures calories and percent fat burned. We like the tap screen feature to control the T1, rather than fiddling with several buttons to start the chronometer or scroll through modes and readings.
Serious runners will now have a serious time piece to add to their wrists. Garmin International Inc. announced this week the Forerunner 610 sports watch, a slim and robust water-proof touchscreen solution for serious runners. This watch can stand up to rain, sweat and splashes, yet is responsive enough that it can be operated with running gloves.
