Polar S1 Foot Pod

[e.e.cummings]

Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a Polar FT60 HRM, which I really like, but I would like to track my running. Or any other suggestions? I bought my husband a Garmin 305 for Christmas and he loves it, but you cannot swim with it on, which is a drawback for me.

[Blueberry]

Does anyone have any experience with this? I have a Polar FT60 HRM, which I really like, but I would like to track my running. Or any other suggestions? I bought my husband a Garmin 305 for Christmas and he loves it, but you cannot swim with it on, which is a drawback for me.

Look at the Garmin 310XT. You can swim with it on - but it doesn't track distance well in the water.

[Becky]

I use another brand's accelerometer-style foot pod, which is what the polar is as well, I believe. It works well enough for my needs. I had to calibrate it before using it, and actually have 2 separate calibrations for 2 different pairs of shoes ("normal" ones and my VFFs). It tracks the motion of your foot and calculates the distance traveled. Since my stride is a little shorter in VFFs, I needed another cal to prevent it from over-calculating distance and speed. Also, my stride length changes with speed (Chi Running style) so I need to calibrate at my typical speed to get the most accurate data. Sounds complicated, but it's really not- I just flip the calibration depending on what shoes I'm wearing.

I'm getting ready to re-calibrate. My stride has evolved some, and I've noticed it over-calculating. There's no way that I'm running a 9:00 mile unless I'm being chased by dogs or running downhill!

[e.e.cummings]

Do you find it annoying to have something attached to your shoe?

[Becky]

Do you find it annoying to have something attached to your shoe?

I don't even know that it's there, even with my VFFs. I bought a little shoe pocket from Nathan that velcros to my shoes- makes it easier to swap it around.

[OakLeaf]

I have Garmin, but the only time I noticed the footpod on my old shoes was when the aglet of my shoelace slapped it on every stride. I just had to remember to tuck my shoelace in to itself to stop that. Otherwise the noise was very annoying. The weight is only a couple of grams and I never noticed that.

The shoes I have now have a pocket for the footpod underneath the insole.


ETA: Everyone's stride length changes with speed, Chi Running just focuses on getting it even longer and trying to maintain cadence. The foot pods measure (http://www.topendsports.com/testing/equipment-footpod.htm) impact and acceleration, not stride length as calibrating a pedometer would. I've not noticed the accuracy changing with speed. There was an enormous recalculation when I moved the footpod from the laces to the pocket on the same shoe.