Nike+ Vs. Garmin Forerunner 305

I have tried out a couple new running gadgets this spring. The Garmin Forerunner 305 is a watch-like device that uses GPS to track speed and distance. The Nike+ system uses a shoe mounted accelerometer to track speed and distance using an iPod.

Accuracy:
The Forerunner 305 is much more accurate than the Nike+. You can calibrate the Nike+ (which I did using the accurate distance from the forerunner.) However, I found that once calibrated, the Nike+ will give inaccurate readings if you run at a different pace than usual (over 10 percent off.) The Forerunner is consistently accurate to the extent that any variations between runs are unnoticeable.

Coolness:
The Nike+ should win this. It has a nice voice that tells you about your run while you're on the move and has a cool website that it uploads your running data to - on which you can compete in challenges with other runners. The Nike+ blog widget was fun to add to this site as well. However, the battery in the Nike+ shoe sensor is not replaceable. So if the battery dies a new $20 sensor must be purchased to continue using the Nike+ system. My first sensor lasted about 10 miles (a couple weeks in February.) I thought maybe I just had a dud, so I bought another one. The second sensor lasted about a month this spring for an additional 25 miles. That is not fun or cool. I am not buying another Nike+ sensor.

Usability:
Both products work quite well. The interface for the Forerunner is not as advanced as the Nike+ interface on my iPod Touch (way not as advanced.) But even though the interface is not especially slick, the Forerunner is easy enough to use and does way more than the Nike+.

Features:

Nike+

• It has work out settings for Time, Distance or Calories. (You tell it your goal for the run and the Nike+ will verbally let you know your progress.)
• It stores your run history on the iPod and on the Nike+ website.
• It will play your music for you from within the Nike+ app on the iPod. (Although, I found this feature to be limited compared to the iPods normal music playback capabilites. For example, I couldn't figure out how to get the Nike+ app to shuffle a playlist. I got pretty tired of 80s tunes that start with 'a'.

Garmin Forerunner 305

• It tracks 32 different types of data that the unit can display during a run. (I just use 6 - time, distance, heart rate, average pace, pace, and calories burnt.)
• It comes with a heart rate monitor, which is very consistent. It is comfortable and works great.
  
• It can actually lead you back to where you started if you get lost. I don't usually get lost in Nappanee, but I do see how this could be useful.
• It has a backlit display.
• It has alarms that can be set to alert for time, distance and heart rate. (I have mine set to ring every quarter mile and every nine minutes.)
• It has training options to help you keep a certain pace. You can also setup a workout to race against one of your earlier times for a specific run.
• It has nice charging cradle that works with USB or a regular electrical outlet.
• It downloads run data to your computer, where software stores all your run data. Sweet!

The Garmin Forerunner 305 sells for around $175. The Nike+ sensors are around $20. The Forerunner 305 is by far the better value. The Forerunner does more and does it better. I was on my way to spending over $100 on Nike+ sensors this year. If the battery trend continued, I would have had to spend that every year to keep the Nike+ working. While the Forerunner 305 was more expensive to start with, it is rechargeable and should last for years and years and years with no additional cost.

The Garmin Forerunner 305 is way better than Nike+ and probably way less expensive in the long run as well.

Product Review: Sennheiser PX 100 Headphones

I hate earbud headphones. I just don't think they are comfortable, and they always seem to fall out while I run. I did some research and discovered that the Sennheiser PX 100 headphones were recommended by a number of runners.

After purchasing these headphones the first thing I did was plug them into my iPod Touch. I was immediately shocked at the sound such a small pair of headphones could deliver.

I had never owned a decent pair of headphones. We usually stick to pairs that are no more than $10. The PX100s run around $40, but they are worth every penny.

The sound is ultra crisp and full of bass. These headphones do this sort of amazing thing in which you can actually hear everything that is in the song. For example, I have heard the song Kiss by Prince hundreds of times over the years and never once realized that there is actually a kissing sound in part of the song. It's crystal clear with the Sennheisers. Also, being able to really hear the song with these headphones was solely responsible for marching Billie Jean up the list of My Top 10 Favorite Songs of All Time.

These headphones are incredibly comfortable to wear. They are very lightweight. The padding at the top of the phones provides perfect cushioning. They are adjustable and haven't moved an inch during the two mile runs I have taken with them. (Extra emphasis for runners - These headphones seriously stay put. I do not notice them the slightest bit while I run. They are comfortable and sound great!)

I read on another blog that these phones seem to have been designed to let external sound in. This is good for running - as a safety feature and also if you are trying to talk to a running partner while listening to your iPod. You can hear outside sounds better than some headphones, but if the sound is turned up loud enough, all I can hear is music and even struggle to hear the alerts emanating from my Garmin Forerunner.

Two minor weaknesses I have found with the PX100 headphones:

1. They are noisy when I run in windy conditions. When running into the wind, the breeze whistles quite loudly. (I really noticed this today when I ran into a 20 mph wind - which isn't very much fun anyway.)
   
   
2. They are not very easy to fold up to put back into the case. I did practice this procedure a bit, and got it down to about a one minute process. Tip: Pay attention when you take them out of the case in the first place. (The fold up feature in no way inhibits the sturdiness of the headphones.)

Overall, I highly recommend the Sennheiser PX 100 headphones (along with almost all of the 876 people who have reviewed this pair on Amazon.) They are perfect for runners who hate earbuds (or even those that don't - I can't imagine anyone liking a pair of earbuds better than these.) They are also fantastic headphones for just sitting around listening to your favorite songs.

If you get some, you won't regret it.

Product Review: Planet Bike, Protege Bike Computers

Our family has used Planet Bike Protege Bike Computers for a number of years now. We have used each of the wired models; Protege 9.0, 8.0 and 5.0.

The Protege 5.0 features:

• speed
• ride time
• trip distance
• odometer
• clock

The Protege 8.0 adds:

• speed comparator
• average speed
• maximum speed

The Protege 9.0 has all of the features mentioned above, plus a thermometer.

The instruction manual is easy to understand. Installing a Protege bike computer takes about 30 minutes. If you can set the time on a digital watch, you should have no trouble setting up the computer. It is important to measure the circumfrence of the tire accurately. To do this, I put the valve stem directly at the bottom of the tire, draw a line with sidewalk chalk, then walk the bike until the valve stem makes one revolution. I then draw another chalk line and measure the distance between the lines. The direction book tells you how to convert the measurement to millimeters, which is what you enter into the bike computer.

It can be a little tricky getting the magnet lined up with the sensor correctly. They do need to be lined up correctly and come really close together.

Once installed, using the computer is a breeze. You simply push it up in the holder for a few seconds to reset the trip odometer. The display is easy to read, even in bright sunlight. The information is amazingly accurate. How accurate? We did a family test of their accuracy today on the way to the supermarket. We reset the trip odometer on all four of our computers at the same spot, then checked them when we got home. Here is the result.

In our test all of our computers recorded distances within .03 miles (highlighted in yellow.) Some of the slight distance variation could be from tiny variations in routes as well as differeing riding habbits (like swerving back and forth.) All in all, our test shows the computers are very accurate.

We have never had an actual Protege computer fail, but we have had two wire harnesses fail over the past few years. Also, my mom lost a Protege computer because it fell out of the holder. I can think of no other negatives to these comptuers.

We have also tried a Schwinn bike computer and found the Planet Bike computers much nicer to use.

I highly reccomend the Planet Bike computers. They run about $15 - $25 at most online stores. If you enjoy riding and like gadgets, you'll love a Planet Bike Protege.

Diet Update & Product Review: Omron HBF-500 Scale

I'm still on the "Don't Drink So Stinkin' Much Mt. Dew Diet." When I wrote about it in April I was encouraged that I dropped below 140 for the first time in years. This morning I weighed in at 136. I would now be hard pressed to record a weight above 140 at any time of the day.

We think Landen threw our scale onto the kitchen floor because it fell apart. So, we bought a new scale from Amazon, the ultra-sleek Omron HBF-500. It was $64. It seems to be more consistent and accurate than our cheap old scale. It is a scale that also has "full body sensing technology." It does what it is advertised to do. Here's how it is advertised.

Want to know more about your fitness level and overall health? The Omron HBF-500 Body Composition Monitor with Scale is a big step in the right direction. The device offers highly accurate full body sensing technology, and monitors your weight, body fat, and visceral fat for healthy weight loss. You can even use this highly sensitive measuring device to monitor your skeletal muscle and resting metabolism to keep weight off. Meanwhile, a memory display helps you track your progress.

The weight display measures weight up to 300 pounds in .2-pound increments, while body fat percentage can be measured from 5 to 60 percent in .1 percent increments. Meanwhile, skeletal muscle percentage is measured from 5 to 50 percent, also in .1 increments. Visceral fat classifications are available, too; the device will tell you if your visceral fat levels are normal or high.

One of the keys to weight loss and management is tracking your body mass index, or BMI. The HBF-500 rates your BMI from 7.0 to 90.0 in .1 increments. BMI is classified at three levels: underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. You can also assess your resting metabolism; the device measures your resting calorie consumption from 385 to 5000 kcal in .1 kcal increments. All of the measurements taken by the HBF-500 can be stored in memory for later comparison with your current statistics and goals. The device can display information from up to three months prior to the current day.

My body fat percentage of 21.4% is still in the "high" category.

Game Review: Hyper Dash

We've had Hyper Dash since Christmas. It's a lot of fun and a great workout (at least for the workout deprived one writing this review.) The game comes with five targets that are set in various locations. The targets can be placed close together or far apart, like around a lawn. The game also comes with an electronic plunger device that is used to strike the targets.

There are a number of different modes. We usually play standard Hyper Dash, in which each player takes their own turn running to the targets that the plunger randomly calls out. After the player completes his/her turn, their time is announced. At the end of each round, the plunger announces each player's time as well as the winning player. There are some other modes, including a team mode in which you take turns handing off the plunger to teammates. There are also a number of difficulty levels.

Hyper Dash is a great game, likely to be enjoyed by any kid or kid-at-heart. Priced around $20, Hyper Dash is a bargain, sure to provide some good family fun.

Daddy's Dashing!