Question about garmin foot pod and comparison to nike +

The Garmin is GPS based, so when you initially set it up, it has to be done outside.  They have you run about 1000 yds and then the computer will calculate your stride length and, similar to the Nike+, base your distance on cadence.

The advantage is that if you run at a consistent pace, you're fine.  I find the disadvantage is that it would be inaccurate for interval training.

A huge advantage to using the Garmin, is the ability to gather data at the end of your workout - HR, Distance, Cadence; not to mention overall workout, calories burned and comparative graphs from previous training/races.

I haven't yet bought into the FootPod, but love the FR305!  A side note, I did buy the indoor mph/cadence for my bike as I use a rollers trainer. I love seeing the post training data and graphs.

If you're a data freak and already have a Garmin, buy the FootPod!

First, to clarify, you do need a Garmin Watch along with the footpod for it to work. (I am sure you realize that, but I just wanted to make sure.

The downside to the footpod and calibrating it is that it does not in fact use the gps system on the watch for calibrating it. You have to find a known distance (the manual recommends a track, such a high school track), you tell the watch what that distance is, and then run it at your "normal" pace. It then does its internal calculations and calibrates it. I did this, but when I use it on the treadmill, I found that it is not really very close to the treadmill speed. Now, I realize that treadmills are not necesarrily accurate, but it is not really close. It can be up to 2 tenths of a mile off for each mile ran. So what I have been doing is going into the manual calibration screen on the watch and adjusting the calibration number so that my pace matches that of the treadmill. I do find that the footpod is very responsive to changes in pace. Speed up the treadmill, and the displayed pace on the garmin speeds up almost immediately.

The primary purpose of the footpod (in my opinion) is to allow one to record treadmill workouts accurately, by displaying hr info along with changes in pace. The other very useful feature is that it allows your cadence to be displayed. It helps when you have a slow cadence like myself (duh, just run faster).

I only tried calibrating it one on a track, and to be honest, I think that I could have done a better job that day. Most opinions I have heard is that it is quite accurate.

May I also suggest that you look at amazon.com if you are thinking of purchasing. The Garmin stuff is very inexpensive on their site. Overall, I have to say that the Garmin 305 has been the best training tool that I have purchased since I started doing all this fitness nonsence.

Mark

X2 on the above.

I bought the forerunner 50 with HRM and Foot pod and am very impressed. ran a measured 1km without calibrating and it showed 0.99km on the watch. adjusted it manually to 1km and now it is accurate regardless of how fast I run. Also it is excellent as you can download your workout into your pc using the USB stick and it graphs speed and HRM as I am sure most expensive monitors do.

Never used a GPS system so can't offer a comparison sorry.

Dave

The fottpods, garmin, Nike, Polar, are all the same technology, licensed from dynastream, if memory serves (which it doesn't always).  They are not pedometers, counting steps and multiplying by a calibrated stride rate.  But have a solid state gyro in it which measured your foots acceleration and calculates your stride length for each step.  It still does need to be calibrated because everyones stride profile is different. 

I've found that they don't hold accuracy when my pace changes considerably (intervals).  My stride profile must change significantly as my pace increases so my calibration, set for LSD is off at "higher speeds".