Couch25kb450. Fitness monitors, top tips or ones to avoid?!

[HelsbelswhatamIdoing]

Just done Wk2 R2, newbie "runner"! Have been thinking about getting a fitness monitor. Read the Which Best Buys and I'm still no further forward. I'm after one that measures accurately, does distance, steps and... do I need anything else? Got android phone to sync to. Max budget £60. Any thoughts welcomed

[misswobble Graduate]

I wouldn't bother, not for the purposes of C25k. It would just be a distraction which you don't need. You are just concentrating on finishing each session. Times/speeds blah blah are just a distraction

Treat yourself to something as a Graduation Gift if you feel you must.

If you already have a smart phone you could use Runkeeper or Endomondo etc. I have no smart phone so I got a basic Garmin Forerunner 10. Had it yonks. I got mine from Tesco

[davelinks Graduate]

I go with MissW on this, stick with the phone for now, I treated myself to a Garmin 210 when I graduated and find good, which I sync to Garmin connect on the laptop..

[mummybrummy Graduate in reply to davelinks]

Hi I posted something similar recently and went out and treat myself to a fitbit at the weekend. Ended up taking it back and swapping as it wouldn't sync/update with my phone, second one just the same so took that back too. Not had a good experience personally but a couple of girls at work love them so may just have been unlucky?

[davelinks Graduate in reply to mummybrummy]

Have you got an android phone? I've had problems syncing other equipment onto my HTC so could be your phone is the problem? Seems unusual for 2 to be faulty in a row, unless its a bad batch..

Did you try syncing onto a PC?😃

[mummybrummy Graduate in reply to davelinks]

Yes it is an android phone so msybe that's the issue.......yhe girls at work have iphones. No I didnt try on the computer

[OldWheezer]

I would agree with everyone above but... It depends if it's just for running or general workout activity during the day such as standing, moving, steps etc. Even for running though it's still nice to know where you stand isn't it. I only monitor my running and use an iPhone with the strava app but any smartphone should be fine with strava, endomondo, runkeeper etc. You should be able to use these to see your pace at individual sections, elevation climbed etc. All you need is to tuck your phone in somewhere whether an armband, pocket etc. I did buy an armband initially but just stick it in the pocket of my jacket now.

I seem to remember just a few days ago someone posted about a programme on bbc Friday's which I think is called what to buy and why. I'm sure you'll find it on catch up. It looked at watches, smartphones and Fitbit style gadgets and in the end came to the conclusion that all of them are inaccurate but consistent. So it doesn't look like it matters which you use as long as you stick to the same one.

Go with what the others have suggested try your android with strava, endomondo, runkeeper etc until you graduate and then treat yourself but only if you need to.

[Coddfish Graduate]

I think it depends what you are wanting to do. When I started running it was part of a plan to get myself generally more active, so I wanted to record my steps as well as my runs and other activities. If that's your objective too, then I think they are probably all much of a muchness. In the end I settled on using a Jawbone UP24 (I don't think this is a current model) for general step counting. I didn't want heart rate monitoring because I thought I'd get bogged down in it. I use Runkeeper to measure and track actual runs and have it interfacing into UP.

[davelinks Graduate]

Reduced Accuracy

The GPS sensors vary greatly between different phones. But the one thing that holds true today is they are less accurate than a dedicated GPS running watch that is specifically designed to capture precise movements.

Phones are less accurate than a GPS watch for a variety of reasons. The most common reason is due to the compact form factor of a phone along with all of the other antennas and circuitry inside there just isn’t enough room to include a more accurate GPS sensor.

[HelsbelswhatamIdoing Graduate]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all your useful comments. Think I'll start with downloading runkeeper and see how I get on. I like the idea of a graduation gift to self so if/when I get that far I may revisit this. In the meantime you've saved me some dosh, thanks!