If you are starting out on a new fitness program, you might be tempted to look for a cheap pedometer in order to track your number of steps as well as your overall activity during the day. The advantage of pedometers is that they are relatively cheap and are good for keeping track of step counts, however when it comes to measuring speed and distance accurately, a simple pedometer fares less favourably to an accelerometer foot pod device or GPS watch that can link to the GPS satellites for a much more accurate measure of your speed and distance.
Garmin is the number one manufacturer of GPS sports watches and an example of a company that do not even have a pedometer in their product lines due to their committment to provide laser accurate precision in their sports instruments. There is no Garmin pedometer, however Garmin do provide watches that utilize the benefits of an accelerometer foot pod rather than a GPS watch, however the technology in a foot pod is quite different from the technology that drives a pedometer in that it measures the speed of your bio-mechanics and can measure your speed and distance surprisingly accurately.
One of the most popular pedometer brands is Omron, who offer pedometers as part of their health equipment lines. Omron pedometers are cheap, lightweight and usually smaller in size than the typical mobile phones. You can hold one in your hand while doing your walks, fit them into your pocket or clip them onto your belt buckle. They feature an easy to read LCD display and can measure your steps, distance travelled and can also approximate your calorie consumption.
So which is better a pedometer watch, GPS or accelerometer foot pod? The answer is it depends on what you need it for. For a beginner who just wants to keep track of the basics and who is on a limited budget, a pedometer is a much cheaper option that will handle all of these essential needs. However those who seek more precise measurements in terms of speed and distance including the ability to record your runs in three dimensions, will prefer the more sophisticated technology of a GPS watch or foot pod and will happily pay for these extra features. For more information on sports pedometers, GPS watches and other sports watch technologies, follow the links to visit our website.