Product: Nike+ iPod Sport Kit
Prices: $30.00 (foot pod & iPod receiver). iPod nano and Nike+ shoes sold separately.
Rating: Very Good 8.3/10.0
Pros: Very easy to use. Good accuracy once it is calibrated. Inexpensive; very good value if you already own an iPod and Nike+ shoes. Power Song feature is great idea. Nike+ online training log free, fun, and incorporates good motivation and community.
Cons: Requires calibration. Requires specific ancillary equipment (iPod nano, Nike+ shoes).
Overall: To use this innovative running tool effectively, you need to regularly run with music (or podcasts), own an iPod nano, and should own Nike+ shoes. Given these “ifs”, it is a great product for the money, and a tremendous motivational tool. The sensor will need to be calibrated, and works best in a Nike+ shoe, but tends to yield fairly good accuracy once these criteria are met. Runners who don’t use an iPod, or who want a richer feature set, should continue looking at more “traditional” fitness monitors.
Design - 9 - Out of the box, the Nike + iPod Sport Kit includes a Nike + iPod Sensor (foot pod), a Nike + iPod Receiver, and an instruction manual. The foot pod goes into the cavity in the left Nike+ shoe. The receiver goes into the bottom port of an Apple iPod nano. If you don’t own Nike+ shoes, the foot pod can be put into a shoe pouch (sold separately for $10), which can be attached to any shoe’s laces. All testing for this review was performed with a pair of Nike+ shoes and a 3rd Generation iPod nano.
I was pretty excited when I got the 3rd-generation iPod nano; the possibilities for running were great. However, I lacked one critical accessory: a good protective case and armband.
I soon found that the DLO Action Jacket solved my problems. The neoprene case is designed specifically for the 3rd generation (4GB/8GB) iPod nano, and comes with a 180-degree rotating belt clip and an adjustable armband. The Action Jacket retails for $30, but I was able to find it for as low as $18 (plus free shipping!) on Amazon.com. Colors are available in black, white, or pink. I personally like the black.
To me, a mark of a good armband is that it makes no impression on me. In other words, I won’t know it’s there, leaving me free to think about my run and enjoy the music! The Action Jacket succeeds in this with its simple design. The neoprene case with clear viewing window protects the iPod from the elements, and a “cut-out” in the case allows me easy access to the nano’s Click Wheel. I actually ran with it during a snow storm, and it did its job.
Read the rest of this entry »
When I made the jump to running with an mp3 player, I quickly noticed two things:
As a result, one of the first accessories I purchased were nicer, more comfortable, more stable ear clip headphones. Even these never quite fit my ears right and tended to jiggle around. Perhaps I should have first looked at a pair of Nike sport headphones.
I recently had the pleasure of testing the Nike Flight and the Nike Vapor sport headphones. I enjoyed both models, and each offered a unique set of pro’s and con’s.
The Nike Flight headphones (Pictured above) feature a behind-the-head design, and retail for $20. The aspects I immediately noticed about this model is that they are extremely lightweight and simple.
Read the rest of this entry »
I heard good things about Best Buy’s Insignia MP3 players, but being an Apple junkie, I was reluctant to stray from my good ‘ol iPod. However, I got hooked on the 4GB Video MP3 Player in no time and was impressed by the built-in Bluetooth, FM Radio, Video Playback and easy-to use-interface.
Although a bit larger than its predecessors (the Sport 1GB and Sport 2GB), Insignia’s new 4GB Video MP3 Player still weighs a mere 2.4 oz. and is only 0.6′’ thick; making it a perfect tag along for your next run and allowing it to fit easily in most pockets. The 2.2” LCD color screen takes up about two-thirds of it’s face; creating a sufficient viewing screen for watching movies and/or browsing pictures when you are done with your workout.
Read the rest of this entry »
Update time. In Part 1 I outlined my initial aversion to the fusion of mp3 players and running, and how I eventually decided to give it a fair shake. Here are the results of my experiment with adding “flavor” to my running via music & podcasts.
To be honest, I got off to a rocky start. I had issues with cords getting in my way, unsecured, jiggly earbuds, and equipment malfunctions. I expect this with anything new, and I soon summitted the learning curve by making some necessary modifications and adjustments. After a couple days of tinkering, cutting, taping, and adjusting, I had improved (but not perfected) the rig and was trotting merrily to my downloaded concerts and podcasts.
I noticed during my very first run that as the workout drew to a close … I wanted to keep running! It was an otherwise mundane Sunday run, but as my mind wrapped around the music, I felt like I should extend my run just to hear the next track… and the next…and the next. This is in contrast to the boredom that sets during the late stages of many of my typical runs; I just want to finish and take a shower. Well, jiggly earbuds aside, anything that encourages increases in training volume must have it merits!
Read the rest of this entry »
Thanks for your great responses to the second contest in The Final Sprint’s Re-Launch Celebration. The lucky winners of the Adeo GPS Fitness Trainers have been notified. For those of you who missed out, don’t worry because we’ll be giving away a few more next week.
For our third contest, The Final Sprint is going to continue helping you improve you performance by giving away a . . . Nike+iPod Sportkit!!! Don’t have Nike + shoes? No problem! The winner will also receive a RunAway AnyShoe so you can use the Sporkit with your favorite shoes, regardless of the brand. The Sporkit offers audio updates of your pace, distance, time and will also help you track and plot your results online.
TO ENTER: All you have to do is comment on this post with a few of your favorite workout songs.
Read the rest of this entry »
MP3 Players and their accessories can be really helpful training and motivational tools for runners and other athletes.
iPod nanos, for example, can be extremely helpful - but like many electronic devices out there have a plethora of accessories.
The problem is that if you want to get the most out of the paper thin nano - you end up having to lug around 10 huge accessories. This can become a very prohibitive issue for runners - especially marathoners who are out there for hours at a time.
The DLO nanoTune attacks the route of the problem with their new nanoTune by combining the following accessories into one item: FM radio, FM transmitter, headphone amp, is a protective case, allows dock and power through puts, and has a built in desktop stand.
Excited about the new Nike+iPod alliance - but unwilling to part with your favorite pair of non-Nike shoes? Fear not - because Marware has come to the rescue with their Sportsuit Sensor +
Product: Marware Sportsuit Sensor +
Price: $9.99
Rating: Excellent 8.55/10.0
Pros: Securely protects Nike+ iPod wireless sensor, durable, lightweight and inexpensive
Cons: Not waterproof
Overall: Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor + is a terrific adapter for runners who want the benefits of the new Nike+iPod Sport Kit, but don’t want to spend the extra cash on Nike+ Ready shoes. For only $9.99 it is an investment you won’t regret and we highly recommend it.
Performance - 9 - After using the Sportsuit Sensor + on several training runs and feeling quite confident in it’s performance, I decided to use it during a recent half-marathon. Once again - I was very impressed. Throughout the 13.1 miles I never had to adjust it, nor did it ever cause me any discomfort. As a matter of fact, it is so lightweight that I basically forgot I was even wearing it. Read the rest of this entry »
The time has finally arrived . . . Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor+ for the iPod nano are being released on Thursday, August 31st.
For all of us who refuse to give up on our favorite non-Nike running shoes, this case will now make the Nike sensor compatible. Forget about those old fashioned pedometers or the extremely overpriced Garmin devices. The Sportsuit and the Nike+iPod Sport Kit will together only cost you about $40! ($9.95 for the Sportsuit and $29.95 for the Sport Kit)
So you love to exercise and want to pick up on that Nike + iPod trend, right? What if you don’t have the right kind of shoes that fit the Nike sensor? Fear no longer because Marware has just launched a case that will allow you to strap on the same old sensor on your favorite shoes. The device has a Velcro strap that folds around your shoe laces for a secure fit while you’re bolting down the street/track. Preorder a Sportsuit Sensor+ on DrBott.com for just $9.95.
Read [DrBott]
© 2006-2008 The Final Sprint, LLC | Privacy Policy | Design by The Blog Studio
The Final Sprint, LLC is owned and operated by Adam Jacobs
The Final Sprint