Great gadget, a must have!

Had my Nike+ Sports Band for a week now and have done 3 runs so far.

What a superb and ingenius little gadget this is. It records all the basic information most runners would want to know (distance, time, calories and pace) and the way it automatically tansfers it all to your web page once you insert the USB stick/display is just brilliant. 

As for accuracy, it is hard to tell, but you could say that about GPS. On a recent run with some friends, I logged 8.63 miles, another had 8.49 according to their GPS and another had 8.84 so on this basis the Nike+ (being about in the middle) looks to be about right. The only criticism I have is that it could do with a backlight and can't really understand why they didn't include one.

 All in all though, for the money it is excellent value and if anything is under-priced in my view.

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Comments

  • I've read abit about this gadget on the forums and there seems to be a problem with running at different paces.

    Because of the cost ie cheap and the fact that I'm new to running I don't want to buy too much, but it would be great to know my pace.  The problem is that I do a run/walk program, at the moment 4min running 1 min walking.  Have you tried doing intervals using your Nike+ ?

    What else can you tell me that you think I should know?

    Thanks

  • I have to say that although the sportband itself is very good the nike plus website where you download it all is absolutely rubbish, there are loads of complaints about it not working properly on the forums. runs arent logged properly , the training programmes dont work properly and its calculations are all wrong. everyone seems to be experiencing it looking at the message boards. you would think that nike could sort his out , or maybe they just arent bothered once theyve got your money . I would just use the sportband for what it is in itself dont count on the other gadgets on the website.
  • I really want one of these but I kive in Norfolk and can'f find a shop that sells them.image
  • Start fitness -over there -------------->

    or try ebay - got one for £35

  • Nice one thanks Buney, will order one tonight.
  • Hi all sport band users...

    Can any of you tell me whether as well as all teh other things it does does it tell the time? e.g. GMT etc...

     Or do I have to also wear a watch for that ?

  • you can use it as a simple watch - doesnt have a backlight tho
  • Does tell the time BUT not while running!!

    The only downside to it I can see....

    I've NEVER had an issue with the web site yet.....

    Regards,

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    Mine wasn't accurate - it was about 7% over reading, so I calibrated it based on a known mile run.

    Paula - it works on the basis of running steps, and the distance covered by each step, so if your steps are of different lengths (ie. some running and some walking) it won't be as accurate as if you are running all the time.

  • sheddysheddy ✭✭✭
    Yeah, as Wilkie said, it depends a lot on how consistent you are with your stride length. My girlfriend's one was all over the place when we went for a run with it so I guess she must shorten her stride when she gets tired or something. I measured our course using a mapping site based on google maps and for the first 3 kilometers according to the map, the nike reckoned we'd done about 2.3K where as the last 2 kilometers it got about right.
  • I bought one of these things yesterday, as it was cheap and liked the idea that it could load on to the computer.

    Unfortunately when I go to try to download the programme it says that I have to have Vista or Windows XP. I have Windows 2000 I think. I'm not very good with computers, so I am now stuck. Don't know what to do next. Also, I don't have the right shoes that the little gizmo is supposed to fit into, but thought I'd attach it to my shoe laces with a little holder.

    Can anyone help me how to get started?

  • I bought a little neoprene pocket from Start Fitness although you can find similar ones on ebay or amazon not sure about the Windows issue - im using XP and logging in wasnt a problem (havent uploaded anything yet as havent used it for anything sinc i got it last week ! image)
  • Can I change my mind?

    Did a run over the weekend and had trouble uploading and THEN it bloody DOUBLED my time!?!

    NOT IMPRESSED.....image

  • WilkieWilkie ✭✭✭

    I can't use the computer side of it, as I can't download the nike+ utility at work, and I don't have a pc at home.

    I just use it as a time/distance thing and one day, when I've joined the 21st century, I'll be able to do the rest.

    I wrapped the foot pod in plastic, then covered it in duct tape, then taped it to my laces.  You just have to make sure you have it the right way up, or the band won't read it.

  • did you stop and walk at all mr moonlight? that seems to send it a bit crazy for some reason. it cant work out strides that arent done while running. Ive also found that running through long grass causes a break in contact and messes up the time.

     NZ christine I did as Buney did an dbought a little neoprene pouch off ebay for a few quid, it works fine.

  • No Colin I didnt....  I can do 10k without a break... I did do some on tarmac and some off road but not long grass or anything...

    Hmm....

  • Decided to do a calibration of my sportband last night and went to the local track to do it. Was gutted to find it 12% OVER.

    Not in the least accurate for me... Means what I thought was 6.23 miles (just over 10k) is actually 5.56 miles...

    Dont feel so clever now...

    image

  • i was going to do this, is it easy to recalibrate it ?
  • Yeah its very easy.... Do a run of known distance... Upload as usual... Hit the 'i' button on the front of the utility and then the 'calibrate' tab and adjust the distance recorded to the actual known....
  • I bought a sportband a couple of weeks ago. It was all going fine until last night when i tried to download my latest run data to the website and it seems to have lost all my runs. All it says is 'You have not synched any runs yet'. The information is still in the actual band, but it won't now download to the website. Has anyone else had this problem?
  • Joanne I've had this trouble... Firstly make sure you are still logged into the site.... Secondly do another short run (or walk around the house) and use the band.... Then once done upload again and it MAY correct itself....

    It is, I have found, somewhat temperamental... 

  • cheers mr moonlight I will have a go at that.

  • Great - thanks I will try that!

  • Been using this for last three months and found it to be a wonderful bit of kit... sure accuracy can be a little poor in terms of distance and is worth calibrating it every month or so. The website can be a little slow and features have in the past appears and then disapeared. As of today the site is working well and offers that extra bit of motivation via the challenges.

     I am quite sure we won't have to wait a long time for updates to the website and the band itself (perhaps a little more functionality within the band itself).

     Personally I recommend it to my mates and certainly think it is £40 well spent.

  • Joanne: Did it work out ok?

    COLIN: Had chance to calibrate? how was it for you?

    Royalgreen: O guess you are right... For £40 is pretty good.

  • Mine was 6% overreading.

    I think it should retail at around £20

  • I don't have vista either to run either. Can i use it without the software?
  • North London Runner... works quite happily with Windows XP. The Nike+ Utility software (necessary for the computer to recognise it) is free to download.
  • Just lost all numbers! words are ok.

    Reset the thing, just got to calibrate it again!!!!!

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