Whoever came up with the name for the TICKR X heart rate strap should win a prize for cleverness. Ticker has long been a euphemism for the heart, and this smart monitor will take good care of yours as you set about organising a fitness plan that’s aimed at keeping your heart moving to a healthy beat throughout your lifetime. Peruse the results and conclusions research has unearthed about this Wahoo product so you’re ready to make a smart yes or no buying decision.
History
The TICKR X is the brainchild of Wahoo Fitness designers, engineers and marketers in response to a mission set by the firm to “bridge the gap” between the everyday runner and inflated price points that are too often associated with fitness gadgets. By using either your smartphone or GPS device as the repository of data collected by the strap’s sensors, you eliminate “the middle gadget(s)” required to track and report information. Proprietary Fisica Sensor technology relays information to your iPhone or Android once you return from your run and synch the two to ascertain your current level of fitness.
Overview
Billed as “the ultimate workout wearable”, Wahoo developed this band so athletes have at their fingertips the data they need to determine how their individual fitness programs are working. No need to drag your smartphone with you and risk losing or damaging it because the band alone captures your calorie burn, workout duration and heart rate in real time. Once you’re done, sync the data to your phone and review the read-outs that monitor your workout. You can enhance your experience by buying more sophisticated software to glean more data—like the 7-Minute App engineered for high-intensity training—but if you just want software that handles analyses of basic functions, it comes free with your TICKR X.
Features
If you’re a fan of the American poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, you know her famous quote: “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” We can’t resist evoking Browning as we count the ways the TICKR X can improve a workout experience. The dual band technology allows for real-time tracking, the aforementioned third party app compatibility simplifies the tracking process, and a runner can set it for treadmill mode, receive vibration alerts and experience rapid double-tap control. The running cadence measurement is popular with runners as is the built-in memory, Bluetooth 4.0 interface, running analytics, visible connection and basic software. Wahoo’s mantra, “train free, run strong and train smart”, encapsulates the enthusiasm and simplicity behind this new product’s design.
Benefits
The biggest benefit the TICKR X Workout Tracker with memory offers is the freedom to train free of your smart phone, but buyers also benefit from ANT+ dual-band technology and the band is light as a feather so your workout or run isn’t encumbered by added weight. You can eliminate other training devices; this one does it all. Record up to 16 hours of workout data in case you’re committed to a marathon that is going to take up most of your day. There’s nothing to break! If you’ve ever invested in a heart rate monitor that suffered the effects of a particularly arduous trail experience, you may want to put this benefit at the top of your personal list.
Runner’s Boon
- What I really love is being able to track my caloric intake and expenditures; it’s the wearable technology I was hoping for!
- I was pleased to see that his TICKR X “worked as advertised” with my Android smartphone.
- I have to agree that simplicity and price are the reasons when I consider the TICKR X.
- I plan to use it while running because I can eliminate a foot pod to get my results. It can be use underwater too.
- For those who hate wearing anything on their wrist, this is the logical choice.
Runner’s Bane
- The unit only posted low and high measurements.
- It’s cool but doesn’t perform at optimal levels without the Wahoo app.
- Occasional “freezes” when consulting the pulse-reading feature.
- The running dynamics graph feature may be hard to see.
If opinions were running shoes, the TICKR X would require a large closet to stow all of its footwear! Based on what you’ve read, was the TICKR X designed with so many bells and whistles, that its original purpose as a simple, affordable heart monitor requiring no third party technology got lost in the process? Now it’s your turn to express an opinion!
