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The 8 Pieces of High-Tech Gear You Need
They collect data with the promise of fixing flaws in your running form.
It’s easy to appreciate all the numbers these devices produce, but can they help you improve performance and reduce injuries?
“All metrics are somewhat useful,” says Jay Dicharry, director of the REP Sports Performance Lab in Bend, Oregon. He uses similar measurements when evaluating runners. But he is concerned runners may try to fix what isn’t broken. “People have variable strides,” he says. “It’s tough to make a generalization.”
If a device does reveal a problem, you may need to enlist a human expert. “You still need a coach,” says Ryan Green, assistant professor of Kinesiology at Southeastern Louisiana University. “Someone to say, ‘This is what that number means; what can we do to change your mechanics?’”
So should you consider one of these devices? “If you’re an inquisitive, techy type, it’s a great way to learn something about your gait,” Dicharry says.
SHFT
Pods on your chest and shoe sync with your smartphone.
BEST FOR: Measuring power and running efficiency.
UPSIDE: We love that the pods gather a wide range of data to compare your stride with power usage, determining optimal ranges to maximize efficiency and then coaching you on how to improve. It’s a complete system that you must trust and follow.
DOWNSIDE: The coaching is too prescriptive—“Your ground contact time should be between 280 and 295 milliseconds”—but you can turn it off.
$299; shft.run
Garmin Forerunner 630
GPS-enabled watch and chest-strap HR monitor.
BEST FOR: Tracking cadence and ground contact time.
UPSIDE: The data is simple and reliable, and the touchscreen navigation is intuitive, easy to read when running, and customizable. Plus, the stride metrics are built into a watch we’d wear to track our runs anyway.
DOWNSIDE: The website provides no guidance on how to improve stride imbalances.
$500; amazon.com
Runscribe
Pods on your shoes send data to your phone after a run.
BEST FOR: Footstrike impact and pronation.
UPSIDE: The pods provide precise metrics that give context for how you compare to other runners—“average pronation at low velocity,” for example. It reveals clear symmetry differences and makes it easy to compare how changing your shoes, terrain, or pace can affect your stride.
DOWNSIDE: There’s no real-time feedback or coaching, but you don’t need to carry a phone.
$199; runscribe.com
Altra IQ
Sensors built into the midsole transmit data to your phone.
BEST FOR: Recording landing zone and impact rate of each foot.
UPSIDE: The app gives real-time coaching that’s easy to act upon, such as “bend your knees just a little.” The IQ reports the percentages of the time you land in three different zones for a nuanced picture of your foot strike, revealing asymmetries and changes due to fatigue.
DOWNSIDE: Limited to one shoe model (more are set for 2017).
$200; altrarunning.com
Lumo Run
Sensor on the back of your waistband collects data.
BEST FOR: Range of motion (pelvic tilt, drop, and rotation).
UPSIDE: Offers metrics about hip movement, which many coaches consider the core of an effective stride, creating balance and power if aligned optimally. Cues make sense—to reduce hip rotation, it told us to “imagine you are on a skateboard and you are pushing off straight behind you.”
DOWNSIDE: Insistent coaching (via smartphone) can get annoying.
$100; lumobodytech.com
Stryd Pioneer Power Meter
Chest-strap monitor syncs with your phone or watch.
BEST FOR: Power (one number to show how hard you work).
UPSIDE: Rather than telling you how to improve, Stryd shows you whether a change results in better economy—your power output will go down when holding the same pace.
DOWNSIDE: The system doesn’t identify form problems.
$199; stryd.com
Stridalyzer
Smart insoles communicate with your phone.
BEST FOR: Stress on heel, knee, arch, forefoot, and midfoot.
UPSIDE: Provides real-time heat maps, revealing where you might be prone to injury and what part of your stride deteriorates with fatigue. Plus it provides guidance and exercises for improvement.
DOWNSIDE: Online data graphs can be hard to interpret.
$169; amazon.com
Sensoria Fitness Sock
Pressure-sensitive socks send data to your smartphone.
BEST FOR: Heel vs. forefoot impact.
UPSIDE: You can customize target zones for cadence and foot strike, plus specify which metric you want verbal feedback on and how often you want it delivered.
DOWNSIDE: Socks and ankle bracelets can be cumbersome.
From $200; amazon.com
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