Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor with iPod Sensor

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

I just finished a seven mile run and the watch never found a satelite to track my run. If this was the one and only time I have had problems with this issue I would never write this review. Not sure if TomTom satelites are the way to go.

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

For the past two years I have been running off and on (mostly 5ks and a half marathon) and through all the races and training I had used the Nike GPS+ app on my iphone. I tried all the other apps and was most happy with the Nike user interface and reliability of the Nike app. Sure there were a couple of bugs here and there but Nike was pretty quick to correct them and the app has only been improving more and more. The Nike support has been nothing but fantastic as well and is quick to respond and resolve any issues I've had.

I finally decided this winter to bite the bullet and get a GPS watch for my runs. For me it was between the Nike GPS watch and the Garmin Forerunner 10. My friend has the 10 and loves it (and I must admit I really really like the women's size). Garmin also has a long standing good history of products and most everyone I have ever talked to seems pretty happy with them. However, I was really interested in the Nike GPS watch because I had already accrued over 1,500 miles on my Nike account and as stupid as it sounds I didn't want to "lose" them. I still plan on running with my iphone on long runs (safety thing) and so I didn't want to have my miles on two different accounts (from what I understand trying to transfer Nike GPS data into any other kind of accounts can be a hassle). I was really nervous about ordering the Nike watch after reading reviews. Many people said it was a decent watch but that the strap was fragile, the interface wasn't so great, the GPS was super off, etc. However, I really liked the look of the watch and like I stated previously..I love the Nike interface online. It's simple and tells you what you want to know about your runs (such as time, pace, elevation, calories burned, etc.) and I really like that it keeps track of the mileage on your shoes too. One other thing that I really like about Nike is the foot pod you can use for the treadmill. Again...one more thing I can add to my Nike account info (everything in one place.) I decided to go with the Nike and stick with a good thing.

My watch came in and I must say....it's quite a looker. The packaging is very nice and simple and comes with a tiny-to the point instruction booklet. You can download the full manual online. The Nike software is a quick download (happens as soon as you plug the watch in) and is very simple and easy to understand. It allows you to change your display info, sound, clock, and anything else. It also syncs the satellite info so the watch can be found quickly when you go for a GPS run. Now... I am not going to lie and will admit that part of what sold me o this watch was the appearance. I am a woman and most GPS watches are very big and ugly (except for the Garmin 10, like I said before!) not to mention WAY to big for my wrist. I am petite and have a small bone structure so I was worried about the watch fitting. I ordered the white version of this Nike watch and must admit, for a GPS unit it's really nice looking. I still probably won't wear it as a regular watch (it's still very big) but I wouldn't mind doing it in a pinch. The face is nice and large too and easy to read. As people have said, the USB hook up and the strap closure do seam a little flimsy but so far no issues. I pretty careful with my things and not rough on them so I am interested to see how this holds up. If anything changes with it I will update this. The little tap feature for lap/light is neat but sometimes when I tap it works and sometimes it doesn't (80/20). Meh..not that huge of a deal but slightly annoying. The side buttons are the perfect size. Easy to find and use (even with gloves on!) and quick to respond.

I have taken this watch on several runs and am very happy so far with the performance. One was even in the rain and I had no issues with the condensation others have had..hope it stays this way! The GPS picked up relatively quickly and the watch did its thing. The GPS data so far has been pretty accurate with what it should be. I think a lot of the issues people were experiencing are from when the watch first came out in 2011 and the Nike project was kind of having growing pains. I remember even with the app stuff wasn't loading and working properly. This has not been an issue in a long long time. I feel like I continually need to reiterate how much Nike has improved their GPS and data issues. I must admit I did get spoiled with my iPhone and the fact that it syncs each run automatically..I have to remember to plug in my USB now to sync up my data :) Overall I am very happy with this purchase. If anything changes I will make note in this review. My only complaints/issues with Nike are as follows:

-please add bike support (it would be nice to be able to use this watch for occasional bike rides)
-allow Nike data to be transferred to other services (like Strava, etc.) I have friends on those sites that I would like to be able to share info with
-bring back the self calibration option on your site. On the occasions that the app/watch messes up it would be nice to be able to self correct instead of having to contact customer support every time.

To finalize..this watch is exactly as it advertises itself to be. It is a good piece of equipment and it gets the job done. So far I am very very happy with my purchase and this watch is making every run better!

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

I actually ended up exchanging the product for a Garmin 910XT... I was unhappy with the display and the band is very small if you have larger wrists than average you will be on the last adj. holes. I felt the TomTom GPS function was not as accurate as Garmin! All and all for a recreational runner it would be a worthwhile device except you have to purchase the heart rate band separate!!! Oh and the pod only work in certain Nike shoe so if you wear another running shoe you will have to buy a pouch from a third party vendor or tape it to your shoe hahaha...

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

So far I've had this watch for about a month and put 60 miles on it. The watch is bigger than how it looks in pictures, but I'm 5'2" with really small wrists. I do wear it daily to work and not just for running. I haven't had to charge it once other than the time it takes to upload my run data and mess around on the Nike+ site. I've only used it with satellites so far and not with the shoe sensor that came with it. I run in the local "greenway" which is a shaded trail with trees all around and I haven't had any issues with losing my GPS signal. There isn't a way to distinguish bike rides from runs or walks other than making comments in the dashboard, however you can the display from pace to MPH. You can only change the watch display settings from your computer. I wish there was a way to manually change the interval settings on your watch, but you have to do that from your computer as well. This watch is an upgrade for me from just using a regular sports watch and planning my run routes online. Overall, I like this watch because it does what I want it to (tells me my pace and how far I'm going) and if I wanted more bells and whistles I would have gone with different watch.

I have read reviews where people have had issues with cracking on the watchband around the USB area, so if I have any issues with that (or any other major issues) I will write another review here.

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

It took me along time to justify this purchase as I was using the Nike+ GPS app on my iPhone, so this watch was not going to give me any new features, just allow me to not strap my phone to my arm.

However, I love this watch and I am super glad that I bought it. Very accucrate, never had a problem with the GPS, even in the deep woods. I love not needing to bring my phone with me and the ability to just glance at my watch and see my pace, time, etc. is great.

It is pretty bulky but it does have GPS built in so I can't complain too much. The other thing I do not like is that the USB plugin is very thin plastic and feels cheap. I am always afraid that I am going to break it off accidentaly as you need to use a bit of force to get the band to unsnap when taking it off.

Overall I would reccomend it and Nike+ is a great way to track your runs.

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

Nike has explained that it is still working out the bugs with TomTom to get the routes displayed on a map. It has been a couple of months, and if they still do not get that feature working, I am returning the watch.

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

REI is the best...got it with free shipping to Guam. The product is a better value than the Garmin 110 or 210. Accuracy and dependability is the same as Garmins but Nike offered more such as large display, modern style, tap screen, summary and Nike+. At first, my watch was not downloading my run data to Nike+ website. I think it may be caused by erroneous "run" data that was on my watch. I was in my car while recording/testing the watch. The max run speed was 22 something mph. Maybe Nike+ was programmed not to accept such data. After I erased my history and did an actual run, the problem was solved. Great product and best value for your money!!!

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

I PURCHASED A NIKE GPS SPORTWATCH OVER A YEAR AGO & NOW HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MOISTURE ON THE INTERIOR.I CALLED NIKE SUPPORT ON 06.03.12 AT 11:30AM PST. TO DISCUSS SERVICE OPTIONS & WAS TOLD THAT THE WATCH IS NOT SERVICEABLE.THAT'S RIGHT…THE WATCH IS NOT SERVICEABLE!YOU CAN IMAGINE MY SURPRISE… IN SHORT, THAT NIKE WILL NOT SUPPORT THE DEVICE BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD!OF COURSE, THIS WAS NOT DISCLOSED AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NOR CAN IT BE FOUND IN ANY DOCUMENTATION FOR THE WATCH.SO HERE I AM, ABSOLUTELY PERPLEXED AT THE IRRISPONSIBLITY OF NIKE TO STICK ITS CONSUMERS WITH A [$] DEVICE THAT IS GUARANTEED TO WORK FOR ONLY (1) YEAR…PERIOD.IN ALL FAIRNESS, I WAS OFFERED EXPEDITED SHIPPING FOR A PURCHASED REPLACEMENT...DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL NIKE TO CONFIRM.-M. Anderson, Seattle - Washington

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

The watch seems to be the most attractive of it's type by far and not quite so large as others. Downsides are (1) the USB computer connections seems ackward and perhaps not too durable, (2) you need to use the Nike website to track your data (this site is not convenient to use, and the fact that you load your routes where others may have access to your patterns is flat out unsafe), (3) you must attach the watch to a PC to switch between pace mode (for running) or speed (for biking) [speed and pace are not on the same menu], (4) cant seem to have multiple users or ability to separate running from biking workouts (a web site shortcoming again) (5) when connecting the watch to PC, it seems to re-download all data stored in the watch even if already downloaded to PC/Website (takes too long!). If the data and recordings of routes was available at my PC, i could analyze it much easier! Did i mention it is fashonable (for my kid), easy to read and great to have the shoe sensor for using indoors..

Comments about Nike+ SportWatch GPS Fitness Monitor:

The battery is only good for one to two days use. This watch IS NOT good as a daily watch that can also be used for workouts.
I'm returning mine for something more useful - with all of today's technology, buying a single task tool like a watch that can't be used for both daily use and tracking your workouts is a waste of money.