Nike+ SportWatch GPS Running Watch Review
Cheapest retailer – Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
The Nike + SportWatch GPS is the first GPS running watch to be released by the multinational sports giant, and is quite possibly the most stylish and easy to use GPS running watch on the market.
Nike SportWatch GPS Watch and Foot Pod
Nike have paired up with GPS technology giant TomTom to incorporate a high sensitivity GPS receiver into the watch that not only tracks your distance and speed, but is also used to record your location when running and the calories your burn over a training session.
The real beauty of the Nike GPS watch is how easy it is to use. You are ready to run with two simple button taps and thanks to the TomTom GPS sensor you can pick up satellite reception within seconds. It is no wonder that Nike picked up two Innovation Awards at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
This in- depth Nike+ SportWatch GPS review will explore every feature of the watch in detail as we put the watch through its paces over the course of a few training sessions.
Easy Set-Up – Change any setting from your computer
Unlike other GPS running watches, the Nike+ SportWatch GPS can be set up with as little as three clicks of a mouse. Instead of fiddling around with the watch buttons every time you want to change a workout, user or setting, you can connect the watch up to your computer (using the hidden USB connector in the wrist strap) and can change any of the custom settings in seconds.
When you first plug the watch into your computer using either the hidden USB plug on the watch strap or the supplied usb cable you are taken to the Nike+ running portal. Here you are prompted to download a small program that allows you to change the various settings from your Mac or PC and also upload any of your runs to the Nike + online running community. The download size is tiny, the program installs in seconds and you don’t have to restart your computer, meaning you can be ready to run in seconds.
When setting up the watch for the first time you are first asked for your weight, sex and preferred units. You then have the option to set more advanced features such as intervals, automatic laps and the combination of different statistics that you want to be displayed on the watch when you are running. All of these selections are optional and after the first three choice you are ready to run.
First Run – Ready to run in two clicks
Nike have made recording runs easy with the SportWatch GPS. Holding the main green button for three seconds tells the watch that you are ready to run. It then starts searching for any compatible heart rate monitor or Nike foot pod (supplied in the box) within range and if it finds any sensor it was automatically pair with the device for the duration of your run.
Nike Running Shoe Foot Pod Compartment
If you don’t have a Nike Foot Pod or Polar Heart Rate monitor then you can run with just the watch unit itself and you will still be able to track a wide variety of important training statistics. Having a Heart Rate monitor is obviously essential if you want to be able to track and record your current heart rate, but you can still use the Nike+ SportWatch GPS without one. The Foot Pod is also optional but the benefit of having one of these installed into your trainer is that in the event you lose GPS signal when out running, the watch will automatically continue to keep track of your Pace, Distance and Calories using the foot pod for seamless recording.
Nike+ SportWatch GPS Pairing with the Foot Pod
If you are outdoors then the watch usually locates a GPS signal within seconds and starts counting down the seconds automatically. If you wish to pause your training then you simply click the green button to pause and then hit it again to resume your workout. If you start running before the watch has located a GPS signal then the Food Pod will kick in and will record all of your statistics until a GPS signal is found.
Easily Set-Up Advanced Runs and Interval Sessions.
Using the PC or Mac based Nike Running program you can easily set up advanced interval workouts before you run. You can set the time or distance of each interval and the amount of recovery time allowed as well as setting the number of reps.
This is a great way to structure those all important interval training workouts as the last thing you want to be doing is trying to remember what rep or what distance you are on when you are part way through a tough interval session.
Auto -Lap
A very useful feature of the Nike+ SportWatch GPS is the auto lap feature. Although Auto Lap appears on many other GPS watches, it is an important feature as it lets you keep track of your individual lap performance throughout a race or training session.
You can set the watch to lap at a specific time or distance interval (the most common distance being either a mile or a kilometre). Using the inbuilt TomTom GPS sensor, the watch identifies when you have run the required lap distance and automatically starts a new lap. You are shown a summary of your last lap’s performance before the watch settles down and continues to show your current lap’s details.
This is a great feature for race day as you can keep track of your performance lap by lap and therefore it is much easier to see if you are keeping to your target pace.
You can also set the Watch to lap evey time you tap the watch. This takes some getting used to as it feels very strange not having to press a button, but a reassuring chime sounds to conform that a new lap has started.
Calorie Counter
A very important metric for any runner is the calorie counter. Ultra marathon runners and part time joggers alike need to keep track of how many calories a run is burning to either calculate the amount of food they need to take on board to carry on training or to see how many calories they have burned for weight loss purposes.
The Nike+ SportWatch GPS watch uses your body weight, pace and distance to calculate how many calories you have burned during your run – allowing you to train towards calorie goals as well as time and distance goals.
Tap Functionality
Any sports watch worth its metal needs a decent back light to enable runners to train in poor light conditions. The Nike GPS watch goes one step further and provides a high power back light with tap activation technology. Instead of holding a button down for an inordinate amount of time like some watches, all it takes to turn on the lights with the Nike GPS watch is a simple tap of the screen. This then activates the light for about ten seconds which is more than ample time for you to check your stats, even when running at speed.
Heart Rate Monitoring
Using a Polar heart rate monitor you can track and record your heart rate on any of your runs. The watch pairs with the heart rate monitor in seconds and then displays your current heart rate when in training mode.
Polar WearLink+ 31 Heart Rate Monitor
Running with the Nike+ SportWatch GPS
When we were field testing the Nike+ SportWatch GPS watch we were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to run with.
After the initial setup the watch started to cycle through all of the different statistics that we has specified before the run such as calories, heart rate and pace without a problem and if we wanted to double check a particular metric then we just selected it using the two navigation buttons.
As we set the watch up to Auto-lap after every mile, it chimed to let us know that we has reached the end of a mile and then showed us a summary of the past lap before continuing to record the next lap.
As we have run with GPS watches before we know exactly how far each of our usual running routes is and can count off the miles along each route using various landmarks. The GPS sensor didn’t notify us that it had dropped the signal at any point and it was within 0.1 of the correct distance when we finished our trial run – we would expect nothing less of a TomTom powered device!
The watch was comfortable to wear and not to heavy or bulky like some of the other watches that we have tested which is great news for anyone that really doesn’t like the look or the size of the Garmin Forerunners or the Timex Watches.
NikeRunning.com – An online social network and training portal for runners.
When you buy a GPS watch you don’t just want something that records your run and displays it back to you the moment you finish. What most runners really want is a way to track their training performance and fitness in the long run. Nike seem to have answered their plight with one of the most interactive and unique online training portals that we have ever seen.
No Nike+ SportWatch GPS Review would be worth the paper it is typed on without looking at this fantastic portal in more detail so here we go…
NikeRunning.com – Uploading Your Runs.
Instead of just having all of your runs sitting on your watch you can upload them straight to the Nike Running Portal by plugging the watch into your computer. USB cables are a thing of the past as the Nike GPS watch has an cleverly concealed USB plug that can be hidden inside the watch strap when running and then snapped out quickly and easily when you want to upload your runs.
The actual upload process takes mere seconds and the Nike software has proved to be robust and bug free in all the instances to date when we have used it.
NikeRunning.com – Viewing Your Runs and Trophies
After upload, you are taken to the Nike Running portal automatically and shown your run history. Part of the Nike Running Philosophy is to keep you motivated and we were nicely surprised when a video of an American Athlete popped up to congratulate us on our first 10k run!
NikeRunning.com First Run
Past runs are broken down into the various mile or kilometre stages and you can see your page at each stage of your run.
You can view all of your past runs in calendar format and can zoom to any past run for a closer examination or pace, distance and time.
On the same web page there is a trophy cabinet of which you are awarded when you complete either personal or Nike set goals.
More experienced runners may find the Nike Running portal lacking in detail as there are none of the powerful features of the Garmin Connect portal. If we were conducting a Garmin Forerunner vs Nike+ SportWatch GPS comparison we would have to say that the Garmin Connect portal has more functions such as the ability to play back your routes and split your training sessions up into different events. However, the Nike Running portal is perfect for anyone who needs the essential statistics as moments glance.
Nike Running.com – Nike Maps
Once uploaded, you can view your runs on the NikeMaps secion of NikeRunning.com. Here you can superimpose your GPS tracked runs on a staelite map or something called a heat map. The heat map is something that Nike have created using all of the combined GPS data that their users have uploaded and displays the most popular paths and places to run when you have used the map view to zoom into any given area.
Nike Heat Maps
If you are stuck for places to run you can view the Heat Map to see popular routes in your area and can plot your own route to plan what distnce and location your next run could be.
The world’s more popular routes (according to NikeRunning.com) are also displayed on the map and of you ever run one of these routes using the Nike+ SportWatch GPS then you are awarded a virtual trophie for your troubles!
NikeRunning.com – Running Schedules & Planning Your Runs
Nike don’t just give you an advanced GPS watch and then rinse their hands of you; they offer you tailored running programs for distances such as 5k, 10k, Half Marathon, and even the full marathon, that you can download to your watch and follow using prompts. You can even choose a training program for sport specific fitness such as soccer.
Once you enrol in a program Nike set out your training plan in an easy to understand and decipher calendar that tells you exactly how far you need to run in each session and on what day.
NikeRunning Half Marathon Training Plan
Once your watch is connected up to your computer, the goal is downloaded to the unit and the watch then prompts you to start running on the various days that are dictated by the chosen running schedule.
These training programs can be customised depending on your level of fitness and you can cancel the training plans at any time.
If you don’t want to enrol in Nike’s prescribed training programs then you can create your own plans, or simply run whenever you wan without employing any of the schedules. You can plan runs using the easy to understand calendar and every time you upload a run it is counted towards your goal total. Nike will periodically reward you with trophies and motivational videos to keep you on track – something which users of the Nike+ Iphone App will be familiar with.
Battery Life
Out of the box the watch needs a full charge which takes about an hour. At the time of writing this Nike+ SportWatch GPS review we had taken the watch outdoors for three test runs and the battery monitor that is displayed on the watch face wasn’t even partially depleted. Already the battery life of the watch has beaten any of the Garmin Forerunner or Timex GPS watches that we have run with as their batteries need charging after every few runs to prevent the GPS receiver from cutting out.
When you press the Green button on the watch to enter ‘training mode,’ you are given the option to turn the GPS sensor on or off as well as the heart rate monitor and/or the foot pod connection. If you want to prolong the battery life of the Sportwatch GPS then turning the receiver off when training will drastically improve its running time (which is officially 9 hours according to the manual).
I am assuming that the GPS receiver is not activated when the watch is in its normal watch mode, as this is the only way that I can see how the battery life doesn’t diminish at a much faster rate that is currently apparent.
Looks and Aesthetics
The first thing that hits you when you set eyes on the Nike+ SportWatch GPS is how stylish it is. Everything from the way the watch is packaged to the way your running stats are displayed on the watch face reeks of Nikes distinct simple and bold design style.
Nikes partnership with Apple seems to have become more then strategic, as unpacking the GPS watch is like unpacking an Ipod or Iphone. There is no annoying plastic to cut your way though and Nike have used every inch of space within the box to hide some essential part of the watch such as the foot pod or USB charger.
Nike SportsWatch GPS Watch
Even if saving the environment isn’t high on Nikes priority list then environmentally conscientious runners will be happy to know that all of the packaging can be recycled and there are no countless useless foreign language manuals that other GPS Watch packaging sometimes contains.
Nike have clearly placed a lot of time and effort into the design of the SportWatch GPS watch as it fits nicely on the wrist and can be adjusted for a wide range of wrist sizes. The wrist band is made of rubber and not plastic, which means there is more give in the material and therefore the watch is much more comfortable to wear.
Black and green is the colour of choice for the new Nike+ SportWatch GPS which sounds like a strange choice of colours for a sports watch, but the colours seem to work together surprisingly well and also are in-line with some of the Nike 2011 running apparel ranges.
[Edit: December 2011] The Big Nike Sportwatch GPS Update
Earlier this week NIke released their much awaited big firmware update which aims to solve some of the little problems that the watch suffers from and also makes a few improvements. In no particular order, the watch has been updated as follows:
- Improved mapping accuracy (so your maps look even better)
- Improved instant (current) pace
- Enhanced Quickstart feature.
- Stopwatch not has 50 laps
- An Alarm can now be set on the watch
- The time can now be set from the watch.
NIke GPS Watch Firmware Update
The Nike+ GPS watch is one of the easiest to use, most reliable and most stylish GPS watches that we have ever had the pleasure of running with at RunTheLine.com. The watch can be set up in a matter of minutes and makes viewing pace, distance, heart rate and calories both simple and effortless.
The Nike SportWatch GPS is Stylish and Simple To Use
The Nike Running online portal is one of the best features about the Nike+ SportWatch GPS as you can sign up to training programs created by Nike coaches. The watch will then remind you to run on the days dictated by the training program and will also tell you how far you need to run in each session. It also remembers your personal best times and distances and congratulates you when you set a new fastest time or longest distance. The portal also acts as a powerful reporting tool where you can view and track all of your past runs, share them with friends and set new fitness goals.
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Cheapest retailer - Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
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I think it’s a brilliant watch but the interval sounds are so low I can’t hear them with ANY background noise. Is this normal or have I just got a bad watch? Thanks
Personally I prefer the Garmin 305 GPS to the Nike. But thanks for the review dude.
Hi Ross
Your review, in my opinion, is very constructive in every sense however I am new to this GPS watch phenomenon and have a few questions.
1) As an experienced distance marathon runner and trail runner, my aim is to have a watch that can track speed, distance and pace/km. This needs to be viewed on the fly and by the looks of things Nike do not offer this capability?
2) The foot pod looks like it designed for Nike shoes only. Is this case, and if so this would be a deal breaker for me as I dislike Nike shoes and prefer NB?
3) Nike most certainly has the most competitive pricing in terms of gps watches however would you still recommend it t me considering the above or should I choose another brand? Garmin are expensive, Suunto I barely know, and Bryton have had numerous reports that suggests that they are inaccurate.
Regards
Andrew
I have a quick question. I am training for triathlons this summer, is this unit waterproof? I would like to wear it during the swim. It would save time during transitions if I didn’t have to put it on, stand still and get the signal then begin the bike ride or run portion.
Nike+ SportWatch GPS is water *resistant* up to 5 ATM
Thank your for this detailed review!
Is the Polar WearLink+ the only chest strap that is compatible with the watch? I have a standard polar chest strap and it will not connect to my watch, even though it connects to another polar watch as well as every piece of exercise equipment (ex: all treadmills, bikes, elliptical, etc.).
It would be very beneficial to not have to spend another $60 on a chest strap as I’ll be using the watch for runs as well as cross training to calculate hr and calories burned.
Polar WearLink+ is the only chest strap that is compatible with the Nike+ SportWatch GPS
I’d like to see it support additional exercise profiles… really, does anyone who’s runnig regularly not do other forms of exercise (like cycling?).. Unfortunately, I suspect that since the watch is said to use weight, time, pace to calculate calories, then calorie consumption data would be meaningless when cycling…. it would be nice if, when wearing a heart rate monitor, that the calorie calculation uses wieght and heart rate to estimate calories, then you’d be able to use this product while cycling, or spinning, or swimming (if waterproof) – just a thought for a change that would make the product more versatile
You actually can do this for calorie purposes i do this when i lift weights at the gym. You just have to go into the settings right on the watch and only enable the heart rate monitor setting. it will then only give you the calories burned.
The only downside to Nike + on the whole is the fact that you cannot manually add runs onto the website. Nike Running are aware of this issue and seem to continually sweep it aside banging on about the potential for user error (Considering they use drop down boxes on the site, I find this hard to believe). It is noteable that Garmin offer the user the abililty to manually add runs onto their site. I own this watch and I would caution any potential buyer that substance over style can sometimes leave you wanting.
Will my Nike watch from the uk work in Spain as I am running the half marathon in Barcelona tomorrow ?
Thanks
Are we able to replace the battery on the Nike GPS watch? If so, how do we change it?
does the watch have a countdown timer function?
i want to buy it for my husband but he needs a countdown timer in there for his refereeing as well.
i cant seem to find the answer online anywhere.
My friends bought me the Nike Plus Sports Watch for my 50th birthday. I love it! I’ve been a competitive runner for close to 30 years, so I’m pretty serious about the gear I use. What I like about the GPS watch is not having to remember to hit the button for split times! The set up was a breeze on my laptop. I think it’s easy to use while running, the numbers are pretty big and clear. Only problem for me, is that I have small wrists and the watch is a bit bulky. I bought a wristband to wear under it, so that should help make it more comfortable.
hi you said you use this watch. pls help! having problems with the interal part of watch. for example, i set the watch to 20min at 4.45/km with 3min rest in between. the first one i stayed with the average pace while the 2nd to 6th sessions i stayed on the current pace (since the average pace takes into consideration the rest period). when i uploaded on the website it said that i was off by 30seconds on the 2nd to 6th sessions
am i doing something wrong? also, someone said you can tell the watch how many reps you want in the interval? where is this pls?
I have A trouble with my NIke sports watch gps, I used it for about 6 mos. afterwards tryying to downloads my run it wasnt respond to my computer any one can help me about this problem, thank you pls email me ver_galvez @hotmail.com
Nike’s GPS watch sucks. It connects only about 1/2 time. I have found the only time it connects is if the watch is 100% charged. I have to recharge after every run in order to connect consistently. Sometimes it connects in a few minutes, other times not at all. Not worth the money.
How do pair the foot pod to the watch?
I bought the Nike GPS watch last year in April. It’s a great watch and very user friendly. The only draw back is that the battery life which doesn’t last long enough in certain ultra marathons. I participated in the comrades marathon(89k) and it switched off when I had 12 k to go. Once it switches off it doesn’t keep a record of that run.