Since getting attached to pedometers a couple of years ago, I've gone through at least a dozen--Digiwalkers, Oregon Scientifics, Omrons. Sometimes the clips would break (Digiwalkers have no spring clip), or the cover would snap off, or they would prove highly inaccurate, or they would be bulky, or they would be too "versatile" and intricate to be practical for someone who was simply looking to get in 10,000 steps for the day. For this reason, I recommended the Sportline 330 as a comparatively rugged, accurate, and inexpensive step counter that, if need be, could be replaced with minimal financial damage.
But recently I saw this "high end" Omron at Walgreen's and thought I'd give it a spin. Its primary allure: it claims to be so sensitive that you don't need to wear it on a belt or some other outer wear. Just drop it in your shirt pocket or purse and forget about it.
Guess what? The Omron people aren't pulling your leg. This is indeed a very sensitive little machine that does what it says it will do, in addition to being fast, easy, convenient, and extremely durable. I decided to test it by walking 30-40 minutes with the Omron in my shirt pocket and the Sportline clipped to my belt. At the end of my walk the Omron and Sportline were within 80 steps of each other. Moreover, it was the Omron that gave me the extra steps (a bonus if you consider the amount of time it takes--practically 2 hours--to log the full 10,000 steps).
The only advanced feature I occasionally use is the memory bank. The device automatically resets to 0 steps while saving the previous day's count in memory (for up to a week). Although I set the clock, I rarely use the other extra features--calorie counter, aerobic read-out, or even distance covered. I don't even bother with things like entering stride length and attaching clips or necklaces. This particular Omron model rises above the field because of one thing: quality. It's accurate, it's easy and fast, and it's dependable if not indestructible (I've sat on it, inadvertently sent it through the wash, dropped it into a bath-tub). It keeps going, as long as you do. If you have a shirt pocket and know how to read from one to 10,000, you're on your way.
You can never have too many good pedometers, but this Omron makes it unlikely you'll need another one any time soon. There's no question in my mind that this is best of breed, the one that Tiger Woods would use even if he had to pay for it and realized no rewards other than the practical and motivational benefits of the device itself. At its current price, it's probably the best buy on Amazon. Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer
This is pedometer is Consumer Reports #1 rated digital pedometer- and I can see why. It's extremely light weight and really easy to use with just four big buttons on the front. Here's a few of its best features:
-it can accurately senses steps in your belt, pocket, OR purse!
-it has a large display for the visually impaired
-it has a 7 day history so you can see progress (or lack of)
-it calculates calories and distance in addition to steps
I'd recommend this little device to anyone who wants to lose weight- just begin one day, and the next day, see if you can maintain or beat your previous step record. Now how easy is that?
So what DIDN'T I like about it? Not much. Perhaps the ONLY sort of negative thing I can say is that you will need a tiny screwdriver to open the back of it to put in the battery. Other than that, if you're looking to increase your activity a little to improve your health, look no further. Also recommend The 5-Minute Plantar Fasciitis Solution if you have plantar fasciitis that interferes with your exercise.
This pedometer is easily a five star pedometer. It was easy to use, easy to set and read, and for the brief time I had it I thought it was the best pedometer I have owned.
Unfortunately, after 4 days it disappeared from my belt. The clip is completely unsatisfactory, and if you keep it on a belt you will loose it.
If you plan to carry it anywhere else, it would probably be worth buying, but do not count on the clip to secure it to your person.
I am certainly no expert on the subject of pedometers, or anything else electronic, truth be told. On the other hand, I have purchased and used several different models, from several different companies and manufacturers, all at different prices and all with different features. I have also researched these things, both here on Amazon and other points of purchase and talking to friends. This Omron is by far the best. It actually functions precisely as it's makers say it will. I found the set up to be quite easy (even for a electronic dolt like myself) and found the directions to be quite comprehensive. My wife and I both tested this thing and found it to be the most accurate of the several we have used in the past. I did not feel the cost was particularly high when compaired to what you get (I have found you pretty much get what you pay for and if you purchase a pedometer for $5.95, that is just about what you will get). The unit is quite attractive and offers a number of ways to carry and attach it to yourself. I must admit, that I first purchased this for my wife, when I found how well it worked, I purchased a second one for myself. These gadgets are great motivators and can be a real eye opener. I also appreciate the other reviewers here, their reviews were the final push I needed to decide on this particular item. I highly recommend this one.
Update 2: I just replaced the battery (CR2032) so I guess it lasts about six months. This pedometer is probably one that I have used the longest. After losing nearly 20 lb the first time I tried to clock 100,000 steps a week, I'm embarking on another 20+lb loss target.
Update: I've been using this regularly, and found that I can stick it in a change pocket where it does a great job of accurately reporting my steps. I've left the clip, holder, and cord behind, so it's a lot smaller now. I use the GMaps pedometer for distances and calories, but this is great to get accurate steps.
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I hate to take away a star considering there are a lot of things to like about this pedometer. I've used many, and I'm hoping this one is the last I have to get. Or at least if I get another one, it may be this one. Still, the folks at Omron might want to learn something for the next revision.
What I like:
- I don't have to keep it clipped to my belt. It stays in my pocket all day, as do other objects like my wallet, keys, phone, etc. And it counts away fine.
- Although the buttons look like they could get pressed in a pocket by other pocketizens, like keys, change, fingers looking for stuff, they don't. Especially Reset, which I feared would get hit somehow. But yet, over a week into the product, I haven't seen a reset happening to my step total.
- I'm beginning to like that it resets itself to 0 every night, and also keeps a history of the past week. I can easily track what I did in the week and see what kind of activity gives me more steps. I don't like to chase step counts like some people, but I like to do things that up the count. After all, we're building a lifestyle here, not trying to win a count game.
- You may see lower counts, but that's because of no false hits. This device works like skip protection on a CD player. It doesn't start visibly counting even after you've started walking. This seems to be a defect at first, but this is what I assume is happening: The pedometer senses motion and starts recording it, and takes a few seconds to decide whether this is real walking or merely an occasional jolt. If the movement is a jolt or tap, or just a solitary step or two, the count is discarded before ever showing in the display. If the movement continues and has the characteristics of walking, the recorded steps are then added to the counter. So no bogus steps.
- Accuracy: I've walked 50, 100, 500 steps that I manually counted (sorry can't keep count more than 500) and the pedometer was off by a maximum of two steps for the 500 step walk. Otherwise it was off by 1 or exact. I've never had a pedometer that stays so true.
What I don't like:
- Limitations: Why would all users be less than 300 lb? Are people over 300 lb incapable of walking? The setup doesn't let the user go more than 300 lb, so the calorie counts are likely to be lower to start with. Then there's the following point.
- Assumptions: Every step is the same length. This is fine for people going walking as a regular exercise, but that gets old fast. At different times of day, different levels of energy, and different situations and terrains, steps are not uniform. So the mileage and probably the calorie count is probably off by a lot. I walked a known mile and yet the pedometer counted 0.7 miles because my step length was off. And the step length was determined by the manual's directions. In fairness, all pedometers that calculate calories burned and distance walked will have this problem
- Size - it's bulky, like a handheld stopwatch. I don't see why it couldn't have been smaller
- Visibility. It's hard to read from your pocket. The downside of the pocketability. It might have benefited from some thing like a light (maybe I haven't found it)
- Shape. It's too much like a key fob and I often pull the wrong thing out of my pocket.'
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