Big Sports Tech Deals Right Now! The Garmin Epix Gen2 is on sale right now for a staggering $549USD, roughly $300 off, and the Titanium edition just $50 more! And, it also got a big slate of new features this past week. Alongside that, there’s big discounts on the Apple Watch Series 9, Polar, Samsung Galaxy Watch6, and a pile of other Garmin watches including the Forerunner 255, 955, and Instinct 2 series. Full updated list here!
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Here’s my most recent GPS watch guide here, and cycling GPS computers here. Plus there are smart trainers here, all in these guides cover almost every category of sports gadgets out there. Looking for the equipment I use day-to-day? I also just put together my complete ‘Gear I Use’ equipment list, from swim to bike to run and everything in between (plus a few extra things). And to compliment that, here’s The Girl’s (my wife’s) list. Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
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I wonder if this product could also be modified to be used with Stand up Paddle boards (SUP) ?
Hi Dave – yes, this product could be easily modified to be used for Stand Up Paddling (SUP).
We are watching this space closely to see if there is a market for a SUP version of the Kayak Power Meter. We have had quite a large number of requests for such a product in the recent months.
I see a market for canoe racers.
How much weight does it add?
Similar technology already exist for the paddling world. Check out merlingear out of Australia. It’s designed for dragon boat racing but could easily modified for competitive paddling (i.e c1).
Hi Erik – it adds approx. 70g (i.e. the Kayak Power Meter split-shaft is overall 70g heavier than a typical Braca split-shaft).
One of the major focuses of the post-London 2012 revamp of the product was to reduce the weight of the system to a minimum (whilst increasing the battery life).
Another major focus was to change the design of the electronics to make the system suitable for ‘canoe racers’ i.e. a paddle with a single blade. We are releasing the Kayak Power Meter for kayakers to begin with, but it is very much our intention to release a version (Canoe Power Meter) for canoeists in the near future. We are in close communication with the Canadian Sprint Canoe team and they have offered to assist us with making the transition to canoeing.
Very cool device. Having used my 910xt for lots of kayak training in the last year I really wish Garmin would release some way of being able to customise the accelerometer (or a specific kayaking profile). I am sure that in the same way it does swimming stroke analysis it could easily do kayak stroke cadence. You can get an ant+ cadence sensor that clips onto the paddle but surely the inbuilt sensor would be adequate?
Hi Ray,
Question for you. If I understand correctly, power meters on bikes use rpm (angular velocity) and force measures to get their power. In this case, are they using the GPS for velocity or have they developed an interesting protocol using the stroke rate and some estimation of distance to get speed?
Just curious from a sport sci perspective since that would influence errors.
Thanks!
I’d assume they have an accelerometer to get stroke rate.
Hi Nick – An accelerometer would make sense in this day in age, like Stages Cycling does. If they did do that, they would need distance per stroke to end up with velocity and then power per stroke. So, how are they getting distance then?
This was the one area they weren’t going to share specifics on. It sounds like it’s an accelerometer plus a bit extra in there (which they lump into the inertial sensor category).
The distance in the Garmin Connect example all comes from GPS.
I figured using the acelerometers they would be able to determine the path of the blade, or the angle that the shaft is moved through, knowing the length of the shaft would give distance that the blade has moved?
Also your question regards the strain gauge below, the pictures seem to show strain gauges embedded in the shaft?
This would work great with the new Suunto Ambit2 and Ambit2 S! Dive-watch quality waterproofing, cadence, power, HR, etc.
Indeed, it would work quite well with the Ambit2’s.
Somehow they can make this concept work using carbon fiber whereas Stages hasn’t gotten there on the cycling side yet. Maybe the length of the lever arm in this application makes a difference compared to fairly short and stiff crank arms.
Hi Larry – what makes you think they put gauges on the carbon fibre? I am not saying they didn’t. They say the shaft is carbon fibre but I don’t think they mean the part that is instrumented. It looks very different to me than the paddle shaft.
Maybe Ray knows? Or, can give us a best guess?
If anyone knows how to instrument Carbon Fibre, I’d love to know who can do it or how.
Stages never said they couldn’t do carbon fiber. They just said it’s more difficult, specifically they it’s more difficult because each implementation can be significantly different in how it reacts to stress. I’d suspect with the Kayak PM, they are controlling the number of variables (read: shafts) to just a couple, thus making it easier (if they are indeed measuring on carbon fiber).
Scott – Good point. Would be interesting to learn more. Is the problem with carbon fiber itself or because parts can be engineered with such unique characteristics?
Great looking tech but I will have to wait for the Mac software version along with many others, I suspect 🙂
Hi Kristen,
Would a fully functional Android app be a viable solution for you? Or are you firmly placed in the Apple ecosystem e.g. iOS/Mac?
How exactly did you mount the edge 500 to the kayak? I have a mio cyclo 105 (same mount system) and at the moment just have the plastic quarter turn mount zip-tied to duct tape across my kayak cockpit. I am looking for an option where I could move it between boats easily.
This is what I use for a watch – link to marsport.co.uk
Just back it up to some string to the portage bar under spray skirt
It’s a tiny bit different on the Mio, but I’d look to use the Garmin Quick Release Kit for the FR910XT/310XT, which comes with a watch strap that you can hook onto various spots on your kayak.
You could also use the same quick release kit mount set and glue the mount to your deck, but that’s a bit more risky.
Hi Fred,
We tend to use a similar ‘watch mount’ like what Alex has mentioned – it works well and can be easily switched between kayaks.
You can see the EDGE 500 located on the ‘watch mount’ in the following video:
link to youtube.com
Hello… i want to know more about the power meter in kayak and canoe….
What can i do?
Could you contact me with the persons or the company?
Thank you!
thanks for the review. Im looking at buying one for surfski