Product Reviews

Over the course of the past few years, I’ve reviewed a number of products. Most of them, it’s simply because I went out and bought the product and gave it a whirl. In some cases, it’s because a company sent me their product to review. I differentiate within each review how I came about the product. I tend to be super-detailed in my reviews – some might even say over the top. That’s just my style, leave no stone unturned! If you have any questions about any of my reviews, feel free to leave a comment at the end of each post.

Not sure which watch to get? Start with my product comparison tool, which will help you narrow it down and compare features.

4iiii Fliiiight Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

The Fliiiight is a different kind of trainer on so many levels. First off – it doesn’t use any sort of traditional trainer resistance technology to provide resistance. Instead, it recreates gradients and wattage levels by moving magnets, which depending … Read More Here

First Look: The 4iiii Fliiiight Smart Trainer

December 2019 Update: My full 4iiii Fliiiight Smart Trainer In-Depth Review is now published, hit up that page for all my final details after a bunch of usage. Remember back in May when 4iiii announced the acquisition of STAC the … Read More Here

4iiii Precision Pro Dual Left/Right Power Meter In-Depth Review

While there are many power meter options being touted these days, it’s a different matter to actually get something shipped to consumers.  And to do something that’s accurate and trusted (as well as reliable).  It’s been a couple of years now … Read More Here

4iiii Precision Power Meter In-Depth Review

It’s been about 8 months since 4iiii began shipping their Precision power meters to buyers, which is a small pod affixed to your crank arm.  When the company announced their entrance into the market in September 2014, they had planned … Read More Here

4iiii Dual Sided Power Meter: A Short Test Ride

Last Friday while on the way to the airport from Kananaskis (in the mountains for the ANT+ Symposium) to Calgary I swung by the 4iiii headquarters in Cochrane.  The time I had was rather limited, as I was super time-boxed … Read More Here

4iiii’s Introduces $399 Power Meter, Precision: My First Ride With It

4iiii’s has kicked off what will be a frenzy of power meter activity here at Interbike this week.  In doing so, as the post headline implies, they’ve jumped onboard with the plans to further drive the price of power meters … Read More Here

4iiii’s Viiiiva ANT+ to Bluetooth Smart Bridge & Heart Rate Strap In-Depth Review

A bit under a year ago 4iiii’s announced the first device on the market to bridge the gap between ANT+ accessories and Bluetooth Smart enabled phones.  In doing so, they potentially opened up the door to saving users from having … Read More Here

In Depth Review of the 4iiii Sport-iiiis ANT+ Heads Up Display System

It’s been almost a year to the day since we first heard about a small company called 4iiii, which aims to bring a heads up display system to a pair of sunglasses near you.  Over the past year they’ve been … Read More Here

Insta360 GO 2 Tiny Action Cam In-Depth Video Review

There’s a new winner in town for the smallest action camera. Or at least, the smallest action camera from a brand name you’ve probably heard of. While Insta360 has a more pronounced history in the 360° action cam market, over … Read More Here

GoPro Labs 2021 New Features For Hero 9, Hero 8, Hero 7 and Max

For pretty much the second time in GoPro’s history, they just now added camera features to significantly older cameras – in this case, the Hero 7 in particular (the other time was the GoPro webcam mode). You may remember last … Read More Here

GoPro Hero 9 Charging Door Accessory: Video Review Posted

This is a super quick post just for the handful of you that are into action cam stuffs but who might not also subscribe to the DC Rainmaker YouTube channel. Because, that’s where most of my action/cam drone stuff ends … Read More Here

GoPro Hero 9 Black: Every New Feature Detailed & Tested Video

Today GoPro announced the new GoPro Hero 9, which adds a front-facing screen and 5K resolution, though also slightly increases the price. Sorta, kinda, not really…it depends. It’s complicated. While I’m still a few days away from a final written … Read More Here

GoPro Max Action Cam In-Depth Review

Everything you ever wanted to know about the GoPro Max after plenty of testing and comparison time to the GoPro Hero 8 Black. From stabilization to SuperWide and more. Read More Here

GoPro Hero 8 Black In-Depth Review

Here’s everything you need to know after nearly a month of testing the new GoPro Hero 8 Black, from stabilization to features and plenty more! Read More Here

DJI OSMO Action: In-Depth Review of DJI’s First Action Camera

Is the OSMO Action a GoPro Killer? I dive in with extreme detail to see how it stacks up against the Hero 7 Black, from piles of side by side footage and plenty of tests. Read More Here

GoPro Hero 7 Black In-Depth Review

It’s that time of year again. Like clockwork it’s the annual drop from GoPro of new action cameras. This year they’ve launched three new cameras – the Hero 7 Black, Silver, and White.  These three new cameras will replace all … Read More Here

My 6 Favorite Action Cam Accessories I Use Daily

Virtually every day I use action cams to get shots for all assortment of things: In-Depth reviews, general posts, Strava pics, and even Instagram (ok, I suck at being daily there, The Girl is far better). Over on YouTube I’ve … Read More Here

GoPro Fusion 360° Action Camera In-Depth Review

Just shy of a year ago GoPro announced initial details around their consumer-oriented 360° action camera, Fusion.  But it wouldn’t be until this past November that the company started shipping the $699 dual-lens unit.  Since then I’ve been using the … Read More Here

Wiral LITE Cable Cam for Action Sports: How it all works

Over the last month or so you’ve probably seen a few action clips of mine using a funky length of 50 meters of cable and a doohicky zip across it like something out of crazy ziplining video.  That is Wiral, … Read More Here

GoPro Hero6 Black In-Depth Review

Today GoPro announced their latest action cam – the GoPro Hero6 Black.  While it may look the same from the outside, it’s packed with tons of huge changes on the inside.  Some of those changes are headliner options like 4K … Read More Here

GoPro Karma Grip Gimbal In-Depth Review

I get detailed on the GoPro Karma Grip, Grip Extension, Hero5 Black, and Seeker bag in a 10-month test of how things actually work and hold up. Read More Here

Feiyu Tech G5 Action Cam Gimbal In-Depth Review

Ahh yes, gimbals.  It’s the magic that makes your average footage look beautiful.  It’s what keeps shaky stuff from being unusable, and what makes selfie-sticks feel like a simple tree branch. You might remember last year I did a review … Read More Here

Garmin VIRB 360 5.7K Action Cam In-Depth Review

Today Garmin jumped into the 360° fray by introducing their own 360° action camera – the VIRB 360.  This camera one-ups everyone in the specs department by mic-dropping 5.7K resolution alongside being completely waterproofed with GPS built-in.  Not to mention … Read More Here

Best Action Cam 2017: GoPro Hero5 Black vs Garmin VIRB Ultra 30

In virtually every post or video I make where I use an action cam, I’m asked which camera I’m using and why.  And even more commonly since this past fall I’m asked whether to go with the GoPro Hero5 Black … Read More Here

DJI Mavic Pro In-Depth Review

While the widely held assumption this year was that the GoPro Karma drone would be the hottest drone to get one’s hands on, it’s quickly become clear over the last 75 days that wouldn’t quite pan out.  A mere 7 … Read More Here

GoPro Hero5 Black In-Depth Review

It’s been two years since the last major GoPro Hero launch.  No, I don’t count the Session last year.  I’m talking about a multi-camera launch like GoPro has typically done each fall for the majority of its history.  Back in … Read More Here

Everything you need to know: GoPro’s New Hero5 Cameras & Karma Drone

Update: Go see my full GoPro Hero5 Black In-Depth Review here! Today GoPro announced three new action cameras, a drone, and a rather interesting flotilla of accessories.  These include a handheld gimbal, external microphone/remote combos, and even a nifty $19 … Read More Here

Garmin VIRB Ultra 30 In-Depth Review

Last week, Garmin announced and released their newest action cam – the VIRB Ultra 30.  To summarize this 50-million word in-depth review in the most succinct manner possible: Someone at Garmin finally got it.  They created what might possibly best … Read More Here

Cycliq Fly12 Bike Light/Camera In-Depth Review

It’s been over a year since Cycliq first introduced their Fly12 combo bike light and HD camera.  While the road to shipping was certainly longer and bumpier than the company wanted, they started shipping units to customers last month.  You’ll … Read More Here

360Fly 360° Action Camera In-Depth Review

It’s the all-seeing action camera in-depth review.  Or at least, the mostly seeing action camera in-depth review While I’ve talked about 360° action cameras a bit over the last year or so, it hasn’t been until now that they’re actually … Read More Here

Garmin VIRB X & XE Action Cam In-Depth Review

Every once in a while in the DCR Review Realm I go ahead and pull out a slightly longer review cycle.  This would be one of those times.  In this case, I’ve used the Garmin VIRB X & XE action … Read More Here

The Feiyu Tech GoPro Action Cam Wearable Gimbal In-Depth Review

I know, approximately 97% of you are looking at the title right now and going “Who the fudge is Feiyu Tech?”  And then about 65% of you are saying “What the heck is a gimbal?” (and is it related to a gumball?).  Fear … Read More Here

A 360° Action Cam Roundup: Nikon, 360Fly, Giroptic…and GoPro

Just as last year was the year of the drone at CES, this year there is a lot of buzz about virtual reality. Lots of news surrounding bunches of new VR headsets. And to do VR, you need 360. As … Read More Here

Fitbit Inspire HR Activity Tracker In-Depth Review

Here’s everything you need to know about the Fitbit Inspire lineup, including what’s new, what’s unique, what works, and what doesn’t. I dive into all the details. Read More Here

Apple’s Beddit 3.5 Sleep Tracker In-Depth Review

Most times I buy or receive products I’ve got a mental expectation of how that product will probably turn out. And most times, it’s correct. Sometimes a product hits it out of the park well beyond my expectations (the original … Read More Here

Hands-on: Garmin Vivosmart 4, now with Pulse Ox and Body Battery

The Vivosmart 4 is Garmin’s first device to introduce the new Body Battery, as well with the Pulse Ox (Sp02). How well does it work? I dig in. Read More Here

First Look: Fitbit Charge 3 Activity Tracker with SpO2 Sensor & Sleep Disturbance Tracking

***UPDATE: Fitbit has since released the Fitbit Charge 4, check out the in-depth review here!*** No matter how you slice it, the Fitbit Charge series is Fitbit’s leading line to date. Having sold over 35 million units amongst the various … Read More Here

Fitbit Versa In-Depth Review

*** UPDATE: The Versa 3 is out! Check out the in-depth review here!*** Do you know what happens when you remove GPS and style from the Fitbit Ionic? You end up with a Fitbit Versa. Which is probably the easiest … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 3: Sport & Fitness In-Depth Review

Over the last 6 weeks I’ve been wearing the Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular edition to see how well it works not just in daily use, but more importantly sport and fitness use.  This review is all about sport and … Read More Here

Garmin Vivoactive 3 In-Depth Review

It’s been about 6 weeks since Garmin first announced the new Vivoactive 3 GPS watch.  This watch builds upon the Vivoactive HR by adding in more features including things like contactless payments with Garmin Pay, as well as structured workouts.  … Read More Here

Garmin Vivofit Jr. 2: Everything you ever wanted to know

Today Garmin announced the Vivofit Jr. 2, which takes their surprisingly successful Vivofit Jr. kids-focused product line and adds in a few features. But most importantly it cements a Disney partnership for branded variants of the activity trackers covering Star … Read More Here

Fitbit Ionic GPS Smartwatch In-Depth Review

Last month Fitbit announced their latest device – the Fitbit Ionic.  This would be a significant step forward for the company, as it would represent them stepping into a slightly different (and higher end) market.  While it was previously difficult … Read More Here

Garmin Vivosport In-Depth Review

A few weeks ago as part of Garmin’s trifecta announcement of new Vivo-labeled products, they announced the Vivosport (along with the Vivomove HR and Vivoactive 3).  In many ways the Vivosport got overlooked as it lacked the fashionista flashiness of … Read More Here

Garmin’s Vivomove HR: Everything you need to know

Sometimes, beauty is only skin deep. And unfortunately in the case of the Vivomove HR – that’s never been more true. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.  The Vivomove HR is the second iteration of Garmin’s dabble … Read More Here

Polar M430 In-Depth Review

Polar’s latest GPS watch steps up to plate with what might be the most accurate optical HR sensor in a mainstream GPS watch. I dive into the details. Read More Here

Fitbit Alta HR In-Depth Review

In what may seem like a sea of Fitbit models, the Fitbit Alta HR attempts to strike the balance between what folks want as a straightforward activity tracker, while making some nods towards basic workout support.  I’ve been wearing a … Read More Here

Polar A370 In-Depth Review

Just over a week ago Polar announced their latest wearable – the Polar A370.  This new unit took the hardware of the Polar A360 that was released about 18 months ago and plopped in a few new features like continuous … Read More Here

Garmin Vivosmart 3 Activity Tracker In-Depth Review

Today Garmin introduced an updated version of its Vivosmart lineup, the Vivosmart 3.  This essentially takes the Vivosmart HR that we saw last year (aka Vivosmart Gen2) and shrinks it down.  Then they layered in a bunch of new heart … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 2 and Nike+ Edition: Sport & Fitness In-Depth Review

It’s now been a few months since Apple released their second generation watches, both the Apple Watch Series 2 and the Nike+ Edition.  These watches built upon the initial Apple Watch first generation units by adding GPS capabilities and improved … Read More Here

Hands-on: Polar’s new M200 GPS watch with Optical HR

Today Polar announced its latest device – the M200, which is a budget focused running GPS watch, but one complete with optical heart rate, smartphone notifications, and even structured training options.  All at $149/149EUR.  Or, $189 if you want to … Read More Here

Garmin Vivoactive HR In-Depth Review

It’s been a few months since Garmin announced the Vivoactive HR while at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.  The unit started shipping last month and I’ve been wearing it on my wrist 24×7 since then.  The Vivoactive HR sits in Garmin’s mid-range watch pricing … Read More Here

Hands-on with the new Garmin Vivomove watch

Garmin’s first classy looking wearable is out! Time to dive into all the details, and compare it against the competition. Read More Here

Fitbit Alta In-Depth Review

It’s been a touch over two months since Fitbit announced their most recent wearable, the Fitbit Alta.  Like all of Fitbit’s entrants this year, it was designed to be more fashion focused, while giving incremental upgrades in terms of features … Read More Here

Fitbit Blaze In-Depth Review

Almost exactly two months ago at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Fitbit announced their latest higher-end wearable, the Fitbit Blaze.  The company positioned it as a smart fitness watch, aiming to offer something midway between the higher-end … Read More Here

The Apple Watch: Sport and Fitness In-Depth Review

Heads up – February 2017! Looking for the Apple Watch Series 2 In-Depth Review? Swing on over to that page here! Ahh yes, the long awaited Apple Watch for Fitness In-Depth Review.  I’ve now spent almost 10 months with the … Read More Here

First Look: Fitbit announces new Fitbit Alta activity tracker

Today Fitbit announced their latest activity tracker – the Fitbit Alta.  This unit is effectively a replacement for the existing Fitbit Charge (or previous to that, the Force).  However, unlike those, this unit sports smartphone notifications,  move reminders, and the ability … Read More Here

Microsoft Band 2 In-Depth Fitness & Sport Focused Review

This past fall Microsoft released their second activity tracker, the Microsoft Band 2 – near exactly one year after they released the original Microsoft Band.  This new Band tweaks the sizing a bit and cleans up much of the exterior … Read More Here

Garmin Vivosmart HR In-Depth Review

Back about two months ago, Garmin announced their first wrist activity tracker (non-watch) with optical HR capabilities, the Vivosmart HR.  The Vivosmart HR was designed to build upon the release of the Vivosmart a year earlier.  Essentially it’s a daily … Read More Here

Hands on with the new Adidas Fit Smart

Adidas has just announced their latest sports and fitness focused device – the Fit Smart.  The unit features optical heart rate recognition from your wrist via an embedded Mio optical sensor, while supplementing that data in conjunction with accelerometer data … Read More Here

Adidas Bluetooth Smart miCoach (Mini) Footpod In-Depth Review

It’s been about 8 months since the first Bluetooth Smart footpod popped out into the market, introduced by Polar shortly after the release of their Polar Beat app.  However, while it technically worked just fine, it lacked one thing: Elegance. … Read More Here

Adidas Smart Run GPS In-Depth Review

This past October Adidas announced their Smart Run GPS unit to the world, introducing the first optical heart rate watch with a GPS sensor combined into it.  While Adidas has been in the sports technology arena for some time with … Read More Here

GoPro Hero 12 Black vs Apple iPhone 15: Action Test!

 For those not subscribed on YouTube, just a quick heads up that I dropped the above video today, which is a comparison between two totally different cameras, yet ones that also have significant overlap. And in this case, focusing … Read More Here

Apple Watch Ultra 2 In-Depth Review: Focused Sports Progress

 With the launch of the 2nd edition of the Apple Watch Ultra series, Apple has set the tone for an annual release cycle. As they’ve done with the existing/regular Apple Watch lineup, that cadence has focused on incremental updates … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 9 In-Depth Review: A Sports Focus

 Apple’s latest mainstream watch, the Apple Watch Series 9, has arrived. And with it comes minor incremental hardware updates, but a slate of software updates focused on sports and fitness. The hardware upgrades are entirely internal, focused on faster … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 9: What’s New and Hand-On

 In addition to the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, Apple has also refreshed its regular Apple Watch lineup with the new Series 9. These units share a ton of new features, both from a hardware standpoint, but also a … Read More Here

Apple Watch Ultra 2: Hands-on and What’s New

Apple has just announced the new Apple Watch Ultra 2, alongside the also-new Apple Watch Series 9. Both of these units see largely hardware upgrades, mostly focused on performance and the display, while also adding one notable new feature that … Read More Here

Apple Watch Power Meter Support: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

Last month at Apple’s annual developer conference the company outlined the future of Apple Watch, at least in terms of software, for the next year. One item that seemed to surprise many was the announcement that Apple would be adding … Read More Here

Apple Watch Running Track Mode Expands To More Countries

A quick post for today as Apple has expanded their Apple Watch running track mode to more countries. This mode will automatically detect the running track as you step onto the track, offering to enter/trigger track mode (assuming you’re in … Read More Here

Oura Ring & Apple Watch Integrations: A Closer Look

Late last week Oura launched a new integration with the Apple Watch, adding both an app to display data as well as data fields that can be used in watch faces. While other display-less companies like Whoop have resisted integrations … Read More Here

Diving with the Apple Watch Ultra & Oceanic+ App: Everything You Need to Know

Huish Outdoors, in conjunction with Apple, has today launched the new Oceanic+ dive app for the Apple Watch Ultra. As you may remember, the Apple Watch Ultra has built-in depth gauge hardware that’s certified to 40m/130ft. However, the also built-in … Read More Here

Apple’s Satellite Emergency SOS Feature: A Review & Deep-Dive Explainer

Starting today, users in certain countries will be able to use their iPhone 14 units to trigger an emergency SOS, even in areas without cellular coverage. It does this using a network of 24 low-earth orbit satellites that the iPhone … Read More Here

Dive Tidbits From Underwater Chamber Testing the Apple Watch Ultra

I hadn’t really planned on writing a separate post for the video shown above, where I put the Apple Watch Ultra in my underwater depth testing chamber. Mostly because my list of non-Apple things is growing right now, and there’s … Read More Here

I Tested All Three Apple Watch Ultra Band Types

 Since first trying on the new Apple Watch Ultra, I’ve been inundated with questions about which band to choose. While it may seem like there are many models of the Apple Watch Ultra, in reality, there’s only one hardware … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 8 In-Depth Review

While all eyes last week were on the Apple Watch Ultra, the reality is that the Series 8 will sell the most units (by far), has almost every software feature of the Ultra, and includes the same slate of massive … Read More Here

Apple Watch Ultra Hands-On: Everything you need to know!

Today, Apple has announced the biggest shift to their Apple Watch product lineup since launch, by announcing the new Apple Watch Ultra, which is targeted at the endurance athlete. This new watch has increased battery life, an added button, larger … Read More Here

Apple Adds Manual Triathlon Transitions to Latest WatchOS 9 Beta

Hot on the heals of my full Apple WatchOS 9 triathlon beta test earlier this week, Apple has added manual transitions to the latest beta preview build, which went live on Wednesday. Obviously, this was in the works for considerably … Read More Here

Tri Amsterdam Race Report (Testing Apple Watch Triathlon Mode!)

Earlier this summer, Apple announced WatchOS 9, which is by far the company’s most ambitious push into endurance sports to date for their Apple Watch platform. It includes customizable interval support, running power, and a multisport mode, among many other … Read More Here

Knog Scout with built-in Apple Find My (AirTag network) and Bike Alarm: Hands-On

Knog has announced and shown their new Knog Scout device at Eurobike, which is a small pod that fits underneath a water bottle cage, and has Apple’s Find My network built into it. Meaning, it’s effectively got an AirTag built … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 7 Launched: Complete New Features & Tech Details

Today Apple has launched their Apple Watch Series 7 slate of watches, including the largest display in the Apple Watch lineup to date. This is combined with WatchOS 8, which was announced back in June. Meaning that while many new … Read More Here

Here’s All The New Apple watchOS 8 Upcoming Features

As part of Apple’s annual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC), held each June – again this year held purely online, the company has outlined numerous aspects of their platforms (iOS, iPad OS, watchOS, etc..) However, for this post I’m going to … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series SE: A Fitness First Impressions Untangled

Trying to detangle exactly how the Apple Watch SE stacks up against the Apple Watch Series 6 from a sports and fitness standpoint? This dives into all the details and nuances, from GPS accuracy to HR accuracy, features and more. Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 6: First Run Accuracy & SpO2 Sensor Data

While I already posted earlier this week on the new features of the Apple Watch Series 6, I figured I’d share some quick first run Friday data for ya. As well as some initial thoughts on the handful of other … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 5: Sports & Fitness In-Depth Review

It’s been two months since the Apple Watch Series 5 came out, and the watch has been on my right wrist every one of those days. Swim, bike, run…and plenty more. You may remember my initial thoughts on it back … Read More Here

Apple’s Beddit 3.5 Sleep Tracker In-Depth Review

Most times I buy or receive products I’ve got a mental expectation of how that product will probably turn out. And most times, it’s correct. Sometimes a product hits it out of the park well beyond my expectations (the original … Read More Here

Apple Watch Ultra 2 In-Depth Review: Focused Sports Progress

 With the launch of the 2nd edition of the Apple Watch Ultra series, Apple has set the tone for an annual release cycle. As they’ve done with the existing/regular Apple Watch lineup, that cadence has focused on incremental updates … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 9 In-Depth Review: A Sports Focus

 Apple’s latest mainstream watch, the Apple Watch Series 9, has arrived. And with it comes minor incremental hardware updates, but a slate of software updates focused on sports and fitness. The hardware upgrades are entirely internal, focused on faster … Read More Here

Apple Watch Power Meter Support: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

Last month at Apple’s annual developer conference the company outlined the future of Apple Watch, at least in terms of software, for the next year. One item that seemed to surprise many was the announcement that Apple would be adding … Read More Here

Apple Watch Updates: Running Track Mode, Race Route, and Extended Battery Times

This has been a busy last week or two for Apple, especially in the watch realm. But also in other areas like expanding out iPhone 14 Emergency SOS via Satellite to some European countries. In this quick post, I’m going … Read More Here

Apple Watch SE (2022/2nd Gen) In-Depth Review

This fall we saw a slew of Apple product releases. From the much anticipated Apple Ultra Watch, to the hugely popular Apple Watch Series 8. But slotted below those in price is the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen). This has … Read More Here

Apple Watch Ultra In-Depth Review: It’s a Start!

The Apple Watch Ultra is Apple’s real first foray into a watch suited for endurance sports, and other sporty adventures. Sure, Apple’s WatchOS 9 update for many of their other watches, including the recent Apple Watch Series 8, has brought … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 8 In-Depth Review

While all eyes last week were on the Apple Watch Ultra, the reality is that the Series 8 will sell the most units (by far), has almost every software feature of the Ultra, and includes the same slate of massive … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 7 Launched: Complete New Features & Tech Details

Today Apple has launched their Apple Watch Series 7 slate of watches, including the largest display in the Apple Watch lineup to date. This is combined with WatchOS 8, which was announced back in June. Meaning that while many new … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series SE: A Fitness First Impressions Untangled

Trying to detangle exactly how the Apple Watch SE stacks up against the Apple Watch Series 6 from a sports and fitness standpoint? This dives into all the details and nuances, from GPS accuracy to HR accuracy, features and more. Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 6: First Run Accuracy & SpO2 Sensor Data

While I already posted earlier this week on the new features of the Apple Watch Series 6, I figured I’d share some quick first run Friday data for ya. As well as some initial thoughts on the handful of other … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 5: Sports & Fitness In-Depth Review

It’s been two months since the Apple Watch Series 5 came out, and the watch has been on my right wrist every one of those days. Swim, bike, run…and plenty more. You may remember my initial thoughts on it back … Read More Here

Apple’s Beddit 3.5 Sleep Tracker In-Depth Review

Most times I buy or receive products I’ve got a mental expectation of how that product will probably turn out. And most times, it’s correct. Sometimes a product hits it out of the park well beyond my expectations (the original … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 4: Sports & Fitness In-Depth Review

Everything you ever wanted to know about using the Apple Watch Series 4 for sport and fitness. From GPS accuracy tests to pushing the limits of the new optical HR sensor…and plenty more. Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 3: Sport & Fitness In-Depth Review

Over the last 6 weeks I’ve been wearing the Apple Watch Series 3 Cellular edition to see how well it works not just in daily use, but more importantly sport and fitness use.  This review is all about sport and … Read More Here

Apple Watch Series 2 and Nike+ Edition: Sport & Fitness In-Depth Review

It’s now been a few months since Apple released their second generation watches, both the Apple Watch Series 2 and the Nike+ Edition.  These watches built upon the initial Apple Watch first generation units by adding GPS capabilities and improved … Read More Here

The Apple Watch: Sport and Fitness In-Depth Review

Heads up – February 2017! Looking for the Apple Watch Series 2 In-Depth Review? Swing on over to that page here! Ahh yes, the long awaited Apple Watch for Fitness In-Depth Review.  I’ve now spent almost 10 months with the … Read More Here

The Basis Peak In-Depth Review

When the Basis Peak was announced earlier this fall it was designed to fill in the gaps as well as build upon their previous product, the Basis B1, that was released about 2 years ago.  The Basis watch has always … Read More Here

First hands-on look at Bia GPS watch designed for women

Earlier this week while in Las Vegas for CES I had the chance to meet up with the founder of Bia, the only womens focused GPS watch on the market.  Cheryl Kellond and I met me at the UNLV track … Read More Here

Into Thin Air: Bkool’s New 2017-2018 Trainer Lineup

While it’s traditional that most European trainer companies announced their new wares at Eurobike, Spain-based Bkool decided to eschew that for a few more weeks of prep and then launch their new trainer products at Interbike instead.  Unfortunately, that didn’t … Read More Here

Bkool Announces ANT+ FE-C Software Update Available Now, plus a new budget trainer and more

BKOOL is here at Eurobike this week and has pushed out a number of updates (both software and hardware), one of which will definitely make (most) existing owners quite happy.  As a brief refresher Bkool has historically been one of … Read More Here

BKOOL Wireless ANT+ Trainer In-Depth Review

The BKOOL trainer is unique in the market in a number of ways.  It marks the first trainer I’ve reviewed that includes an all-you-can-eat flat-rate approach to riding videos shot outdoors, while indoors.  It’s also the first resistance controlled computerized … Read More Here

Bryton Rider S500 Bike GPS First Ride Thoughts

This past week Bryton announced their new Rider S500 cycling GPS. The unit adds in a new climb functionality (called Climb Challenge), as well as switching over to a USB-C port. It also notes increased brightness and battery, on a … Read More Here

Bryton Cardio 60 GPS Multisport Watch In-Depth Review

The Bryton Cardio 60 is an interesting relatively unknown nugget on the triathlon watch scene.  It’s interesting because it’s one of the few (if only?) multisport GPS watches that’s not actually offered in North America.  But outside of that scope, there’s … Read More Here

COROS Heart Rate Monitor (Optical Band) In-Depth Review

The COROS Heart Rate Monitor is a very simple product, which should make for a very simple review. After all, it doesn’t even have an on button. Instead, it has exactly one purpose in life: Transmitting your current heart rate … Read More Here

COROS APEX 2 and APEX 2 Pro In-Depth Review

Today COROS has announced the long-teased COROS APEX 2 series watches, including both a base model and a Pro model. While I had considered doing entirely separate reviews for both of these, the reality is they’re virtually identical watches same … Read More Here

COROS Announces Training Hub Online Platform & Coaching Site

COROS has announced (yet again) a pretty significant update today, this time rolling out an online training log and analysis platform for both individual athletes and coaches. While we saw hints of some form of online site back when they … Read More Here

COROS Rolls Out Strava Routes Sync & Multi-Pitch Climb Support

When COROS announced their maps-laden Vertix 2 this past summer, one of the biggest criticisms from virtually every reviewer was that getting planned navigational routes onto the unit was cumbersome and time-consuming (at best). That was because it required you … Read More Here

COROS VERTIX 2 In-Depth Review–With Maps and Music

It’s been just shy of a year since COROS’s last new model hardware release, the Pace 2. And while we’ve seen the many software updates over the last year, it appears their hardware team has been well-fueled with Mountain Dew … Read More Here

COROS’s Nifty New Keychain Watch Charger: Way more detail than you needed

As longtime readers know, I’ve probably got a bit of a watch charging ‘thing’. One might call it an unhealthy obsession with creative ways to charge a watch, another might call it a fetish. However, what is clear is I’ve … Read More Here

COROS Pace 2 In-Depth Review: A $199 Multisport watch with Running Power

How does this $199 GPS multisport watch perform, and can it compete with the biggest names in the endurance sports industry? I dive into all the details and accuracy in-depth. Read More Here

COROS VERTIX Adventure GPS Watch: Hands-on with their new premium watch

The COROX Vertix might look like a Garmin Fenix 5 watch, but are the features the same? I dig in to find out how well it stacks up. Read More Here

COROS APEX Multisport GPS Watch In-Depth Review

I don’t think there’s any sports technology GPS watch startup that’s being watched as closely by GPS watch industry giants as COROS is. Now as you’ll see, it may not be entirely for the reasons you think, but no matter … Read More Here

First Look: COROS’s new Pace GPS Multisport Watch

[Heads up! COROS has now released the Pace 2, which is a significantly more powerful watch than the Pace 1…but at the same awesome $199 price. Check out my full review here on that instead.] How on earth is it … Read More Here

COROS Linx Smart Helmet In-Depth Review

The COROS Smart Helmet hit Kickstarter about 4 weeks ago, and I’ve been lucky enough to have a unit for the last few weeks.  The company is far enough along that the unit I was handed to try is essentially … Read More Here

Saris MP1 Nfinity Motion Platform In-Depth Review

It’s been a year and a half since we got our first glimpses of the now named Saris MP1 platform. Back then, Saris was called CycleOps, and the platform didn’t even have a name. It was just dubbed “The Thing” … Read More Here

Saris H3 Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

CycleOps…err…now Saris is getting a bit ahead of the Eurobike show announcement flood by starting early. Today they’ve announced three new products. First, is this post – the Saris H3 (Hammer 3) trainer. This trainer gets a bit quieter while … Read More Here

CycleOps H2 (Hammer 2) Trainer In-Depth Review

Update: The CycleOps H2 has since been replaced by the Saris H3, though frankly, the only meaningful difference is noise. Here’s the link to my full H3 in-depth review. This past summer at Eurobike, CycleOps somewhat quietly announced their new … Read More Here

CycleOps Hammer Trainer In-Depth Review

Update: The CycleOps Hammer has since been replaced by the Saris H3, though frankly, the only meaningful difference is noise. Here’s the link to my full H3 in-depth review. It’s Hammer Time. The Hammer is CycleOps’ answer to the highly … Read More Here

Hands-on with new CycleOps Hammer Smart Trainer

Today CycleOps has announced their latest trainer product, the Hammer.  Taking a cue from others in the industry on having a catchy name, the Hammer is CycleOps’s first totally new trainer in a few years.  And also their first direct … Read More Here

PowerTap P1 Power Meter Pedals In-Depth Review

Back this spring PowerTap for the first time announced a power meter that wasn’t in the rear wheel hub.  Well, they actually announced two new power meters.  The first was the PowerTap P1, which is a pedal based power meter, … Read More Here

CycleOps Virtual Training In-Depth Review

While the CycleOps PowerBeam Pro has been around a while, their entertainment and training software – Virtual Training – just came out late last year.  I’ve been using beta versions on and off since last spring, and with the final … Read More Here

PowerTap PowerCal In-Depth Review

The CycleOps PowerCal is a unique power meter of sorts. Aside from being inexpensive, it’s also non-traditional in the way it gathers power.. Read More Here

CycleOps Joule GPS In-Depth Review

The Joule CycleOps GPS represents the companies first GPS bike computer. I’ll dive deep on it and see how it stacks up against the competition. Read More Here

CycleOps PowerBeam Pro Trainer In-Depth Review

While the CycleOps PowerBeam Pro may be two years old, it’s one of the very few trainers on the market that allows specific wattage resistance control.  Meaning, you can set it for a given wattage – i.e. 200w, and it’ll … Read More Here

CycleOps Joule and PowerTap Wheelset In-Depth Review

Last year when Saris/CycleOps came out with their ANT+ enabled Joule, many wondered how it would stack up against the competition.  Would a non-GPS enabled device still be able to compete in an increasingly GPS dominated world?  And how would … Read More Here

DJI Action 4 In-Depth Review Video

For those not subscribed on YouTube, I’ve posted my complete DJI Action 4 In-Depth review video up there, including tons of comparison footage to the GoPro Hero 11 Black. The Action 4 is mostly a minor upgrade compared to the … Read More Here

DJI Air 3 In-Depth Review (with Sports Tracking!)

DJI has announced and released the DJI Air 3, the successor to the Air 2S, and the ‘middle-child’ of the core DJI 3-series lineup. This drone is meant to slot in below the Mavic 3 Pro price/feature-wise while being higher-end … Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 In-Depth Review: A $469 Drone!

Today DJI has announced their latest (and least expensive) drone, the DJI Mini 3. This variant takes elements of the previous DJI Mini 3 Pro unit launched this past spring, and packages it up at a $469 price point – … Read More Here

DJI Avata High Wind Tests

As is often the case with new drones, when the wind kicks it up a notch in the Netherlands, I head out to the pier to put it to the test. In this case, the newly released DJI Avata. This … Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 Pro Accessories Tested: New Bike Mount for ActiveTrack

I figured I’d add a quick post here to mention a video I posted a few days ago on YouTube, covering a slate of DJI Mini 3 Pro Accessories I’ve been using this summer. Most of these were more general … Read More Here

DJI Avata In-Depth Review: Everything you need to know

For those that aren’t following along on YouTube, I figured I’d just drop a quick note here that I posted my DJI Avata In-Depth Review up on YouTube last week on announcement day. This drone isn’t quite like most of … Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 Pro In-Depth Review (Including Sports Tracking)

DJI has just announced their newest sub-250g drone, the DJI Mini 3 Pro –and this time, it’s a massive step up in functionality and hardware over the previous iterations. It adds 4K/60FPS shooting modes, up to 46 minutes of battery … Read More Here

DJI Mavic 3 vs Skydio 2 Active Track Review (for Cycling)

This post is a quick heads up that over on YouTube I published a review of the DJI Mavic 3 and its newly released Active Track 5.0 functionality. Additionally, within this video, I include a review of the canal water … Read More Here

Skydio 2 vs Mavic 3: Obstacle Avoidance Testing Video

Just a quick note for those that don’t follow along on YouTube, that I’ve published the first of two videos looking at the Skydio 2 vs the Mavic 3. For those in the sports action tracking realm, the Skydio drones … Read More Here

DJI Air 2S In-Depth Review (with a Sports Tracking Focus)

DJI has announced its latest drone, the DJI Air 2S. This unit drops the long-lived ‘Mavic’ from its name, in DJI’s larger effort to simplify product naming. But, it’s gained significantly increased resolution, a bump from 4K up to 5.4K … Read More Here

Review: Bike Mount for DJI Drones to use with Active Track

If you’re a long-time follower of the site or channel, you know I’ve got a long history of trying out drones with sports track capabilities. This has gone back almost a decade in fact, with all sorts of drones at … Read More Here

DJI Mini 2 In-Depth Review

What’s changed on DJI’s most popular entry level drone? I dig into all the nuances, including how well it works for sports applications, and plenty more! Read More Here

DJI Mavic Mini In-Depth Review

This is DJI’s lightest drone yet – but have they cut too many features to make it one of their best drones? After more than a month of testing, I detail all the nuances. Read More Here

DJI OSMO Action: In-Depth Review of DJI’s First Action Camera

Is the OSMO Action a GoPro Killer? I dive in with extreme detail to see how it stacks up against the Hero 7 Black, from piles of side by side footage and plenty of tests. Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 In-Depth Review: A $469 Drone!

Today DJI has announced their latest (and least expensive) drone, the DJI Mini 3. This variant takes elements of the previous DJI Mini 3 Pro unit launched this past spring, and packages it up at a $469 price point – … Read More Here

DJI Avata High Wind Tests

As is often the case with new drones, when the wind kicks it up a notch in the Netherlands, I head out to the pier to put it to the test. In this case, the newly released DJI Avata. This … Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 Pro Accessories Tested: New Bike Mount for ActiveTrack

I figured I’d add a quick post here to mention a video I posted a few days ago on YouTube, covering a slate of DJI Mini 3 Pro Accessories I’ve been using this summer. Most of these were more general … Read More Here

DJI Avata In-Depth Review: Everything you need to know

For those that aren’t following along on YouTube, I figured I’d just drop a quick note here that I posted my DJI Avata In-Depth Review up on YouTube last week on announcement day. This drone isn’t quite like most of … Read More Here

DJI Mini 3 Pro In-Depth Review (Including Sports Tracking)

DJI has just announced their newest sub-250g drone, the DJI Mini 3 Pro –and this time, it’s a massive step up in functionality and hardware over the previous iterations. It adds 4K/60FPS shooting modes, up to 46 minutes of battery … Read More Here

DJI Mavic 3 vs Skydio 2 Active Track Review (for Cycling)

This post is a quick heads up that over on YouTube I published a review of the DJI Mavic 3 and its newly released Active Track 5.0 functionality. Additionally, within this video, I include a review of the canal water … Read More Here

Skydio 2 vs Mavic 3: Obstacle Avoidance Testing Video

Just a quick note for those that don’t follow along on YouTube, that I’ve published the first of two videos looking at the Skydio 2 vs the Mavic 3. For those in the sports action tracking realm, the Skydio drones … Read More Here

DJI Air 2S In-Depth Review (with a Sports Tracking Focus)

DJI has announced its latest drone, the DJI Air 2S. This unit drops the long-lived ‘Mavic’ from its name, in DJI’s larger effort to simplify product naming. But, it’s gained significantly increased resolution, a bump from 4K up to 5.4K … Read More Here

DJI Mini 2 In-Depth Review

What’s changed on DJI’s most popular entry level drone? I dig into all the nuances, including how well it works for sports applications, and plenty more! Read More Here

DJI Mavic Mini In-Depth Review

This is DJI’s lightest drone yet – but have they cut too many features to make it one of their best drones? After more than a month of testing, I detail all the nuances. Read More Here

Skydio 2 Autonomous Sports Drone In-Depth Review

If you’re looking for the ultimate in-depth review of the ultimate sports drone, this is it. The good, the bad, and a bit of ugly. Everything you need to know. Read More Here

DJI Mavic 2 Zoom and Pro In-Depth Review

After three months of use, how does the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom and Pro really hold up? I dig into all the details – in particular from a sports tracking standpoint. Read More Here

Hands-on: Skydio’s R1 Sports Drone Gets Apple Watch Control

I don’t usually cover the slew of app announcements for the Apple Watch – but this one is definitely different, and, if you’re looking to get cool action video of yourself – then this is also unique. As of today, … Read More Here

Skydio R1 Autonomous Sports Drone In-Depth Review

My quest to find a drone that can follow me while cycling and running may finally have found its maker. After years of trying all sorts of products, the Skydio R1 came along. And it did so in a big … Read More Here

Hands-on: Airdog’s new ADII sports-tracking drone

Last week Airdog announced their latest sports-tracking drone, the Airdog ADII.  Years ago the company announced on Kickstarter their first drone, simply called Airdog, which was aimed 100% at the sports tracking market.  It didn’t pretend to be a more … Read More Here

DJI Spark In-Depth Review

The DJI Spark is small, but is it as capable as DJI says? I did into every possible question you have, with tons of detail. Read More Here

Hands-on: Staaker Action Sports Drone

While at ISPO a few days ago, I got the chance to take out the new Staaker drone for a spin.  This drone is much like AirDog that I’ve reviewed previously, in that it focuses exclusively on sports action filming.  … Read More Here

DJI Mavic Pro In-Depth Review

While the widely held assumption this year was that the GoPro Karma drone would be the hottest drone to get one’s hands on, it’s quickly become clear over the last 75 days that wouldn’t quite pan out.  A mere 7 … Read More Here

GoPro Karma In-Depth Review

(Update: Feb 1st, 2017: GoPro has resumed shipping of the Karma drone following it’s earlier recall.  There is no difference between the pre and post-recall drones from a hardware or software features standpoint, except changes to the battery clip to … Read More Here

Everything you need to know: GoPro’s New Hero5 Cameras & Karma Drone

Update: Go see my full GoPro Hero5 Black In-Depth Review here! Today GoPro announced three new action cameras, a drone, and a rather interesting flotilla of accessories.  These include a handheld gimbal, external microphone/remote combos, and even a nifty $19 … Read More Here

AirDog Action Sports Drone In-Depth Review

Like most Kickstarter projects, it’s been a much longer road than anticipated to get their product off the ground.  But unlike most Kickstarter projects, AirDog literally needed to get off the ground and into the air to be successful.  It … Read More Here

Sports, Drones, and Follow-Me Aerial Action Imagery: A State of the Industry

There’s been a ton of interest as of late in using drones within sports.  This interest comes from many different angles.  First is the more traditional approach of simply using the unmanned aerial vehicle as a platform for videography and … Read More Here

Elite’s New Aria Smart Trainer Fan: First Look

Today at Eurobike, Elite was showing off their new Elite Aria smart trainer fan. Or, maybe it’s trainer smart fan. Or, fan for smart trainers. I don’t know the proper phrasing, but, it’s a fan that integrates with your smart … Read More Here

Elite Justo Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

Elite is kicking off the Tour de France with a new high-end trainer, the Elite Justo (Justo is Italian in Venetian dialect for right/correct, referring to the accuracy). This trainer not only looks different from the outside, matching the more … Read More Here

Elite’s New Training Desk: First Look

Elite showed off their new trainer desk at Eurobike, which includes a place for a power strip of your choice, and the ability to fold up for easy storage. It maintains the same style as both their Tuo trainer as … Read More Here

Elite RIZER In-Depth Review: Incline & Steering Simulation Accessory

The simplest way to explain the new Elite RIZER is that they merged a Wahoo CLIMB with an Elite Sterzo Smart, marrying both the steering aspects of the Sterzo Smart with the up and down functionality of the Wahoo CLIMB. … Read More Here

Elite Sterzo Smart In-Depth Review: Here’s How It Works With Zwift

It took a year. No, not just for steering to finally make it from semi-announced Elite/Zwift products, but for me to be convinced there’s value there. And last night, a mere two turns into a race I had my ‘Holy … Read More Here

Elite Direto XR/XR-T Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

The new Direto XR has increased specs including 24% simulated gradient, a cassette, and improved ERG mode. But is it just as accurate? I dig in with full in-depth testing! Read More Here

Elite Sterzo Steering/Riser Block Accessory In-Depth Review

*** Update: Elite has since released the Sterzo Smart. For the latest on this product, see the review post here. *** Last year at Eurobike we saw Elite announce two then-unnamed steering accessories. One of them contained electronics in it … Read More Here

Elite Suito/Suito-T Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

It’s been about five months since the Elite Suito was first announced back in July. The Suito made a name for itself by essentially copying the same Elite formula as a few years ago: Offer a good medium-range product that … Read More Here

Elite Zumo Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

One. Year. Later. Some trainers arrive on the scene happy as a clam (though virtually none in 2019). Others take a few weeks to mature. Some take months. The Zumo though – it decided to take its time like an … Read More Here

Elite’s New Tuo Smart Trainer: First Look and Specs

You know, for a toaster, it rides pretty well. I’m serious – Elite’s newly announced Tuo smart trainer actually feels way better than I expected it would. Which isn’t a knock on Elite, but a compliment. The reality is that … Read More Here

Elite Direto X Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

While Eurobike doesn’t officially start for another 15 hours, Elite is joining Saris in getting a jumpstart on things, this time on Eurobike Eve. Elite has just announced three new products – the Elite Direto X (this post), the Elite … Read More Here

Hands-On: Elite’s New $799 Suito Smart Trainer (with cassette)

From the first ride to the initial power accuracy, plus sound levels and more – I dig into what may be the best value trainer of 2019. Read More Here

Elite Fuoripista 14,000EUR Indoor Smart Bike: First Ride and Specs

I anticipate the cheapest sports technology gadget I’ll release a review or early look on here at Eurobike 2018 will cost about $60. But perhaps I’ll end up finding something that fits into my realm for cheaper.  What I don’t … Read More Here

Elite Drivo II Smart Trainer In-Depth Review

How well does Elite’s high-end trainer handle apps like Zwift and TrainerRoad? I dig in with all the detail to see if it can stand up to it. Read More Here

Elite Direto Trainer In-Depth Review

Earlier this summer Elite announced the Direto, a direct drive trainer that’s fully integrated into the likes of Zwift and TrainerRoad. Priced at $899 it was initially targeted at the mid-range price market, but over the course of the last … Read More Here

Elite’s new Direto trainer–Hands on!

Today Elite announced their newest trainer for the 2017-2018 winter trainer season – the Direto.  This direct drive controllable trainer is notable partly for its price ($899), but also partly because it’s sporting easily the highest accuracy rating of any … Read More Here

Elite Drivo Trainer In-Depth Review

Earlier this summer Elite launched four new trainers/rollers, and in doing so greatly simplified their trainer lineup.  Previous to that they had enough trainers to allow each member of the Brady Bunch both a primary and backup trainer.  Never mind … Read More Here

Epson’s New ProSense Running & Triathlon GPS watches: Everything you ever wanted to know

Today Epson announced a flotilla of new watches.  Not just one watch, but five different GPS watches from $99 to $399.  They’ve got everything from smartphone notifications to activity tracking, and most models have optical HR too.  Plus, they get … Read More Here

Epson Runsense SF-810 GPS watch with optical HR: In-Depth Review

Over the last 8-9 months, Epson has introduced a number of fitness wearables into the market.  While that might seem odd for a company known primarily for printers, one need only remember that Epson is part of the Seiko Epson … Read More Here

FINIS Neptune Swimming MP3 Player In-Depth Review

When FINIS announced the new Neptune swimming MP3 player two months ago I was skeptical.  I was pretty happy with the previous generation – the SwiMP3.  It was smaller, and and thus for most swimmers, that’s a critical selling point. … Read More Here

The Great Swimming MP3 Player Shootout

This past summer I started a swimming MP3 player test, one that I feel I can finally conclude.  I ended up buying just about every popular swimming MP3 player on the market, and then started testing them – one after … Read More Here

FINIS AquaPulse In Depth Review

Today FINIS announced their latest product, the AquaPulse underwater audible heart rate monitor.  Unlike most sport heart rate monitors however, this one doesn’t measure your heart rate using a standard chest strap, but instead does so at your ear…conveniently placed … Read More Here

FINIS Swimsense Performance Monitor In-Depth Review

While my pool time has been severely restricted lately with all the international travel, I did get a short opportunity to jump into the pool with the Swimsense while up in Newfoundland.  For those not familiar, Swimsense is like having … Read More Here

Fitbit Makes Some Premium Subscription Features Free

Fitbit has announced that they’ll be making a set of their Fitbit Premium subscription features free to all Fitbit users – including for Pixel Watch users which leverage the Fitbit features. These features are mostly historical data access features (versus … Read More Here

Google Pixel Watch In-Depth Review: A Promising Start

After many years of rumors, hints, acquisitions, and probably a few false starts – the Pixel watch is finally here. The end resultant is largely what you’d expect in a first-generation watch from a major company:  Something that appeals as … Read More Here

Fitbit Inspire 3 In-Depth Review

While the higher-end Fitbit Sense and Versa line get all the attention, the reality is the new Fitbit Inspire 3 is likely outperforming its $99 price point. The Inspire 3 is a substantial upgrade over years past, especially in the … Read More Here

Fitbit Daily Readiness Score Review: Here’s How it Works

Today Fitbit announced that they are rolling out their new Daily Readiness Score to Fitbit Premium users. This covers the Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Charge 5, Luxe, and Inspire 2. As long as you have one of those devices … Read More Here

Fitbit Charge 5 In-Depth Review

Fitbit’s new Charge 5 aims to take their most well-known wearable series and catapult it forward with a revamped AMOLED display that doesn’t feel like a TI-82 graphing calculator that previous Fitbit Charge units have had, while still trying to … Read More Here

Fitbit Versa 3 In-Depth Review

The Fitbit Versa 3 is the first Fitbit Versa series watch to include GPS built-in, along with a slate of new health metrics. But are these metrics accurate, or even useful at all? It’s time to dig in. Read More Here

Fitbit Sense In-Depth Review: All the Data Without the Clarity

The Fitbit Sense is both a departure from the norm and not, for Fitbit. On one hand, it’s vastly more expensive than any recent Fitbit smartwatch with vastly more sensors. Yet on the other end, the interface and day to … Read More Here

Fitbit Announces Fitbit Sense Smartwatch: Dives far deeper towards health metrics

When the winds of change bring you a pandemic, you respond with the most health and almost-but-not-medical focused Fitbit you’ve ever seen. Which is essentially the gist of today’s sweeping pile of new feature and hardware announcements. In a virtual … Read More Here

Fitbit Charge 4 with GPS In-Depth Review

The Fitbit Charge 4 includes key new features like built-in GPS & contactless payments. But is the new GPS accurate? And what does it do to battery life? Plus, I detail the sleep score and related new metrics. Read More Here

Google Acquires Fitbit: What it actually means to wearables and the industry

Google has just announced the acquisition of Fitbit for a cool $2.1 billion (USD).  The move will undoubtedly drive change in the industry, though, not as much as one might think – at least initially. Don’t worry, I’ll explain in … Read More Here

Fitbit Versa 2 with Amazon Alexa: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know

This new device includes Amazon Alexa, new sleep metrics, plus Spotify support. Not to mention hosting Fitbit’s new premium platform. Read More Here

Fitbit Inspire HR Activity Tracker In-Depth Review

Here’s everything you need to know about the Fitbit Inspire lineup, including what’s new, what’s unique, what works, and what doesn’t. I dive into all the details. Read More Here

The Fitbit Versa Lite Hands-On: Everything you ever wanted to know

Today Fitbit launched their least expensive smartwatch to date – the Fitbit Versa Lite. This newish watch essentially takes the existing Fitbit Versa smartwatch and removes the music playback, along with a handful of smaller features like stair counting (and … Read More Here

First Look: Fitbit Charge 3 Activity Tracker with SpO2 Sensor & Sleep Disturbance Tracking

***UPDATE: Fitbit has since released the Fitbit Charge 4, check out the in-depth review here!*** No matter how you slice it, the Fitbit Charge series is Fitbit’s leading line to date. Having sold over 35 million units amongst the various … Read More Here

Fitbit Versa In-Depth Review

*** UPDATE: The Versa 3 is out! Check out the in-depth review here!*** Do you know what happens when you remove GPS and style from the Fitbit Ionic? You end up with a Fitbit Versa. Which is probably the easiest … Read More Here

Fitbit Ionic GPS Smartwatch In-Depth Review

Last month Fitbit announced their latest device – the Fitbit Ionic.  This would be a significant step forward for the company, as it would represent them stepping into a slightly different (and higher end) market.  While it was previously difficult … Read More Here

Fitbit Alta HR In-Depth Review

In what may seem like a sea of Fitbit models, the Fitbit Alta HR attempts to strike the balance between what folks want as a straightforward activity tracker, while making some nods towards basic workout support.  I’ve been wearing a … Read More Here

Fitbit Charge 2 Activity Tracker In-Depth Review

It’s been a bit over two months since Fitbit announced their latest wearables, the Fitbit Charge 2 and the Fitbit Flex 2 (they also announced some Blaze updates and Alta bands at that time).  This review however is purely focused … Read More Here

Fitbit Alta In-Depth Review

It’s been a touch over two months since Fitbit announced their most recent wearable, the Fitbit Alta.  Like all of Fitbit’s entrants this year, it was designed to be more fashion focused, while giving incremental upgrades in terms of features … Read More Here

Fitbit Blaze In-Depth Review

Almost exactly two months ago at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Fitbit announced their latest higher-end wearable, the Fitbit Blaze.  The company positioned it as a smart fitness watch, aiming to offer something midway between the higher-end … Read More Here

First Look: Fitbit announces new Fitbit Alta activity tracker

Today Fitbit announced their latest activity tracker – the Fitbit Alta.  This unit is effectively a replacement for the existing Fitbit Charge (or previous to that, the Force).  However, unlike those, this unit sports smartphone notifications,  move reminders, and the ability … Read More Here

A Weighty Decision: Deciding on a WiFi Weight Scale

Connected scales are all the rage these days.  And for good reason – they make it easy to log your weight.  More importantly though, they make it hard to pretend nothing happened.  So as you rolled out of bed this … Read More Here

Fitbit Charge and Charge HR In-Depth Review

It’s been a few months now since Fitbit announced and then subsequently released their Fitbit Charge and Charge HR units.  At the same time, they announced the Fitbit Surge GPS (which I’ve already reviewed here).  For this post though, we’ll … Read More Here

Fitbit Surge In-Depth Review

It’s been a few months since Fitbit announced a trio of products, including their first GPS watch – the Fitbit Surge.  This joined two other activity trackers, the Fitbit Charge and Charge HR within the announcement (my review of the … Read More Here

FitBit Zip In-Depth Review

Here’s a fun fact to start out with: The FitBit Zip is actually probably the only product where I’ve written the review after over a year of use with the device.  Well, two devices actually.  But, more on what happened … Read More Here

Garmin Vivoactive 5 In-Depth Review: Now With An AMOLED Display!

To the surprise of many, Garmin has just announced the Vivoactive 5 – which is essentially a mini-Venu 3 (both in price and features). Garmin has killed off the MIP-based display of the previous Vivoactive series, instead adopting a more … Read More Here

Tacx NEO Bike Plus: A Quick Update on Accuracy & Steering

As we slowly slide into fall (for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere), I’m working my way through updating various reviews and data sets on relevant indoor smart trainers and smart bikes. Especially in cases where previous reviews found … Read More Here

Garmin Venu 3 Complete Beginners Guide

Here’s your complete Garmin Venu 3 Beginners Guide, which covers everything you need to know about how to use the watch day to day. This is a bit different than my review videos (or the Garmin Venu 3 In-Depth Review … Read More Here

Garmin Venu 3 In-Depth Review: More Sleep Analytics, Power Meters, and More!

 Garmin has just launched the new Venu 3 series, which goes back to having two separate sizes, while adding in a slate of features – some of which are the first time we’ve seen them on a Garmin wearable. … Read More Here

Garmin Epix Pro: The Complete Beginners Guide

 Just a quick heads up for those that aren’t subscribed on YouTube, that I’ve just hit publish on my incredibly detailed hour-long user guide for the Garmin Epix Pro, from beginning to end. As usual, I walk through all … Read More Here

Garmin Fenix 7 Pro In-Depth Review: Flashlight and Multiband for Everyone!

If you wanted a Fenix 7 series device with the flashlight of the Fenix 7X series, you’ve finally got your wish. With the new Fenix 7 Pro series, all three size Fenix 7 Pro units include a flashlight. And atop … Read More Here

Garmin Epix Pro In-Depth Review: Now In Three Sizes!

The new Epix Pro series is here, finally bringing the Epix AMOLED display-enabled watch to the same three sizes as the Fenix lineup (42mm, 47mm, and 51mm). But that’s not the only change. All three editions now gain a flashlight … Read More Here

Garmin Edge 540 Cycling GPS In-Depth Review

Garmin’s Edge 540 is part of a twofer of new cycling GPS units, alongside the touchscreen enabled Edge 840 that was concurrently launched. These two units are nearly identical in software features and functionality, while their core hardware difference is … Read More Here

Garmin Instinct 2X Solar In-Depth Review: Bigger and Flashlight-Equipped!

Garmin’s new Instinct 2X aims to complete the threesome size lineup of the Instinct 2 series, offering now a small, medium, and large edition. However, most notably, it becomes the next series of watches to include the flashlight, which Garmin … Read More Here

Garmin Edge 840 Cycling GPS In-Depth Review

Garmin has just announced the new Edge 840, as well as Edge 540 units. And like last year, with the more expensive Edge 1040, both the 540 and 840 get Solar variants. However, the changes go far beyond just sunny-side-up … Read More Here

Garmin Forerunner 265/265S: The Complete Beginners Guide

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Because I want to be transparent about my reviews – O-Synce sent me the Navi2Coach GPS bicycling computer to try out. Once I’m complete here, I’ll send this back to Germany and then go out and buy my own (to be able to support y’all in the comments section down the road). Simple as that. Sorta like hiking in wilderness trails – leave only footprints. If you find my review useful, you can use any of the Amazon or Clever Training links from this page to help support future reviews.

Lastly, at the end of the day keep in mind I’m just like any other regular triathlete out there. I write these reviews because I’m inherently a curious person with a technology background (my day job), and thus I try and be as complete as I can. But, if I’ve missed something or if you spot something that doesn’t quite jive – just let me know and I’ll be happy to get it all sorted out. Also, because the technology world constantly changes, I try and go back and update these reviews as new features and functionality are added – or if bugs are fixed.

So – with that intro, let’s get into things.
Unboxing:
The unit is displayed inside a see-through box, meaning that you can validate you’ve got the right thing before you tear it open.  By the way, this is a good time to note that O-Synce is pronounced “O-Science”.  I figure that the pronunciation for Navi2Coach is fairly self-explanatory.

Inside you’ll find the upper level has the unit, and the lower level hides all the mount brackets, cables and other accessories.

Here’s everything all sorted out once you’ve got the box moved out of the way:

And then here’s the parts post plastic baggie kidnapping:

I’ll quickly walk through everything.  First is the manual, of particular note is the mount setup.  While the whole thing may be obvious after reading this post, I assure you that upon opening it up the first time you’ll be confused.  If nothing else, read the manual to figure out the mount.

Then we’ve got the micro-USB cable.  Basically the same as most phone chargers these days:

Next up is the battery (yup, it’s both rechargeable and end-user swappable), as well as half of the mount stuff.  The other half of the mount stuff came on the unit itself.

A closer look at the battery:

Here’s the unit itself.  You’ll notice it came on one of the two provided mounts, sorta pre-assembled.

Flipping it over you can see how the mount would attach to one’s handlebars and provide a fairly stable platform.  Additionally, you can see the charging/download port towards the top.

To access/install the battery you’ll simply remove the lower gray section and stick the battery inside from the bottom.

With that, everything is ready to start toying with.  I’ll come back to the mount situation in a short bit, after we size things up a bit.
Size Comparisons:
Bike units are a bit more difficult to put on a rolling pin than typical watches are.  Mostly because they don’t have watch bands.  So, I just nudge them up against it all in a row – roughly from largest to smallest.  Sometimes it’s tricky, for example with the O-Synce where it’s taller than the Joule GPS, but skinnier.  Otherwise, it’s fairly self-explanatory.  In general, it’s smaller than the Garmin Edge 510, but larger than the Edge 500.

Above from left to right: Garmin Edge 810/800, Edge 510, CycleOps Joule GPS, O-Synce Navi2Coach [this review], CycleOps Joule, Garmin Edge 200/500, Timex Cycle Trainer 2.0, Bryton Rider 21, and Magellan Switch Up.

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Wahoo POWRLINK ZERO Speedplay Power Meter In-Depth Review

It’s finally here. After an 8-month delay (though tame by power meter pedal delay standards), Wahoo’s Speedplay-based power meter is finally shipping and available. This marks not just Wahoo’s first bike-based power meter, but also the first (and only) Speedplay … Read More Here

Favero Assioma DUO-Shi Power Meter In-Depth Review (Shimano SPD-SL variant)

 Favero has launched their newest Assioma variant today, the DUO-Shi, which simply takes the existing Favero Assioma pedals, but now with Shimano SPD-SL compatibility. Sorta. See, while that’s the end-point, the DUO-Shi product is actually just the pedal spindles … Read More Here

SRAM Rival AXS Power Meter: Hands-on and First Rides

In the world of cycling drivetrain gear, both SRAM and Shimano have three core pricing tiers for their wares. In Shimano’s case that’s Dura-Ace, Ultegra, and 105. While in SRAM’s case it’s RED, Force, and Rival. These companies release their … Read More Here

Garmin Rally Power Meter In-Depth Review (SPD/SPD-SL/LOOK KEO)

Garmin has launched three new power meters today, all under the new ‘Garmin Rally’ brand, which supersedes the Garmin Vector power meter lineup. The Rally series includes three pedal bodies at this point:  Shimano SPD-SL (road), Shimano SPD (typically off-road/MTB), … Read More Here

SRM X-Power SPD Power Meter In-Depth Review

It’s been a long time since a major brand new power meter was announced, and today’s post…well…it doesn’t change that. In fact, the SRM X-Power was announced some 18 months ago, and started shipping in super limited quantities nearly a … Read More Here

IQ2 Power Meter Pedals: First Rides Testing & Data Accuracy

[Updated note – Nov 2020: Please read the text. All of it. Especially the parts where I’m concerned about their ability to execute on the timeframes they’ve specified, and whether or not the unit I received for test is what … Read More Here

Stages Further Lowers Power Meter Pricing to $299

No matter how you feel about single-sided power meters, there’s zero denying that Stages and their timing of the decade deal with then Team Sky, dramatically increased power meter consumption. In the rising tide lifts all boats department, they took … Read More Here

SRM X Power MTB Power Meter First Look: A Turning Point for SRM?

For the first time in approximately ever, I’m actually excited about an SRM product and where the company is heading. Here, right off the top of this post without a wordy intro, in a mere three bullets I’ll explain why: … Read More Here

PowerTap P2 Power Meter Pedals In-Depth Review

It’s been almost exactly 4 years to the week since PowerTap first announced their PowerTap P1 pedals, and it didn’t take long for them to rocket to popularity. The installation required nothing more than a simple hex wrench, and the … Read More Here

SRM EXAKT Power Meter Pedals In-Depth Review

This past May we saw a new power meter pedal entrant announced onto the market, the SRM EXAKT pedals. Of course, SRM is well known for their power meter wares, which until now have been confined to cranksets and indoor … Read More Here

The Power Meter Buyers Guide–2018 Edition

Once again, it’s time for the annual power meter buyer’s guide!  It’s where I round-up every cycling power meter on the market, and talk through what’s happened in the last year.  I give my opinions of every single power meter … Read More Here

Hands-on: WatTeam’s New Gen3 PowerBeat Power Meter

Here’s all the details you need to know about the new WatTeam Gen3 power meter, which finally includes the ability to easily swap between bikes. Read More Here

Shimano Dura-Ace R9100P Power Meter In-Depth Review

It’s been almost two years since Shimano first announced their intentions to sell a power meter developed in-house, launched in the lead-up to the Tour de France in June 2016.  That summer, a handful of pro riders would be seen … Read More Here

Specialized Power Cranks Power Meter In-Depth Review

Today Specialized has finally announced their new power meter crankset, aptly called Power Cranks.  This crankset has been in the works for quite some time, both in rumors as well as on pro team riders bikes (as I showed at … Read More Here

Stages LR (Dual-Sided) Power Meter In-Depth Review

It’s been a long time coming.  For Stages, the development path of Stages LR has been over three years till it started shipping last month, with most of it in the public eye in the most watched bike on earth: … Read More Here

Garmin Vector 3 Power Meter In-Depth Review

Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about Garmin Vector 3, from sizing and weight, to cornering capabilities, plus accuracy aspects and more! Read More Here

The Power Meters Buyer’s Guide–2017 Edition

Once again, it’s time for the annual power meter buyer’s guide!  It’s where I round-up every cycling power meter on the market, and talk through what’s happened in the last year.  I give my opinions of every single power meter … Read More Here

Power Meter Pedal Shootout: Vector 3 vs PowerTap P1 vs Assioma

Update 2022: There’s an updated version of this post including Garmin Rally, Favero Assioma, Wahoo POWRLINK, and SRM X-Power available here! Over the course of the summer we’ve seen both Garmin and Favero roll out new pedal power meters.  In … Read More Here

Favero Assioma Power Meter In-Depth Review

The Favero Assioma pedals are easily the best priced pedal based power meter options on the market, but I dig deep into the data to see if it’s worth the savings. Read More Here

Hands-on: Garmin Vector 3 Power Meter

b December 2017 – Heads up – you can now find my full in-depth review of Garmin Vector 3 here! Today Garmin announced their third generation of power meters, Vector 3.  This new unit brings sweeping changes both easily seen … Read More Here

Power2Max NG ECO In-Depth Review

I know, you’re confused.  You’re thinking to yourself – didn’t he just review the Power2Max NG last month?  And indeed, I did. But this isn’t the Power2Max NG.  It’s the Power2Max NG ECO. Well, that’s a different beast. The ECO … Read More Here

Power2Max NG Power Meter In-Depth Review

Last August at Eurobike, Power2Max announced their latest power meter – the Power2Max NG.  This power meter would be their first unit with dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, while also tweaking their underlying measurement design to increase accuracy.  While they had anticipated … Read More Here

A few quick thoughts on the bePro Gen2…err…Favero Assioma

Earlier this week bePro announced their 2nd generation power meter.  Well, actually, they didn’t.  A company called Favero announced something called the Assioma, which is the successor to the bePro power meter pedals announced almost exactly two years ago.  See … Read More Here