Accuracy of pedometers?

[Ed62]

I bought my wife a pedometer. After I set it for her stride, we used it several times. We always took the same path, roughly 1 1/2 miles. The doggone thing never reads the same. I mean it isn't close enough to think that it might be because of slight variations in walking. OK, junked that one, and bought a better one. Same thing. Maybe a little better, but no cigar.

I drove my car until I had exactly 2 miles on the odometer. Then we walked that path. The pedometer reads anywhere between 1 1/2 to about 1 3/4 miles. I took into consideration that her stride might not be set accurately, but without resetting it, and walking the same path, why the difference in distance shown? I've become a believer that pedometers are not all that accurate. Does anyone have one they believe in?

Ed

[Gary Lange]

Here is just what the Doctor Ordered. Should be a lot more accurate too!

http://www.ebuyersworld.com/010-0032...01-p/15799.htm

[Ed62]

How 'bout that! That looks cool. Thanks for the link.

Ed

[atgcpaul]

Pedometers work by measuring the impact of a step. Maybe it's clipped to a
part that doesn't register enough of an impact to trigger a step.

When you calibrate it to your wife's step, does she take several strides and you
measure an average or do you measure just one stride?

Finally, maybe she walks differently with it on than she does when you measure
her stride. If she's a lot shorter than you, maybe she takes longer strides to
keep up.

[Ed62]

She takes 10 steps. I measure the distance, and divide by 10. I've done this a few times, and it is not always the same, but relatively close. But the difference between the shorter ones and the longer ones are much closer than the differences in the readings.

She sets the pace when we walk because she can't keep up with me.

If it measures by reading impact, maybe she can move it a little. The front part of the hip seems like it might work better. We'll give it a try. Thanks for the post.

Ed

[Gary Lange]

Hey Ed62! I bought one of the Garmin Forerunner 101's and it works like a charm. It keeps you on pace, measures your Distance, Time and Calories Burned and keeps a History of it all. If you didn't get one I highly recommend it for your walking pleasure. Those others of you that walk and would like a record of it and would like to keep yourself on pace it is a great little device and operates off of our GPS Satellites.

[Ed62]

Thanks Gary. I'll keep that in mind. I think walking outside is about to come to an abrupt halt until spring. LOML got an exercise contraption for indoor use, for the time being.

Ed

[kirkroy]

I've got a garmin forerunner 205, which I love for jogging. Of course, I like gadgets but this one is really great, like a speedo for walking...