Garmin Indoor Foot Pod Accessory for Forerunner 305

by Garmin

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 4.7 x 1.2 inches ; 1.4 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000HZDNZ2
• Item model number: 010-10818-00
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description The Garmin Forerunner 305 is a vital training tool for runners and other outdoor athletes. But its speed and distance calculations rely on a a GPS signal from the skies above, leaving those who want to run or train indoors, well, out in the cold.

The Foot Pod uses a tiny ANT Sport transmitter to communicate with the Forerunner 305.

Garmin has solved this problem with the innovative Forerunner 305 Foot Pod. This shoe-mounted accessory will provide accurate pace and distance to the Forerunner 305 when GPS reception is unavailable, such as when you're training on treadmills or indoor tracks. Speed and distance information is calculated in the Foot Pod and transferred to the Forerunner, where information from the Foot Pod is automatically displayed and stored.

Dynastream Technology
The Foot Pod is built on Dynastream technology, which solves the challenge of accurately measuring a user's speed and distance in real time. The system was designed to measure each stride via a patented accelerometer, which measures all parameters of each foot stride, computes that data, then wirelessly transmits speed and distance information to the Forerunner 305 wrist unit via a 2.4 GHz signal. To date, Dynastream technology is the first and only commercially viable, accurate stride analysis technology that can be used outside the laboratory environment.

Simple to Use

Dynastream technology accurately measures your stride--whether you're walking, running, or sprinting--using a patented accelerometer.

Once the Foot Pod is turned on, the Forerunner 305 recognizes its wireless signal and asks if you wish to train using the Foot Pod instead of with the Forerunner's built-in GPS. Once confirmed, the Forerunner 305 deactivates the GPS and the Foot Pod begins measuring the workout. The Foot Pod communicates to the wrist unit using Dynastream's ANT Sport wireless technology, a commonly available platform for connectivity and interoperability between sports accessories and equipment. The unit features a simple and secure lace-mounted attachment, and runs on a single AAA battery that offers 70 hours of typical use. The Foot Pod is 97 percent accurate out of the box and 99 accurate percent when calibrated. It can also be worn in tandem with the Forerunner 305's wireless heart rate monitor.

Note: The Forerunner 305 needs to be updated to software version 2.5 before it will be compatible with the Foot Pod. You can download the software update at garmin.com/support.

Product Description

Have you always wanted to use your Forerunner to calculate speed and distance when training indoors? Well now you can! This shoe-mounted accessory will provide pace and distance to the Forerunner 305 when GPS reception is unavailable. Speed and distance information is calculated in the Foot Pod and transferred to the Forerunner. The information from the Foot Pod will be automatically displayed and stored. This item runs on AAA battery power and provides approximately 65 hours of use. The Forerunner 305 needs to be updated to software version 2.5 before it will be compatible with the Foot Pod. The Forerunner 305 used with the Foot Pod accessory will provide the complete package for the indoor and outdoor runner.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Why not save us a run?, May 16, 2007

By 

Jose P. Marquina Almela (Xalapa, Ver. Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin Indoor Foot Pod Accessory for Forerunner 305 (Accessory)

Great product, it's almost everything I expected from it. Its size is not bad, even a little smaller than the Polar S-625X's foot piece and also runs on a AAA battery that seems to last at least as much as the S-625X's. Its precision is very good as long as you calibrate it correctly, "fine tune" it carefully through the first 5 to 10 runs, and then keep your pace somewhat steady. I should clarify that the only other inertial sensor I have used before is the previously mentioned Polar S625X which behaves very similarly, that is, it accumulates some error if you change your pace or inclination (climb or downhill) significantly. One drawback is that in order to attach Garmin's Foot Pod to the shoe, you have to almost completely remove the shoelace. This is because unlike Polar's sensor, it's all one piece; this makes it very impractical to move from one pair of shoes to the other, if like me, you have 4 or 5 pairs of running shoes which you "rotate" during the week. What I did was chose one pair to always use indoors. Lastly, I want to comment, that it would be VERY VERY nice if you could use the Forerunner 305's GPS functionality to calibrate the Foot Pod and not having to run a known distance on a track or somewhere else. Since the Forerunner 305 is so precise and reliable, why not automatically use its distance information for calibration? As a matter of fact, when I calibrated mine, what I did is use my Forerunner 305 to mark an 800m track and then ran it again while calibrating the Foot Pod. Why not do it automatically? That would have saved me a run! Well, those are my 2¢ worth... Pablo

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as small or convenient as the new version, but at this price, who cares?, January 25, 2008

By 

Daniel Carman (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Garmin Indoor Foot Pod Accessory for Forerunner 305 (Accessory)

I love my Garmin Forerunner 305, and like many people, I was saddened when winter rolled around and the weather forced me onto the dreadmill for many of my runs. I felt like I wasn't getting "credit" for my runs since they weren't showing up in my totals on the Garmin Forerunner or on my PC software. I had priced the footpods before, but I wasn't really ready to pay another $100+ for one (the 305 with heart rate monitor was already a bit pricey), so I just gave up on buying a footpod.

Then one day I was reading a forum post where a user was raving about the new smaller version of the Garmin footpod that came out recently. I decided to do some more research on the footpods and I found that the newer version has basically two advantages--it clips onto the shoe (rather than lacing-in) and it is smaller. The clip-on feature is nice if you want to change shoes or just don't want the footpod permanently attached to your shoe. It also saves you the hassle of ever lacing it in in the first place. And with gadgets, smaller is usually better, right?

Well, I quickly found that the price of the older, lace-in version had plummeted since the introduction of the new pod. I decided that for ~$30, I could live with the bulkier lace-in footpod, so I ordered this unit from Amazon. What's the worst that could happen? If it wasn't my cup of tea, I'm only out $30. On to the actual review...

The pod works exactly as intended--I didn't need to calibrate it at all. When I'm using the footpod indoors, my Garmin 305 usually shows me within +/- .03 miles at every mile on the treadmill. Treadmills themselves are not always accurate, so I'm not going to calibrate the Garmin to the treadmill. And, quite frankly, I'm not the type of runner who really cares all that much if I've run 5.00 miles or 5.05 miles--close is good enough when I'm doing a treadmill run. (It's the outdoor runs that I care about, and there the GPS takes over.) I'm also not analyzing my cadence that much. I just use it for a good close approximation of speed/pace and distance.

I had some concerns that this pod might feel bulky on top of my foot, but in reality I don't notice it's there at all when I'm walking, hiking, or running. The main time it gets in the way is when I'm stretching before or after my exercise and I try to grab the top of my foot behind my back.

I recently got a shoe wallet and the Garmin footpod fits nicely inside, so I don't need to lace it into my shoe any more. The shoe wallet attaches to the laces with a velcro strap. This makes it easier to transfer the pod from one shoe to another, or just remove it when I am not using it, or when I want to stretch and the pod would be in the way on my shoe. If you want to do the same, make sure you get a shoe wallet that's big enough. Mine is a "Jogalite" brand shoe wallet and the pod fits snugly with just enough room for a key or two, an ID card, and maybe some bills. I'm told the Nike shoe wallet works great for this purpose, too.

It is a minor nuisance to peek inside the wallet and make sure the LED is coming on to tell me the pod is turned on (and vice versa to turn it off) but I still think it's better than having the pod laced in, or coughing up $100+ for the new clip on pod. And really you don't need to see the LED. Just feel for the button, push it, and then walk a few steps until the Garmin detects the pod and asks you if you are running indoors.

OK, that review was a bit longer than I expected--I'll shut up now.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars garmin 305 foodpod, January 8, 2008

By 

J. Cushman "mpls runnner" (minneapolis, mn usa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Garmin Indoor Foot Pod Accessory for Forerunner 305 (Accessory)

item is a little bulky for this type of device (compared to nike+ pod) but you really do no notice when running.

instructions were fairly clear with one exception...when trying to sync the pod to your watch, you must shake the pod as if simulating walking/running. once i figured that our it worked flawlessly.