Customer Reviews

Nike+ SportBand (Silver)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I have long wanted a quality GPS driven running watch but could never quite afford the $200 minimum pricetag. For Father's Day this year, my wife and kids came up with a pretty good alternative in the Nike Fit+ Sportband. At around $60.00, it is much more affordable than a GPS watch and is pretty darn good for the price. There are just a couple of points that anyone considering buying one should consider:

- You DO NOT HAVE TO PURCHASE NIKE SNEAKERS TO USE THE SPORTBAND. Nike would tell you otherwise but the sportband system works just as well with your favorite brand of running shoe. You must simply find a way to attach the sensor to the laces of your shoe. I initially used a folded over piece of duct tape holding it in place under my laces. I looked online and found numerous devices designed for this purpose specifically, ranging from $2 to about $10. I picked a latex case that attaches to my laces and holds the sensor in place. It works as well as the Sportband is expected to work. Thank goodness because I personally find Nike running shoes overly expensive and of poor quality.

-The Sportband is generally pretty accurate. It is surely accurate enough for everyday use. Even without doing calibration on the system, it is generally within 1/10 of a mile on my workday morning 5 milers. The only place I have found that it falters is when I try to include speed work into my routine. When I do my usual 8:10-8:20 miles the accuracy is as I mentioned, however, if I speed up my run to under 8 minute miles, it changes my gait and, clearly, this effects the accuracy of the unit. On such runs I have "lost" up to 1/4 mile on the same 5 mile route I run 4-5 days a week. This is not an enormous deal except that when training for a race, my pace is very important to me and I don't trust the pace that the watch is telling me since the mileage is clearly inaccurate. I can do the adjustment in my head but isn't that why I wanted a running watch in the first place?

Within these parameters, the Sportband is a good purchase. It won't stop me from getting a GPS watch when I find the money to do so but it has provided a good substitute in the meantime.

I bought the Nike+ SportBand to easily keep track of my running progress as I train for a half marathon. I do not use an ipod but bought Nike shoes that are Nike+ ready. I am entering my second week of use of the SportBand and I am very happy with it. It is very user friendly, comfortable and easily uploads run info to the Nike+ website. The sensor (included with my purchase) seems to be very accurate.

For me, half the battle is just getting out the door. Nike+ seems to help with that.

A number of my friends recently purchased Nike+ after finding out it came with their iPhones. Not being one of the enlightened Jobsians, I decided to give this Sport Band a shot. I'm currently using this product in unison with the Marware Sportsuit Sensor Case for Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 3G (Black), and I couldn't be more pleased.

For me, the Sport Band is more convenient than using my phone or an iPod because I don't/can't run with something that big. I run with a small SanDisk Sansa Clip 2 GB MP3 Player (Black), which only holds my workout playlists.

Anyways, after using this product for a few months now, I've got to say it definitely increased the number of times I run a week. The online interface, although a bit unintuitive at times, is slick and provides a great overview of your running habits. You can create challenges for yourself, and also for your friends, as well as set goals like "I want to run at least 3 times a week." There are also a few modes that you can use to train for various distance races, such as 5ks, half-marathons, and full-marathons. It tells you how many miles to run over how many days for a number of weeks. I found that to be very useful as I'm planning on eventually running a marathon myself. (key word: eventually)

Although I can't say this Nike+ has got me on a regular running schedule, it has definitely helped. It's very convenient to use, as it's just like wearing a watch, (It also works as a watch) and the product is very durable. The strap is made of some kind of rubber, and I can't picture it breaking, as I've dropped it a number of times already.

Synchronizing with your computer is as simple as plugging the black body of the Sport Band into your PC, and letting it upload the data to their website. (No effort involved)

Bottom line: if you want to start running more, the Nike+ Sport Band provides a tool for both motivating yourself through peer pressure/guilt (haha, when you see all your friends ran one week and you didn't, you feel like you have to) and for getting a nice overview of your running habits. It's definitely worth purchasing to fulfill a New Year's resolution or two.

Here are the pluses of this watch:
1. The Nike+ system is a great way to get into running, it's cheap to start with and easier than GPS.
2. The nike+ sport band is waterproof - DO NOT RISK YOUR IPOD. I found out the hard way, and got a shuffle to go with the sporband.
3. The sportband is so simple it doesn't get in your way.
4. Nike's website is the best.

Minuses of sportband/nike+
1. inaccurate (covered by others here).
2. can't add workouts to the software. If you weren't wearing the watch or it died, you can't record it.
3. Sensors must be replaced every few months, don't walk around in them unless you want to record your walking.

I want to be clear to beginners the number one reason why you want this OR a gps watch: shoes die. And when the cushioning is dead, your joints will get hurt.

You need to replace your shoes every few hundred miles (go somewhere else for concrete advice) and unless you're very good at journaling, a product like this is the best way to have an 'odometer'. This is cheap enough compared to all the other running gear that I consider it essential for beginners to avoid injury and make it more enjoyable.

And in fact, I would probably say that every child in gym class should have a decent pair of sneakers and one of these. It's the most accessible athletic activity, it's essential to all other sports, and it's the most affordable. And a system like this for tracking activity is the best possible motivator there is for physical fitness.

I lost 50 lbs. running, and the nike+ kept me going. I have since upgraded to GPS, but I hope nike makes a gps product someday.

I had heard about the Nike + system and thought it sounded really cool, so I went out and got the Sport Band. First off, the thing is still only about 90% accurate (as far as distance) even after you calibrate it. I saw the first time that it was incorrect with the distance, so I wiped the Sport band clean to factory settings and tried to recallibrate it again. Still, messed up. I also think it probably estimates mile times a little on the fast side too. It's good for a solid estimation, but I wouldn't take it 100% seriously. I think it's meant to be a marketing ploy "Wow, look how fast/far I am running! I'll buy Nike stuff cause it makes me more athletic!" Blah blah blah. So I guess what I am trying to say is that you can get the Sport band but be prepared to take out a calculator and figure out what 90% of your calories, distance, and time would be since it's that off target. With all that being said, this is probably the best you can get for your money as far as something that charts your run/distance/calories.

I don't run with music because I have this fear that I won't hear the car that is about to hit me, the man in the bushes that is about to mug me, or the meteor from the sky that is about to incinerate me. Accordingly, I don't use my iPod nano with the Nike + technology. Instead, I use this Sport Band. Mine is yellow. Because I think it shows up better. And because they didn't have red.

This review is for the Sport Band itself, not the Nike + system, which I have reviewed under the Nike + Sensor.

The Sport Band is a slim, comfortable item that has a built in USB device that will download your run data to the Nike + website once you've created an account. The device is easy to use... assuming you read the directions. They're not overly complicated, but you might need a refresher if you haven't used it in a week.

I've complained in other reviews that Nike tends to make wrist oriented things (like watches) too small.... they tend to fit the very fit, but for the beefier element of society - and that would be me - they can be uncomfortably snug. I was pleased that the Sport Band fit me, but I will tell you that if my wrist were 1/4 inch larger in circumfrance, you'd see a big ol frowny face here.

I've had no interface problems. The device unplugs and goes right into my laptop and the information has downloaded, without fail, each time.

A word of caution - if you are not moving fast enough (i.e. standing at a street corner waiting to cross) you eaither need to pause the device (so it isn't counting time while you aren't advancing) or it may do this for you. Realize that if the device suspects your run is over, because you aren't moving, and you didn't realize it, you may end up completing your run and being angry that it didn't track the whole thing. So, be aware. Accordingly, I like the fact that the Sport Band is on my wrist, where I can see it, and mash the button to pause and restart, if I need to.....

Leave the device in your computer port to charge it. The battery on mine has been consistantly used for 4+ months, and I've had no issues whatsoever.

Other than the fact that the band might not fit a person with a big wrist, I have no issues with the Sport Band at all (by the way, you can also put it in your pocket if you aren't wearing it, and it will work). It functions exactly as they say it will, it's well made, the design and color choices are more than adequate, and it's a very nice alternative to using the iPod nano.

As always, I'm happy to answer in questions in the comment section. Thank you.

Over the past 2 years, my husband has gone through 2 different units. After a few months of use, the despite several attempts to charge the battery, it keeps flashing "BATT" meaning it needs to be charged. Identical issue with both Nike+ bands. We're 0 for 2.

I'm a gadget lover and the Nike Plus Sportsband is one of my favorites.

I have logged more than 1,000 miles with the Sportsband and lost more than 120 pounds in three years. Although I do lots of other cardio exercise and strength train with a personal trainer twice a week, walking with this device is the heart and soul of my fitness regimen.

The Sportband provides the time of day, mileage, pace, elapsed time for your workout, and calories burned with the touch of a button. It stores your weekly totals too and is very easy to use. It syncs effortlessly with my MacBook Pro. The Nike Plus Challenges are extremely motivating and you compete with people from all over the world. There are challenges for both walkers and runners. Your running data is stored for years, so you can look back and see how your pace and distance improve from month to month and year to year. I am primarily a walker and there are plenty of walking challenges. You can set goals for frequency of runs, distance etc. and get messages as you achieve these goals. Accuracy isn't perfect, and I suppose if I became a competitive runner I'd upgrade to a complicated fitness watch, but I primarily walk to lose weight and stay fit.

I don't want to worry about programming or figuring out complex features every time I take a walk: I grab this, press a button and go. Since I don't like Nike Shoes, I use a Marware velcro attachment for the sensor on my beloved Asics Gel Kayanos. Walking is exercise that almost everyone CAN and SHOULD do. Walking is inexpensive, doesn't require a lot of equipment, and can be social or solitary. Sometimes I bring a nano to listen to music, sometimes not...the Sportsband offers that flexibility -- you don't want headphones on when you're walking with a friend. WIth a Nike Plus Sportsband, you'll be motivated to walk more and enjoy seeing your pace improve. It's changed my life. Highly recommended.

This used to work great the first couple months after I bought it (new). But lately I spend about as much time trying to get this thing to work as I do running. The problems? It doesn't load the website well when you plug it in. Then it constantly needs an update. When I download the update, the .dmg file doesn't work on my Mac. I go to the Support page. It takes 10 minutes to load (and reload). I try to send a message to customer service and I get the usual "A problem has been encountered. Your question could not be processed."

I'm so sick of dealing with the Nike website and their non-existent support. It's not worth the effort anymore and I feel like I wasted my money.

This product worked well for about 7 months and then it just quit uploading into the USB port for no known reason. Frustrating when you buy the shoes, band, sensor etc and then have it quit prematurely. Seems to be a common occurrence. I hope they fix the difficulties soon.