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Do you monitor your heart rate during your workouts? Do you have a hard time keeping your heart rate high or low enough for an optimal workout? The Sportiiiis (pronounced Sport-Eyes) may be the answer for you!
The Sportiiiis is a fully-customizable fitness audio and visual feedback device that reads from any ANT+ compatible monitor. The device is cleverly attached to a runner's glasses such that a speaker is near the runner's ear to provide audio heart rate cues and a visual "boom" is present just in front of or behind the runner's glasses lens for a red/yellow/green light indication of whether you're within, near, or outside of your target heart rate range.
I received a Sportiiiis with a heart rate monitor belt for review. The device is also available without the monitor if you already have one. The package included the feedback device, two mounting brackets, cable ties to attach the brackets to glasses, a USB cable for charging and communication, and the ANT+ compatible heart rate monitor band (which attaches around the torso).
The user needs to start by charging the device. Plug in the device to any USB port and it will automatically start charging. Allow at least two hours for a complete first charge, although the website says it will charge in 75 minutes.
While the device is charging, download the Sportiiiis software to customize the device to your personal height, weight, and age data. The download is available for both Mac and PC.
The software has many capabilities. It will save your personal data, and then record your heart rate data from each of your workouts. It will also sync with other ANT+ devices, such as bike sensors and cadence sensors. In addition, it will let you fully customize your LED and audio feedback: LED brightness, the frequency of announcing current heart rates, and whether you prefer the LEDs to blink from right to left or from left to right.
The Sportiiiis user's manual provides much more information on the software's capabilities.
Use the software to pair the heart rate monitor with the sensor using the "Setup" menu on the left edge of the GUI.
Now that the software is set up and the Sportiiiis sensor is charged, it's time to hook it up to your glasses. Use the cable ties to attach the mounts to the glasses on either your left or right temple, and then the apparatus will slide right onto the mount easily.
Once the device is mounted, it's time to turn it on. There's a single red button on the underside of the device. Touch and hold the button until two beeps are heard. The device is now on and ready for commands, either from the red button, or else by tapping on the side of the device.
If the device is on and it's paired with the heart rate monitor, for the most part you're ready to run. Don your sunglasses and hit the road ... or the trail ... or the treadmill.
On my first run with the device, I wanted to throw the sensor out the window. I had failed to set the sensitivity of the built-in-accelerometer, nor had I set the frequency of the audio feedback. So this sultry woman's voice was telling me constantly that I was below my target heart rate ... within my target heart rate ... above my target heart rate. For all of three miles.
I also noticed that the visual cues boom sat so close to my eyes I could never really focus on it. I'm guessing that's by design, as seen in their website's photos, but it was somewhat bothersome to me. I probably didn't need the lights.
Because the sensor isn't in my ears I was able to wear my regular headphones and still hear the sensor well enough.
A final observation on my first run was that my heart rate seemed higher than I tend to measure on my own with a stopwatch and counting my own heartbeats. So on that first run, where I had put 150 bpm as my target heart rate in the GUI, I was told during most of my run that I was above the target heart rate.
So ... after that first run, with the woman's voice constantly talking to me, I made some adjustments by re-connecting the sensor to my MacBook and making the adjustments accordingly. I was able to adjust the heart rate values that corresponded with each LED color (in the "Zones" menu), the sensitivity of the tap-to-update sensor ("Setup"), and the frequency of the auto-updates ("Setup").
Subsequent runs were much much better. So let's sum up, shall we?
Pros
- If you need to watch your heart rate for your workouts, such as for those keeping an eye on heart conditions, or those who are just starting workout programs, this is a perfect device.
- The device is set up to work with any ANT+ compatible monitoring tool, which includes most heart rate monitors, bike speed sensors, and foot-cadence/speed sensors (which are available through Sportiiiis.com). There is an area of the GUI that lets you tune those devices for monitoring.
- The sensor is unassuming and attaching it to the temple of your glasses or sunglasses isn't difficult.
- Do you want to share the device with a friend or loved one? The Sportiiiis includes two mounting brackets for semi-permanent installation on two pair of glasses.
Cons
- What if you're running indoors? And don't wear glasses? You might be up a creek. I don't know of another way to wear the sensor without glasses.
- The mounting mechanism, although easy to use, is pretty large. If you care about the look of your glasses, you're better off getting an inexpensive pair expressly to use with this device.
- It will take several workouts to get the sensitivity, feedback frequency, and LED light values tuned properly. Use a little patience and you will be rewarded with effective data.
- The GUI appears simple to use, but those with fewer computer skills might have trouble with some of the less intuitive tasks. Setting the LED values is an example. It was frustrating at first; the users' manual said to slide the silver bars around to adjust the values, but that was very awkward. Simply double-clicking on the bars and typing in the numbers I wanted was much easier.
Enjoy!
The Sportiiiis by 4iiii is $199 with a heart rate monitor, or $149 without. Accessories are also available. The Sportiiiis can be purchased through the company's website, or at other online outlets such as Amazon for less.
A sample was provided free of charge for purpose of this review.
