Does this use an altimeter - ie., can I get elevation recording as well, for hikes and stair climbing?
1108606
The Spark Activity Tracker uses a 3-axis accelerometer to measure your patterns of motion. This allows the tracker to determine your total steps, activity time and speed, which is then used to calculate distance and calories burned. It does not track elevation or stairs climbed.
2249980
This model does include altimeter functionality that uses barometric pressure for the measurement. That mean that weather changes can have an affect on the measurements. The functions include total climb and an altimeter profile for a given ride (a small graph of the changes during a ride). I'm in Houston so that chart is nearly always flat, but the features do seem to work as expected.
1401496
Do either of these units have a useful elevation feature. We drive in mountains often and like knowing current altitude (elevation). Thank you
1975414
No. Only when you download your workout can you see the altitude along your treaded /biked path but not on its own as a separate reading.
1975417
Altitude or more specifically elevation is recorded and reviewable once uploaded to your computer via MySports but you cannot see this measurement on the watch's screen. I am sure if there was enough demand, the engineers at TomTom could program the watch to display it.
2090513
who cares, the pyle is crap. altitude is always wrong. basically i can tell you my current altitude within 500 feet without the pyle device!
754862
Not that I have found... It uses the pre-installed worlds maps which are similar to Google's...The best one to use is the Summit Series TOPO for your region, which you download after receiving the unit...I really like the rugged feel and accuracy with this unit... and as with most, carry extra batteries, although the life is better than some... updated fix is available for the traking in suspend mode problem, and mine tracks fine when suspended now...Hope this helps...
1573581
Yes. The screen is customizable to show up to four different categories of data, or you can scroll through data that shows direction, either lat long or MGRS, total distance down to the tenths of a mile or KM, waypoints, home base, elevation, and distance to a waypoint, speed, as well as other datapoints. Best GPS for hiking and such if you don't have the few hundred $'s for touch screen models. Really quick satellite capture, works well in every situation I have been in while hiking around the mountains and valleys and thick forests of the Colorado Rockies. I've never had an issue with sat capture, or loss of signal to show me where I am in the world. Recently used in Germany and Poland without an issue.
579152
It is not programmable except for stride length. Instructions recommend daily resetting and doesn't specify maximum steps/distance the device can record. I record my daily totals so I know where I need to adjust my activity levels to reach my goals.
1140571
I've heard that motionbased.com adjusts the elevation readings now to reflect more accurate elevations. I don't own one yet, but am looking to buying one and have heard this from a few friends who own the 305. This, from what I understand, is the 305's biggest weakness! However, I still want one above any other of its kind...
168447
No! Altitude will have an effect on the air pressure, but going up or down an incline will not. The unit should be able to maintain a constant pressure.
1149358
Sort of. It works for tracking and elevation. However it doesn't come with any topographic or trail maps. You will need to load maps if you intend to use them, which you probably do. There are free maps available to download online. I think the best site is GPS File Depot.
2066620
Yes, it does track elevation. I'm not sure if you can view elevation info on the watch itself, but once you upload the run data into something like Garmin Connect or Strava you will be able to see elevation gain and an elevation graph.
2232591
It can be used for walking and there is even a run/walk interval setting. It does not count steps but it tracks distance, including elevation.
1630292
Don't see why not, it calcs distance by GPS not steps, and heart rate works either walking or running
753871
I, too, opted against the barometric (as opposed to satellite-generated) altimeter and the electronic compass, but as a Search and Rescue volunteer I have pretty specific needs. The barometric altimeter, according to Garmin tech support, is good to 70 feet, which is about two 40 foot contour lines. If you're asked to "search along the 5000 ft contour line for one mile, and return on the 5200 ft line," that amount of error is unacceptable. (The satellite-generated elevation error is twice that, plus.) I discussed the electronic compass with a fellow SAR member, and she was disappointed with hers: according to her, the accuracy we need just isn't there ("accuracy means different things to an engineer designing a GPS and a searcher - for us, 93 degrees must be 93 degrees").
1643688
No this unit does no show the grades of Mountain passes - i have not see a GPS that does that - what this does show is your altitude