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New Garmin Footpod / RD-POD ?

It looks like Garmin’s new running pod ior RD-POD s close to hitting the market and here are the first images. It *could* be a running pod.

 

Here are a quick 15 minutes worth of thoughts:

You can see from the images that the retention mechanism is similar to the old Garmin footpod and rd-pod, so it will fit nicely into a new style cradle to go on your laces. I’ve not seen the new cradle.

The pod looks to be on/off button-controlled with an LED on top to indicate the power state. And yes it does look as sexy in a kinda-sleek, footpod way.

From the FCC, the size is a CR2045, which is physically bigger (thicker) and more powerful than a HRM coin-cell battery cr2032/2025. So this pod either eats battery juice or lasts for a long, long time.

It definitely sends a BLE signal according to the FCC specs and you would assume ANT+ as well. ie Polar and Suunto users may also be happy.

The only remaining questions are

  1. Will it also transmit power? It looks like it might NOT as I do NOT see any kind of barometer hole on it, although Garmin would probably get that BARO info from onboard sensors in their higher-end watches and the power algorithms would need that to properly calculate ‘power’. Thus this pod might only be a power meter for the more expensive GARMIN watches and just a simple footpod for speed/cadence/distance for cheaper ANT+ watches and other BLE watches/apps (eg forerunner 235, Polar Vantage, Suunto odd-number)
  2. How accurate? I’m guessing that this will be greatly improved over the current footpod with a totally new sensor package onboard. I’m also guessing that the accuracy will translate across a variety of PACEs, unlike the earlier Garmin footpod/rd-pod model. I’m further guessing that there will be a manual calibration option that works from day 1.
  3. How long will the battery life be? Again…better than before!
  4. Could there be some sort of dual-foot setup for running gait asymmetries? It’s possible but I doubt it.
  5. Foot? Are you sure it’s not a new RD-POD? I’m NOT sure about that but my money is on a footpod or pod that will properly support either location.
  6. When? Very soon. I’d imagine availability in a couple of weeks after an imminent announcement. (Edit: Sorry still waiting. See point 8)
  7. How much? don’t know! Notably less than GBP/$/Eu100. Probably 60/70 ish at launch.
  8. Is it for sure a new Garmin footpod. A: No

So. I’m glad I’ve cleared allthose up. Hmmm.

Here is an image of the existing RD-POD for comparison.

Current RD-POD

And a Garmin footpod

Biostrap Review
Biostrap Footpod compared to Garmin equivalent

Will STRYD be worried?

My guess is ‘NO’. And that this product may just fill up the market for an improved-accuracy, yet basically-functioned foot pod ie the space that STRYD LIVE vacated last year but at a lower price point

Even if Garmin does release a new running power product this month then they would probably do that alongside the native integration of running power metrics into the whole of Garmin’s ecosystem, which is a LOT of work. And even if that work were done, it would certainly help STRYD. I don’t think native power integration would happen in the immediate future from what I’ve heard….a few more months maybe or next year for that and hence I don’t think this is a power pod.

First thoughts? I‘m interested. Cyclists won’t be. What do you think/hope?

 

Source: FCC

 

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67 thoughts on “New Garmin Footpod / RD-POD ?”

  1. My guess is that the use of a CR2032 means it’ll be a simple footpod vs more complex running modeling.

    Stryd and Runscribe are rechargable since the more powerful processing required chews through battery power, they only last a week or two between charges.

      1. Could it, though? Not knowing how complex the math is and how large the unprocessed datastream is I’m not so sure I’d bet that a “dumb” footpod would have the bandwidth needed to transmit the raw data over ANT+ and that the watch would have the spare (general purpose) CPU cycles to compute it all in real time.

    2. No. Garmin’s RD Pod (and HRM-Run) offer running power (and running dynamics) and last years on a single CR2032.

      The new design is likely simply a refresh to add BTLE.

      1. Should be using 9-axis accerelometer (old one only 3 axis) to improve accuracy. If not there is no point to upgrade for merely the addition of BLE

      3. RD Pod is not a foot pod though, big difference. A foot pod you clip on your shoe once and forget about it for a few years until the battery runs out. Current Garmin foot pod doesn’t measure RD.
        The RD Pod OTOH you have to remember to take with you and clip on your waist every time you go running, pack it with you, recharge it, etc.

    3. The Stryd uses a 3.7v 70mAh battery vs the CR3032’s 3v 500mAh. It don’t know how much difference the 0,7v makes, but the limited 70mHa is likely the reason why it chews through battery power in a week or two.

      Plus a non-replaceable battery equals a limited product life, which is good for business.

  2. Check out the slowtwitch forum on Stryd. Rumor has it that there might be a new device in the works

    1. I wouldn’t call Stryd calibration-less. I’d call it re-calibration less. If the 100% value is ok for your, then you just had luck.
      I own already my 2nd Stryd (1st lost on a trail) and the two units had DIFFERENT calibration values (significant, one around 98 and the second is at 112.8!). With the same watch of course (935 in those days).
      But that correction-factor is constant, so I’d call it “re-calibration” less.

    2. yes sometimes stryd needs to be manually calibrated. STRYD *IS* calibrated by GPS on the watch, so my assumption is that if you have bad gps then you need to manually calibrate. there are also other scenarios

  4. I think this new pod will not have high gradient (hill gradient) responsiveness as stryd which made stryd become distintive food pod

  5. Dear (soon-to-be) Stryder,
    Thank you for your recent Stryd order. As a new Stryd customer, we have special and exclusive news for you.
    A new Stryd product release will be publicly announced at the end of this week. The new product is intended to upgrade and replace the current Stryd. It comes with innovative new features that we think will truly amaze the running community.
    We know you are looking forward to revolutionizing your training and racing with Stryd. As you are still waiting for your Stryd order, there is a unique opportunity to switch your order to the new Stryd instead of receiving the current product version that you originally ordered.
    We want to offer the new Stryd to you, all at no additional charge.
    In fact, we would like to make you one of the first runners worldwide to receive this new Stryd. You deserve to experience this innovation first because you have been patiently waiting for your order over the last few weeks.
    The new product will be shipping at the end of July. While we think that you will be interested in waiting for the new Stryd, we also understand that you may be in urgent need of Stryd for your training and racing schedule. If that is the case and you are in need of Stryd right away, please let us know. We recently made a limited number of the current Stryd product that we would send you on time and as you originally ordered.
    You do not need to make a decision right now. You will receive an email with the full announcement details of the new Stryd later this week, making your decision a fully informed one. Instructions for how to tell us about your decision will be included.
    Once again, thank you for your Stryd order and for your support. We cannot wait to share the new product details with you! We have been working hard on this new innovation and we are excited to give you the opportunity to be the first to experience this new product. Reply back to this email if you have any questions. Otherwise, stay tuned.
    Best,
    The Stryd Team

      1. Interesting. How long after you did your order did it take to get this response from STRYD? I also have an open order, but did not get mailed about this… 🙁 Maybe European customers will now get this deal…?

      2. 😉
        I forget I have German readers

        (Actually I don’t …hopefully the links to wigglesport.de are appreciated, you then just need to learn how to use them 😉 )

      3. Yes, I ordered my 945 at wigglesport because of your link. I hope you get your share. Delivery was surprisingly fast. As long as Brexit is not done, I’ll consider them for my next orders.

      5. yep same here!
        delivery was incredibly fast, even to switzerland.. a non eu-country 🙂

  8. I ordered the (“old”) Garmin foot pod 5 hours before this news came out…. 🙂
    I’m holding out on using it for now and might send it back, depending on what comes out of this announcement. I am so curious now what new foot pod they will present! (I hope it’s a new foot pod and not a new waist pod… 🙂 ).
    Hope the news comes out soon!

      1. made a copy 😀

        The new Stryd features a suite of new sensor technology including:

        Re-design of pod structure (including the clip), to enable air flow detection
        Stryd states that the external shell is able to analyse in “real-time the air and wind you are running through”
        Added temperature and humidity sensors
        Increased internal storage by 64x, better for the ultra training and racing as well as much higher precision data collection – as that additional granular data needs space.
        Added magnetometer to enable several new and exciting and planned-for capabilities, including improved accuracy (to be enabled in future updates).
        Antenna range has been greatly increased
        But no comment on whether this is a hardware change or software tweak.
        More importantly, perhaps is the question of how will this affect battery life?
        Part of the resign has meant that we now have cable charging with two contact pads under the Stryd, rather than the wireless puck.
        Stryd suggests the wind training benefits on a race are to be threefold:
        Stryd – Mental benefit
        Windy courses can dampen spirits and performance expectations resulting in significant impacts beyond that which the weather alone would have wrought. With the training from Stryd, you’ll have a much better understanding of a realistic impact, allowing a more realistic mental approach to the race

        Stryd – Control
        Tail winds are difficult to judge, both when training and in a race. You’ll likely be running faster than a gentle wind, so the impact can’t be directly seen, and thus using that wind benefit has so far been down to personal feelings.

        Stryd will allow you to determine your best response to the tailwind. Gaining a measurable advantage in training, which can then be deployed in a race without the risk of exhaustion from overexertion

        Stryd – Draft
        I’ll be honest, this one sounds very interesting, but I wonder to what degree there will be a measurable benefit? Stryd suggest that being able to train and see the effect of drafting will enable people to focus and refine their drafting technique, bringing the obvious race advantages

        Stryd – Power is in the Training
        Stryd hardware is very much only part of the story. As mentioned earlier it is people like Ruby Zambrano who have been able to take the hardware dreamed up in the research labs of Boulder, Colorado, and create training plans to harness the data

      2. If this is powerful enough to work with the Fenix 5/5S (which are getting cheaper by the week) that’s exciting news. If it maintains the $200 price point that is also exciting. If Stryd v2 continues to be produced, but at a new lower price point now that Stryd v3 is coming out that would seem to potentially really put some pressure (pricing or feature) on Garmin’s $70 footpod.

  10. “Almost” seems to be taking a while… 🙂 Any updates on this? I guess it was just rumours that it was “almost” here and it could be weeks or month until we see a product?

    1. I’ll have to consult the dictionary to see what almost means.
      I have no relationship with garmin…jsut a customer like you.
      it’s not a rumour…the photo is there. although it could be of a non-footpod but it sure as heck looks like one

  11. I don’t get why a running foot pod can’t double up as a cycling foot pod giving cadence…. But anyway, any more news on this? I have a Milestone footpod but with news they are EOLing their app I’m tempted by this.

      1. Thank you! My new Stryd Wind just arrived but I´ll be eying this one to use for brisk walking that I don´t want uploaded with Stryd offline sync.

      2. look forward to hearing how it goes.
        specifically look out for times when you have a tail wind that is greater than your walking speed.
        this might be an issuette as i think those scenarios dont’ work AND there will be more times when tailwind speed is greater than a WALKING speed compared to running. despite that, though, accuracy should still be better.

      3. Oh, I meant I will use the ALLEGED upcoming Garmin foot pod for brisk walking, not the Stryd Wind ^^ Stryd Wind I only use for running.

        I looked at the Zwift Runpod to use for walking too but I´ve seen so many complaints about connection problems and accuracy. Also Zwift discontinued development of the milestone-app in August 2019 and I don´t know how well the pod can be used outside of Zwifts ecosystem.

    1. i’d give garmin until the end of the month.
      stryd will likely do a balck firday deal, although it will probably only be based on the purchase of 2 units. (that was the case in the last 2 years)

      2. According to official Garmin support, “the foot pod has been discontinued and we’re no longer manufacturing it”, and “there isn’t a replacement for the footpod.”.

        Now that’s not to say that there might not be a replacement in the near future… but that’s really disappointing. I want a fricking Garmin foot pod to make my watch useful on treadmills. And I don’t want a hip pod like the RD-Pod, I want a pod that fits on my shoe and that I can forget about, one that will be with me on my running shoes always.

        Very disappointed at Garmin!

      3. yes that does sound disappointing.
        the hope lies in that they would not say “you can’t buy the current footpod and we definitely WILL have another one coming along to replace it soon”
        plus those pictures don’t lie, although they could be something other than a running footpod.

  15. Garmin has suddenly scrubbed its site from any references to their foot pod. It can no longer be viewed or bought. Something must be imminent. Is the dual BLE/ANT+ foot pod finally coming?!

    1. nope, sy, you’ll be the first to know. I’m starting to think this is not a footpod after all 🙁

  17. Any news of release date from Garmin ? we are in June 2020 almost …..

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