Stryd announces next gen of its footpod

Stryd has announced the next gen of its footpod. It comes with a number of different improvements.

According to the company’s website, this includes:

• 5x better responsiveness for more accurate pacing;
• the ability to track lower body stress helping you optimize recovery. Impact Loading Rate quantifies how quickly your body is absorbing force when your foot is in contact with the ground;
• new running profiles;
• sprint accuracy for tracking improvements in speed work.

The design of the pod has been upgraded to feature “new advanced materials” (aerospace grade aluminum, advanced fiber materials and dual-sided silicone) which are sturdier. The clip has been upgraded to hold the pod in place more firmly. Also, the sensors have been upped to the next generation and the algorithm improved.

We’ve pasted the live stream video of the launch event below this article. If you’ve got a spare hour, have a look. It seems most of the improvements are a direct result of the faster sensors.

Essential reading: Best fitness trackers and health gadgets

Stryd says they will be posting comparisons which showcase in detail the responsiveness of the next generation sensor. So keep an eye on their blog in the next few days/weeks for that.

The new device will set you back $250 on the Stryd website. Those with an older version of the tracker are entitled to a 20% discount which equates to a price of $200. This applies only to the full priced product and not the $150 Stryd + 6 months ($210 total). But you can purchase the Stryd and Membership bundle even if your current membership is not up. You will receive a credit for the unused membership time.

Of course, if you have an older generation of the device device you’ll still be able to use it. It will not suddenly stop functioning. But new features and firmware updates may not be available to you.

This is one of a number of different products that can track run power

We reviewed the gadget back in 2018 and walked away impressed. That was at a time when the gizmo was one of only a few with the ability to track running power. Now Garmin watches, the Apple Watch and a few other brands have similar functionality.

The thing takes into account terrain, form, and fatigue to tell you how hard to move. Simply set a power target and run to see results. That sort of info helps you tweak your pace to go strong without hitting the wall. 

A subsequent generation of the shoe-clip landed in 2019. It upgraded its calculations with wind conditions, telling you how hard to run in headwinds, tailwinds and drafts. Other additions included temperature and humidity sensors, along with a magnetometer.

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