Milestone Pod Review: See what you have been missing

Milestone Pod is a simple and accurate tracking device for runners and walkers of all levels. It provides information on the usual distance, pace and time. But unlike other running gadgets, Milestone Pod also tells you your foot strike, rate of impact, cadence, stride length, ground contact and leg swing. Milestone Pod provides the runners all these advance information at selling price of just about 2 registration fees!!! It’s really worth it!

There have been so many changes in the way runners track their runs. At first, it was just a timer to take the finish time. Then with GPS technology, runners can check their distance and pace in real-time. These past year, heart rate monitors can be worn as chest straps, wristbands and even earphones. Today, runners can also check more advance running dynamics like cadence, vertical oscillation and ground contact time.

Typically, there running gadgets are so expensive. You need to wait for a Christmas bonus to buy yourself the latest GPS watch in the market. But this new gadget might change all that.

The Milestone Pod is a tracking device you can wear on your shoe to track more than just the usual distance, pace and time. It can also show running dynamics that was previously available in expensive devices. Yet, Milestone Pod is now available in the Philippine for only 1,695 PHP.

Here’s my Milestone Pod review

PROs

Simple to use. Milestone Pod has no buttons. Just clip it on the show and go. It doesn’t even have to be connected to a smartphone. There is also no need to wait for a strong GPS signal. You can use it as is and sync the device later.

See what you have been missing. For years, I have been using a GPS watch and I only keep track of my distance, pace and time. Then, I would check for the total mileage and a few trends that I can improve on. Milestone is about to change that. Milestone has so much information that goes beyond how fast and how long. It show how you run as well.

Here are the interesting running dynamics that is available in Milestone:

Cadence. This is the average number of steps per minute. Typically, the more steps, the faster you run. If you want to run faster, your cadence should be about 180spm or more.

Foot Strike. Do you land on your heel, midfoot, or forefoot? Most coaches warns runners about landing on their heels since it can contribute to nasty injuries. But how do you know that? Usually a gait analysis with a running specialty store or a slow-mo video of your run can check for your foot strike. Better yet, get a Milestone Pod. It tells you how often you land on your heel or toes.

Ground Contact. This is the amount of time your foot is on the ground. The shorter the ground contact, the better. It means you are like flying already. Many elite runners are below 200ms.

More running dynamics are available with the Milestone Pod. It is really interesting information. These information are very useful in improving your runs.

Cool App Interface. The Milestone App is free for download for iOS and Android phones. It looks cute with the cartoon drawings, icons and the bright colors. It’s simple to use and very intuitive.

Pair Them. Sometimes, your left foot and your right foot are not created equal. If you are interested how they differ and you wish to correct it, you can attach one Milestone Pod on each foot. The Milestone App can track both pods. I am interested on trying this option since my right foot gets injured more often than my left foot. So what’s going on there? I hope the Milestone Pod will have an answer.

Waterproof. Don’t worry if it rains or you need to cross a river when running. The Milestone Pod is waterproof. Take them anywhere.

CONs

Click To Secure. The Milestone Pod is fitted under the shoelaces. There is a mechanism to lock them in place. While it looks secure, I am afraid that the mechanism will fail if I placed them poorly or degrade after several use. So be sure to check them every time before using to prevent them from falling off while on the road.

Accuracy. I haven’t compared it closely with a GPS but shoepods are usually less accurate than GPS devices when it comes to distance and pace. It was about 0.20-0.50 miles difference compared to the GPS watch I am using. But there’s a way to calibrate it to make the Milestone Pod more accurate. For other metrics like cadence, foot strike and ground contact, I trust that the Milestone Pod will be accurate.

For walking too. Since the Milestone Pod automatically turns on even if you walk. This information will be added to your dashboard and adds up to your total mileage. That can be annoying if you only plan to use it solely for running. To avoid it, be sure to remove the Milestone Pod from your shoe for other activities.

Summary

The Milestone Pod is a great innovation for runners who wants to know ore about how they run. It tells you more than just the usual pace and distance. It provides information on running dynamics to help you improve in the way you run.

The first time I used the Milestone App, it told me that I am 100% a heel striker. After that, I became conscious with my stride and improved to 27% mid strikes. I love how the Milestone App tells you which ones to improve.

I am not replacing my GPS watch with a Milestone Pod. I still trust my GPS watch for accurate pace and distance. But I am definitely using the Milestone Pod for running dynamics. There is so much more to improve when you see these data on the Milestone App.

My favorite part about the Milestone Pod is the price. For only 1,695 PHP, you can get access to some high level metrics you have never seen before. It is very affordable compared to other expensive gadgets that only tells you metrics you can also get from a free app.

Check out our other post for more info about the Milestone Pod.