- Connects your iPhone to any ANT+ fitness sensor such as heart rate monitors, cycling speed & cadence sensors and power meters
- Can be used to pull data from an ANT+ GPS watch, such as Garmin, into an iPhone App for easy upload to the web
- WirelessANT+ ultra low power technology
- Very low power usage; no internal battery
- Compatible with iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S, iPod touch, iPad; fits into 30-pin connector
* You''ll need an ANT+ heart rate strap because Polar (the industry standard for the past 20 years) doesn''t work with the device.
* The key works with Wahoo, Digifit and a number of other apps. I read that Digifit''s key only works with their app, which to me was a big enough hurdle to justify paying an extra $25 for the Wahoo key.
* When I plugged in the key to the iPhone, it didn''t recognize it at first but after playing around with the menu, it showed up.
* It sucks up quite a bit of battery power. I do my workout first thing in the morning when my iPhone is fully charged and after an hour it''s only half charged. You can''t plug in a charger or external power (like Mophie) because the key goes into the power port.
* Wahoo''s iPhone app is designed to monitor your heart rate for biking and running. If you''re like me and also want to track your heart rate when you do resistance/strength training (which is great if you want to measure how many calories you burned during your workout), you need to fool it by saying you''re biking or running.
* I initially thought Wahoo''s app would let me review all of my historical data and look at my rides on a map, but I discovered it''s really just a data capturing app. You can see the basics one day at a time, but nothing elaborate.
* So the power of Wahoo or Digifit (the whole purpose of getting either one) really comes in their ability to export to cloud-based apps that you can then review on a full-sized computer. Wahoo can export to 7 web-based apps, while Digifit can only export to one (TrainingPeaks). I tried to use all of the seven apps and this is what I found:
* Runkeeper: Great app that works for biking or running (I''ve used it off and on for the past two years even before I knew about Wahoo or Digifit). It''s interesting that if you record your bike/run using Runkeeper''s iPhone app on its own (which can''t record your heart rate), the elevation and speed graphs appear more accurate than when using the Wahoo chip to record this information and then exporting to RunKeeper. Unfortunately, RunKeeper doesn''t offer much for recording resistance/strength training. With that said, I found it to be the best app among the seven.
* TrainingPeaks: It''s good in that it lets you re-label the data from Wahoo (such as calling a "workout" just that rather than "biking" or "running") and it has lots of options in terms of how to look at the data. The problem I found is that their elevation data is off by at least 200 feet (I ride next to sea level and it shows me being at 200 feet) and doesn''t match the topography of my ride (when I start my ride I go down a large hill but TrainingPeaks shows me going up a hill). After exchanging emails with their tech support, it appears this is something they don''t plan to address soon.
* MapMyFitness (or MapMyRide): Categorizes all data imported from Wahoo as a "Run/jog" even if it''s a bike ride or resistance/strength training. Not very powerful in terms of charting or comparing your workouts over time.
* Garmin Connect. It''s also designed around biking and running (no resistance/strength). The web pages aren''t as intuitive as RunKeeper but look cleaner than Training Peaks. Nothing really stands out about their site.
* Strava: It''s more about biking than running (and has no mention of resistance/strength). I didn''t get to test their site because they insist on making your profile public to all members (or the less restrictive option is to make it available to the general public), which bothered me. If you go to "Athlete Search" you can find everyone who uses Strava.com in a given city/town, first and last name as well as their daily workouts, which I thought was a bit intrusive.
* Nike+: Only tracks runs and since I don''t run, I couldn''t get it to show my data.
* MapMyTracks: Wahoo let me set up an account with MapMytracks but then didn''t provide it as a place to forward my data.
Overall, none of the apps met all of my needs, but I''m looking to track my resistance/strength training heart rate as well as biking. If you''re just looking for running or biking, there''s probably at least one that will meet your needs. Over time, someone will develop the whole package, where you can upload your data (speed, elevation, gps coordinates and heart rate) as well as manage things like the specific exercises you do for strength training (like iFitness or Finess HD for the iPad) and track nutrition (DailyBurn).
*************** JANUARY 22, 2012 UPDATE ******************
I recently bought Wahoo''s new Bluetooth heart rate chest strap that, as of today, only works with the iPhone 4S. This means you no longer need the Wahoo Key (dongle), which is nice because it''s one less thing to take along when I''m traveling. It''s also cheaper because you don''t need to spend the $22 on the Garmin chest strap.
Now that I have a few months of data uploaded to the services above, I find Garmin Connect to be the best for reviewing my data (I haven''t been uploading to Strava or MapMyTracks for reasons discussed above). I think Garmin has made some updates to their site because it''s more intuitive and visually appealing than I recall when I initially looked at the sites (before I had any of my data uploaded). It also allows for data from a workout to be classified as "Strength Training" which wasn''t an option in some of the other apps. Garmin Connect still doesn''t offer everything I want, but it''s getting closer.
*************** May 28, 2012 UPDATE ******************
Wahoo''s iPhone app was updated this past week, which alters some of my comments above. You can share the information you collect on your device with 4 new partners (2Peak, Ride With GPS, Dropbox and dailymile). More important to me, they finally expanded the types of exercises available, which until now had been limited to "Biking" and "Running" (the list now has about 40 activities). In terms of the apps reviewed above, I haven''t spent much time re-reviewing their sites, but here are some thoughts:
1. It looks like MapMyFitness just launched a beta version of their new site which appears to have new reporting functions (which it lacked in the past).
2. I keep getting comments asking to correct my privacy comments about Strava in my original post. But as of today, their privacy statement still says your profile is "viewable only by signed in Strava members." This means that even in the most restrictive privacy settings, anyone with a Strava account can see your details (not private enough for me -I''m looking for a place to store/review my workout data, not find friends to bike with).
3. Mobile apps and their desktop counterparts are changing all the time. Also, each person has different needs -I bike and do strength training. If you get the Wahoo device, which I highly recommend if you like to store/review workout data, try sharing your data with each app for your first 3-4 workouts/activities and then see if the websites give you your information the way you want it.
Buy Wahoo Fitness Key for iPod/iPhone Now
I bought the Garmin 610 package & went back n forth on wether or not I needed this dongle. I mean, I have the world at my wrist for my HR monitor & my footpod, so why would I need this too?2 reasons:
#1. When you are banging around weights or using the boxing bag, a watch isn''t so very handy & can be detrimental to your motions(as in, worrying that you might wack your watch). Have the iPad/iPod nearby, no worries! The dongle picks up your specific ANT+ sensors & records everything just like your watch would. I''ve done P90X routines while in the same room with my iPad and it picks up stuff just fine, almost 12 feet away at times.
#2.
You wear your watch & HR monitor(maybe a footpod too) and go for a run or bike or walk or whatever workout. You come back home(or to the office, car, restaurant, etc) and you just want a quick upload of your workout to Garmin Connect or whatever else you might use(Training Peaks, Nike, etc). This dongle acts exactly like your ANT+ USB stick would on a regular computer, but to your i-device! Same info, less fuss. I went for a quick 4 mile run, and before my shower water had gotten warm enough to step into, I had my run & course & stats uploaded to GC & even shared on Facebook!
I can''t recommend this dongle enough! It is compatible with more than 50 apps right now(the Garmin dongle is only compatible with 1 app....seriously....just one!!) I almost bought the Garmin branded one & I''m glad I didn''t. Well worth the cash for compatibility & convience. I haven''t used my actual computer to upload any workouts since day #2. Why??? This does the same thing.
Only thing is won''t do is download updates to your device(but you can download courses or workouts or other user created content). So when there is a firmware update for your device, you will need to use the original ANT+ wireless USB stick. FYI.
Read Best Reviews of Wahoo Fitness Key for iPod/iPhone Here
Not much to say. It just works. Pairs ANT+ devices, heart rate monitor and foot pod very easily. Seems to be very accurate. I love the feedback it gives. Makes my Garmin 405 obsolete. I''ll be selling that soon. Worth every penny.Want Wahoo Fitness Key for iPod/iPhone Discount?
I purchased the Wahoo fitness key to use with my Iphone on my bike rides. Using a wahoo speed and cadence sensor and a wahoo heart rate monitor along with the mapmyride app. Everything connected initially and worked for part of the first ride. I tried it on several more rides. It lost the connection with both and never worked again. I sent it back and got the Digifit case with sensor, works great and the digifit app is much more stable than mapmyride app. The Wahoo fitness key was the problem with everything.
The key doesn''t seem overly fragile. I have lightly bumped a couple of times with no ill effects. I use Marware''s Sportshell case and armband which leaves the plug in area free for the sensor key. Works great for the gym and running.
I use it with Log Your Run App which then shows HR for my runs and the amount of time in each zone. I can see how my heart is responding to my training in being able to more comfortably withstand faster paces and inclines the longer I train. My resting and recovery HRs have improved, also. Very Cool. The info and gadgets help me stay motivated and since I am 50 it is nice to know I can track my HR for any issues that may arise.
When you are on the treadmill (not outside picking up distance by GPS through your iphone) LYR uses your foot pod to determine distance, cadence, etc via the Fisica sensor key. Distances are a close match to treadmill''s computer.
None of the equipment at my gym (Marin YMCA) seems to be ANT+ capable at this time. But I bet this will change in time. They have many more Apps taking advantage of the ANT + technology in the last few months alone. I really don''t ride enough to warrant replacing my bike computer with a Wahoo sensor and using my iphone for rides but I bet that''s cool.
I still wear my Garmin FR60 watch for its other functions and for backup data---when outside and the LYR app doesn''t pick up GPS (and it doesn''t pick up foot pod while in GPS mode) so the only data I end up with is from my watch--but, I like having the Fisica key attached anyway because I get HR info in a chart of time in each zone that LYR shows on their website via ANT+ hookup and don''t have manually enter HR info in my running log there.
Shipping and packaging was good (arrived about 4 days after order.) Thanks Wahoo for the cool product!
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