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[[File:Footpods.jpg|right|thumb|500px|A picture comparison of the various Footpods, from left to right: [[MilestonePod]] V3, [[MilestonePod]] V3, Polar Stride Sensor (Bluetooth), Adidas MiCoach (Bluetooth), Garmin and Polar Footpods with an AA battery for size comparison(Ant+), [[RunScribe]], i-gotU (Bluetooth).]]A Footpod is a small device that measures pace and distance while running or walking. These Footpods contain accelerometers that calculate the movement of your foot, providing an accurate measurement across a broad range of paces and stride lengths. A Footpod does not simply measure each stride, which would be wildly inaccurate. If you have a These first-generation Footpods can be quite accurate, but require calibration, and this calibration has to be repeated for different shoes. The [[Best Running Watch|Garmin WatchStryd]] then footpod is a [http://go.fellrnr.com?id=35454X937677&xs=1&xcust=second-generation Footpod&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwwwand it's so accurate it doesn't require calibration.amazon.com%2FGarminThe first generation Footpods use a 3-Footaxis accelerometer, where second generation Footpods typically use 9-Pod-Retail-Packaging%2Fdp%2FB00264GKVQ Garmin Footpod] axis sensors which combine accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers for far greater accuracy. (This page focuses on the first generation Footpods, though Stryd is an excellent upgradefar superior. )

Out of the box, a Footpod is typically accurate to 90+% and after calibration this typically improves to 98-99%. This compares well with the accuracy of GPS which is 97-98%. However, a Footpod only gives you this accuracy on smooth surfaces where your stride is reasonably predictable. You need to make sure the Footpod is well attached to your shoe; if it's bouncing about the accuracy will be poor. If you do trail running, I found the accuracy can be rather patchy. Of course , if you're running a twisty trail with tree covered, you may find the accuracy of GPS dropping to 80-95%. I have found that a Footpod provides vastly more accurate information for your current pace compared with GPS. While the errors in the GPS signal even out over the course of a run, they can result in a current pace that is inaccurate by 1-2 minutes/mile.

If you have a [[Best Running Watch|Garmin 910XT, 310XT 610, Epix, or 610920XT]] then it is possible to display your current pace from the [[Pace From A Footpod ]] while getting other data from the GPS. I believe this is the optimal configuration for most runners. In addition, I found that turning the GPS off and relying on the Footpod dramatically increases the battery life of a Garmin watch.=Bluetooth Footpods=There are a number of Bluetooth Footpods on the market that I've tested. * The [[Stryd]] footpod is vastly superior to any other footpod, but also a lot more expensive. Even at its higher price, it's great value for money.* The [[MilestonePod]] is the best option if you're not going for [[Stryd]] (and arguably is worth having for tracking shoe mileage even if you have Stryd.) MilestonePod has great compatibility and accuracy. * While the Adidas Speed Cell is accurate, it doesn't work well with Polar devices and is more expensive than the MilestonePod. * The Polar Stride Sensor is large and is not as accurate as the other options. It's only worth considering if you have a Polar watch, and even then, there are better options. {{:Footpods-Bluetooth-table}}