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Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Leikr Review}} The Leikr showing the large display. The unique attraction of the Leikr is its huge color display that can s..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Leikr Review}} [[File:Leikr.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The Leikr showing the large display.]]
The unique attraction of the Leikr is its huge color display that can show lots of data, a full color map, or some combination of the two. Navigation with the Leikr is great, but it comes up short in a number of other areas. In addition, I'm concerned that if Leikr stops supporting their web site, their watch is pretty useless as it's needed for data upload and configuration. So, while I love the Leikr and I'm glad I have one, I'm not sure I could recommend it wholeheartedly.
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the Leikr has good GPS accuracy. The level of accuracy should be enough for most general running, though it will depend on your course and how precise you need to be.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Without the ability to display current [[Pace From A Footpod]] while getting all other data from GPS, the Leikr has rather poor pace data.
* '''Where am I? '''The huge, full color display means the Leikr can provide great navigation. It lacks a "back to start" arrow, but you can retrace your steps quite easily on the map.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. The Leikr supports [[Cadence]] via a [[Footpod]], so it's better than nothing, but not up to the options of better devices.
For ultramarathon running the Leikr is pretty useless and is likely to be just enough for a slow marathon. See [[Shoes#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
=Leikr Pros=
* The biggest reason for getting the Leikr is its huge display. It's nearly twice the size and more than twice the resolution of its nearest competitor, the [[Garmin Epix]].
* The Leikr will use its huge display to show full color maps. These maps can be downloaded free from the Leikr website, which is a little easier than the slightly convoluted process needed for the [[Garmin Epix]]. One lovely feature that makes the maps even more useful is the ability to display data overlaying the map. I've found that having one or two key fields shown to the side of the display works really nicely. By comparison, the Epix will show data or maps, but not the two together.
* The display size allows you to view a lot of data (up to six fields), or less data in a large font.
* The GPS accuracy of the Leikr is good, though not up to the best available. (See cons for some caveats to this.)
* The watch is highly configurable, and configuration is via a web site rather than fiddling with the watch.
* Data is uploaded via the Leikr site to Endomondo, MapMyRun, and Strava, and from there it can be exported for use in other tools. However, there is no direct access to the data from the device (see cons below for caveats.)
* Data upload from the Leikr is via WiFi rather than a wired connection, which is rather nice.
* The display can include graphs of some metrics, though I found them to be of less use than other implementations.
=Leikr Run Cons=
* The biggest downside to the Leikr compared to the 310XT/910XT/610 is that there is no way of displaying your current [Pace From A Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. You can only use a footpod by turning off GPS, which is pretty useless. GPS alone is not accurate enough to give you a good indication of current pace, while a footpod can do a much better job. Errors in GPS tend to cause the display of current pace to swing wildly, while errors in footpod pace tend to be constant and far easier to allow for.
* The Leikr is totally dependent on the Leikr website, so if this startup is not successful, you'll end up with a useless device. The web site is used to configure WiFi, configure the watch, and upload data. It would not be hard for the company to add support for data access via USB, as the watch has a USB mass storage mode for bootstrapping WiFi. The company's Facebook and Twitter accounts haven't been updated in a while and the Leikr is no longer available via Amazon.
* The Leikr will download a list of GPS satellites for quicker GPS acquisition, but you have to do this within a few hours of starting your run. This is a problem if you have to travel for a run, as the cache is likely to be stale. (I could not find out any details on how long the cache lasts for, and the Leikr site just says "within hours."
* I had a number of times when the Leikr would not acquire a satellite lock, even after rebooting.
* The battery life of the Leikr is rather poor. They claim 5 hours, and I managed to get 6.5 hours, but that's without using the backlight, map, or pressing any buttons. If you display the map, the battery life is far shorter. (This is true for all devices that show maps, as they require quite a bit of processing power.)
* The Leikr is only water resistant to IPX6 which is resistant to jets of water, not immersion.
=Visual Comparison=
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Leikr 1-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Leikr 1 top]]
|[[File:Leikr 1-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Leikr 1 side]]
|[[File:Garmin Epix-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin Epix top]]
|[[File:Garmin Epix-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin Epix side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Polar V800-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Polar V800 top]]
|[[File:Polar V800-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Polar V800 side]]
|[[File:TomTom Cardio Runner-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|TomTom Cardio Runner top]]
|[[File:TomTom Cardio Runner-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|TomTom Cardio Runner side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Suunto Ambit2-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Suunto Ambit2 top]]
|[[File:Suunto Ambit2-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Suunto Ambit2 side]]
|[[File:Garmin 920XT-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 920XT top]]
|[[File:Garmin 920XT-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 920XT side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Garmin 620-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 620 top]]
|[[File:Garmin 620-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 620 side]]
|}
=What's Missing=
While I don't consider these missing features as 'cons', it's worth understanding the features that are missing compared with other watches.
* '''Altimeter. '''GPS is far less accurate vertically than horizontally, so a barometric altimeter can provide a much better idea of your ascent and descent. It can also be useful for navigation if you're ascending or descending a mountain. In some races I've been far more interested in how much ascent is left rather than the distance to the top. (The more expensive versions of the Leikr add in an Altimeter.)
* '''Running Dynamics'''. Some of the newer Garmin watches can show and record Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT).
* '''Alerts'''. Some watches will alert you when a metric is out of range. The alert for [[Cadence]] is really useful and one of my favorite features.
* '''Downloadable Apps'''. Smart watches have got is used to the idea of a device that can be extended with new functionality, and this concept is being introduced to running watches.
* '''Extended battery life'''. Some porches can extend the battery life by turning the GPS reception off for short periods. This can dramatically reduce GPS accuracy, but it's a useful trade-off for some ultramarathons.
* '''[[Firstbeat| Training Effect]].''' The Firstbeat Training Effect gives you a sense of how hard each workout is, and this sometimes includes the time for recovery.
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
The unique attraction of the Leikr is its huge color display that can show lots of data, a full color map, or some combination of the two. Navigation with the Leikr is great, but it comes up short in a number of other areas. In addition, I'm concerned that if Leikr stops supporting their web site, their watch is pretty useless as it's needed for data upload and configuration. So, while I love the Leikr and I'm glad I have one, I'm not sure I could recommend it wholeheartedly.
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the Leikr has good GPS accuracy. The level of accuracy should be enough for most general running, though it will depend on your course and how precise you need to be.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Without the ability to display current [[Pace From A Footpod]] while getting all other data from GPS, the Leikr has rather poor pace data.
* '''Where am I? '''The huge, full color display means the Leikr can provide great navigation. It lacks a "back to start" arrow, but you can retrace your steps quite easily on the map.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. The Leikr supports [[Cadence]] via a [[Footpod]], so it's better than nothing, but not up to the options of better devices.
For ultramarathon running the Leikr is pretty useless and is likely to be just enough for a slow marathon. See [[Shoes#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
=Leikr Pros=
* The biggest reason for getting the Leikr is its huge display. It's nearly twice the size and more than twice the resolution of its nearest competitor, the [[Garmin Epix]].
* The Leikr will use its huge display to show full color maps. These maps can be downloaded free from the Leikr website, which is a little easier than the slightly convoluted process needed for the [[Garmin Epix]]. One lovely feature that makes the maps even more useful is the ability to display data overlaying the map. I've found that having one or two key fields shown to the side of the display works really nicely. By comparison, the Epix will show data or maps, but not the two together.
* The display size allows you to view a lot of data (up to six fields), or less data in a large font.
* The GPS accuracy of the Leikr is good, though not up to the best available. (See cons for some caveats to this.)
* The watch is highly configurable, and configuration is via a web site rather than fiddling with the watch.
* Data is uploaded via the Leikr site to Endomondo, MapMyRun, and Strava, and from there it can be exported for use in other tools. However, there is no direct access to the data from the device (see cons below for caveats.)
* Data upload from the Leikr is via WiFi rather than a wired connection, which is rather nice.
* The display can include graphs of some metrics, though I found them to be of less use than other implementations.
=Leikr Run Cons=
* The biggest downside to the Leikr compared to the 310XT/910XT/610 is that there is no way of displaying your current [Pace From A Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. You can only use a footpod by turning off GPS, which is pretty useless. GPS alone is not accurate enough to give you a good indication of current pace, while a footpod can do a much better job. Errors in GPS tend to cause the display of current pace to swing wildly, while errors in footpod pace tend to be constant and far easier to allow for.
* The Leikr is totally dependent on the Leikr website, so if this startup is not successful, you'll end up with a useless device. The web site is used to configure WiFi, configure the watch, and upload data. It would not be hard for the company to add support for data access via USB, as the watch has a USB mass storage mode for bootstrapping WiFi. The company's Facebook and Twitter accounts haven't been updated in a while and the Leikr is no longer available via Amazon.
* The Leikr will download a list of GPS satellites for quicker GPS acquisition, but you have to do this within a few hours of starting your run. This is a problem if you have to travel for a run, as the cache is likely to be stale. (I could not find out any details on how long the cache lasts for, and the Leikr site just says "within hours."
* I had a number of times when the Leikr would not acquire a satellite lock, even after rebooting.
* The battery life of the Leikr is rather poor. They claim 5 hours, and I managed to get 6.5 hours, but that's without using the backlight, map, or pressing any buttons. If you display the map, the battery life is far shorter. (This is true for all devices that show maps, as they require quite a bit of processing power.)
* The Leikr is only water resistant to IPX6 which is resistant to jets of water, not immersion.
=Visual Comparison=
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Leikr 1-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Leikr 1 top]]
|[[File:Leikr 1-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Leikr 1 side]]
|[[File:Garmin Epix-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin Epix top]]
|[[File:Garmin Epix-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin Epix side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Polar V800-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Polar V800 top]]
|[[File:Polar V800-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Polar V800 side]]
|[[File:TomTom Cardio Runner-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|TomTom Cardio Runner top]]
|[[File:TomTom Cardio Runner-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|TomTom Cardio Runner side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Suunto Ambit2-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Suunto Ambit2 top]]
|[[File:Suunto Ambit2-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Suunto Ambit2 side]]
|[[File:Garmin 920XT-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 920XT top]]
|[[File:Garmin 920XT-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 920XT side]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:Garmin 620-top.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 620 top]]
|[[File:Garmin 620-side.JPG|none|thumb|150px|Garmin 620 side]]
|}
=What's Missing=
While I don't consider these missing features as 'cons', it's worth understanding the features that are missing compared with other watches.
* '''Altimeter. '''GPS is far less accurate vertically than horizontally, so a barometric altimeter can provide a much better idea of your ascent and descent. It can also be useful for navigation if you're ascending or descending a mountain. In some races I've been far more interested in how much ascent is left rather than the distance to the top. (The more expensive versions of the Leikr add in an Altimeter.)
* '''Running Dynamics'''. Some of the newer Garmin watches can show and record Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT).
* '''Alerts'''. Some watches will alert you when a metric is out of range. The alert for [[Cadence]] is really useful and one of my favorite features.
* '''Downloadable Apps'''. Smart watches have got is used to the idea of a device that can be extended with new functionality, and this concept is being introduced to running watches.
* '''Extended battery life'''. Some porches can extend the battery life by turning the GPS reception off for short periods. This can dramatically reduce GPS accuracy, but it's a useful trade-off for some ultramarathons.
* '''[[Firstbeat| Training Effect]].''' The Firstbeat Training Effect gives you a sense of how hard each workout is, and this sometimes includes the time for recovery.
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
