Review: Adidas Wearable Tech and miCoach Heart Rate Monitor

Disclaimer:  I was provided an Adidas bra and heart rate monitor in exchange for a review. I was not provided additional compensation and all opinions are my own.

Back when Emily offered me the chance to try out Oofos (which I'm wearing as I write this), she also asked if I would want to try a sports bra that has a spot for a heart rate monitor.

From their website:

• Sensor fibers knit into the fabric
• Second skin fit
• Quick drying, moisture wicking nylon Lycra® fabric
• Advanced seamless design for superior comfort
• No chest strap to slip or bind
• Soft microfiber trim prevents chafing
• Use with compatible heart rate monitoring sports watch, smart phones and cardio equipment

 I happily agreed and was surprised when they sent an Adidas miCoach monitor along as well!

It came with a heart rate monitor and a strap.

All I had to do was clip the monitor into the bra and pair it with the free miCoach app on my phone.

 

I was a little confused about how to get things going, and after a few user errors I found a video that showed how to get started.

I moistened the strap, as demonstrated.

Since that didn't work, I tried again; only this time with a little more moisture.

I crossed my fingers.

This went on over and over.  When I eventually did get a successful pairing, I was pretty excited! 

Until I saw the readout.

Aaarrrgghhhhh.

Emily put me in touch with Adidas digital sports.  They were very nice, and after various failed attempts to problem-solve they sent me a replacement and had me send back the original and let me know it worked just fine when they tested it out. GAH.

I took the monitor on several runs, using both the bra and the strap in order to see if one way worked better than the other.  It had some quirks.

It did this at the beginning of every run for 5 minutes straight.

I have waffled on my feelings about this product, so I decided to rely on my tried and true list method:

THE BRA

1.  The fit is good.  It's your basic sports bra designed to keep the girls in place during exercise.

2.  The heart rate monitor pocket is well constructed, easy to use, and comfortable.  I don't even feel the monitor when I'm running.

3.  It's really nice to clip the heart rate monitor onto clothing and not have to worry about keeping a strap in place.

THE MICOACH DEVICE AND APP

1.  The app shows a lot of data, including predicted finish times in different races based on your performance.

 

2.  You can configure it to tell you updates at various intervals during your run (half mile, mile, kilometre, etc...)

3.  The monitor is your standard snap-in oval.  It's lightweight and the profile seems average to me.

THE BRA

1.   I've noticed chafing from the seam of the heart rate monitor pouch, but luckily it doesn't hurt.

THE MICOACH DEVICE AND APP

1.  The constant sensor issues really drove me nuts.  While I thought everything fit snugly, maybe the strap was too big; however, I don't think the bra could be any smaller.

2.  There seem to be some issues using it with iOS8, so it's good to know that if you use an iPhone.  For example, I noticed that one of my runs clocked my heart rate at 50 beats per minute, which is 10 beats slower than my resting heart rate.

MY VERDICT:  I really wanted to like this product, but at this point I can say that it is okay.

I like the fit and support of the bra and I think Adidas constructed it well.  I also like the features provided on the app, which are the same as other free running apps available.

Interestingly, I find that the more I run with the monitor, the more realistic the readouts are.  If the sensor stays in contact with my phone, then maybe the Adidas miCoach and I can be friends after all.

UPCOMING POSTS:  MARATHON AFTERMATH, VOLUNTEERING AT BEAT THE BLERCH