Omron Pedometer, Yamax Pedometer? How to chose a Pedometer.

As the member of a running group the question "what type of pedometer is best "  is one that I hear all the time. Some runners and walkers really love gadgets and enjoy trying out all of the latest technology if they can afford it.  I thought I would take a few minutes to explore the different options available to you.  The type you use will be determined by three main things, your budget, the type of activity you will be engaging in and the type of information that you feel will be most beneficial to you. Let's go over each of the different kinds of pedometer available and present the advantages of each so whether you are walking, running or hiking you can get one that is suited to you.

Accelerometers 

I generally recommend an accelerometer, as previously discussed these are sometimes referred to as piezoelectric pedometers.  This is the mechanism which tracks how many steps you have taken. Models with accelerometers are more accurate and tend to stay more accurate than ones which have spring levered mechanisms. The one thing to take into account is that you do have to replace the battery more often.

Top Rated Omron Accelerometers for Walking & Jogging. Steps, Calories and more:

	Omron HJ-151 Designed to be worn on the hip. Must be worn horizontally. Records steps and aerobic steps which are steady steps like the ones when you are out for a steady walk or jog. Records calories expended and distance Battery life approx. 1 year if you walk 10,000s steps each day. 7 day History memory & Time of Day Rating:
	Omron HJ-112 Premium Pedometer.  Very popular, great reviews. Worn on belt, in pocket or a bag. Dual axis accelerometer with 2D Smart Sensor technology. Counts steps and aerobic steps, distance and minutes of exercise Able to calculate calories and grams of fat butned Battery life is approx. 6 months with 10,000 steps per day. History memory 7 day. Time display Rating:
	Omron 720ITC Pocket Pedometer also has Advanced Omron Health Management Software. Can be worn on belt, in bag or in pocket. This great model measures steps and aerobic steps. Also minutes walked ( over 10 min. ) calories used and distance. 7 day History displayed and 42 day memory. Workouts can be uploaded to a PC. PC software is included. Battery approx. 6 months at 10,000 steps a day. Rating:
	Omron HJ-303 Tri-Axis GoSmart This Tri Axis advanced  accelerometer can be worn at any angle, in a pocket, bag, on hip, wherever you like. Measures steps, filters out non walking steps. Records distance. Records total steps up to 1 million and calories used. Sleep mode to extend battery life. 7 Day History function Rating:

Yamax – Recommended Spring Levered Pedometers

If you are looking for a pedometer do not avoid spring levered models. Many people do use them, if you do buy one of these I recommend one with a coil spring mechanism. The Yamax models are my favourite as they are very accurate. I have a Yamax which I used a lot and I still take it on vacation with me. Models which utilize hair spring technology may lose their accuracy after approximately one million  steps. Coil spring ones are more accurate than hair spring ones and they retain their accuracy for a much longer period of time. Compared to accelerometers, spring levered devices tend to be less expensive. Spring levered ones may make a clicking sound as you walk or run, accelerometers are quiet.

Yamax Pedometers have been recognized as "best of class" by the American College of Sport and medicine

	Yamax SW200 Digi-Walker Very reliable and accurate Excellent entry level model Very simple to use it has only one button to reset the step counter . Worn clipped on belt or waistband Measures only steps walked or jogged up to 100,000 Flip down protective cover. Battery life approximately 3 years  Rating:
	Yamax SW701 Multifunction  Possibly the most accurate and reliable  Clip to your belt or waistband Counts steps walking or jogging up to 99,000. Calculates the distance covered. Calculates calories burned. Protective cover prevents accidental reset and scratches. Rating:
	Yamax CW701 Digi-Walker This Yamax is the next step up it does it all. Metal clip for belt or waistband. Protective cover. Counts steps to 999,999 walking or jogging. Calculates distance and calories used. Measures activity time.  It has a 24 hour clock Memory is 7 day with a 2 week cumulative memory Rating:
	Yamax Digi-Walker SW801 This Pedometer calculates speed as well as distance. Counts steps up to 99,999 jogging or walking. Calculates calories expended. Protective flip down cover protects the unit's reset button. Weighs 21 grams less than one ounce. Rating:

Years ago, I used to use a very inexpensive pedometer.  I would periodically check its calibration by walking or running over a measured distance to ensure its accuracy.  This is the same sort of thing you would do when you manually set up a pedometer for the first time. You set your stride measurement and then walk a pre measured distance to double check that you have it set correctly, usually the longer the distance the better, as this will take into account any differences in the length of your stride.  Running tracks are ideal for setting pedometers, just double check on the actual distance around the inside track. In my day they were 440 yards, some are now 400 meters. Just count your steps and divide them into the distance travelled. A simpler method is to measure out a distance on the sidewalk and use that to measure your devices accuracy.

Basic Step Pedometers

When it comes to choosing a basic pedometer there is a huge selection on the market. In its simplest form they count the number of steps a person takes. In fact you will find that even simple onesoften have several functions. As discussed above the mechanics of a pedometer can vary. If  you are only interested in buying a very basic instrument that counts steps, try to find one that has coiled spring technology. The Yamax SW-200 is an extremely good and accurate model which only counts steps. Yamax makes an SW series and a CW series. The CW series has a more heavily coated pendulum to quieten the clicks. Both the SW and CW series are very good. The higher the model number the greater the number of functions. For example the Yamax Digi -Walker  CW 700-701 has seven different functions, these include the capability  to calculate things like  distance, calories used and activity time.

This style of pedometer is usually worn on the belt or waistband. Make sure that the clip is sturdy, preferably metal. This is another reason I like the Yamax Digi-Walkers, they come with a sturdy good quality metal clips that have stoppers on them. This prevents the unit from becoming detached and lost or broken. Battery life on these models is usually around three years.

Belt pedometers come in models which are open faced, that is you can easily see the face, or they have clip covers. The choice is yours when it comes to deciding what is best for you. The benefit of having a cover is that your pedometer is protected from getting scratched and the buttons wont get pushed accidentally which could reset it. 

Pocket Pedometers

The other popular type of is the pocket pedometer. As its name suggests you can keep it in your pocket while you walk or run. These are handy because they are unobtrusive and they wont get caught up on door handles and the like. They are useful if you want to carry one at work to see how far you  walk in a day and they are also ideal if you travel. its always nice to know how far you have walked around an airport terminal while you've been waiting for a plane. Once you arrive at your destination you can keep track of how far you have walked for business or sightseeing. The fact that it is in  your pocket will also make it more difficult for someone to steal it. 

Like belt pedometers, pocket devices also come with a range of features and functions. pocket pedometers or accelerometers can be carried at different angles in the pocket. I like the features, accuracy and durability of the pocket pedometers made by  Omron. The Omron models have what they call acceleration sensors. These models have either dual or triple axis acceleration sensors which enables them to accurately count steps when they are placed horizontally or vertically.   The HJ-720ITC allows you to track steps, distance and calories and fat grams burned. This model can be attached to your computer so that you can upload your information, enabling you to save your exercise data for years.