Hammerhead Karoo 3 Review: Better than Ever, but…

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I’ve examined the Karoo 2, Edge 1040, Edge 1050, and plenty of different bike computer systems. Naturally, I used to be curious to see how the Karoo 3 measures up. On this assessment, I’ll share what I preferred, what I didn’t, the way it compares to the competitors, and extra.

My Karoo 3 score at a look:Battery Life 2/5 | Ease of Setup 5/5 | Show 5/5 | Ease of Use 5/5 | GPS Accuracy 5/5 | Maps & Navigation 5/5 | Value 2/5 | OVERALL 4.1/5More about this bike laptop scoring.

Hammerhead Karoo 3: Execs & Cons

These are the primary professionals and cons of the Hammerhead Karoo 3 that I found throughout use.

Additionally out there at competitivecyclist.com, jensonusa.com, and tredz.co.uk

Hammerhead Karoo 2 vs. 3: What’s New?

Unboxing and Preliminary Setup

The Karoo 3’s preliminary setup is easy. Join it to WiFi, and the Karoo will replace its firmware. Then, you’ll log in to your Hammerhead account (by scanning a QR code) and supply some preliminary tips about pairing Strava and sensors.

In contrast to the Karoo 2, there’s now a devoted Karoo app. Nonetheless, it received’t help you arrange the top unit; you possibly can solely use it for syncing rides, actions, or exercises, no matter whether or not you’re linked to WiFi.

My Expertise with Hammerhead Karoo 3

Under, I share my expertise with Karoo 3 in an important areas.

Show

“The three.2-inch show is extremely shiny and responsive.” That’s what I wrote in regards to the Karoo 2. However the Karoo 3 pushes this even additional. I estimate the brightness is about 10-20% increased. See the next footage in several gentle circumstances.

Each shows have the identical decision of 480×800px (291.55 PPI). That is almost double the pixel density of the Edge 1040 (156.6 PPI) and nonetheless increased than the Edge 1050 (266.56 PPI). In different phrases, every part appears sharper on the Karoo 2 and three (ultimately E1050) than on most different bike computer systems.

Take a look at the next image, the place I examine the brightness of a number of bike computer systems. It doesn’t look like it within the picture, however the Karoo 3 is the brightest, and the Karoo 2 remains to be brighter than the Edge 1050.

When organising information pages, you possibly can select from many web page layouts. Nonetheless, the variety of information fields per web page is restricted to 10 to maintain a excessive stage of readability. I like that Karoo’s system exhibits you a dwell preview of the pages. This characteristic impressed Garmin, so that they applied one thing comparable (however not as refined) to the Edge 1050.

Keep tuned. I’m engaged on an Edge 1050 vs. Karoo 3 comparability.

Battery Life

Vivid shows and highly effective programs imply one factor: huge energy calls for. Though the battery dimension elevated from 2800mAh to 3200mAh, Karoo 3’s battery life remains to be under common. Though it claims that battery life is as much as 15 hours, my Karoo 3 lasted about 12.3 hours. I had Garmin Varia RTL515, Favero Assioma DUO, Shimano Ultegra Di2, Wahoo TICKR, and my telephone linked to it. I used it on auto brightness and navigation for about 30% of the rides.

Regardless of the below-average battery life (try the chart under), I’ve to provide Hammerhead credit score as a result of they elevated it by about 50 %. The addition of the ambient sensor additionally ensures that the top unit can modify the brightness based mostly on the surface gentle circumstances. This was an enormous weak point of the Karoo 2. You needed to modify it manually.

Hammerhead additionally addressed the poorly designed charging port cowl, which was not hooked up to the top unit, so it was simple to lose it. You additionally don’t should restrict your self to utilizing Karoo’s charging cable; you should use any USB-C charging cable and never fear about damaging the battery because of the increased present.

Additionally out there at competitivecyclist.com, jensonusa.com, and tredz.co.uk

Management & Consumer Friendliness

I used to be curious to see if the Karoo 3 would provide a greater consumer expertise than the earlier era, which was typically laggy and stuffed with software program bugs. I’m completely happy to report that the brand new model runs extra easily and has fewer bugs. Shopping by information pages or maps is seamless. I solely discover minor delays when knocking down the widget panel.

On that word, I’d like to see infinite scrolling added. Presently, whenever you attain the final widget web page, you must swipe again to return to the primary one. I’m referring to widgets, not information pages, which already help infinite scrolling.

As all the time, I examined the show’s controllability with gloves and when moist. It’s like folks from Hammerhead learn my Karoo 2 assessment and tried to handle one of many details of my criticism: dangerous efficiency when moist. The show on Karoo 2 went loopy when moist, making it unattainable to regulate. The Karoo 3 solves this to a sure extent. It’s hydrophobic, so it repels water. But when any stays, it results in a discount within the accuracy of particular person directions. Garmin Edge bike computer systems nonetheless work higher. Watch the next video for additional reference.

Anyway, one of many foremost advantages of Karoo 3 is that it combines a touchscreen show with management buttons. That is useful in winter or the rain. You should utilize the management buttons as a substitute of making an attempt to hit the precise spot on the display screen with gloves. The buttons at the moment are simpler to click on. However actually, they really feel a bit low-cost. Once I shake with Karoo, I can hear how they transfer. That’s fairly bizarre, and I’ve by no means encountered this on a motorcycle laptop earlier than.

Hammerhead additionally added a devoted power-on button, permitting you to show off the display screen in case you might want to save the battery. However in fact, it additionally has a devoted battery-saver mode.

Hammerhead launched a brand new smartphone app that solely lets you sync actions, routes, exercises, and so on. It received’t help you change the settings of your head unit. I’m not certain if they may implement this characteristic (I don’t suppose they may). The app received’t help you create routes, although. You need to create them in a special app after which open the GPX file utilizing the Hammerhead app. Nonetheless, a cool factor is that you should use a location from Google map, share it, after which navigate to it utilizing Karoo.

I didn’t encounter any bugs, not like within the earlier era. It is a good to see enchancment.

Additionally out there at competitivecyclist.com, jensonusa.com, and tredz.co.uk

Maps & Navigation

Karoo 3 has essentially the most modern-looking maps, interval. I like them greater than these on the Edge 1050, however that’s simply a part of the story. How good is the precise navigation? I’ve tried it in our space, and the chosen routes have been okay. This implies the navigation selected the trail I’d select. The identical utilized to my trip in Italy, close to Lake Como. I might depend on the Karoo, and its navigation prompts have been simple to observe. I additionally just like the coloring, which is straightforward to observe.

In fact, Karoo 3 can nonetheless navigate you to factors of curiosity, dropped pins, addresses, and extra. It may possibly additionally recalculate the route whenever you deviate from the unique path. From my expertise, the recalculation is fast and correct.

Shopping maps on this machine feels not like every other bike laptop. It’s the closest expertise to utilizing a smartphone. You may pinch to zoom in or out and swipe with two fingers to change between 2D and 3D views. It’s like magic. Watch the video under, the place I show this.

If I had to decide on between the Karoo 3 and the Edge 1050, I’d select the Karoo as a result of it’s simpler to work with, and I prefer it higher. Route calculation is equally quick on each units.

The one factor that aggravated me a bit was the underside widgets that overlapped the navigation arrow. It is a drawback on descents whenever you wish to see how far you’re from the following flip so you possibly can select the quickest doable line.

Climber Characteristic

Considered one of my favourite issues about Karoo 3 is the Climber characteristic. It’s just like Garmin’s ClimbPro and doesn’t require a deliberate route. It estimates the trail you’ll take and exhibits the climb information (gradients, distance to the highest, and so on.) so you possibly can tempo your self higher.

Naturally, it’s extra correct for deliberate routes than free rides, but it surely looks like the Karoo 3 is extra correct at no cost rides than the Karoo 2. And in contrast to Garmin units, it doesn’t present you the totally devoted web page by default, however solely about 1/third of a display screen utilizing the underside widget. You may swipe it as much as enlarge it. These are the small print I like about Karoo. They put a whole lot of thought into it. Edge bike computer systems robotically swap to the ClimbPro web page, and as soon as the climb ends, you’re left with the closest information web page, not the one you used earlier than. So, you must swipe to get again to it. How irritating!

I’d recognize a special gradient coloring right here as a result of a 9% climb marked as inexperienced will not be notably simple to journey. Additionally, extra flexibility when altering information fields for the climber web page can be nice.

I additionally like that if in case you have Strava Premium, you possibly can swap between the Climber and Strava Reside Segments tabs to see how a lot time you fall behind KOM and your PR. Right here is a photograph from Karoo 2.

Take a look at my comparability of Climber vs. ClimbPro for extra particulars.

GPS Accuracy

The Karoo 3 lastly helps multi-band GNSS. I in contrast its accuracy with different bike computer systems. I plan so as to add footage from my favourite forest section to have extra comparable outcomes. Nonetheless, the recorded route in Italy was off in an space with a foul GPS sign. See the next footage under.

Connectivity

The Karoo 3 has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and ANT+ connectivity, so you should use it with most sensors. Sadly, Hammerhead is owned by SRAM, which is Shimano’s competitor. Consequently, Shimano has ordered Hammerhead to take away Shimano Di2 options from their head items. So if you happen to care about seamless connectivity, Karoo 3 might be not your best option for you.

Hammerhead Karoo 3 Alternate options

Hammerhead Karoo 3 Technical Specs

Under, I summarized Hammerhead Karoo 3 technical specs.

Conclusion

Should you care a few fashionable consumer expertise, I can suggest Karoo 3. Its utilization is the closest to a smartphone of all of the bike computer systems I’ve examined to date. In comparison with the 2nd era, it brings a whole lot of enhancements (fewer bugs, extra fluid expertise, higher accuracy, and battery life), so I imagine it’s value the additional price. Plus, because it comes with the SRAM RED groupset, you possibly can typically get it for a lot lower than the really helpful worth as a result of many individuals promote it. I received mine new for about $315.

In fact, the Karoo 3 will not be with out flaws. Personally, I’m most bothered by the below-average battery life, so I’ve to recharge it about each week or two. Nonetheless, the brightness of its show is the very best of all bike computer systems, so it’s clear that this creates excessive calls for on the battery.

I discovered a couple of eventualities the place the UI will not be polished, however Hammerhead can repair them simply with firmware updates. Total, I’m pleased with Karoo and plan to make use of it as my foremost bike laptop for a while.

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Additionally out there at competitivecyclist.com, jensonusa.com, and tredz.co.uk

Hammerhead Karoo 3 FAQ