Stryd Duo + Stryd Footpath Review and Video Data Visualizations

Stryd Duo + Stryd Footpath ($299 for two pods plus $9.99 monthly for 12 months)

Introduction

Mike P: Since receiving the Subsequent Gen Stryd pod final yr, it has develop into a vital piece of my working gear. At this level I wouldn’t consider going out for a run with out it! After utilizing it by means of a full season of coaching and racing, I can definitively say – I’m a transformed “energy” runner. 

Once I heard in regards to the “Duo” pod setup from Stryd, I instantly reached out to see if we’d be capable of check. The concept alone – of getting a pod on every foot, fairly than only a single 

pod – simply appears intuitively extra correct when it comes to all of the metrics and options that Stryd already gives. To not point out the brand new dual-pod primarily based metrics and options!

However the actual WOW issue that caught my consideration was positively the Footpath visualization – A full prime/facet/rear visualization of the trail of every foot all through your working “Stryd”. I’d by no means hear of something in the marketplace that gives this function – outdoors of going to a working store and performing some kind of video-based gait evaluation. Now you could have the power to report and analyze your footpath throughout each run in each kind of terrain ?!?!  Simply take into consideration that for a minute.. Isn’t know-how superb? However does this actually work – and moreover, is it actually of any use apart from wanting very cool? We’ll see..

[In the box]

Options and Tech

Should you’re new to Stryd, working foot pods normally, or utilizing energy as a working metric normally, I strongly urge you to return and browse our full Subsequent Gen Stryd pod evaluate from final yr.

On this Stryd Duo evaluate, I gained’t return and rehash all the advantages of utilizing the (single) Stryd pod. You possibly can return and get all the main points in our earlier evaluate. However I’ll shortly recap and spotlight some details earlier than I dig into the brand new Duo options.

Distance and Elevation – This has been a whole sport changer for me. The Stryd pod gives extra correct distance and elevation than any GPS watch can. I’ve validated this all through a full yr of testing. Key factors – you shouldn’t have to attend in your watch to accumulate a GPS sign earlier than beginning a run, and also you don’t have to fret about sign drops messing up your knowledge. You possibly can flip off your GPS altogether with a view to save battery in your watch. I did this precisely throughout a latest yard extremely – I left my GPS on for the primary few laps or so – simply so I can see the course route in Garmin. However after that I fully turned off my GPS since I used to be working the identical observe each loop. With my Stryd pods, I acquired laps inside hundredths of a mile over the course of 36 hours. Verify my energy knowledge from the Dizzy Horse Yard Extremely right here –

[I got loop distances between 4.13 and 4.17 for the entire 36 hours – via Stryd, no GPS. I had some trouble keeping up with the charging in the final laps – that’s why I lost balance metrics. But I kept a single pod going, and it didn’t mess up the recorded activity in any way.]

Working with Energy – Quoting from my earlier evaluate – “gives regular, correct, real-time knowledge on the run.” As a path runner this has been invaluable as I run over a variety of terrain and situations. Tempo will be ineffective at instances on the paths, particularly in very steep terrain. Coronary heart Price is usually alright to gauge effort, however there is a component of lag, and in addition sign drops, particularly in chilly and/or dry climate. Energy is rather more dependable over the course of any distance and period to gauge your pacing, output, and energy. I gained’t get into the nuts and bolts of Vital Energy and figuring out your energy zones, and so on. – that’s extensively coated in our earlier evaluate.

Energy-based metrics embody: Tempo, Distance, Time, Elevation, Cadence, Kind Energy, Floor Contact Time, Leg Spring Stiffness, Vertical Oscillation, Air Energy, and Impression Loading Price. A number of of those metrics have been additional enhanced by having a second pod – primarily so you possibly can gauge the steadiness between the left and proper legs. We’ll dig into these later.

To be trustworthy, over the course of a full yr+ with the pod, I don’t pay an excessive amount of consideration to those metrics in their very own proper. I get a lot worth from the essential Energy worth (watts) itself, that I don’t see the necessity to spend time or vitality worrying about some other particular metric. However the knowledge is there, if you’re so inclined to dig deep. However does having a Left/Proper ratio for a few of these metrics change my opinion about utilizing them??? 

Michael: I’ve lengthy attested that Stryd is considered one of only a few items of working gear that, if I misplaced in the present day, I’d purchase instantly. I’ve owned one for some 5 years now, and may depend on one hand (okay, possibly two palms) the variety of runs I’ve finished in that point with out no less than one Stryd unit strapped to my footwear. However, then I at all times caveat that advice by saying that by far my most helpful case for the footpod is treadmill working – the place it’s hyper-accurate – and that’s when you’re shopping for for “working with energy” alone, then you really want to think about the way you’d use that metric. I feel there are nonetheless very compelling arguments to be made for this factor, nevertheless it’s much less of a no brainer. 

In fact, in actuality, there are many different use circumstances than simply treadmill or power-based-training; Stryd is extraordinarily correct open air, even in comparison with GPS, so city runners profit when buildings intervene with alerts; you need to use energy as a metric to complement your coaching, the identical manner many runners prepare with coronary heart price screens; you possibly can increase your coaching with non-power-based metrics as Mike describes above (cadence, floor contact time, and so on.) which different firms implement into standalone units… and now, the large one: Footpath Visualization. We’ll get into that intimately, after all, however for my part, Footpath Visualization and the Duo pod setup revitalizes Stryd, and reinforces that Stryd is among the firms actually fusing tech and working for the higher (even when proper now, it does really feel a bit like we’re all beta testing – I place confidence in this data-based firm!).

Illustrations and dialogue of information/output

Mike P: Stryd gives a fairly succinct abstract of the brand new Duo Pod options right here– I’d learn by means of that to simply get the overall concept in regards to the Duo setup.

Primarily, with a view to arrange the “Duo” system, you want two separate Subsequent Gen Stryd pods. In case you have an current Subsequent Gen Pod, you should buy yet another, and the pods sync with one another to kind the Duo pair. Should you don’t have a Subsequent Gen Pod, it’s essential to buy two Subsequent Gen Pods to arrange the Duo system. Stryd has provided some offers for buying a further single pod to finish your Duo, or for purchasing each directly, and so they did have some offers together with their membership plans. Verify their web site for his or her present choices.

These are the brand new metrics supplied within the Duo setup:

Floor Contact Time Steadiness

Vertical Ratio

Vertical Oscillation Steadiness

Leg Spring Stiffness Steadiness

Impression Loading Price Steadiness

You’ll discover that they’re primarily the identical metrics supplied by a single Subsequent Gen Stryd pod. However now since you could have separate metrics from two pods – one on every foot, you possibly can examine one facet to the opposite and see variations in how either side of your “physique” or “working stride” function. 

Now, chances are you’ll end up asking – do these new metrics actually present any helpful data? I can reply that two methods – I didn’t discover an excessive amount of worth from the particular metrics supplied by the Stryd pod. Most of the metrics are simply that – measurements. Sure, they might have worth in and of themselves, however on the finish of the day – you possibly can’t actually do an excessive amount of with them. For instance, in case your Vertical Oscillation exhibits a sure worth, which possibly you assume is just too excessive or too low – is it in any respect potential or advisable to regulate your working to “repair” it?

In reality, I’ve just lately joined among the Stryd Group teams and seen related sentiments expressed there by each customers and Stryd’s personal moderators. Consciously adjusting or altering your stride in response to at least one or any variety of these metrics is just not a good suggestion. Moreover, there are actually no definitive pointers or instructions so far as shifting any of the metrics in a single course or one other, even when you had been so inclined to attempt it. 

So, in the long run, when you assume the worth of the bottom metrics from a single Stryd pod aren’t tremendous invaluable, the Duo Pod could not change your thoughts. However alternatively, the steadiness or ratio between the left/proper sides could also be one other story.

Initially I observed that my Floor Contact Time steadiness was a bit off – my proper facet being decrease, or having barely longer floor contact time than my left facet. 

As runners, it’s possible a good suggestion to attempt for symmetry in our working stride, so naturally I attempted varied strategies of “night” out or getting my GCT to an excellent 50/50. These included – making an attempt to select up my proper leg faster, making an attempt to push extra into the bottom with my left leg, making an attempt to place extra power and “bounce” extra off my proper leg. 

This was attention-grabbing initially, as some strategies labored greater than others at instances, and I may watch the GCT worth in real-time on my watch (you possibly can see the worth in Garmin’s native GCT knowledge subject/gauge). Nevertheless it simply turned tedious, and fairly annoying to run in that manner. Additionally, terrain components turned obvious – as I used to be working on trails more often than not. For instance, when working on a path minimize alongside the facet of a hill, the path possible slopes each so barely downhill. I observed this might throw off the GCT numbers instantly, and made me assume that something apart from a flat, even path would additionally possible throw “off” most, if not all, of the metrics when path working.

So in the long run, I resolved to give attention to single-leg power work to even out any imbalances that I could have. This is able to possible present probably the most bang for the coaching “buck” when you typically need to be a stronger and extra balanced, or “symmetric” runner. Monitoring the superior metrics after the actual fact and even in real-time simply looks like extra of a time suck than the rest.

One space that could be of curiosity is within the case of accidents. That was one space that I observed being talked about in Stryd boards and webinars as a utilization situation. Should you no less than have a tough gauge of your metrics when wholesome, the thought is that – maybe you’d discover if values start to alter as an indicator of some kind of harm or fatigue approaching. In fact if you’re actively working with an harm, I’d think about the numbers can be manner off out of your baseline. 

I didn’t are available in/out of any harm durations throughout my testing, so I can’t remark an excessive amount of about this. However this does sound like a helpful situation to me- not worrying an excessive amount of in regards to the precise values of the metrics themselves, however paying extra consideration to the relative modifications throughout sure durations. I do know considered one of our testers – Joost has been coping with some accidents, so he could have some higher insights on this.

Efficiency Private Utility

Mike P: Right here’s one other quote from Stryd’s description article-

“Stryd Duo additionally comes with further accuracy advantages over the Subsequent Gen Stryd, resembling elevated knowledge stability with out sacrificing responsiveness for current Stryd energy metrics, resembling Stryd Energy, Kind Energy and Air Energy.”

If one pod is nice, two pods is best proper? At the least within the sense of being extra correct. This makes excellent sense to me, and actually, I do take this declare at face worth. I discovered the one Stryd pod to be exceptionally correct, so I may completely see the information being enhanced or refined primarily based on amassing primarily double the quantity of information. For a simplistic instance – if Pod 1 calculates X distance, and Pod 2 calculates Y distance, I’m positive the common of the two can be extra correct over the long term. 

I discussed GCT Steadiness as a metric that I observed initially throughout my testing. This was by no means a function that I had entry to earlier than, so it was fully new to me. I assumed that it was one thing that may naturally rely on having some kind of twin foot pod setup. However then I did some analysis and came upon that Garmin has a HR monitor strap that additionally gives this metric. 

Now, I’ve no expertise with utilizing that particular instrument, however pulling the thread of information accuracy right here – I can’t think about that getting “steadiness” values from a monitor in the midst of your chest may presumably be extra correct than measuring from separate units on every foot. Moreover, I really put on my HRM monitor strap barely off to the appropriate facet, because it provides me a extra constant studying. I do know some athletes put on them off to the facet for that very same motive. In the end, the elevated knowledge accuracy claims for the Stryd Duo setup, particularly for any kind of ratio/steadiness metrics, simply make sense to me from a purely logical standpoint.

Footpath Evaluation

Mike P: Now, to the enjoyable stuff. It’s tremendous attention-grabbing to have the ability to view your footpath after every run! Your response to seeing this visualization may vary from anyplace to pleasantly shocked, to confused, and even shocked and appalled! Simply kidding.. Or possibly now. I’ve seen some fairly attention-grabbing footpaths posted to the Stryd FB Group teams. 

As I’m engaged on this evaluate, Stryd simply introduced the most recent function replace 3D Visualization. Up till now, you’ve been capable of view the footpath solely in a 2D vary from 3 completely different views: facet, prime, and rear. Here’s a view of the brand new 3D view, from a left/rear/prime perspective (the next screenshots are from a treadmill run):

[Orange – left pod/foot, Blue – right pod/foot]

Actually, that is merely superb. You need to use the mouse to seize and rotate the diagram in any course. I discover this new view a lot simpler to “visualize” – as in – mentally following the trail of every foot then in movement. Beforehand, with solely the 2D views, it was typically complicated to get a deal with on which course your foot was touring in. I.e. which was the forwards stride vs. the backward stride. This 3D view now eliminates that confusion as you possibly can shortly drag and drop to view completely different angles and get a greater sense of your footpath in “area”.

My footpath evaluation – greater proper leg chill

One thing I observed instantly from the footpath was that I are inclined to have the next kick-back with my proper leg. This was noticeable throughout all runs, and simpler to key in on when treadmill runs, because the floor is clearly common your entire time. I’ve to say that, when wanting on the 2D view, it didn’t appear to be an excessive amount of of a distinction. 

However now within the 3D view it appears to be like rather more substantial and has me questioning extra if that is one thing I ought to “work on”. 

[3D – from the rear]

I put “work on” in quotes as a result of even with all of those metrics, and visualization, it’s nonetheless not clear if any distinction you could have are simply pure variations – which can be “nice” and “regular”, or one thing that maybe may very well be “labored on”, “fastened”, or “balanced”. Once more – the whole lot in quotes right here, as a result of most often, I’d say these are unanswerable questions.

When my left/proper footpath within the 3D view, these are the factors of study that strike me, in no explicit order-

3D visualization in relation to metrics

I talked a little bit bit earlier about noticing my Floor Contact Time (GCT) Steadiness being considerably off. These metrics confirmed that I spend extra contact time on my left foot. I additionally talked about how I used to be kind of “taking pictures in the dead of night” so far as what to do with these numbers, and the way I may presumably have an effect on them. I even tried working in sure methods to see if something modified, nevertheless it was all just about simply guessing.

Now with the 3D evaluation, it’s a lot simpler to think about these numbers in relation to your precise recorded foot stride. 

[Orange – left pod/foot, Blue – right pod/foot]

Wanting on the facet view above, it appears as if my left leg is extending extra, possible resulting in the longer GCT. Now does this imply I’m presumably overstriding on my left facet, or is my proper sight missing mobility or extension? I don’t know, nevertheless it’s positively one thing to consider and presumably analyze additional fairly than simply guessing primarily based on the metrics.

Now that I can see that my left stride appears marginally longer, no less than visually, and as measured by the GCT metric – does it make sense that my proper leg has to chill greater with a view to return “faster” with a view to “catch up” in a way? Once more, I don’t know the reply to this. 

Relationship to my private harm historical past, notion of weak spot/steadiness

I’ve tended to have extra points on my proper facet/leg up to now. I had an Achilles harm once I first began working in addition to ITB points. Lately I sometimes really feel extra hamstring tightness particularly on the appropriate facet. Additionally, I at all times felt that my proper ankle is a bit weaker, tending to wish extra assist at instances. That is fairly obvious by means of testing so many footwear with various ranges of underfoot assist.

Does this notion, or precise, imbalance present within the metrics/visualization? I’m a little bit bit shocked that probably the most noticeable factor in my footpath is the upper leg kick from my proper leg. It appears counterintuitive to me, however maybe it’s an overcompensation factor primarily based on my proper leg offering comparatively much less energy than my left?

Lifetime sports activities historical past

The place do our imbalances come from? Are they one thing that crops up over time – particular to working, or one thing deeper, maybe rooted in our private motion historical past, possibly even different sports activities and actions that we’ve finished in our life. 

For me – I spent the overwhelming majority of my youthful years as an inline speedskater. This was from my early childhood by means of maturity. I primarily “skilled” (this was the 90s) and raced indoors – assume brief observe ice skating, however on inline skates. This meant a number of left turns. Within the indoor model of the game, you’re just about coasting the straights, and powering by means of the turns – primarily utilizing the within (left) leg to push by means of and again as you cross over with the appropriate leg. 

I’ve no doubts that this background tremendously contributes to my sense that I could have some kind of imbalance between my legs. Maybe you could have some kind of background – athletic or in any other case – that now influences your working mechanics?

Pure imbalances

Alongside the identical traces as a selected sporting and/or harm historical past – there are some imbalances which can be simply pure. Most individuals are inclined to favor one facet or the opposite, with out fascinated by it. Should you simply occur to be standing round – discover when you start to stiffen one leg one other, and type of “publish up” on it, fairly than standing on each legs equally. Most individuals do – I do know that I are inclined to lean on my left leg. Now extrapolate issues like that throughout your lifetime. With that in thoughts, would you count on your working stride to be completely balanced?

Climbing

Apparently, listed here are some 2D visualizations from treadmill climbing. Right here my left leg swings barely greater within the rear, and appears to stay greater because the leg swings ahead earlier than dropping down.

[Side view – hiking, on a treadmill: left leg orange]

Within the screenshot beneath, see how the left leg swings greater within the again, which is reverse to what occurs when working. This was one thing I appeared into and in addition examine within the boards. You might discover huge variations in your stride sample at completely different working speeds, going uphill/downhill, and naturally climbing or strolling.

[Rear view – hiking, on a treadmill]

Additionally discover how the 2D view may be very troublesome to visualise. Now with 3D enabled, when you begin panning round, in a couple of seconds the visualization “clicks” and also you get a way of it rather more simply.

Inclines/Descents

The visualization can be helpful for analyzing inclines vs. descents, which is particularly pertinent I’d say for path runners. The screenshots beneath present a climbing section on a semi-steep grime street, adopted by the descent of the identical section in a while within the run. I discovered my left/proper discrepancy to be much less noticeable on trails, and fewer distinguished at slower speeds, which is smart. 

[5:00, 0.5M uphill, on trail, 11% grade]

I additionally discovered not a lot of a relative distinction for me (except for the upper R leg kick) between going uphill and downhill. It’s fairly attention-grabbing to see right here how my landings appear to be very balanced between the left and proper sides. I don’t see the relative “overextension” or my left stride which was so obvious on the treadmill.

[Same section as above – the descent]

You may as well see how the uphill stride is way shorter and shallower, than the longer and sooner downhill stride. The screenshots are on the similar scale. Fairly cool !

Beneath I display the information visualizations in video kind

Only for reference, beneath is a screenshot from a reasonably common, flat street run. Once more, just like my treadmill run, the longer left stride is once more extra obvious than throughout my path runs. Does this simply present inherent variations between path and street working? Does path working make you a extra “balanced” runner = )  ? Are my mechanics fairly completely different between street and path?

[A regular, flat, road run]

Nonetheless, the treadmill incline problem

The largest lacking hyperlink in utilizing the Stryd pod is capturing incline when utilizing a treadmill. I mentioned this in our authentic evaluate – at the moment there isn’t a good approach to seize/enter the incline setting of your treadmill. That is of explicit annoyance to me, as treadmill climbing is a exercise that I do very often.

There are 2 choices for this. One, utilizing the Stryd app on the cellphone to report your exercise – this lets you manually enter the incline inside the app. This technique has the problem that you just don’t have the metrics you’d usually have in your wrist along with your watch. Coronary heart Price is the large one – if the app may simply report coronary heart price into the exercise, this might be a way more usable choice.

[Treadmill setup, for now, capturing incline is still a pain]

The second choice is to make use of the Stryd Exercise app on Garmin watches. This app is definitely being sunsetted, and can now not be supported. Nevertheless it nonetheless works. You possibly can enter the incline utilizing your watch buttons (or touchscreen) on one of many app’s knowledge screens, and energy is adjusted accordingly. That is additionally a little bit bit cumbersome as a result of I sometimes arrange my exercises in Garmin and there’s no approach to make these work along with the Stryd Exercise App. 

Within the above pic, you possibly can see the perfect answer I’ve give you. I exploit an outdated watch with a Garmin exercise loaded up together with the Stryd Exercise App on my wrist. I comply with the alerts from my outdated watch with a view to comply with the exercise – then manually modify the incline on the treadmill itself together with the watch on my wrist. I additionally manually click on off laps on my wrist watch. Cumbersome, nevertheless it works for my wants, and I’ve gotten used to it.

Michael: It’s a pleasure having reviewers like Mike on the workforce, although I admit his consideration to element right here makes me really feel like I want to actually discover one thing new to say, lest I simply make our readers retread the whole lot they simply took in. I’m going to give attention to my explicit use case as an alternative, and particularly, the utility of (a) the brand new Footpath knowledge (notably the 3D modeling) and (b) any modifications to utilizing the Stryd footpod(s) as treadmill sensors. 

Conclusions

Mike P: So, is the Stryd Duo setup price it? Little doubt, it’s a big funding. I’m seeing the listed value at the moment at $249 for a single Subsequent Gen pod (you want 2 pods for a Duo setup). However I’m additionally seeing pricing for two pods at $299, plus a 12 month subscription dedication at $9.99 monthly, for a complete of $419. In case you are in any respect within the options supplied by Stryd, and most importantly the (now 3D) footpath visualization options – I’d say that’s an affordable value to get two pods in your ft and have entry to the total function set for 1 full yr.

Notice: Stryd Membership is required for viewing and analyzing Stryd Footpaths, nevertheless membership will not be required for storing Stryd Footpaths neither is it required for storing, viewing, or analyzing new Stryd Duo steadiness metrics. Subscribe at any time to view and analyze beforehand saved Stryd Footpaths.

Simply take into consideration how a lot we spend as runners on gear, races, hydration & diet, watches (!), in addition to different tech. With the Stryd Duo, you actually do get groundbreaking know-how you could’t get anyplace else. One thing else to ponder – how a lot would a single-session video stride/gait evaluation value – when you may even discover one thing like that?

In fact chances are you’ll respond- having the information and looking out on the knowledge is one factor, nevertheless it’s nonetheless very unclear what actionable steps you possibly can take with that knowledge to enhance your working. In any case, isn’t that the tip sport right here? 

I do have to say that though the rollout of the brand new Stryd Duo options wasn’t the smoothest, a part of the rationale for that was the fixed new options that Stryd is actively rolling out. The 3D visualization was simply launched this previous week, partly in response to consumer suggestions. To that finish, Stryd has vaguely promised thrilling updates and options within the pipeline because it pertains to knowledge evaluation and steering. As you possibly can think about, that is most likely the #1 subject that customers ask about. 

In the end, so far as the Duo setup goes – as with every new tech, it’s as much as you ways a lot you’re prepared to spend. I’d 100% nonetheless suggest a single Subsequent Gen Stryd pod for just about each runner. The fundamental accuracy advantages of the Stryd pod in addition to the ability metrics are extraordinarily invaluable. The Duo setup – particularly, needing a month-to-month subscription to view the Footpaths, is a little bit of a stretch although. 

For me, the worth of the Duo setup is basically depending on with the ability to view the Footpaths together with the metric knowledge (which is supplied with out subscription). However including a further recurring payment on prime of – little doubt, the various subscriptions that everybody already has, is a troublesome one to swallow. At the least they do retailer the information so maybe it’s one thing you possibly can activate and key in on throughout particular durations?

Last be aware – there are such a lot of options and threads to tug on this evaluation. I notice I’ve left many issues out. I attempted to give attention to the issues that stood out and had been most essential to me. Please return to our evaluate from final yr for the extra basic evaluate of Energy-based working, Vital Energy, Race Predictors, and so on. Be happy to fireplace away within the feedback if there’s the rest you’d like to listen to about! Thanks for studying. 

Stryd Duo + Stryd Footpath is obtainable from Stryd HERE

Mike Postaski at the moment focuses on lengthy mountainous ultras – anyplace from 50K as much as his favourite – 100M. 5’10”, 138 lbs, midfoot/forefoot striker – he sometimes averages 70 mpw (totally on trails), ramping as much as 100+ mpw throughout race buildups. A latest 2:39 street marathoner, his straightforward working tempo ranges from 7:30 – 9:00/mi. From 2022-23 Mike has gained the Standhope 100M, IMTUF 100M, and Scout Mountain 100M path ultras. He additionally set a CR of 123.74M on the Pulse Endurance Runs 24H and accomplished the Boise Trails Problem on foot in 3 days 13 hours, besting the earlier report by 7 hours. Mike’s shoe preferences lean in the direction of firmer, dense cushioning, and footwear with narrower profiles. He prefers additional forefoot area, particularly for lengthy ultras, and he strongly dislikes pointy toe packing containers.

Feedback and Questions Welcome Beneath! Please tell us mileage, paces, race distances