Pick a practical pedometer; try saying that quickly 3 or 4 times.
In many ways pedometers are like wristwatches. The primary function of a watch is to reliably tell you the correct time. If your watch can’t be relied on to reflect the correct time, it doesn’t matter what it looks like, whether it gives you phases of the moon, has an alarm feature and other functions, it’s a useless watch. The same applies to pedometers, their primary role is to count and record your steps and if they don’t do that, all the other design features and extras are irrelevant.
In assessing pedometers I’ve divided them into two categories, namely: (i) Step-only pedometers, which record your step count and nothing more and (ii) Multi-function pedometers, which provide additional information, such as estimated distance walked and calories burned.
Pedometry is not a precise science, during the course of a day we will do all manner of half steps, shuffle steps, balancing steps and incidental moves that may or may not be recorded and it doesn’t matter. We are not doing research in which we need to record every micro-movement; we are looking for a practical recording device, which reflects our general activity level. The word pedometer has it’s roots in the Latin word ‘pedi’, which means foot, and as the word suggests it means things we do on foot and not activities such as swimming, weight training, Pilates or yoga. Although pedometers are not designed to be used while cycling, I choose to leave mine on my belt when I ride and have noticed that it does record some ‘steps’. This is something you might wish to try for yourself, or you may choose to keep your pedometer exclusively for walking, jogging or other step related activities. I have found that a pedometer keeps a good count of my rotations on an elliptical trainer and can also be used on a home ‘stepper’ and, of course, in the increasingly popular pole walking.
How to Wear Your Pedometer
This is very important; the pedometer should be worn as close as possible to the top point of the hipbone. It will clip onto a belt or an elastic waistband (Note: When clipped onto an elastic waistband there is a tendency for a pedometer to ‘jump’ off when the pants are taken down, e.g. when going to the bathroom. This problem can be solved by attaching a very inexpensive ‘leash’ to the pedometer, which provides a secondary safety clip.) I discovered the importance of correct pedometer placement in an experimental series in which I compared results of placing pedometers on the point of the hip with ones in which the pedometer was worn closer to the center of the body (Approximately half way between the hip and navel, more or less above the knee.) The more central placement produced results that were so inaccurate and unreliable that after 20 tests there was no point in continuing the series. Most manufacturers do a good job in describing the optimal placement of a pedometer, however, the instructions accompanying the Kellogg’s promotional pedometer were not only misleading but also good for a smile.
“The paces are detected via the movement of waist. Attach the step counter securely to your waistband or belt, close to the center of your body. False mounting will possibly arouse inaccurate result.”
There you have it, beware of ‘false mounting’.
How Pedometers Work
You don’t need to know how your pedometer works in order to use it successfully any more than you need to understand your car’s engine in order to drive. Suffice to say there are a few different mechanisms, which enable pedometers to count your steps. The most common is the (i) hairspring pedometer, which is generally considered to be somewhat less reliable and long lasting than the more expensive (ii) coil spring pedometer. Another type of mechanism is the (iii) magnetic reed proximity switch (MRPS), which seems to be quite dependent on its design and the quality of its manufacturing. I note this because some makes, which use this technology, are accurate and dependable, whereas others are much less so. Finally, there is (iv) the accelerometer type of mechanism, which tends to be the most sensitive and expensive and is excellent for research or for someone who needs precise information about caloric expenditure.
Picking a Good Pedometer
How do you pick a good pedometer? I feel this is a question I can answer as well as anybody. Because of my work with Circle Canada and Route 66 and with various group walking projects, I’ve talked with hundreds of people about the reliability, effectiveness and pricing of a variety of pedometers. When I decided to market a pedometer in 2001 my due diligence led me to select the Omron Company as my major supplier. Like most technology, pedometers have continued to evolve and in 2005 I assembled 25 popular pedometers and tested them on a 25-point scale for the multi-function pedometers and a 20-point scale for the step-only pedometers. I looked at pedometers from the point of view of consumers, not for university-based research, where price and some other factors are less important.
The Perfect, Practical, Multi-Function Pedometer
The perfect, practical multi-function pedometer would get its 25 points as follows:
Within 1% accuracy on repeated trials at 2mph walking
5 points
Within 1% accuracy on repeated trials at 4mph walking
5 points
Price below $25 CDN or $20 USD (Providing the pedometer is within 5% accuracy)
3 points
Strong spring clip
1 point
(Important so pedometers don’t get lost)
Cover (so the buttons don’t get accidentally re-set)
1 point
Easy-to-read display
1 point
Easy-to-use buttons
1 point
7-day memory of daily step counts
1 point
Calories burned
1 point
Distance covered
1 point
Clock
1 point
Supporting print information (good instructions)
1 point
Other useful features (e.g. Backlighting, timer, separate aerobic steps, radio, sensitivity adjustment etc.)
-up to 3 points
Total
25 points
The study we conducted at Speakwell was not definitive research, it was a careful look at a variety of pedometers, which had been purchased from local stores, from web sites, sent to us by manufacturers or distributors and even obtained ‘free’ from McDonalds and Kellogg’s. We looked at form (design) and function (performance). Our hope was to provide consumers with a practical way to evaluate pedometers.
The most significant part of the testing was accuracy of step counting. In order to assess this, each pedometer was monitored on 8 separate 200-step walks on a treadmill; 4 at 2mph and 4 at 4mph. If 7 consistent scores were obtained and one was out of place, we ran one retest in case there had been some flaw in the testing procedure, such as pedometer placement. Many pedometers functioned well at 4mph, which is faster than most people walk, but were less reliable at 2mph, which is a lot closer to the typical walking speed of people throughout the day. In calculating the accuracy of a pedometer we quickly discovered that it was no use just averaging the totals of the 8 200-step walks. For instance, if a pedometer recorded 250 steps for one 200-step walk and 150 steps for the next, the average would be 200 (250 + 150 = 400/2 = 200), which looks perfect, when in fact it miscounted by 50 steps on each walk. Therefore, we had to look at how much the step count differed from 200; whether it was over counting or undercounting. Using the previous example, the step count would be 50 steps over 200 and 50 steps under 200 for a total of 100 miscounted steps in two walks. Expressed as a percentage this would show 25% error in recorded steps (100 miscounted steps out of 400 steps walked).
Rating Pedometer Step Recording Accuracy on a 5-Point Scale
Any pedometer that was within 3% accuracy at both speeds is acceptable for day-to-day step counting (N.B. Pedometers manufactured and marketed in Japan are required to be within 3% accuracy by law). In putting a numerical value to pedometers we awarded points for accuracy as follows:
(Percentage Error)
Points
2mph
4mph
5
1%
1%
4
2%
2%
3
3%
3%
2
4%
4%
1
5%
5%
A pedometer that was within 1% of the actual step-count over 4 trials at the fast speed or 4 trials at the slow speed was awarded 5 points, so that a really accurate pedometer would score a total of 10 points.
Example
My Health XL15 Pedometer Actual steps recorded for 4 200-step trials at 4mph:
200 199 202 200
So at 4mph the XL15 was only 3 steps away from perfect, giving it a percentage error of 0.375%, which is well under 1%, for a 5 point score at 4mph.
Actual steps recorded for 4 200-step trials at 2mph:
201 197 208 202
At the slower speed there was a slight decrease in the accuracy of recording, with 14 mis-recorded steps. In this case the percentage error is 1.75%, which is less than 2%, giving it a score of 4 points at 2mph. Table 1 Percentage of Error for All 25 Pedometers Tested
Pedometer Make & Model
Accuracy at 2mph
Accuracy at 4mph
Within 5% accuracy
Points out of 5
% of error
Points out of 5
% of error
for all tests at both speeds
Multi-function Models
Blue Cross/Blue Shield
0
51.5
0
20
No
Freestyle599 Coach
0
6
5
0.75
No
Freestyle Ergo Touch #591
1
4.625
5
0.625
Yes
Freestyle Tracer (display on top)
0
11.75
3
2.375
No
LifeGear
3
2.125
4
1.375
Yes
MyHealth X08
0
8.875
2
3.25
No
MyHealthXL15 multi-function (Good display)
4
1.75
5
0.375
Yes
New-Lifestyles NL2000
4
2
5
1
Yes
New-Lifestyles SW700
3
2.125
5
0.625
Yes
Omron HJ-105 Multifunction
4
1.625
5
0.375
Yes
Omron HJ-112
5
0.625
5
0.25
Yes
Oregon Scientific Pe316FM
1
4.5
2
3.25
Yes
Oregon Scientific Pe316CA
0
13.375
3
2.375
No
SAHO Step It Up Digital Ez-V
5
0.5
4
1.125
Yes
SPEAKWELL H215
4
1.375
5
0.5
Yes
StMoritz Digiwalker SW-500
0
7.25
5
0.875
Yes
Step Only Models
10 K a Day
0
9.375
3
2.625
No
Accusplit
0
30.125
4
2
No
Active Living Alliance
4
1.375
4
1.25
Yes
Kellogg's Pedometer Giveaway
0
15.5
2
4
No
McDonald's Go Active
0
42.75
0
11.875
No
New Lifestyles Digi SW-200
3
2.75
5
0.125
Yes
Omron HJ-002 step only
2
3.375
4
2
Yes
Step Diet Accusplit Eagle 1020 (Hard to read)
0
27.375
4
1.25
No
Small Steps/Big Rewards
HM FP002
0
17.625
2
3.125
No
[Click here] to download this table in MSWord format.
Table 2
Top 12 Pedometers for Step Counting Accuracy Price is not a consideration in these ratings. It will be factored in later in Table 3.
TYPICAL RETAIL COST
Pedometer make and model
Points for accuracy out of 10
(At time of testing in CDN $)
Multi-function models
Omron HJ112
10
$45.00
Digital EZ-V (SAHO Step-it-up)
9
18.00
SPEAKWELL H215
9
19.00
New Lifestyles NL2000
9
75.99
Omron HJ105
9
30.00
My Health XL15
9
19.95
New Lifestyle Digi-Walker SW700
8
41.99
Life Gear
7
30.00
Freestyle Ergo-Touch 591
6
34.99
Step-0nly Models
Active Living Alliance
8
See below**
New Lifestyle Digi-Walker SW200
8
31.99
Omron HJ002
6
22.00
**Active Living Alliance pedometer is included as part of the Stepping Out program in some Canadian provinces.
Before showing our overall findings, I will reiterate that this is not the definitive rating of pedometers; in fact no such list exists. There are hundreds of pedometers out there and we have neither the time or budget to assess them all. We would like to have tested multiples of each model selected, but again time and budget constraints did not permit this. What this will provide you with is a template for assessing any pedometer in which you are interested. It will also give you our findings, testing 25 pedometers using male and female subjects on each test on 8 standardized 200-step treadmill walks. A few of our ratings, such as quality of display, type of clip and ease of use of buttons, are subjective. There is a great variability in price and our estimates were based on averaging an internet search.
Appropriately, by far the heaviest weight is given to accuracy. The next heaviest weighting is given for price, because in supplying pedometers to schools, hospitals, seniors’ centers and various employee groups we have found cost to be a very significant consideration. However, it is pointless to save money by purchasing unreliable pedometers. If people record their steps, the 7-day memory is a useful feature.
Master Table
Table 3 (Page 1 and 2)
Overall Findings and Total Score for Each Pedometer
[Click here] to download Master Table page 1. [Click here] to download Master Table page 2.
Observations
(I) Pedometers are nearly always more accurate recording fast walking than slow walking. The only pedometer that tested slightly more accurate at a slow speed was the Ez-V (SAHO).
(II) We were somewhat surprised that the Digiwalker line (although good) did lose some accuracy at the slower walking speed. Our surprise came from the fact that Digiwalkers have been described by some researchers as the ‘gold standard’ for pedometry. A few researchers have actually evaluated other pedometers by comparing them with a Digiwalker. With their premium pricing and lack of extras the three Digiwalkers we tested did not score as highly as I would have anticipated.
(III) A surprisingly effective pedometer was a customized model distributed by My Health and SAHO. Because of different packaging and branding we did not realize they were in fact identical models until closer inspection after the treadmill testing. They are relatively inexpensive, have an excellent display and each independently scored a 9 out of 10 points for accuracy.
Note: We were sufficiently impressed with the price and performance of the SAHO and My Health pedometers that we contacted the manufacturer and have imported the identical model to be distributed by Speakwell (SPEAKWELL H215).
Best Buys
High End (Typically priced over $35 Canadian or $29 US)
Best Buy: Omron HJ-112
The Japanese based Omron Healthcare Inc. markets a variety of medical instruments including a line of pedometers. The HJ-112 with its accelerator sensors was the only pedometer we tested to score a perfect 10 points for accuracy. In our overall scoring the only points it lost were for pricing, as it is a sophisticated piece of equipment. If worn on your belt in the traditional way it slides into a holster to hold it in place, but it also tested out extremely well when carried in a small pocket, in a bag or around the neck. A noise reduction algorithm excludes incidental movement such as standing up/sitting down, car driving and other micro-movements. As noted earlier, the effectiveness of the HJ-112 was reported at the October 2005 ACSM Walking for Health Conference in papers by Hassen et al. And Roberts et al..
For research work, or if I simply wanted an excellent pedometer I would select the Omron HJ-112 over the comparably priced New Lifestyles NL2000 and the Digiwalker SW700, because of its accuracy, its flexibility of placement and its features.
Our findings were in line with Consumer Reports October 2004 issue, who only rated one pedometer, the Omron HJ-112, in their “Excellent” category. They, too, placed it ahead of the New Lifestyles 2000, which was rated “Very Good” and the Digiwalkers SW700 and SW701, which were rated only “Good” (see ‘Well’ Fall 2004).
*Note: In the United States, WalMart have been offering the HJ-112 for $20, which is a fantastic deal.
Mid-Range Priced Pedometers (Between $21 - $35 Canadian, or about $17 - $29 US)
Best Buy: Omron HJ-105
The Omron HJ-105 had the highest total points score and would be my selection for a multi-function pedometer in the mid-price range. It scored 9 out of 10 points for accuracy, 2 for pricing and comes with a variety of useful features including a 7-day memory and an ability to separate continuous aerobic steps from intermittent steps. It has a variable sensitivity lever, which some critics regard as a deficit, but which I have found very functional. Some older people and obese people don’t have a lot of leg lift when they walk and often need enhanced sensitivity on their pedometers in order to more accurately reflect their step count. It is interesting that in other evaluations I have seen, no one has adjusted the sensitivity lever for testing.
Speakwell has sold over 10,000 HJ-105s and have had less than 1% returned, indicating good reliability. In one report I read, “Anatomy of a Pedometer” by JSC Engineering, the battery life of the HJ-105 was rated as ‘very short’. This has not been my experience; the battery is protected from activation, until after it’s unpacked, by a thin plastic strip. I have used the same Omron HJ-105 for my Circle Canada virtual walk and at the time of writing have logged over 6 million steps and I’m on my 2nd battery, which is good enough for me.
Best Buy: SPEAKWELL H215, My Health XL15 and SAHO Ez-V (same pedometer, different name)
Based on our testing, I would select the above pedometer as my choice in the inexpensive range. It was more accurate than any of the step-only pedometers tested and offered more features. The magnets are not rubber coated so there is a quiet clicking, but it in not intrusive. The H215, XL15 and the Ez-V scored 9 out of 10 for accuracy rating them the real surprise of the group. They are excellent for school groups and we are carrying them at Speakwell, at a generous reduction for bulk purchases. See WellMart for pricing and information regarding class sets.
Closing Comments
This survey has looked at a cross-section of currently available, widely used pedometers. The popularity of pedometry seems to continue to grow and we are already beginning to see the direction in which the next generation of pedometers will evolve. The Omron 700 series is now available in Japan and have the capability of being downloaded into your computer. A number of other companies are in the process of launching downloadable pedometers and we will look at them in a future issue.
Even without looking at eBay, one can currently find pedometers, which are built into cell phones and are combined with MP3 players. Others are in shoe insoles, ballpoint pens and can be worn as armbands. Despite the gadgetry and packaging the bottom line remains: does the pedometer accurately count and record your steps? If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Caveat emptor still pertains.
top point of the hipbone. It will clip onto a belt or an elastic waistband (Note: When clipped onto an elastic waistband there is a tendency for a pedometer to ‘jump’ off when the pants are taken down, e.g. when going to the bathroom. This problem can be solved by attaching a very inexpensive ‘leash’ to the pedometer, which provides a secondary safety clip.) I discovered the importance of correct pedometer placement in an experimental series in which I compared results of placing pedometers on the point of the hip with ones in which the pedometer was worn closer to the center of the body (Approximately half way between the hip and navel, more or less above the knee.) The more central placement produced results that were so inaccurate and unreliable that after 20 tests there was no point in continuing the series. Most manufacturers do a good job in describing the optimal placement of a pedometer, however, the instructions accompanying the Kellogg’s promotional pedometer were not only misleading but also good for a smile.
Best Buy: Omron HJ-112
This survey has looked at a cross-section of currently available, widely used pedometers. The popularity of pedometry seems to continue to grow and we are already beginning to see the direction in which the next generation of pedometers will evolve. The Omron 700 series is now available in Japan and have the capability of being downloaded into your computer. A number of other companies are in the process of launching downloadable pedometers and we will look at them in a future issue. 
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