So for me the Swimovate Poolmate with all the functions I need plus the price tag of around £60 was very appealing! So it was securely placed on the Xmas list and my darling wife delivered... via santa Claus of course!
To start with It was not the happiest of deliveries, the first one I opened on Xmas day had no battery life and the display was blank and although I couldn't have used it on xmas day I did want to fiddle and play with my new gadget and due to the post situation at xmas I was unable to get a replacement until after new year!
Never the less the replacement arrived and in a working condition this time and I do have to say it was worth the wait! easy to set up adding my weight, age, time and pool length took seconds and I was ready to go. It accurately takes all the data you need and recalls it back to you instantly (for the previous set anyway.) You can then check the log via the menu buttons after the session is complete and check each set you completed and the times you logged.
Things I really like
-Easy to set up
-Shows you what lap (length) you are on and is easily displayed
-Up and down buttons show you the previous sets data such as ave strokes (for one arm) and distance
-The strap has many holes and fits great on your wrists whatever size arms you have
-The efficiency score that this watch gives you for each set is a great way to see how tired you are getting and a great metric to help you improve!
Things that could be better
- Your set time is only displayed for approx 2 secs after you have stopped then the display shows you the elapsed time, the up and down arrows that show you data of the previous set don't show you the time of that previous set?
This means in clear english that if you didn't manage to get a look at your time when you finished the set, you won't be able to see the exact time until you finish the whole session and check the log later (many button presses)
- No Beep, I would like a beep to show that you have hit the button and the clock is counting, when setting off on a set you never really know if you managed to push the button properly without looking at the watch to make sure the clock has started, this slows you down and loses your focus
Things that would be great at this level
- Being able to programme a desired distance and have the watch warn you you are about to finish by a vibrating alert. This would be great at this level as the constant thinking of technique means you often forget what length you are on!
My Summary is that this is a great bit of kit with some minor niggles that can all be worked round and indeed lived with! It still is a great purchase and will give you more motivation and control in your swim sessions.
Range finder
The last point is to say, do you need the Pro version? Well for me definitely not, the poolmate gives me the analytics at the poolside and in the internal memory (logs) I definitely don't need to transfer this to the computer, however If I had a coach or a training partner the case might be different and the process of analysing the data post event and against norm and goals may be worth the extra £60? but then a second hand Garmin 910XT is about £150 on eBay and that would then make more sense!
Hope this helps
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