UKC

Does anyone use an activity tracker? None of them seem to register activity whilst climbing. I can link mine to my life insurance to get a reduction and benefits, but unless I'm running or cycling it doesn't seem to care.

What are your thoughts ad experiences?

thanks
Liz

In reply to Lizzie:
From a technical standpoint it would be incredibly difficult to actually track climbing as opposed to running/cycling as they can use GPS and therefore get a pretty accurate estimate how far you have moved and what speed. For climbing I guess you would need a mega sensitive altimeter which isn't viable, and in case, 100m of VDIFF is not the same energy expenditure as 100m of 9a.

So really your only bet is a rudimentary estimate of calories burned which can be attained (inaccurately) from a heart rate monitor like one of those fancy fitbit things you put on your wrist. I think the expensive one has a altimeter in it as well, but more aimed at logging when runners run up hills.

I'd be interested to know how much calories climbing actually burns.

In reply to Lizzie:

I thought there was someone attempting to build one which could deal with climbing. Dont know where it got to though.
Most of them use an accelerometer to figure out steps etc. The more sophisticated it is the more they can do eg some can be used when swimming and show the stroke used (in theory. a friend who has one says its rather mixed).
Climbing though doesnt have the same sort of consistent movement so building a reliable tracker would probably be tricky.

In reply to Lizzie:

http://www.climbax.co.uk/

it didn't achieve its funding aim. Looked interesting.