Apps Strava / RunKeeper / Runtastic

[Crzylgs15]

Does anyone have any preferences for one of these over the other on the Watch? If so, please explain why you choose one of the other. Thanks in advance.

 

[bjdraw]

I haven't tried them on the Watch yet, but use both Strava and Runtastic. I love how easy it is to track and compare segment times on Strava, but overall I like Runtastic better. Usually I run them both at the same time, but sometimes I just use Runtastic and then export/import the GPX to Strava later to compare segment times.

 

[Crzylgs15]

Thanks for the reply. What do you like more about Runtastic?

 

[maricc]

Does Strava keep track of heart rate? will it graph your heart rate all day/after an excersise?

 

[Julien]

Does Strava keep track of heart rate? will it graph your heart rate all day/after an excersise?

You would need a BT HR strap paired. 3ed party apps can't access the sensor. Also Striva (and other 3ed party fitness apps) on the Watch is more of a 'remote control' of the iPhone app.

 

[bjdraw]

Thanks for the reply. What do you like more about Runtastic?

The maps are very easily made available offline, their is weather integrated with the main view on the phone and the schedule-able announcements. (I use Runtastic Mountain Bike Pro, not sure how much it differs from the other sport specific apps).

I plan to try both this weekend with the watch when I can finally get out to the woods.

 

[bjdraw]

Does Strava keep track of heart rate? will it graph your heart rate all day/after an excersise?

Yes, with an extra HR strap. The cool thing is a BT HR strap can be used with multiple devices and Apps at the same time. So you can track pair it to your Watch and use both at the same time.

 

[maricc]

Yes, with an extra HR strap. The cool thing is a BT HR strap can be used with multiple devices and Apps at the same time. So you can track pair it to your Watch and use both at the same time.

Oh that's a major bummer. Hopefully apple releases a HR API for the watch. Maybe along side iOS9

 

[Tmdlkwd]

Good to know

Yes, with an extra HR strap. The cool thing is a BT HR strap can be used with multiple devices and Apps at the same time. So you can track pair it to your Watch and use both at the same time.

Thanks for this update.

To clarify:

1)You can use a BT HR Strap, have it Sync w/ Strava Phone App ( for example ) Already can do this...

2) AND then have the BT Strap HR override or show on the Watch HR Display? This will replace the built-in HR for the Watch


Hope this makes sense

Thanks

 

[bjdraw]

Thanks for this update.

To clarify:

1)You can use a BT HR Strap, have it Sync w/ Strava Phone App ( for example ) Already can do this...

2) AND then have the BT Strap HR override or show on the Watch HR Display? This will replace the built-in HR for the Watch


Hope this makes sense

Thanks

Right, and when paired with the Watch, a HR replaces the Watche's and is displayed on the HR glance instead and shows up in Health instead. My Mio Link samples every second instead of every 12 and uses less watch battery.

 

[twisted-pixel]

let me throw ismoothrun into the mix

I used to use runkeeper and strava, but switched to Ismoothrun and never looked back...lots of features.

 

[Tmdlkwd]

Right, and when paired with the Watch, a HR replaces the Watche's and is displayed on the HR glance instead and shows up in Health instead. My Mio Link samples every second instead of every 12 and uses less watch battery.

Nice, thought so
thank you

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let me throw ismoothrun into the mix

I used to use runkeeper and strava, but switched to Ismoothrun and never looked back...lots of features.

+1!
And per the Developer, Watch companion App coming very soon

 

[MatureMac]

Quick question:

Just got my Apple Watch last night. I have the latest versions of RunKeeper and Strava on my iPhone. How do I get them to work with the watch? I don't see any mention of the apps in the Apple Watch Apps, other than in the Notifications section to mirror the iPhone notifications. Any hints?

Thanks!

 

[bjdraw]

Quick question:

Just got my Apple Watch last night. I have the latest versions of RunKeeper and Strava on my iPhone. How do I get them to work with the watch? I don't see any mention of the apps in the Apple Watch Apps, other than in the Notifications section to mirror the iPhone notifications. Any hints?

Thanks!

Go to the Apple Watch app on the iPhone and scroll to the bottom of the "My Watch" tab and you should see all your Watch enabled apps. Click on them and you can choose to show the App on the Watch and/or to show in glances. A few of my apps didn't auto install (gray circles showed up on the app screen), so I had to uninstall and install them again. Other times they were just hard to find so I organized them using the App Layout option of the iPhone Apple Watch app.

 

[MatureMac]

Go to the Apple Watch app on the iPhone and scroll to the bottom of the "My Watch" tab and you should see all your Watch enabled apps. Click on them and you can choose to show the App on the Watch and/or to show in glances. A few of my apps didn't auto install (gray circles showed up on the app screen), so I had to uninstall and install them again. Other times they were just hard to find so I organized them using the App Layout option of the iPhone Apple Watch app.

See, I think that's the problem. On my "My Watch" tab, RunKeeper and Strava are not listed. Perhaps I need to restart the iPhone before they will show up?

 

[bjdraw]

I would try uninstalling and installing the apps from your iPhone, then. I had to do this for Strava because cycling data wasn't making it into Health. All my settings came back in once I signed in, but the data that was there in Health from Strava, did not come back.

 

[MatureMac]

I would try uninstalling and installing the apps from your iPhone, then. I had to do this for Strava because cycling data wasn't making it into Health. All my settings came back in once I signed in, but the data that was there in Health from Strava, did not come back.

Yes, I tried this just a moment ago. I deleted RunKeeper and Strava. Then, I downloaded the apps again from the Watch App (just in case that makes a difference) and also downloaded Runtastic for the 'first time'. Neither RunKeeper or Strava show up in the Watch App, however, Runtastic does.

Really strange.

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Yes, I tried this just a moment ago. I deleted RunKeeper and Strava. Then, I downloaded the apps again from the Watch App (just in case that makes a difference) and also downloaded Runtastic for the 'first time'. Neither RunKeeper or Strava show up in the Watch App, however, Runtastic does.

Really strange.

I wonder if perhaps the version of these apps in the Canadian App Store are different than the version in the US App Store. Perhaps the newest version that I am able to download here do not yet support the Apple Watch?

 

[mrderik]

Greetings -
Another vote here for MIO Link (I don't the need for an AW). The MIO software is junk and makes you create an 'account' with them just to adjust the lights on the unit. Thankfully I don't care about that, and you don't need their software at all. I use Nike+ Running and the Link works in real time displaying HR in the APP, shows it as a line overlapping the speed line in the graph when you're done, as well as logs min and max for the day to the Health App. So it's only $79, you don't need yet another proprietary fitness tracking app, it's works well and simply, and logs to the Health App. If you just want basic HR data added to your existing workout program, and logged to the Health app, the MIO Link (and I assume the FUSE works exactly the same) is a no-brainer IMO.
D.

 

[MatureMac]

In case anyone is interested I figured out my problem with RunKeeper and Strava not showing up on my Apple Watch. It was because I hadn't updated my iPhone to the very latest version of iOS. I hadn't installed the latest revision yet. After updating, both RunKeeper and Strava are now available on the watch.

 

[TheAppleFairy]

I am subscribing here for the comments, I would like to see opinions too.

I do a fair amount of cycling. About 100 miles a week, and I have been using Runtastic's road bike app and I am a Gold member. I think it has excellent tracking and it post it all online. I was wondering why it doesn't have the option to log data in the health app or have a watch app.

Just yesterday I was looking at the Runtastic pro app and it has a watch app and reports to the health app. I can easily set cycling as my main activity which I did and I am going on a ride tomorrow so hoping to see that it logs online along with the rest of my history and hoping it works as well or better than their road bike app.

 

[DouginMN]

I've been using using most of the running apps and I like Endomondo the best.

Strava - It may be OK for cycling (I haven't tried it), but for running, I could never get it to display the distance/pace accurately on the watch (it displayed .12 miles when I'd run several miles). When I finished a run, the stats on the iPhone and my account at Strava were all correct. But if the watch won't display anything, whats the point. Seemed buggy.

MapMyRun - it only show one stat per screen on the watch: duration, distance, calories. to see this during a run, you need to swipe from screen to screen. Needs work,

RunKeeper - I've only used it a couple of times, so I can't really say a lot about it good or bad. However, I had some issues with the GPS staying on after I completed a run, and I don't like having to remember to go the iPhone to check to see if it is still running.

Runtastic. Its a really good app. The watch app shows duration, distance and pace on a single screen. if you swipe left, you get music controls. like most of the watch apps, you can configure which split announcements you want to hear if you are wearing headphones. My only problems are that the pace appears to be your average pace for the entire run, and not your current pace (if anyone knows how to change this, let me know). The other problem is that after I complete a run on the watch, the app on the iPhone doesn't always shut down the GPS - I've had my phone battery drain very rapidly because I didn't notice it was still on.

Endomondo - Its also a great app. You can configure two screens with three different stats per screen. stats include: duration, calories, heart rate (with strap), pace, distance, average pace, hydration and ahead/behind. You can also configure the announcements at each split. The pace (current pace) doesn't seem to accurate, but for me its better than average pace. So far I have not had any issues with the GPS on the iPhone - it comes on when I start a run on the watch, and shuts off when I finish a run on the watch (I haven't had to go to the iPhone to turn off the GPS, or shut down the app). for now, Endomondo is my daily app.

FYI - i only tried the Apple Watch workout app once... when i realized it was just a pedometer that used the GPS on the iPhone to "learn", I decided to pass.

 

[bjdraw]

Overall I don't find the watch very good for cycling. It's not easy to raise your wrist to see it, and impossible to use the other hand to interact with it.

 

[AJsAWiz]

Sträva for Cycling

I tried to use this when cycling today. First, it's a pain in the butt to have to sign in on your iPhone first. At the end of my ride I noticed that Strava didn't record anything. I saw no option to "finish" and only the option to record a new ride . . . WTH
I'm glad that I had my Garmin bike computer for the ride. My intent was to compare results on both but there was nothing to compare. Granted it might have been a result of a human error. I might give Strava a try again.

 

[elemenohme]

I tried to use this when cycling today. First, it's a pain in the butt to have to sign in on your iPhone first. At the end of my ride I noticed that Strava didn't record anything. I saw no option to "finish" and only the option to record a new ride . . . WTH
I'm glad that I had my Garmin bike computer for the ride. My intent was to compare results on both but there was nothing to compare. Granted it might have been a result of a human error. I might give Strava a try again.

There is a bug in the Strava watch app causing the problem you describe. I started a recording session yesterday from the watch and it never recorded anything.

I use Strava a lot for very short bike rides (under 2 mi), so I was looking forward to being able to start and stop recording sessions from the watch. It's not there yet.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

Overall I don't find the watch very good for cycling. It's not easy to raise your wrist to see it, and impossible to use the other hand to interact with it.

Totally agree. I'm only wearing mine so I can log the exercise on my activity tracking. I'm still using my Garmin Fenix 2 for my Garmin Connect and Strava accounts.