Pedometers

Pedometers are groovy little devices that track how far you hike. By sensing your body motion and electronically counting your footsteps, these gizmos can inform you of the distance walked. Enter your stride length and hit the trail!

On your walks around town, a pedometer can be a great way of motivating yourself to measure your mileage. Because pedometers rely on stride-length for their calculations, their accuracy is better at measuring a pedestrian's progress on a level route around town than a hiker's mileage on an up-and-down and uneven trail.

Missed steps are to be expected. Some pedometers are too sensitive, some not sensitive enough. Recent consumer tests report that some pedometers slightly undercount and others way over-count steps. The good news is pedometers under- or over-count consistently, so you can do a little math and improve their accuracy.

Today's pedometers use pendulum technology, accelerometers and/or various electronic programs and calculations to count your steps. Most run, er, walk, on tiny button-cell batteries and are remarkably lightweight (1.5 ounces for a basic model).

Pedometer sales have soared in tandem with the popularity of the "10,000 Steps" program that promotes good health and weight-loss by counting one's daily steps with a pedometer. Ten thousand steps per day is a worthy goal for good health and weight management, particularly if half or more of those steps occur during an uninterrupted walk.

Multi-function pedometers do more than count steps and/or calculate distance. Options include clocks, timers, stop watches, "speedometers," pulse-rate readers and calorie counters. Top-of-the-line pedometers can even continually monitor your speed and distance by using GPS. Some allow you to upload your data from past outings and display your accomplishments in graphs and charts.

Picking a Pedometer

• A pedometer should fasten securely with a sturdy clip and be comfortable to wear.
• Choose one that allows you to easily adjust stride measurement-a particularly important feature for the hiker.
• Look for one that does a good job with the basics: measuring steps and calculating total distance traveled.
• Make sure the pedometer has an easily readable display, large enough and bright enough to view, even as you're hiking.
• A built-in clock is useful if you're one of those hikers who doesn't like to wear a wrist watch.
• Consider a safety leash for your pedometer to prevent dropping it or losing it.