I’ve been running for about a year now and I’ve always used the ironman model watches from your local big box stores.  I was given the opportunity to test out the TrailLeader Pro watch by Tech4O and it brought another dimension to my newly found passion.

Here are the specs:  $199.99

• Highly Accurate Acceleromater-based Exercise Mode

(speed, distance, calories, steps, and pace measurement)

• Time
• Weather Forecast
• Alarm
• Chronograph
• Count Down Timer
• Pacer
• Temperature
• Altimeter
• Barometer
• Digital Compass
• 2.4 ghz Heart Rate Measurement
• PC Link Capability

I’ve tested the TrailLeader Pro for about a month now.  I was most impressed with the Accelerometer; it has brought a new meaning to knowing where you are in your run.  From my understanding as you become a more experienced runner your body and mind can determine your pace, distance, and heart rate just by instinct.  As a beginner runner I found it hard to keep track of my pace and heart rate during a run.  That is where the TrailLeader Pro comes in to play.

After receiving the watch and going through the largest watch manual I’ve seen, which was extremely painless by the way.  The manual and instructions were very easy to follow and allowed me to setup the watch in a matter of minutes.  For the first run test I wanted to see how well the Accelerometer worked.  It was extremely accurate to the 5k course I ran, down to a few hundredths of miles.  I loved the ability to glance at the watch during mid run and see my distance, my pace, and time, before I had to try and determine those from memory or landmarks.  Now I could focus more on my steps and breathing instead worrying if I missed a mile marker or landmark that provided me with details about my pace.

The heart rate monitor was interesting to me.  I never really gave much thought to my heart rate during a run until now.  Using the wireless monitor strapped around my chest, I could glance at the watch to get an accurate reading of my heart rate.  For the first time I could now put a number to the way I was feeling.  I think this will only improve my running as I start to take into account all the elements of the run instead of just completing the miles.

The watch also hosts a ton of other features that provided plenty of information.  Digital compass, temperature, barometer, altimeter, and weather forecast.  Out of all the other features, the compass was the most useful.  I found it to be extremely accurate indoors and outdoors.  The others like temperature, barometer, and forecast you have to use within reason.  You have to understand that these functions can be misleading when you have the watch strap to your wrist or in a office building all day.  To get a better accurate reading from these functions I found the watch needed to be removed from my arm and allowed to adjust its settings without my body heat or central heat and air interfering with the calculations.

For the price and functionality of the TrailLeader Pro you can’t go wrong.  I’ll be curious how the watch holds up as the weather warms up and it’s put through tests of biking, canoeing, and camping.  Other then the question of durability, I was pleased with the watch and the new life it brought to my run.

- Guest Review by Outdoorzy member Brett Conquergood (3leftsmakepar)