# Talk to be about the Nike+ Fuelband **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 19, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478 "2012-11-19T06:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/1 "2012-11-19T06:35:07Z")
So, the [Nike+ Fuelband](http://nikeplus.nike.com/plus/products/fuelband). Just enough calorimeter to make it useful, just enough game to make me interested. I did a search on the dope and it appears that none of us have this thing. Nobody? I mean, I kinda suspected we were all couch potatoes, but still… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/2 "2012-11-19T06:41:06Z")
I saw some ads for this. Really bad ads–I couldn’t even tell what the thing was, or what it was supposed to do, or whether it came free in a box of cereal, or what. So I googled it. Now I’m with you–it’s interesting. But I am not $148 interested. Not yet. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/3 "2012-11-19T08:25:59Z")
Looks just like Jawbone’s Up. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/4 "2012-11-19T10:42:33Z")
I read this [New York Times article](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/15/technology/personaltech/a-review-of-new-activity-tracking-bands-from-nike-and-jawbone.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0) about it and the Up a few days ago - seems to be lukewarm tha the Nike one would actually be useful. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/5 "2012-11-19T13:32:05Z")
I’ve got one. Had it for about 4 months or so. As a pedometer it seems pretty accurate. I occasionally check it by counting out 100 paces and it’s never off by more than one or two. The way the fuel points are calculated seem a bit of a mystery, but it’s basically more movement = more points. So running gets you more than walking, and a brisk walk with swinging arms gets more than strolling along with your hands in your pockets. One downside is that it’s pretty much useless for cycling. The battery lasts for at least a week and when you plug it into your PC to charge it uploads the data it’s stored. The Nike website tracks your progress and lets you set goals. It can post updates to Facebook if you want it to. If you can, try one on to see what size you need. It comes with 2 sizing spacers for fine tuning. Even though it looks like a rubber band it’s actually stiff so it fits more like a bangle than one of those rubber charity bands. ---
**Author:** ![3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/47e85d/32.png) [@3\_20\_59\_or\_bust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3_20_59_or_bust)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/6 "2012-11-19T21:57:51Z")
Well, kferr would know better than me, but I purchased a Nike+ wristband/watch deal a few years back and it was such a poorly made piece of crap that I wouldn’t even consider buying something similar. I’ve long since gone to a Garmin anyway, but at one point I was a big fan of the Nike+ system, so I can’t tell you what a disappointment that thing was. I will give Nike kudos for giving me my money back with no hassle, but it sounded like they were having to give EVERYBODY their money back, so they knew better than to hassle people on it. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/7 "2012-11-20T05:26:14Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > One downside is that it’s pretty much useless for cycling. Thank you for saving me a hundred and fifty bucks. I wondered about this as my main mode of outdoor exercise is cycling. It’s a shame. I think it would have been fun. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/8 "2012-11-20T08:16:42Z")
Huh? They have bicycle computers that tell you everything you wanted to know. I’d think cycling was the easiest sport to measure activity. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/9 "2012-11-20T20:04:34Z")
Cycling IS simple to measure, but a simple accelerometer, which is what the Nike Fuel Band is, isn’t the right tool for the job. It’s designed to be worn on the wrist and measure the jolts and arm swings of walking or running. On a bike on a smooth road it would hardly measure anything, and on a rough fast offroad trail it would measure too much. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2012, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/10 "2012-11-21T00:50:10Z")
I mean if you’re cycling, you’d consider bicycle computers, which are more accurate, detailed and easier to find than a wrist band. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/11 "2012-11-22T05:47:02Z")
I liked the idea of something that didn’t have to be hardwired to the bike, so to speak. I also liked the idea of something that could also be a pedometer, watch, etc. seamlessly and on the fly. Bike computers generally don’t do that, either. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/12 "2012-11-22T07:18:54Z")
Why not the phone apps [for](http://ipod.about.com/od/iPhoneFitnessApps/fr/nike-plus-gps-app-review.htm) [that](https://itunes.apple.com/app/cyclist-pro-gps/id462162049?mt=8)? I use the second, which can alternate between cycling and running “skins”, and it works fine enough so long as you don’t take it too literally as precision truth. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/talk-to-be-about-the-nike-fuelband/641478/13 "2012-11-22T07:25:43Z")
I hadn’t even thought of looking for an app. That might just be the way to go. Thanks! 🙂