Many runners love taking their training outdoors, but also enjoy the benefits that a treadmill offers as far as measuring heart rate, time, pace, and so on. That’s why over the last few years, running watches have exploded on the market with great success. MIO’s newest combination heart rate monitor/running watch, the Alpha, seeks to offer the benefits of heart rate monitoring without the use of a chest strap.

How does it work? Instead of relying on the cumbersome strap, the Alpha emits a tiny light on the back of the watch that reads your pulse and records your heart rate as you run. Even though I am not a big fan of wearing watches while I run, the Alpha sparked my interest, so I decided to give it a try.

The greatest benefit to this model is comfort. A thick silicone strap with holes all the way to the face allowed the watch to snugly fit my tiny wrist. The strap also secured in two spots, creating a great sense of security. I was impressed to find that once in place, even as I moved and sweat, the watch didn’t budge.

When I originally removed the watch from its compact packaging, I was immediately put off by the bulkiness. In use, however, I found that the watch was actually a great size. It did not hinder my run or feel heavy on my wrist, but was also extremely easy to read. The large, curved face combined with the dot-matrix digits made the numbers readable even while I was moving.

I was also impressed that the watch seemed unaffected by outdoor conditions. I had no trouble using it in the cold, in the heat, or as I sweat, which is a desirable feature for those of us who run year-round.

My main complaint, however, was usability. Though the watch does its job well once you get it set, the large buttons on the side that are supposed to have multiple functions are hard to press and rarely did what I wanted. I spent more time fooling with them and trying to get things set than I would have liked. This inability to toggle between settings without stopping was an unwanted annoyance during my run.

Once the watch was set and I began my workout, the Alpha did a great job of measuring my heart rate and recording my time. When the pre-determined heart rate zones set, it alerted me by flashing and beeping when I went above or below. This feature made the watch great for long-distance running, but not as desirable for interval training.

I also realized that I have become spoiled by my current gadgets that boast multiple features. My iPod nano, for example, plays music as it records my distance, my time spent running, as well as my projected calorie burn based on my previously-entered weight. The Alpha just monitored my heart rate, and though it did it well, I found myself wishing it had more to offer.

The watch does come equipped with a USB cable that allows it to charge and record your progress with the help of a computer. I found this feature very interesting and useful, and was impressed with the sleekness of the device.

Overall, this is a great watch for those who strictly want to measure heart rate. But for those who wish to monitor other parts of their run, this watch is a bit lacking. Still, it’s a great first-series watch and proves that chest-strap monitors really can be a thing of the past.

Quality

The watch was very durable and comfortable to wear, regardless of wrist size.

Reliability

Though it performed its functions effectively, getting to the correct mode was difficult because of the bulkiness of the buttons, making it difficult to toggle between settings and set time and heart rates as I ran.

Price/Value

For a retail price of $199, I found the watch a bit pricey considering its functions were so limited.

Referability

This is a great watch for those who just want to measure heart rate but don’t want to bother with an annoying chest strap. For those looking for more, however, the watch might leave a lot to be desired.

Images by Lauren Montemurri