Lap Counter

RE: Lap Counter

Swimosaur — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 10:35:38 GMT

I've been using the Pace Pal that Kirk mentioned for a while now (http://mypacepal.com/) in my home pool and it's awesome. I finally sprang for a PacePal about a year and a half ago. I agree. It's awesome. I take it everywhere, & use it every day.

RE: Lap Counter

Patrick W. Brundage — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:30:31 GMT

My ideal personal pace clock would have the following features:+ Exactly four digits, mm:ss. Minutes and seconds. That's all. + People who wear glasses can't use them in the pool. Goggles get foggy, etc., so the digits would be HUGE, maybe 4" high or more (see this clock, unfortunately not waterproof). Huge, and high contrast. Easy to see. Mucho easy to see. + Exactly one operating mode. You turn the clock on and it counts up from 00:00 to 59:59, then wraps around. You turn the clock off, it goes off. Nothing any fancier than that. + Simplest possible feature set = Squeeze as much cost out as possible. MSRP is $59.95 or less. + A built-in stand (maybe it's just a bit wider on the bottom), so I could sit it upright at the end of the lane or by the side of the pool. I'd also sometimes like to put it on the bottom of the pool. + Battery operated. Waterproof, of course. + Small enough to easily fit in a swim bag. That does not have to be terribly small (see this clock, unfortunately not waterproof). A pair of my size 12 shoes easily fit in a swim bag. + Tough as nails. Can stand being moved around a lot, tossed in a swim bag, tossed around, kicked over by a kid. It's not supposed to break. Check, check, check and more checks. I've been using the Pace Pal that Kirk mentioned for a while now (http://mypacepal.com/) in my home pool and it's awesome. I got it at some point after seeing it when Masters Nationals were in Mesa. It's awesome. As for counting laps, no, it does not do that, but, as others have mentioned, it's just a little bit of math in your head.

RE: Lap Counter

sunruh — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 04:06:52 GMT

How do Olympians keep track of their laps? I know they don't grab a teammate 30 seconds before the race to go to the deep end with cards on a stick. actually, each FINA official at the 50 end counts down from 29 to 1. the counter is on the deck and is NOT placed in the water.

RE: Lap Counter

Phillip Luebke — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 03:24:51 GMT

I often hear from people of a certain age that youth today rely too much on technology rather than their brain and a little common sense... :):):):):):)

RE: Lap Counter

Phillip Luebke — Fri, 16 Aug 2013 03:23:09 GMT

I have shopped extensively over the last two years, looking for a "personal" pace clock. The two that fit my needs most closely are the SportCount Chrono 100 (around $40) and the PacePal (around $140). As a committed cheapskate, I went for the finger-mounted Chrono 100, which I like very much, and has the added benefit of being able to time sprint 25's to 0.01 sec. I would like to have a PacePal, but as I said, I'm a cheapskate. The Finis clock at $200 and up is not in my price range. Another option available to you now is the Brilliant Swim PaceWatch. At $74.99, it's closer in price to the SportCount than the PacePal. Check it out and let me know what you think. Phillip

RE: Lap Counter

knelson — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 12:49:38 GMT

I can tell you the one big thing that prevents me from buying a Pace Pal is that it's limited to a depth of ten feet. Make it something like 15 feet and you've got a winner.

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:46:42 GMT

Thanks for your input swimosaur. ever thought of getting perscription googles? I love mine, got them over at swimoutlet.com for way cheap. cheap as in $29.00 for them and a pair of jammers including shipping.

RE: Lap Counter

knelson — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:49:42 GMT

What do people who swim a lot more than I do want in a product like this? I agree with what Lefty said earlier. Experienced swimmers usually gauge where they are at by looking at the clock, so an underwater pace clock would be more valuable than a device that merely counts laps. There's an underwater pace clock already on the market called Pace Pal. Finis also makes one that can function as either a pace clock or a lap counter, but it's quite expensive ($300).

RE: Lap Counter

Swimosaur — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:46:28 GMT

What kind of times do you like using?(Split and lap times, total times, best lap, ect..) Would you like to see them all on the same display? At the same time? My ideal personal pace clock would have the following features: + Exactly four digits, mm:ss. Minutes and seconds. That's all. + People who wear glasses can't use them in the pool. Goggles get foggy, etc., so the digits would be HUGE, maybe 4" high or more (see this clock, unfortunately not waterproof). Huge, and high contrast. Easy to see. Mucho easy to see. + Exactly one operating mode. You turn the clock on and it counts up from 00:00 to 59:59, then wraps around. You turn the clock off, it goes off. Nothing any fancier than that. + Simplest possible feature set = Squeeze as much cost out as possible. MSRP is $59.95 or less. + A built-in stand (maybe it's just a bit wider on the bottom), so I could sit it upright at the end of the lane or by the side of the pool. I'd also sometimes like to put it on the bottom of the pool. + Battery operated. Waterproof, of course. + Small enough to easily fit in a swim bag. That does not have to be terribly small (see this clock, unfortunately not waterproof). A pair of my size 12 shoes easily fit in a swim bag. + Tough as nails. Can stand being moved around a lot, tossed in a swim bag, tossed around, kicked over by a kid. It's not supposed to break.

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 09:33:28 GMT

The consensus seems to be that times are more important to experienced swimmers than strictly a lap counts and an underwater clock, which could also track laps, would be better. What kind of times do you like using?(Split and lap times, total times, best lap, ect..) Would you like to see them all on the same display? At the same time?

RE: Lap Counter

Swimosaur — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:15:34 GMT

What do people who swim a lot more than I do want in a product like this? You are really talking about two different markets. One market probably consists mostly of triathletes, who might want to count laps and remember the total time for a certain number of laps. These people might want a lap counter. There are tons of watch-based lap counters out there already. Most require that you push a button at the end of every lap. The PoolMate counts laps (and more!) without that requirement. Here you are talking to mostly pool swimmers, who rarely swim any distance they can't easily count. (Personally, I have no need for a lap counter.) We are mostly used to using pace clocks for interval sets (e.g. 10 x 100 on 1:30, there are many variations on the theme). The two problems with most commercial pace clocks are (1) They are rather large, hard to move around, and so are not "personal", and (2) They are expensive. I have shopped extensively over the last two years, looking for a "personal" pace clock. The two that fit my needs most closely are the SportCount Chrono 100 (around $40) and the PacePal (around $140). As a committed cheapskate, I went for the finger-mounted Chrono 100, which I like very much, and has the added benefit of being able to time sprint 25's to 0.01 sec. I would like to have a PacePal, but as I said, I'm a cheapskate. The Finis clock at $200 and up is not in my price range.

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:15:15 GMT

try www.swimmerstuff.com/sportcount-finger-lap-counter_1721_p.aspx or google: swim lap counter finger swim lap counter finger - Google Search Kiefer has the same one, but a bit more in price. I've never used one of these, but have been tempted to... :"> :-)

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:51:54 GMT

I often hear from people of a certain age that youth today rely too much on technology rather than their brain and a little common sense...

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:45:15 GMT

I often hear from people of a certain age that youth today rely too much on technology rather than their brain and a little common sense... To be honest, I am trying to develop a new counter, something digital that can be seen well underwater, is easy to use (ie I don't have to stop mid stroke to tap, something that I could possibly do a turn off of), and that will keep track of all the info as I usually swim solo. I am a mechanical engineering student and i love tech, I can build it. But I am trying to find out what features people would want in a device like this. Since there are not many devices out there like what I am contemplating, I am having a hard time finding consumer reports. So I am asking you how you think a product like this would be received? What are some foreseeable problems? What do people who swim a lot more than I do want in a product like this? I would think this is using my brain to solve a problem many people have when working out.

RE: Lap Counter

swimmerb212 — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:06:09 GMT

This isn't really an answer to your question, but it brought up one that I've though of often - How do Olympians keep track of their laps? I know they don't grab a teammate 30 seconds before the race to go to the deep end with cards on a stick. (As I have been wont to do.) Is it that the ability to count to 30, unaided, is part of what makes you a swimmer at the elite level?

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:06:37 GMT

To be honest, I am trying to develop a new counter, something digital that can be seen well underwater, is easy to use (ie I don't have to stop mid stroke to tap, something that I could possibly do a turn off of), and that will keep track of all the info as I usually swim solo. I am trying to get a feel for how a product like this would be received? What are some foreseeable problems? What do people who swim a lot more than I do want in a product like this?

RE: Lap Counter

orca1946 — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:25:40 GMT

Casio makes a watch that counts laps.

RE: Lap Counter

Former Member — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:27:55 GMT

This may not work for you, but is there a clock on the pool deck you can see? If there is, all you need to do is learn how to count off the clock. Example: I did a 1500 last week. I was holding 1:08 per 100 (2:16 per 200). I was checking the clock every 200. So the clock read :16 at the 200 , then :32 at the 400, then :48 at 600 etc. After each 200 you evaluate where you were and perform the next calculation. In actuality I was at :50 at the 600 so I knew the 800 mark was going to be around :06. Using the clock has the added benefit of helping you pace better. And it really is quite easy to do, I started doing it when I was 9.