Feature Request: include foot pod in step count

I've been asking for this feature for years!  Should be a complete no brainer!  The problem I have is that I hike often...and mostly with hiking poles.  Because my arm doesn't swing completely with every step, the step count is off......usually only recording around 40-50% of my actual steps.  I bought the foot pod a few years back because the Garmin rep said it would solve my issue.  It didn't!  PLEASE FIX!

Agree and support! It would be a really useful functionality. Especially now in COVID19 era. After the quarantine was established I bought a standing desk and walking treadmill and have been working from home that way for some time. Logically, I would like this statistic to be included in my total daily steps. The problem is that my Forerunner 935 does not detect steps (because most of the time my hands are on the table just above the keyboard) and Garmin HRM-Run / Garmin RD Pod are simply not useful in such case.

I guess it will never be implemented, neither for F5, nor for F5+.

Anyway I would like highlight that this feature would mean that the daily distance made would not be a primitive product of steps counted and stride length defined in GC, but would be more accurate in those periods when you  wear your shoes  equipped with a footpod.

I know that some users propose one should start an activity if walking, but I agree that it would not be a magic  to use a footpod during the non-activity periods instead of the step counting of the watch, if the watch gets a signal of any active footpod having paired with the watch.

Yea, just stopping by to add a "+2" (me and my wife) to this feature request. Ideally to the 5 immediately, but definitely to later versions given that the 5 is aging. I can say this would impact the likelihood we stick with Garmin for our future watches. It isn't going to be the deciding fact, but would definitely be a meaningful influencer.

I’d like to add an upvote for this! Treadmill desk being the main reason.

readywater said:

I’d like to add an upvote for this! Treadmill desk being the main reason.

Try getting the old discontinued Garmin Vivoki - it has the same shape as the RD pod, and it does count steps and syncs them to Garmin Connect. Counting steps is its sole purpose, unlike the RD pod it registers no other data. It was discontinued, but you can still find it on eBay or other similar places. Garmin sells it too, but rather expensive ($60). I've bough one for my wife for $20. Caution, though, not to fall for the very deceptive eBay offers of a Vivoki protector glass - with the photo of Vivoki, they may make you think you'll get a Vivoki for $20 or even for less, but in fact you'll just buy an overprized unnecessary protective foil for the device that does not need any additional protection at all.

If not Vivoki, there is also another option - the HRM-Pro does sync the steps to you GC account. It is not a cheap option, though.

The simplest and the cheapest solution is wearing the watch on the ankle (if necessary, with a wristband extender) while walking on the treadmill - it will continue taking your HR. The only disadvantage is that you cannot look at the watch easily, but you can view some of the data (steps, HR, Calories, IMs) on the phone in the GC Mobile app.

Even the footpod seems to be discontinued now, which is rather unfortunate. The dynamics ours has its uses, but it us also problematic. Among other things, it compares with hydration/gear belts for waistband space. 
As for the ankle approach, my wife tried that and it didn’t register.  Overall, this feels like Garmin’s product team is developing products/features with too much focus in the product out very specific use rather than a broader use case list. That is. “Xxx use case is causing us to build this, but how else will they use it?

professionalsql said:

Even the footpod seems to be discontinued now, which is rather unfortunate.

It was replaced by the Running Dynamics Pod

professionalsql said:

As for the ankle approach, my wife tried that and it didn’t register.

I use it often with Instinct, and with Instinct 2 without any problems