SportCount Chrono 100 (90000) RED

I decided to get back into swimming twice a week to improve my fitness, but I remembered always losing count of laps when swimming before. I figured someone had to have already figured this out, and a quick search found this product. Actually, it found the simple lap counter sister device, but that linked to this. Since I haven't done a swim workout without this in years, I can't say how much better this is than remembering a count, but I have lost count and had to look at this thing a few times. It certainly is easier than I remember counting being all those years ago.My reasoning for improving fitness is to be more competitive in my main sport - roller speed skating (indoor 100 meter track). That also requires counting laps at practice, but my coach usually does that for me. Or we just continue the drill until everyone else gives up. Of course, at races there are lap counters in full view of the finish line. Nonetheless, the fastest/slowest/average laps of a drill are interesting to note, so this will serve a purpose there as well.Overall, I am relatively impressed with this device after using it for one week of exclusively swimming workouts. It isn't perfect, but it seems to be better than the current alternatives.Pros:Small and easy to use. If you think about it at all, there is a satisfying click when you press the button, so missed clicks are reduced or eliminated. I haven't missed a click yet except for when pausing (see the quirk mention). The screen is easy to read. The interace doesn't have a lot of confusing inputs or options. The stats are exactly what they are supposed to be.Quirks:You double click to pause, but that doesn't delimit the end of a lap. When you restart the timer, it continues timing that lap. Since you (or at least I) rest in between laps, this is the equivalent of not clicking at the end of a lap. You might think of triple clicking to mark the end of a lap and pause, but that doesn't work. It pauses, and then restarts. The solution is to double click to pause, then double click to restart and stop the lap. Not ideal, but workable.Areas for improvement:The band has two problems. The first is that it has settings not unlike you would see in a ball cap, which means there are no "in-between" settings. There is a setting that is good enough for me, but it doesn't feel perfect. The more annoying thing is that the band is noticeably thick - especially the part that is doubled up. It creates a gap between the fingers that makes it harder to maintain a proper cupping of the hands. The body of the device is also big enough to displace the thumb a little bit, but that is less easily addressable.Timing for 99 laps is sufficient for my swimming workouts. I currently swim 74 lengths (just over a mile). Once I go beyond 99, I will start timing laps (2xlengths) instead. However, when I move to skating it isn't always enough. The lap counter goes to 999, so it seems like more times should be available.When you click, the lap count is displayed for a short period of time, then the lap time, and then the running clock. I would like the lap count to either alternate with the running clock or be displayed longer.Pie-in-the-sky wishes:It is easy to find any individual lap time, but just try copying each of 50+ times into a spreadsheet. Because the device shows a lap number and then the time, this takes time. I would really like some sort of CSV output.With a gyroscope, the device could determine which way you are facing (a little bit harder if it is on a hand moving back and forth, but algorithmically possible). 180 degrees from a baseline is half a lap. Back to the original orientation is a full lap. Maybe do 360 +/- 10 and reset the baseline. Maybe use changes in acceleration that would indicate hitting a wall to supplement this. Then, there wouldn't be any clicking at all.

I'm an average swimmer. I will put up about 500 to 1000 yds. 3 times a week.I have the goggles, speedos, and various swim caps from events I have swam in (though I only wear those when I want others to see how cool I am).A typical swim for me is go to the local community pool, get in the lane (I swing my arms around and back and forth first because I saw someone do that while watching the Summer Olympics). I then proceed to boost my ego by chasing down nice people just trying to get into shape and doing cool stuff like flip turns and swimming the length of the pool under water.I kept track of my laps like most folks swimming at my level by just keeping track in my head. I would start with 1, 1, 1, 1 then 2, 2, 2, 2 then 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 which is almost as annoying writing as it is saying it in my head.But that all changed.I was looking for a watch that would count laps for me in the pool and came across the SportCount Chrono 100 and I thought I would give it a try.I ordered it from Amazon on a Monday and I got it on Wednesday (I have Amazon Prime). I took it out of the package and tried it out on different fingers (middle, pointer, ring I settled on pointer) it was a little tight and I thought that might be a problem but when I got it in the water later that night it seemed to loosen up a bit. I ran through the functions and it was simple to pick up. Basically click to start, click again to mark the next lap (it flashes a summary for a bit before continuing the timer), click and hold for 3 seconds to stop the session, click again to cycle through stats (best lap, worst lap, average, each individual lap time, total time), click and hold again for 3 seconds to reset it for the next session.But that's not all.I was swimming in my lane getting the feel for it (seeing if I could feel it click when I pressed the button, which I could)and I was swimming at a good clip (mostly because there was this cute girl half my age putting me through my paces and I was trying to keep out of her way)when I realized I wasn't counting laps.It was liberating! I settled in, stretched out my stroke length and just ... swam. Breath and movement became one. I started seeing little fishes follow me around and heard the mournful echo of a whale song. A little boy was struggling in the lane next to me so I called out to my underwater friends and they boosted him along (you should have seen his smile). Mermaids were swimming up to me and offering necklaces of seashells but I had to telepathically let them know it wasn't cool to interrupt me while I was getting my swim on, they apologized and went off to talk to some hot younger guy with great hair lounging on the side of the pool, and I wasn't jealous at all.I ended up swimming an extra lap that day partly because the counter said I was on lap 10 and I didn't know if it meant I had just finished lap 10 or I was just starting lap 10 (it was the former) but mostly because I felt good and I was less concerned with what lap I was on.I recommend getting this. It will change your swim experience and you might get a cool shell necklace out of it.

I swim 3 days a week (around 100 lengths each time), and this little device made keeping track of my lengths a doddle. I have only given it 4 out of 5, (instead of the full five), because when I went to use it this past Monday, the water had finally got into it and I lost my first digit. Still, for £30, I don't think 15 months use out of it is bad going. Anything that is classed as "waterproof", can only be guaranteed for so long until something gives, so I am more than happy with it. I am just about to order my second. I only use it to keep track of the number of lengths I am doing and while the device has other features such as fastest length, slowest length, average and then individual length breakdowns, I must admit I never use them. Due to my training schedule, I am only really interested in my overall time. The button is easy to press and the numbers are easy to see above water. (I read some reviews when I decided to buy this last year that said they had trouble reading the numbers under water...I don't know about you, but during training I would never try to read the display under water?!)Overall, this is a nifty little gadget and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone serious about swimming...or who constantly forgets which length they are on...

Sometimes I find it is a bit annoying having this little thing around your finger. Otherwise it does what it supposed to do. Only when I need to set it back to '0' it can be a bit of fiddle if you have to do it quick.

I purchased the sportcount lap counter back in February 2014, as I was looking for something that would help me count lengths I swim in the pool. I have a tendency to wander off in my mind and before you know it, I’m thinking about what I need to make for tea, did I lock the front door, and then I’m thinking was I on lap 30 or 32!!!??? So despite what I thought was a little pricey for in effect a stopwatch, I decided to give it a punt.When it came, it arrived in a standard letter envelope, which surprised me at first with lovely stamps from Luxembourg, but I’ve since found out that the seller I’d ordered from on Amazon is based in Luxembourg (Swim Trainer).So the product arrived safe and sound, wrapped in bubble wrap, and a little box with instructions inside. I can’t complain about the seller or delivery. Prompt and relatively well-packaged; I don’t know how I big I was expecting the timer to be, but it looked quite dinky when I got it out its box. I worried it might not fit my fingers, as I’ve got big man hands (for a girl!), so I had a read of the instructions and off I went to the pool. The first time you use it, it is a bit of a challenge, as one, you have to find a suitable position on your finger, so you can press the lap button at the end of every length. The ideal finger is the index finger, of whichever hand you are not touching the wall with, so you can reach with your thumb to press the simply button to count that current lap. Then two, you have to wrap over the strap so that the ends latch together, that’s a bit of a task the first time too. Once in the pool, I so doubted its ability to count that I counted every lap in my head, and did this for several days.But do you know three/four months on, I wrap it around my finger in seconds, I know exactly where is best to sight it so I can press the button easily, without looking. I don’t count laps any more in my head, and off I go. It has so far worked fantastically well, I’m swimming 3 times a week on average, and doing about a mile (64lengths +) a time, and this little fella is so far keeping up with me. I absolutely love it! It certainly has improved my overall speed, technique and timing, as I can concentrate on my stroke more, and focus on knocking off the lengths, but the key thing is not having to count anymore. I sometimes, don’t even look at it for several lengths and just maintain a consistent swim speed.I have noticed that there are couple of slightly negative reviews on here, but I’m not sure if it is because they are from a couple of years ago, and maybe they have updated an older model, but I’m 100% happy with mine. Even if it did give up the ghost at some point, I think I would definitely buy another one, as I have found it reliable and sound, and incredible useful to improving swim ability overall.I love that you can stop the time on your last tap, and then leave it be. So by the time I’m home, showered, etc I can load up the pc and copy down my times from the summary menu. It runs through a relay of different displays depending how many times you press the button. So one button does everything in effect:• Press once- wakes it up• Press again – and the time starts counting (at this point you start swimming!)• Press again – and by now you are at the end of your length and want it to count that length done, and start timing the count of the second and so on,• The lap counter is accurate to 1/100 second, and if I’ve read right it can count up to 100 lengths. I’ve not checked as I’ve not swam that far yet!• When you’ve finished, press at the end of your last length, and that’s it.• You don’t need to press it again, it will stay in standby mode until you do a hard press to reveal the summary menu (and I sometimes do this hours later, when I’m back home); the display modes are:1. Total time2. Total lap3. Average lap time4. Fastest lap5. Fastest lap time6. Slowest lap time7. Slowest lap timeSo now, I can keep a track of my total swim time with lengths done on each session, but it also provides me with an average lap time and each individual length time. So it then pushes you to improve each time you swim. I’ve found the data sufficient to keep me pushing each time I swim.There does seem to be different models available, mine is the Combo Model (blue). Some reviews mention a pause button, this is not on my model, but I haven’t missed having it. It looks like there are 3 other colour models available; yellow, red and silver. It takes CR1216 lithium batteries, which can be replaced by unscrewing the cover, and again, I haven’t had to do that yet either.Basically, I readily recommend this little gadget, for me it has been a must have if you are wanting to do some lengths, without keeping track in your head. You are then free to think about the shopping, or the tea, and just keep swimming.Have fun swimming and not having to count!

Pro's:Fits comfortably on fingerNot obtrusive when you swimCon's:Faulty on first use-screen went blank had to be restarted so returned it.When you press the button it is not clear if it has registered so you find yourself constantly checking it rather than get on with your swim.Display was not clear at all underwater especially if you wear goggles.You have to wait to see what lap you're on there is no function to call that information up you have to wait for it to scroll though between time and lap info. again causing you to pause and wait for the info rather than get on with your swim.Overall I have had the Swimovate Poolmate watch before and will go back to that although more expensive it keeps accurate and clear record of your laps and time. I thought as this displays one lot of info at a time it would be much bigger and clearer than the previous Poolmate watch but it is not so I am going to buy another one of those.

As far as I know, this is the only well-made simple lap counter of it's type, and it seems well made and allows you to think about other things when you are swimming other than the monotonous count-down of lengths. You can pause it so long as you are sure you'll remember to re-start, and if you forget to press the timer will show this as the lap time is doubled.It would be nice to have just a bit more feel about the button and maybe just a big less delay before displaying lap number and time. In different temperatures, the screes does go dark occasionally as they mention it might in the instructions. But it still works and you can still read the figures I would like to see the strap made flatter so that you can't feel it on your next finger or thumb.But all in all I would highly recommend off lap counting.