Before I bought this watch, I did a lot of research on the offerings from Suunto, Polar and Nike, and finally ended up choosing the Lance 4 watch for my cycling-specific activities. And I have to say, my disappointment began within 2 minutes of opening the shipping box. Here are the three major ways this watch (and Nike itself) have failed me: 1) This is a complicated, multi-function instrument. But if you're expecting a detailed instruction manual, forget it. What you get is an elaborate pictograph that illustrates which buttons to push. It skims over the setup procedure and many of the most important functions, and omits many features entirely.
2) Relative to the above complaint, I contacted Nike customer service about the setup. Since I'm a cyclist, I was particularly interested in the altimeter function, and dismayed by how thin the "manual" is. The instructions say you can select a 60-, 10- or 2-second sampling rate of the barometric pressure in order to determine altitude. What it fails to mention is what the ramifications are for choosing one over the other? Is one more accurate. Does one use more battery power? We'll apparently never know, because Nike's customer service failed to answer the question. While they admitted that they had received several complaints about the manual -- and were considering writing a new one -- they simply sidestepped my question about the altimeter function in their email reply.
3) And then there's the performance of the watch itself. In most cases it's impressive -- that is, in every case except the one for which I purchased it: the altimeter. On my group rides, there are always at least three other people with altimeters. A post-ride comparison of altimeter results always puts their readings within 3 percent of each other. The results from the Nike are at least 20 percent off. That means the altimeter results are not to be trusted.
While the watch is attractive (that's why it earned 2 stars instead of just one) and has an excellent band, it simply doesn't give me the accurate altimeter results I need. And since the altimeter results are so far off, I can only assume that its built-in weather sensor (also based on barometric pressure) is hugely flawed, too.
With the manual being as light on information as it is, with Nike's customer service either unwilling or unable to shed any light on the watch's usage and with the flawed performance of the altimeter function, I can only say that this watch represents a major disappointment. It may meet Nike's standards for fashion, but it fails my standards for performance.
Product Description
Altimeter;Digital compass and barometer;Solid titanium case / Enhanced durability;2-color compass and timer display / Easy read;1000-hour chronograph with data recall;4 time alarms, 2 altitude and 1 hydration alarm;One-piece pinless strap / Durable;Battery hatch on backplate / Easy replacement;Mineral glass crystal / Scratch-resistant;Engraved and paint-filled Lance signature on backplate;100m water resistance
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