GOQii Stride review: Miles to go

Stride is the latest, and the cheapest, step tracker from GOQii

GOQii Stride review: Miles to go GOQii Stride

Stride is the latest, and the cheapest, step tracker from GOQii, a startup based in California that serves a clientele predominantly in India. Stride does the most basic thing, that is counting your steps. But there is a catch―you need to wear your shoes to use Stride. It has been designed to be clipped on to the shoelace. That could be quite an inconvenience for many considering you might not be wearing shoes all the time; or if you change into another pair, you will need to remember to place the Stride on the new pair. Add to it the fact that it might not look good on all types of shoes.

I am not sure if placing a step tracker on your foot would improve its accuracy. But the Stride I reviewed counted 10 per cent fewer steps than the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro that I wore simultaneously.

Setting up the Stride is a breeze. Put in the coin-like cell and clip it on your shoelace. Then download the GOQii app (available for Android and iOS) and sync the device via Bluetooth. The GOQii app is not your regular health app; it is a whole gamut of services—from live coaches to doctor on call to a health store. In fact, when you buy a GOQii, you pay not just for the device, but also for a subscription to these services. The Stride comes with a free three-month subscription. You will have to pay to renew it thereafter.

The Stride comes in four different colours. It is waterproof, and the battery can last three months. At Rs 1,199, it costs as much as some of the popular fitness bands. For instance, the Mi Band 3, which has an OLED touchscreen display and a heart beat monitor, costs just a few hundreds more. But then the GOQii app services take the whole game to another level—from fitness to health care. And that could be the decider for many.