I have used an array of devices from the usual line-up of ruthless big name massive ego brands to track my training progress and analyse it to death. The likes of NIKE, GARMIN, POLAR et al do a fine job in their own way and have some excellent functional systems. But any of the strap-based devices on offer I get sick of after a while as they are straight up uncomfortable and ugly. In the on-line world we have the wonders of imap my every frickin move and the like; in effect the wearable performance market is big and will become huge and sadly dominated by the massive corporates.

Maybe now however the average runner (road and trail), triathlete and multi-sporter might have a surprising choice; the simply awesome SPUTNIK top from i-RULE.

When I received it for test and review, I had no real idea what to expect other than, being i-RULE it would be:

1) different
2) stylish
3) well thought out
4) pretty much unheard of ( I have read about anti-branding but really these guys do not seem to have a marketing pulse ).

What is it exactly?

A high performance running top that collects heart rate and accelerometer data in real time and sends it to your mobile phone which it can then use to publish the data to Facebook where it is managed, analyzed and shared.

To use it you need a mobile phne running the SYMBIAN O/S (NOKIA, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola etc ) that has GPRS support, Bluetooth 2.0 support ( including and in particular Serial Port Profile support) and able to run Java apps.(USD 2.88)

Clearly, you need a data plan as well; what is of particular note here is the miserly file sizes created by the SPUTNIK; 20K or less for an hour’s solid training. SPUTNIK won’t drain your data plan!

The top in terms of design is somewhere between a tank top and a capped sleeve top, it incorporates an inner layer which houses the bio-sensory array and transmitter (hardware from Zephyr) in an incredibly elegant,superbly comfortable and non
intrusive way. Everything else aside, what became overwhelmingly obvious is I actually loved wearing the SPUTNIK it has become a real habit - when I’m going for a run I instinctively grab my SPUTNIK and my mobile.

Helping the comfort factor is the use of i-RULE’s trademark Turbo Merino fabric which is fantastic against the skin, feather weight and most crucially dries amazingly quickly ( 5 x more quickly than conventional merino by all accounts; it dried in an hour for me on the line )’ and vastly improved wind resistance compared to say my merino bike shirt; that said, i-RULE have assured me they will make the SPUTNIK available in super light technical (synthetic)  summer fabrics and colors as well.

There are also plans afoot for a womens version for the summer Down Under.

The first thing you do when “setting up” your top is to charge the micro light lozenge shaped transmitter using a simple USB-charger; instructions are clear, concise and simple. You also need to pair your top with your mobile phone. Now every phone is different in this respect but my NOKIA E series was straight forward enough. When you buy the top the iRULE system sends you an email with a link to the SPUTNIK application on Facebook where you can also download the mobile software and set up your SPUTNIK on facebook profile ( how much of your training stuff you want to share with online friends ).

Again the download is simple as was set up on the NOKIA but each phone will differ as to where they install the program to.

Next step is put the top on and do what in iRULE speak is known as “Select hXm” basically you need to prompt the software and phone to find and connect with the device-top when you put it on. That done, for the first time only when you use the top you must CALIBRATE the accelerometer with a 400m effort.

That’s it, select START RUN and go run dude. Now, to get the best “cradle” for your mobile you use a pair of iRULE running - multi-sport knicks - I have the SUPER MOTUS; phone just sits there nicely.

Like any HR device with against the skin contact - you will only get consistent data if your chest is pretty well moist else SPUTNIK throws an error and you have to re-start the app. To avoid any hassle I just sprinkle some less than holy tap water on the below pecs area and get on with it.

Finished running? You can save or submit the data (to the SPUTNIK Facebook application). It is comforting to know that you do not need to bein range when logging your data and can upload (or submit) at any stage when you have a signal; sensible, convenient and effective.

As soon as you make a Net connection and go to Facebook you simply select on the neat SPUTNIK icon in your applications bar at the bottom of your Facebook page and there to greet you is the SPUTNIK software with your latest session(s) to be imported. Compared to any other software app for mthe likes of the mega brands the SPUTNIK layout is elegant, minimalist, intuitive and fun; much like wearing the top, you find yourself becoming a habitual user as it so damn simple and useful.

For each session you import you can assign a particular route ( could also be a particular training session type - it’s up to you ) and make any notes about the weather, your program etc etc to associate with each session.

The screen that is displayed once you import your session(s) is known as the DASHBOARD and gives you a quick insight into your latest session ( which you can select for drill down ); a neat graphical overview of your recent past ( you can easily change variables and the graph refresh is very quick ) and a bit of a running stats commentary on where you are at.

On this screen you can also set and edit goals for heart rate, distance covered and time spent for any of your set training routes.

The HISTORY screen gives you total control over your entire training data; you can organise the history list according to set route; the adjoining graph is terrific showing hear rate cadence and speed at any given point clearly and concisely.

You can also add more notes to each session if needed.

PROGRESS has a starightforward graph with display variables you can change that shows how your sessions have tracked against any goals you have set for the variables concerned.

The real kicker for me is the FRIENDS screen as it allows you to select a FRIEND and see their latest training graphs and even better allow you to look at any of their HISTORY sessions, analyse their data and post comments.

The online help is pretty good and you can SKYPE the guys for any hand holding when you are setting up or run into an issue. It’s critical to read the wash instructions so you don’t destroy the integrated harness circuitry.

Improvements? I’d love to see a heart rate zone management graph ( how long was I in my target zones as a pie chart ) and see the top performers by distance run and speed. Of course extending the app so it makes use of GPS functionality would be awesome.

I’d also like to see the brilliant Just Try Me system made available for the product so you can try before you buy; as i-RULE have said pointedly is they will do that as soon as they start making sales; this is a boutique firm with a cult following not GARMIN or NIKE.

All in all though SPUTNIK is a major leap forward in wearable performance systems; it is ahead of the market in the design elegance of the garment and the software and an absolute pleasure to wear and use Priced at $NZ349-399 it is also highly respectable value for money. Recommended.