It can be challenging to stay motivated at the gym. Your workouts get redundant and unless your keeping a close eye on your accomplishments you’ll soon find yourself bored if not deterred from visiting the thing so many people loathe. So how do you stay motivated? Gear. You buy new shows, new shorts, workout gloves or in this case a simple yet effective watch that measures your heart rate and tells you when to take a sip of water.

I’m referring to Oregon Scientific’s SH201Tap On Elite Heart Rate Monitor with Hydration Alert. It includes a wireless heart rate strap, a chronograph and a little meter that tells you – roughly – when you need a sip of water. There is also an alarm, HiGlo backlight (this button doubles as a key pad lock when held), lap function and a water resistant body up to 50 meter. Not bad for $100.

Note: To turn the watch on initially you’ll need to hold all 4 buttons simultaneously until the display illuminates.

The watch has a total of 4 buttons: backlight, start/stop, set and mode. I found the setup to be a bit cryptic since it’s not blatantly evident which buttons you use to increase or decrease your input. But after some trial and error it will be apparent, though I would heave preferred a 5th button setup that would have distributed the start/stop function over two buttons as opposed to one, and left a dedicated mode and setup button. I should mentioned – I just realized this – that the buttons are denoted by a set of symbols, which include +/-.  Yeah, a duh moment.

During setup the watch will ask you for your height, weight, sex and age so it can determine your proper heart rate zone and calculate your calories burned during a workout.

To enter the workout mode you just tap on the lens and it enters into your selected preset, which you chose during setup. You’ll need to use your finger tip nail and some heft in order for it to activate this feature, otherwise the watch will do nothing. Fortunately you can switch to workout mode just by cycling through the modes using the mode button.

But, before you begin your first workout you’ll need to choose between a heart rate zone, which is a percentage of beats per minute based on your age or set the amount of beats you would like to accomplish – you do this in the setup mode for the “auto” function. I suggest the “zone option” since this is based on your age and takes the guessing out of the equation.

The heart rate monitor is wireless and provided you’re within a few meters of the watch it will automatically detects it’s presence, which is depicted by a flashing heart on the display. Eventually your BPMs will be displayed and the watch will keep you abreast of whether or not you’re above or below your targeted heart rate. Connectivity comes by way of a digital signal. A button on the face of the heart monitor, when held for 4 seconds converts it to an analog connection, allowing it to be used with most pieces of gym equipment. A nice feature if you spend time on a treadmill and don’t want to refer to your watch for information.

I workout with headphones on, which rendered the audio alerts useless and there is no vibration function as I found on the Forerunnner 310XT. You can disable these audio alerts if you don’t wanna disturb fellow gym patrons by pressing the ST/SP button.

A mainstay of the Oregon’s SH201 is the hydration meter. During my 5 workouts with the watch the meter neither increase or decreased. Did I not enable the function despite wearing a heart rate monitor and activating the workout mode by tapping on the lens? There’s nothing in the manual about starting the hydration meter. UPDATE: It goes down slowly. After a 1 hour work out today one segment disappeared.

Nonetheless, there are 5 segments on the hydration bar. Each disappearing segment represents about 4-8oz of liquid that needs to be consumed. Once the bar is fully drained it will not automatically reset – fair enough.

The SH201′s battery is not rechargeable, but it is user replaceable. To do so, which I didn’t, you just pop off the back plate, remove the old battery and insert a new one. The included instructions detail this process. The same process essentially applies to the heart rate monitor.

The strap of the watch was sufficient, but a bit cheap. It’s not very malleable, or manipulatable and more often than not the strap would slip free from the keeper loop. Not a deal breaker, but an annoyance while working out.

Some people might have concerns about a watches’ backlight and display. The SH201 was easy to read under a variety of lighting scenarios and the backlight was sufficient. No problems there.

Unlike Garmin’s 310XT your workouts can’t be transferred to a computer or uploaded to a website for review. Keep in mind this watch costs less 1/3 of the Forerunner 310XT, so its not a fair comparison.

Which brings me to my conclusion: would you rather spend more on a watch and get more out of it, or skimp and get a bare bones device that gives you data during and only during you workout? It all depends on the user. Personally I’d rather the 310XT, which includes GPS, trackback information and keeps track of calories burned, speed (running, walking or biking), heart rate and more.  These are all of the things that the SH201 lacks. To be fair, you can review up to 99 laps of data on Oregon’s SH201, though the process isn’t as useful as the 310XT which tracks your stats over time and graphs them in a neat and easy to digest graph.

While I can’t speak negatively of Oregon’s SH201 Heart Rate watch, I’d prefer a lower price, a slightly cooler look or more functionality.

Pros:

• Simple functionality means low learning curve
• Includes wireless heart rate monitor
• Display is easy to read and include backlight

Cons:

• Strap is a bit cheap
• Can’t download workouts to a computer
• 4 button setup makes for slightly cryptic functionality

Oregon Scientific is the creator of this rather touchy heart rate monitoring watch. Get it? Touchy, because it has a touchscreen.

Allright, not funny. But you can indeed tap the screen to change between the several modes the SH201 possesses. Aside from three exercise profilIes (jogging, running and cycling) it also lets you know when you’re dehydrated, although there’s no direct way for the device to figure that out, so it’s probably computing it using your activity level and time spent. Then it prompts you to take a few sips of water at certain intervals.

While calories burned are kept track of, your fitness level are somehow calculated and kept up to date, on top of which the Elite Heart Rate Monitor is also capable of displaying your current hear trate, as well as a history of your average and maximum heartrates.

As far as ‘mathematical’ functions, it has a stopwatch, timer, lap counter, calendar and you can even set an alarm to stop you from running if you’re one of those extra athletic people.

We’ve long known Oregon Scientific as an alarm clock and thermometer company.  But in recent time they’ve expanded into the health category.

Yesterday, they launched 3 new products geared towards women, at least that is what their PR rep said, though I suppose they could be worn by any gender.

The Gaiam Fitness Trainer 2.0 is a $100 wrist watch that reads your heart rate without a chest strap. It also displays the time, calendar and includes a “tap on lens” that toggles through each mode.

For an additional $10 you can pick up the Gaiam Zone Trainer 3.0, which is essentially the same as the aforementioned device, but includes a chest strap with wireless heart rate monitor for more accurate heart rate readings.

Last but not least is the Gaiam Calorie Coach G1, a fancy smancy pedometer for just $40. In addition to a digital read out, it measures you calories burned, steps taken and can store up to 7 days of walking data.

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New to the Oregon Scientific lines of products is the Helios Solar Weather Station.  To be entirely honest there’s nothing new going on here, but it does offer a semi-robust feature set at a reasonable price, especially when compared to their +ECO line.

So what are the deets?  Aside from supplementing its power using the inbuilt solar panels, the Helios can wirelessly monitor up to 3 locations around your home – that is assuming you’ve bought two additional wireless sensors (one is included) -  display the indoor/outdoor temperature, humidity, 12+ hour forecast, date/time from the Atomic clock and alert you of impending ice.

You can grab one for $55.

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If you are turning over a new leaf of health consciousness and need a new pedometer to help reach your goals, look no further.  Oregon Scientific’s new Marathon Pedometer has all the important features to help you get your stride on.

The pedometer uses accelerometer technology so you can wear it lanyard style, clipped to a bag, or securely around your shoe.  Its backlit display has a clock, step counter, distance/calorie calculator, and a count up/down function to gauge where you’re at.

The pedometer even features a marathon challenge mode so you can see how long it would take to walk a marathon.  On sale now for $60.  Walk this way!

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Looking to be pretty comfortable in your kitchen area, Oregon Scientific’s solar powered weather station, the +Eco Clima Control will keep you alert to all things related to your immediate inside and outside world.  Now priced at $120 (originally it was $99) and set to release this fall, the Solar Powered Weather Station will operate for three months on an 8 hour initial charge.  Seems like a good gift right?

Full press release after the ‘leap’

Tualatin, OR – July 7, 2009 – Oregon Scientific announced today the release of the +ECO Clima Control weather station, the first in its innovative new line of energy-conserving electronics.  The +ECO product, operating with solar energy, offers essential timing and weather features while helping to reduce energy consumption and improve battery life.

The +ECO Clima Control is equipped with a built-in solar panel, and is powered by the sun.  It allows its users to monitor the current temperature and humidity in up to four locations within the home and outdoors, using remote wireless temperature and humidity sensors.  With only an 8-hour charge, the +ECO Clima Control will operate for up to three months before another charge is needed.

“We are excited to introduce our first solar-powered weather station into our ever-growing line of Oregon Scientific household products,” said Mike Prager, President of Oregon Scientific, US.  “We are committed to exploring alternative sources of energy to power our products, and will continue to look for new innovations to serve our consumers.”

In September, two additional solar-powered installments will be added to the +ECO line.  The first, the +ECO Solar Weather Station will monitor current indoor and outdoor weather temperatures, humidity and shows an iconic future weather forecast, as well as the precise Atomic time.  Second, the more compact +ECO Solar Weather Clock will monitor the current indoor and outdoor weather temperatures and humidity, as well the Atomic time.  Both products are equipped with detachable solar panels and remote wireless temperature and humidity sensors.

Oregon Scientific is a name that is synonymous with weather gadgets, not phones.  But contrary to popular belief, the company has unveiled a Dect 6.0 compatible phone called the Photo-Touch Phone. At the core of the device is a 7-inch 480×234 LCD screen that can display up to 200 photos from its built-in memory and includes an SD, XD, MMC, MS card reader.  Surprisingly, it can only store up to 50 contacts and to further sour things, the screen isn’t touchscreen, but at least the keypad is ‘touch sensing’.  No word on a US release date, but you can preorder it from Oregon Scientific’s Hong Kong website for about $260.

[via Chipchick]

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Another booth I wasn’t able to attend while at CES was Oregon Scientific (actually I walked by but ran out of time).  Fortunately, they passed along a tid bit (and a high rez image) on their latest weather device, the RMR500 Eco Clima Control.  It’s does the usual Oregon Scientifc weather stuff we’ve come to expect as well as monitor the tempereature and humidity in up to 4 additional locations (inside or out) courtesy of some strategically placed remote sensors.  And since Oregon Scientific is all about sun and rain, it’s only fitting that the RMR500 is outfitted with solar panels that provide up to 3 months of juice on just 8 hours of charging.

The Eco Clima Control will go retail this Spring for $99.

Add $3 to your cart to get free shipping

Features:

• Self setting atomic clock
• Forecast, indoor/outdoor temperature and moon phase
• Alarm, time and more

Features:

• 4 Day forecast and easy to read LCD display
• Updates every 2 minutes with info, clock, and more

Features:

• Current weather details and 4 day forecast
• Warning, watches, advisories, indoor temp and clock + alarm

Look to the right for ‘more buying choices’ to get this deal

Features:

• Full function camera that attaches to almost anything
• Waterproof up to 9 feet, 640×480 video at 30 FPS

One quick ‘take’ of the Weather Station Mood from Oregon Scientific and you’ll know if the forecast calls for cloudiness, partially cloudiness, rain or sun.  The base of the clock changes color accordingly, while displaying the exact temperature and time thanks to the PTB in Brunswick, Germany.

Available here for about $60

Features:

• SAME technology allows you go monitor local areas
• Easy to read LCD screen and removable handheld radio

Buy it: Oregon Scientific WRB603 Public Alert Weather Station – $80

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Features:

• Indoor and outdoor temperature + self setting clock from Atomic clock
• Alarm clock, 3 temperature level (falling, rising and steady)
• Large easy to read LCD

Buy it: Oregon Scientific RMR682A Wireless Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer – $9

Features:

• Forecast display with graphical icons + monitors indoor and outdoor temperatures
• Self setting atomic clock + month/day calendar

Buy it: Oregon Scientific Milano Classic Weather Station – $35