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Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [renorider]
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Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [Tony5]
[ In reply to ]
DCRainmaker's first impressions are up now as well. I've been playing with my pair for a day or two and overall I'm glad I have them but unfortunately you have to have a certain amount of faith in the product this can be rather than the product it is today.
Learning that out of the box there is no power meter support is a pretty big shock for example. I know it's coming... but still. There's a lot of potential and I think they have a solid platform in place that will eventually deliver on it but it's a little disappointing to see that after all of the delays there is still more work to be done on the software side. Guess that's pretty par for the course these days though.
Learning that out of the box there is no power meter support is a pretty big shock for example. I know it's coming... but still. There's a lot of potential and I think they have a solid platform in place that will eventually deliver on it but it's a little disappointing to see that after all of the delays there is still more work to be done on the software side. Guess that's pretty par for the course these days though.
Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [tgarson]
[ In reply to ]
tgarson wrote:
Learning that out of the box there is no power meter support is a pretty big shock for example. I know it's coming... but still.You have got to be shitting me.
Mine arrive today via FedEx ground. Signature required. So, after waiting a year more than originally announced, I am not a prisoner to my own home waiting for the delivery. Dick move.
I have not even received it yet and already I hate it and the assholes who made it.
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers
Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [JSA]
[ In reply to ]
I had my Recon Jet glasses a week or so ago, whilst I absolutely love the concept of heads-up display glasses (and believe it's the future), sadly the recon wasn't quite refined enough yet for me so I returned them for the following reasons:
1) I couldn't quite get the screen fully in view it just cut off the right hand corner despite doing every adjustment possible, not a massive issue but annoying
2) The detail displayed was also a little blurred on the edges and crucially nowhere near as crisp and clear as the marketing videos were showing
3) I bought them to replace my Garmin 500 and to display my power and cadence which is all I really look at when racing, neither can be displayed yet as it doesn't talk to power meters yet (firmware update to come), as I get my cadence from the power meter it meant the only 2 things I wanted it for it wouldn't do, of course I could have added a cadence sensor but why would I do that?
They were the main reasons I returned the unit but I also would really expect:
a) Ability to talk on the phone whilst riding without the use of an additional $10 headphone cable connected to your phone (it already has a small built-in speaker and microphone)
b) Ability to listen to music whilst riding without the use of an additional $10 headphone cable connected to your phone, you should be able to upload a playlist or two or a small memory card and play back through a built in earpiece
To be fair they are nearly there and I wish them the best, and it is the risk of early adoption, but I believe they will get there for me in the future and will get an updated model later.
If you are sure you will fail, or convinced you will succeed, you are probably right.....
1) I couldn't quite get the screen fully in view it just cut off the right hand corner despite doing every adjustment possible, not a massive issue but annoying
2) The detail displayed was also a little blurred on the edges and crucially nowhere near as crisp and clear as the marketing videos were showing
3) I bought them to replace my Garmin 500 and to display my power and cadence which is all I really look at when racing, neither can be displayed yet as it doesn't talk to power meters yet (firmware update to come), as I get my cadence from the power meter it meant the only 2 things I wanted it for it wouldn't do, of course I could have added a cadence sensor but why would I do that?
They were the main reasons I returned the unit but I also would really expect:
a) Ability to talk on the phone whilst riding without the use of an additional $10 headphone cable connected to your phone (it already has a small built-in speaker and microphone)
b) Ability to listen to music whilst riding without the use of an additional $10 headphone cable connected to your phone, you should be able to upload a playlist or two or a small memory card and play back through a built in earpiece
To be fair they are nearly there and I wish them the best, and it is the risk of early adoption, but I believe they will get there for me in the future and will get an updated model later.
If you are sure you will fail, or convinced you will succeed, you are probably right.....
Last edited by:
Crash Master: May 8, 15 12:38
Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [Crash Master]
[ In reply to ]
I'm still waiting for this:
Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [tgarson]
[ In reply to ]
Did my first run in them earlier this week (lots of looks) and my first long ride in them today (battery died 3 hrs in so partial recording of ride only).
I agree with your statement re investing in what this could be vs what it is... I don't have any beef with them at this point other than limited function. They are much easier to ride with than run (have to make sure they are wedged into hat/visor or they bounce and that is nauseating) and it was somewhat cool to have that info at a 'glance' regardless of head position, but no power data was obviously irritating.
I am going to play with the SDK as well so this is more of a 'toy' for me at this point that a real 'training tool'.
Got lots of q's from the group this morning pre ride. I just told them it was a small TV and I was watching porn.
I agree with your statement re investing in what this could be vs what it is... I don't have any beef with them at this point other than limited function. They are much easier to ride with than run (have to make sure they are wedged into hat/visor or they bounce and that is nauseating) and it was somewhat cool to have that info at a 'glance' regardless of head position, but no power data was obviously irritating.
I am going to play with the SDK as well so this is more of a 'toy' for me at this point that a real 'training tool'.
Got lots of q's from the group this morning pre ride. I just told them it was a small TV and I was watching porn.
Re: Recon Jet Reviews? [nebmot]
[ In reply to ]
I have had the Recon Jet for about two months now, so, I will give my review. After my prior rants, I think it owe it to them.
Summary
It is pretty awesome. The ability to have all your data in a small, heads up display is simply fantastic. The latest firmware update was released recently. Several of the minor bugs have been worked out and it is now compatible with ANT+ power meters. So, the unit has reached its initially proclaimed potential and still has room to grow.
That said, in operation, it really does not do anything that cannot be done with other units. The Garmin units can track and record all your data, along with providing a map. There are several camera units that provide better still pictures and video recording. But, having all these features in a small unit with a heads up display is pretty awesome.
My Setup
I took it on the road and on the trails. For the road, I am using my Specialized Transition with a Specialized S-Works road helmet. For the trail, I am using my Framed Alaskan Carbon fat bike with a Limar Ultralight MTB helmet. My “regular” sunglasses are Oakley Racing Jackets with transition lenses.
Fit
The Recon Jet is considerably heavier than the Oakley Racing Jackets. When you hold each in opposite hands, it is really, really noticeable. That said, once you put them on, the weight is quickly lost and does not pose any issues.
I believe I have a regular face and head and these fit me very well. The nose bridge is adjustable and allows you to adjust. Once hooked behind the ears, they are solid. Even on the hottest days with pouring sweat, they do not move on me.
They fit perfectly with both helmets. On the Specialized road helmet, there is a small gap between the glasses and the helmet, similar to the Oakleys. On the Limar MTB helmet, it is perfect. They fit together very nicely.
There is one minor issue while riding. If you sweat a lot and need to wipe your eyes, it is a little difficult. With the Oakleys, I can get a glove under without displacing them much. However, if you get under the Recon Jets, you can really dislodge them. If the get off your ears, they feel like they are going to fall off. This only happened once or twice, but could be an issue.
UPDATE: Not sure why I did not think about this before, but I started using the DeSoto head cooler beenie under my helmet. Zero, and I mean nothing, in terms of sweat coming down on my face. I had tried one before and did not care for it. Not sure why. But, I ride with it now and no more sweat in the face. On my Transition, it was not that big a deal b/c you are moving so fast. On my fat bike, it was a huge issue. Problem solved!
Another issue to consider is that you lose some peripheral vision. I tend to look down, back, under my arm when checking at intersections. The display unit blocks that on your right side. There is a little blocked vision on the left, but not as bad. This is an issue at first. You have to learn how to adjust your sightlines to correct this issue.
UPDATE: There is a pretty steep learning curve, but you learn now to adjust your head to see "around" the unit. It is not the most natural thing, but I now know how to put my chin down and look up to see at intersections. Once you get this down, it become natural and the blocked sightline issue becomes manageable.
Display
I had no issue with the display. I was able to adjust it to be just on the bottom of my view. I can see it just fine. The display is clear and quite easy to read. I was even able to use the map feature while riding. It is a small map, but usable. I decided to go off and ride in an area with which I was unfamiliar so I could use the map to navigate. Worked well and was pretty cool.
On the Road and Trail
I ran the Recon Jet against my Garmin Edge 800 and my Garmin Forerunner 620. They were all consistent in speed, distance, power, etc.
On the road, it was pretty cool to have the heads up display. But, in a tuck position, I never found it difficult to look at the Garmin Edge 800. So, while it was cool, it was not “earth shattering.” On the trail was an entirely different matter. This was pretty cool. Having the data easy to see while bombing down some single track was awesome. Easy to watch the trail while seeing the data.
Another “knock” was not really the fault of the Recon Jet. I love the Oakleys with the transition lenses b/c I can go from open field to deep forest trail and the glasses adjust so I can see. These are “regular” lenses, so, it was a little dark in the woods at first. Not horrible, but it was an issue. However, this would be an issue with any non-transition glasses.
There was one point, on the trail, where I flicked on the video camera on the fly. That was pretty cool. The video is good quality, but not as good as a Hero 4. However, it is cool having your eye level view. When you turn on the camera, the display shows what is being recorded.
Controls
Controls are easy to use. There is a rocker switch for input and “back.” There is a small touch pad that allows you to flick through from one app to another.
If connected to your smart phone, you can see texts and incoming calls. That is pretty cool as well. If you play music, the display shows what is playing, but the sound does not come through the small speaker. I don’t quite understand that, but there is talk of a firmware upgrade.
Conclusion
It is pretty damn cool. Again, in function, it does not do anything that cannot be done with other units. But, it is pretty cool to have everything in one small packet.
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers
Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
Summary
It is pretty awesome. The ability to have all your data in a small, heads up display is simply fantastic. The latest firmware update was released recently. Several of the minor bugs have been worked out and it is now compatible with ANT+ power meters. So, the unit has reached its initially proclaimed potential and still has room to grow.
That said, in operation, it really does not do anything that cannot be done with other units. The Garmin units can track and record all your data, along with providing a map. There are several camera units that provide better still pictures and video recording. But, having all these features in a small unit with a heads up display is pretty awesome.
My Setup
I took it on the road and on the trails. For the road, I am using my Specialized Transition with a Specialized S-Works road helmet. For the trail, I am using my Framed Alaskan Carbon fat bike with a Limar Ultralight MTB helmet. My “regular” sunglasses are Oakley Racing Jackets with transition lenses.
Fit
The Recon Jet is considerably heavier than the Oakley Racing Jackets. When you hold each in opposite hands, it is really, really noticeable. That said, once you put them on, the weight is quickly lost and does not pose any issues.
I believe I have a regular face and head and these fit me very well. The nose bridge is adjustable and allows you to adjust. Once hooked behind the ears, they are solid. Even on the hottest days with pouring sweat, they do not move on me.
They fit perfectly with both helmets. On the Specialized road helmet, there is a small gap between the glasses and the helmet, similar to the Oakleys. On the Limar MTB helmet, it is perfect. They fit together very nicely.
There is one minor issue while riding. If you sweat a lot and need to wipe your eyes, it is a little difficult. With the Oakleys, I can get a glove under without displacing them much. However, if you get under the Recon Jets, you can really dislodge them. If the get off your ears, they feel like they are going to fall off. This only happened once or twice, but could be an issue.
UPDATE: Not sure why I did not think about this before, but I started using the DeSoto head cooler beenie under my helmet. Zero, and I mean nothing, in terms of sweat coming down on my face. I had tried one before and did not care for it. Not sure why. But, I ride with it now and no more sweat in the face. On my Transition, it was not that big a deal b/c you are moving so fast. On my fat bike, it was a huge issue. Problem solved!
Another issue to consider is that you lose some peripheral vision. I tend to look down, back, under my arm when checking at intersections. The display unit blocks that on your right side. There is a little blocked vision on the left, but not as bad. This is an issue at first. You have to learn how to adjust your sightlines to correct this issue.
UPDATE: There is a pretty steep learning curve, but you learn now to adjust your head to see "around" the unit. It is not the most natural thing, but I now know how to put my chin down and look up to see at intersections. Once you get this down, it become natural and the blocked sightline issue becomes manageable.
Display
I had no issue with the display. I was able to adjust it to be just on the bottom of my view. I can see it just fine. The display is clear and quite easy to read. I was even able to use the map feature while riding. It is a small map, but usable. I decided to go off and ride in an area with which I was unfamiliar so I could use the map to navigate. Worked well and was pretty cool.
On the Road and Trail
I ran the Recon Jet against my Garmin Edge 800 and my Garmin Forerunner 620. They were all consistent in speed, distance, power, etc.
On the road, it was pretty cool to have the heads up display. But, in a tuck position, I never found it difficult to look at the Garmin Edge 800. So, while it was cool, it was not “earth shattering.” On the trail was an entirely different matter. This was pretty cool. Having the data easy to see while bombing down some single track was awesome. Easy to watch the trail while seeing the data.
Another “knock” was not really the fault of the Recon Jet. I love the Oakleys with the transition lenses b/c I can go from open field to deep forest trail and the glasses adjust so I can see. These are “regular” lenses, so, it was a little dark in the woods at first. Not horrible, but it was an issue. However, this would be an issue with any non-transition glasses.
There was one point, on the trail, where I flicked on the video camera on the fly. That was pretty cool. The video is good quality, but not as good as a Hero 4. However, it is cool having your eye level view. When you turn on the camera, the display shows what is being recorded.
Controls
Controls are easy to use. There is a rocker switch for input and “back.” There is a small touch pad that allows you to flick through from one app to another.
If connected to your smart phone, you can see texts and incoming calls. That is pretty cool as well. If you play music, the display shows what is playing, but the sound does not come through the small speaker. I don’t quite understand that, but there is talk of a firmware upgrade.
Conclusion
It is pretty damn cool. Again, in function, it does not do anything that cannot be done with other units. But, it is pretty cool to have everything in one small packet.
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers
Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
Thanks for the review. You may be interested to check out two new apps for Jet that were recently released. One is called Refuel. It gives you prompts to eat and drink at the right moments during training and racing. I've used it and it works quite well. I wrote a blog post on Refuel (and ANT+ power) recently. Have a look.
http://www.reconinstruments.com/...efuel-and-ant-power/
The other is an app that connect a Go Pro to the Jet. I haven't used that one yet but my colleagues who have give it favorable reports. Have a look, let me know what you think. Thanks.
http://www.reconinstruments.com/...efuel-and-ant-power/
The other is an app that connect a Go Pro to the Jet. I haven't used that one yet but my colleagues who have give it favorable reports. Have a look, let me know what you think. Thanks.