TomTom Runner 2 / Spark | Full analysis

Following the launch of the new TomTom Runner 2 (also sold under the name TomTom Spark) there was a lot to try, starting with the change of optical pulse sensor in the Cardio version, which now uses LifeQ technology instead of Mio; but also with the inclusion of a version that allows music to be played directly from the clock.

As you know, I like to clarify the origin of all the devices I test. This time the watch has been temporarily loaned by TomTom in order to carry out the analysis. Once the article is completed, I will send the watch back. This is how these tests work, there is no compensation from the brands (neither material nor monetary), which allows these tests to remain totally independent, and they will remain so.

I hope you enjoy this comprehensive review of TomTom Runner 2 and that it can help you in your buying decision, or if you already have it you can get the most out of it. That's why I created these extensive tests. My intention is to do them to tell you, athlete to athlete, how technology can help you in your training. If you finally decide to buy it and want to give me a hand so I can do more tests like this, buy it at Amazon through the links you can find at the bottom of this pageYou will get a great price and I will get a small fee that will help the development of future tests.

Unpacking

The only thing that differentiates the TomTom Runner 2 from the TomTom Spark is its packaging (and the range of colours for the strap). While the Spark comes in a classic cardboard box, the Runner 2 is presented as you can see below. In the box you can see the version that it is. In the case of the unit given by TomTom for testing, it is the Cardio+Music, the most complete version. At the top there is also a reference to the colour and length of the strap. I have been given the small strap version (and a somewhat feminine colour, so are these tests).

The top of the box is made of methacrylate, so it can be easily removed. On the side you will find a size reference, so you can compare on site what size of strap you need. Although I must say that in my case, and despite my more than 1.93m high, I have not had any problem with the small strap, not even when fixing it to the handlebar of the bike.

The other two angles of the case inform you of the other important details about the watch.

But let's skip the stories and get the content out. Whichever version you choose, this is what you'll find inside, unless you buy the version with headphones included, i.e. a manual (which doesn't explain anything, but luckily you have this proof), the sync and charging cable and the clock itself.

And speaking of the watch, it is made up of two pieces. And the strap is removed with little effort, so it is very easy to change it for another of different length or color, depending on the day. As you can see, the TomTom Runner 2 is not a flat device, but has a small curve. At the bottom is where you find the control pad to operate the watch, which also serves as a GPS antenna. Its placement is really good, because when running with the watch on your wrist that antenna will always be oriented to the sky, ensuring a maximum level of coverage.

If you flip over what's left of the watch, in the case of the Cardio 1TP11 version you will see the optical pulse sensor, developed in conjunction with the company LifeQ. In the previous version the sensor used by TomTom was licensed from Mio. Although LifeQ is really more of a "partner" in terms of the software that controls this sensor, not so much in terms of the hardware components themselves, which are not manufactured by this young South African company.

I'm always quite cautious about new optical sensors coming onto the market. Any manufacturer can put in an infrared sensor and green LEDs, but the real challenge is to create an algorithm that is capable of removing the noise from the pulse reading. And that's where LifeQ comes in, this being their first commercial development. So, TomTom's decision was quite risky.

As a curiosity, the sensor assembly is designed with three green LEDs and one red LED, but the latter they have decided to deactivate. In theory that red LED should make it easier to read in darker skin tones, but I guess they have not seen any difference between using it or not, so they have chosen to deactivate it for the time being. But maybe it will be used again in the future, if an update of the algorithm manages to take advantage of it.

In those connection pins you have seen in the previous image is where you will connect the sync cable. The cable can also be connected to the watch in the strap, it is not necessary to remove it.

Another noteworthy detail of the strap is that it uses a fixed clasp. Instead of a traditional buckle, the strap has a "pin" where the strap hole is inserted. Probably the usual clasp is more comfortable, but this clasp that TomTom has used is just as effective.

Before continuing with the full test, let me explain all the new features of Runner 2 and Spark, as well as the versions on sale.

What's new in TomTom Runner 2 and versions

In essence, the TomTom Runner 2 is the same watch that many of you love, with some new features added - a tune-up to bring it up to today's standards, and also according to the model chosen, with some quite new features.

This is what's new in the TomTom Runner 2 (or TomTom Spark, depending on which you buy), so if you already know the original model you'll quickly know what's new in this new iteration.

Apart from these new features, everything else remains the same, with good and bad. It's not a totally new watch, it's a continuation of the initial model. What I do think is worth explaining is the different versions, as there are many of them. Too many in my opinion. And I think that if I don't explain the full range in detail you're going to lose out.

First of all, you may have noticed that I can refer to the watch as TomTom Runner 2 or TomTom Spark. Although TomTom markets them separately, the only thing that changes between them is the packaging and the available colours of the strap. Everything else is the same: same software, same hardware. Commercially, the Runner 2 is geared towards runners and the Spark focuses on fitness.

Well, once you've established the difference between the TomTom Runner 2 and the Spark (belt colours only), let's look at the different options available for both:

Obviously, each version is priced differently, but I'll save that for last.. These are the only differences between the different modelsThe rest of the features are unchanged across the range: multisport (for running, swimming, cycling and fitness activities), with activity monitor and the possibility of connecting to Bluetooth sensors (also the Cardio versions).

Have you made clear all the versions available and the differences between them? Okay, so let's get down to business.

Running

With TomTom Runner 2, it makes sense to start with the running part, because that's what you've come for.

The activity is started from the control knob, that is, the crosshead under the screen. Pressing to the right you will access the different sports modes, where you will first find the race option.

The clock remembers the last activity you have done, so if you are not in the desired one you simply scroll up or down to find the desired one.

Again you have to press right, and the watch will stay on the standby screen. Here it will start searching for GPS signal and heart rate (either through the optical sensor in the case of the Cardio version, or an external sensor in either version).

On this screen you have four different options, depending on where you select from the crosshead.

• Above: enter the history of recent activities, where you can review past workouts
• Left: you return to the sports profile selection
• Right: You start training directly, without any specific training options
• Below: Enter all training options

I'll start at the end, with the different options it offers.

The first thing you can select is the different training modes. Depending on which one you choose, the watch will behave differently and you will see different information on the screen.

No: Running without any other options. Not even separate laps on the clock screen, but you will see it once the activity is synchronized, so the screen will not warn you every time you complete 1 kilometer.

ObjectivesTarget: You train against a distance, time or calorie goal. Selecting each goal will add a screen with a circle representing how much you have accomplished of that goal.

IntervalsYou can set up your workout with warm-up, interval, rest, number of repetitions and rest period. You can set each of these sections based on time or distance, but you cannot select a pace or heart rate target for each section.

Back toYou can set the clock to automatically mark you by time or distance (at the value you choose) or to mark them manually. To do this manually, you must tap on the screen. It is not a touch screen, but the clock detects the tap thanks to the internal accelerometer.

ZonesPace: You set a training range for pace, speed or heart rate. The watch warns you if you go outside the range set for pace or speed, or the heart rate range (one of the 5 default ranges or one you customize)

CompeteYou can compete against recent activities, against activities you have bookmarked on the My Sports page or against a distance or time that you select manually. This is a "Virtual partner" option, a virtual competitor against whom you can challenge yourself to improve on past workouts.

These are the different training modes you can select, but before you go running you should also set up the data screens, which is the second option in the settings menu.

The screen is structured in the following way: you have a main data on the screen, of greater size, that you will be able to rotate when you press the crosshead up or down. But additionally you have two fields in the lower part of the screen that you will be able to choose from the following: clock, duration, distance, rhythm, average rhythm, speed, average speed, calories, heart rate or heart rate zone.

These same values are the ones you can see in the main part of the screen, as you move between the different options.

If you press the crosshead on the right you have three different graphs to represent your heart rate: an indicator from zone 1 to zone 5, the distribution you have made in each of the zones and a complete graph where you can see your evolution in the last minutes of exercise.

When you are running and you want to stop the activity, you simply press the left crosshead for one second, and you will return to the pause screen. Here you can see your current heart rate, and if you wait a minute you can see your recovery after the training. That is, how many heartbeats you have dropped since you stopped running. Sorry about the image, but I didn't have another one handy. As you can see, it indicates that there is no recovery because when I paused the activity my heart rate had already dropped quite a bit. On the second screen you will see the heartbeats recovered after the exercise.

After the break, you have options similar to those you could access before starting the activity:

• By pressing up you will see the summary of your current activity
• By pressing down you have the option to change the data screen settings, or select a playlist (in case you are using the Music version)
• If you press right you continue with the current activity, and if you press left you stop the recording and the activity is saved.

As you can see, TomTom has not changed the way the clock behaves when training. This has its good side: it's still a very simple clock to use and with few menus to get lost in. No other device (phone or computer) is required to set any options and you can do everything from the same clock.

But the bad part is that this simplicity leads to a lack of training options. We still can't select targets for intervals (you can't set your exercise interval to be between 3:45-3:55, for example) and have to choose between the interval option and the zone option, when ideally you should select the interval option and then be able to set the zone for each of these intervals.

Cycling

As you know, the TomTom Runner 2 now offers a multisport option in all its versions. In the previous model you had to choose between the Runner (only running profile) or Multisport (in addition to running, you had swimming and cycling profiles).

TomTom has finished with that nomenclature and now all Runner 2 (and Spark) offer the other profiles.

When you train on a bike, the setting options are the same as for running: same training goals and same possibilities to set data screens (you can select speed, of course), but among the data options the cadence is also offered, if you synchronize the corresponding sensor.

However, there is a new option added, which is the possibility of setting the wheel diameter, in case you want to pair a speed sensor. Using such a sensor the speed and distance information will not come from the data recorded by the GPS, but it will be the speed sensor that will provide the information for the wheel turns, thus being totally accurate in the calculation of speed and distance (and much faster reaction).

To pair the sensor you must access the options (on the main screen, cross down), and in the option of Sensors - Bicycle you must select yes. The watch will automatically connect to your speed and/or cadence sensor that emits via Bluetooth, and will do so before starting the activity, while it is looking for a GPS signal. In my case, with the Wahoo Fitness Blue SCI have not had any problems with the ANT+ and Bluetooth signal.

To clarify, there is no support for power meters, therefore only speed and/or cadence sensors.

If you want to mount the watch on the handlebar, you can use any of the available universal brackets (such as the Polar or that of Garmin).

If you have the Cardio version and ride it on the handlebar, you will logically lose the heart rate data, but you can tell the watch that you want to use an external sensor from the same sensor configuration where you chose the cycling sensor.

When you synchronize your training session you get all the details of the activity, including the cadence data in case you have paired that sensor.

You will be able to see the average in the upper part, as well as in each of the automatic divisions that Mysports makes of the activity, and of course you will have the possibility to add the cadence graph in the lower part of the screen, selecting that data to show it.

Swimming

And as there is no multisport version, all models also have a swimming profile. But as with the first version of the watch, this mode is only for pools without the use of GPS, so if you want to swim outside (sea, river, lake or pond of your choice), tough luck. The TomTom does not have this mode.

Again, the training configuration possibilities are similar to the other exercises, but logically focused on the particularities of this sport. To begin with, the first thing you must do is select the length of the pool in the configuration options.

You can swim by setting time, distance or calorie targets, in which case an additional screen is added, like in the race, where you can see how you are completing your target. It will alert you with vibrations when you are at 50%, 90% and of course when you complete it. You can also do interval sessions or train with respect to laps (of time or distance), which I have usually set to 100m laps. Or, of course, go freestyle.

And of course, the data selection on the screen also includes the specific swimming data, and in addition to the typical length and distance data you can also set the screen to show the number of strokes, the SWOLF or the stroke. These last two data are the ones corresponding to the last stroke, and they are updated every time you reach the end of the pool and turn around. Therefore, you cannot see the average SWOLF of the whole session.

As you know, you can configure two fields at the bottom of the screen and rotate between different data in the main part of the screen. In addition to the ones I have indicated above, the other data you can configure will be clock, duration, distance, average speed and calories.

When it comes to measuring lengths, I have had problems on some occasions, partly because of me, as on one occasion when I reached the end of a block I didn't remember to pause it and I may have interpreted some movement as one more lap, but the truth is that in a 1600-metre session (measured perfectly by another device) in the case of the TomTom it measured an extra 125 metres.

Once the activity is synchronized it is easy to see where you have introduced the error, because if I am swimming at 1:50-2:00, it is clear that if two sections appear at 1:30 there is something wrong. What I cannot easily determine is if the times that appear too high is due to not having paused the activity, or not having detected any of the laps made. That is why it is so important to pause when you stop to rest, otherwise the time will continue to run.

As I said before, while you are swimming the watch will have the GPS deactivated, and all the measurements are made thanks to the internal accelerometer. The optical pulse sensor, in the case of the Cardio versions, will also be deactivated, so you can't see heart rate information either during training or after synchronizing it. The reason for this is that the reading it makes is not correct, as I tried to do some lengths with a gym activity, for example, and the data recorded did not make any sense (80 pulses between lengths). At the moment no manufacturer has managed to use an optical sensor satisfactorily in the pool, although Finis may be the first to do so with its Element model.

After finishing the activity, it is exactly the same as in other sports. It is synchronized to the website and you will be able to see the details of your training.

The structure is the same. Quick overview of details at the top, automatic divisions in the middle and a graph at the bottom. But there are things I miss, such as the indication of the rhythm in minutes per 100 meters or stroke and SWOLF data, which do not appear anywhere (in the case of SWOLF, not even as an average at the end of the exercise).

Other sports profiles

Running, cycling and swimming are not the only sports profiles available on the TomTom. You also have two very similar ones which are running on a treadmill and cycling indoors. They are exactly the same as the ones you have seen before, but with the use of GPS disabled. In the first case, the pace and distance information will be given by the internal accelerometer. In cycling training, thanks to the speed and/or cadence sensor.

There are also two other sports profiles, gym for any indoor activity without using GPS (aerobics, weights, pilates, rowing, whatever) and freestyle, with GPS activated, for any outdoor activity.

Each of these modes will have their specific settings, just as you can set up the race profile.

Finally, you have a stopwatch.

As a simple stopwatch it will simply allow you to measure intervals normally.

Optical heart rate sensor

Probably the optical pulse sensor has been the most time I've spent on it. The reason is simple, and is that between the first version of the TomTom Runner and this new Runner 2 the most important difference is in the optical sensor. In the first version of the watch the sensor was licensed by Mio, while in the current model is a development of LifeQ, being this Runner 2 or Spark the first to equip a sensor of the company, so I wanted to know in detail what their behavior is.

This new sensor can also offer superior performance to the Mio sensor it replaces, but it's just that, a sensor possibility that TomTom should incorporate into its watch. VO2Max estimation, pulse variability calculation (but only at rest), and it could even measure the COPD level, although this last point is quite green at the moment. You can view all these documents on the LifeQ resource website.

Like any optical sensor, when in use, green LEDs light up next to the sensor. This will happen when you are doing a sports activity or every 10 minutes to record your resting heart rate.

But the important thing for us is that, today, the TomTom Runner 2 sensor offers the same thing as the TomTom Runner, so now all that remains is to validate the data it produces. To do this I have done many activities together with other devices, being able to compare heart rate data with those obtained by many devices, such as a sensor Mio Link (also optical), the Garmin Forerunner 235 and chest sensors from Garmin, Stryd or Suunto.

If there's one thing I've learned over the past few days it's that the sensor is quite delicate in its placement. The first few workouts, I didn't wear the watch tight enough, producing some readings that were completely out of logic.

In this first example, you should look at the blue line, which corresponds to the TomTom. The yellow line is the data from a Fenix 3 with an HRM-Run sensor on its chest. There are three things to look out for. Firstly, the start of the activity, which takes a little longer than it should to give the correct data. And then it has a very high peak, probably caused by a watch adjustment (I remember releasing the strap to give it one more point of tightness).

But the most remarkable thing is the final stretch of the training, which ended with a high rate of climb, and here the sensor clearly lost the thread of the training.

Below you can see an extremely erratic behavior, caused by not wearing the watch tight enough. I did this workout during the day, so the light was most likely getting into the sensor area, causing bad readings throughout the exercise. This time you can also find data from the Mio sensor (paired with a Suunto Ambit3), although it ended up running out of battery so you'll see the graph eventually disappearing. Forget about the jump you see on the graph, I simply paused the activity to resume it later.

You can see how in this training, especially at the beginning, the TomTom had constant drops in heart rate. When it seemed to regain its composure in relation to the other two sensors, it would fall again to recover shortly afterwards.

Here you can see an enlargement of the first minutes of the training.

Analyzing that training made me very doubtful about the TomTom sensor, the data read was simply inadmissible. So in the next training (quiet recovery pace) I tried to wear the watch tighter. This time, except for the first minutes (where I made the final adjustment of the strap), the rest coincides with the other two sensors, both the optical of Mio and the HRM-Run of Garmin. Some delay or some different peak, but satisfactory for all three sensors. Although still not enough to give a positive or negative verdict, as it is an easy test for any sensor.

So the next test should be harder, because where an optical pulse sensor (of any brand) suffers the most is when doing interval training. I made 6 blocks of two minutes (500 meters), and although the reading suffered, of course the result is not as bad as in the training of days ago. The fourth interval nails the measurement with respect to the other two sensors, failing slightly in intervals 1 to 3 and the fifth, also similarly in all of them. The curve goes up well, but at a certain point begins to decline to meet the graph of the other two sensors. And from that moment, without further problems until the next interval.

The last interval has a very strange fall, which may be due to a bad placement of the clock

In the final part of the workout I kept recording the activity intentionally to see how the sensor reads the recovery and drop in pulse, which is something that the Garmin Elevate sensor suffers greatly from. In the case of the TomTom it has no problem, reading the heart rate recovery perfectly.

In short intervals (sprints) the behaviour is similar. Furthermore, in this training you can see how in cold weather the two optical sensors make the correct reading, while the Garmin HRM-Run has a too high reading (it is usual on cold days when the electrodes of the tape are not yet wet enough). This time it fails in some of the intervals, but in many others the TomTom reading is correct. Outside these intervals, during the continuous race, the three graphs are perfectly aligned.

In the example below, the sensor of the Forerunner 235 comes into play. During the warm-up all three sensors behave perfectly (with some peak of the 235), but in the working part, climbing hills, it is totally lost. At that time I was wearing another watch next to the 235, and I have the impression that I was touching and moving it, so in the higher intensity exercises I totally lost the reading. However, the performance of the TomTom with respect to the Stryd pulse and power sensor is perfect, both in continuous running and in the intensity working areas.

In the graph below the TomTom takes a long time to find the correct pulse, coincidentally exactly the same as the sensor of the FR235. The TomTom doesn't have much problem, and except for the first rise in the pulse (a small steepness) in which it doesn't accompany the rise and falls suddenly, it accompanies the Stryd sensor paired with the Ambit3 perfectly. But again the behaviour shown is somewhat better than that of the Garmin sensor.

Therefore, when running, the data from the pulse sensor is quite valid (after finding the correct belt tightening point). Except for intervals, where as usual with optical sensors, it suffers at times. But in continuous running, without sudden changes of pace, the data is reliable regardless of whether the pace is low or high. It is not yet a sensor that is at 100%, and you can tell that it still has development ahead of it. If I had to score it, I would give it a 7.5. Remarkable, but it is still far from being able to get an A.

For cycling the result is... bad. For example, in this test where the reading is only correct during a portion of the training, the start of the training is totally outside the heart rate zone, and at a certain point it is lost and barely recovered.

It is a repetitive behaviour. Another training in which he is totally out of the correct zone, although at some point he recovers his composure and continues until almost the end of the training where he separates again. There is a slight gap between both graphs, but it is simply due to the difference in the time of the beginning of the recording. The truth is that saving those first two fragments the reading is frankly correct.

But it seems that the previous case is a rarity. It is clear that it is not a sporadic mistake, but a common behavior when riding a bicycle.

This erratic reading when cycling is probably due to light entering the sensor area, because unlike other models there is nothing around the sensor to block light from entering. Even the original TomTom Runner Cardio had a sort of "lip" that protected the sensor from light ingress. It is likely that

GPS operation

The GPS performance of the TomTom is really good, both when comparing the distances after each workout and especially on the tracks produced, where I have hardly seen any erratic behaviour.

For example in this case, compared to a Garmin Edge 520 mounted on the handlebar of the bike (the TomTom on the wrist). Considering the better location of the Garmin cycling unit and its larger antenna size, the result obtained with the TomTom is outstanding, not only in terms of layout, but also in terms of distance, with about 100 meters difference between the two devices (actual distance obtained with the Edge 520 by the speed sensor).

By enlarging the graph you can see how both lines line up perfectly, even in areas such as roundabouts, clearly differentiating the side of the road when going up or down.

Running the results are just as positive. Here, for example, you can see how it has behaved better than a Garmin Fenix 3, which spins around a building and loses its trajectory.

But just like any other watch, which in areas with a lot of forest is more complicated to have a high precision, especially when the road has many turns. In this case you can see how none of the three watches he wore is correct with the route.

Here you can see another "trap point" that I usually use. When I turn, I go around the small white statue you see in the picture. It is a very demanding point that is reached through a street with buildings on both sides and trees in the roadway, so the signal must be recovered when exiting into the open. The only one to draw the track around the statue was the Forerunner 230. The TomTom was also quite close, less than a meter away. The Ambit3 was the one that completely missed the turning point.

But as you can see, all three watches have traced the distance, 10 kilometers (which is the distance I make whenever I turn at that same point), so, regardless of the path drawn (you can't use the GPS as a precision instrument) the results are really good.

Activity monitor

Another new feature of TomTom Runner 2 and Spark is the inclusion of the activity monitor, something that was totally expected, since it is a basic option of any clock introduced in recent months. Manufacturers have very little difficulty in implementing it (they do not have to add anything at the hardware level, the internal accelerometer is used), so it is an easy way to add one more option to the list of features.

The activity monitor can be accessed from the screen by pressing the crosshead to the left. One tap will take you to the current day's activity, where you can see the estimated step data, calories consumed (including basal consumption), distance travelled and minutes of activity. So far, a very basic functionality.

What makes TomTom different is that it also offers weekly data, which is probably more interesting, at least for those of us who do sports where there are high intensity or long training days. It doesn't help us if the activity monitor tells us that we've walked very little today, when you're recovering from the previous day's beating where you've run 35 kilometres or cycled 150 kilometres. Obviously you're on your day off, so looking at your activity as a whole is smarter.

Keep in mind that distances covered include all sports practiced (such as cycling), so that figure may seem too high if you only expect information on walking distances.

Within the configuration options you can modify the reference target of the monitor, but not only of steps (that you can select manually), also of time, calories or distance.

This will change the main metric of the activity monitor and adjust its scale.

All this in terms of the activity monitor. But the Runner 2 and Spark also analyze your "inactivity", i.e. your sleep. When you're in the activity monitor section, if instead of pressing the crosshair down to see details of calories and distances, you press it up, 1TP11You'll see your sleep hours in the same way as the activity, at the day level and globally for the whole week.

All this information is synchronised with the TomTom MySports web service, either by connecting the watch via cable to your computer or via the Bluetooth connection to your mobile phone. This is where you can review all your weekly activity in more detail (in the progress tab).

What you won't be able to see is more detail regarding sleep - just the average sleep time for each day or, if you're in day view, the sleep time on that day. But there won't be a breakdown of movements by hours or quality of sleep, as you can find on other activity monitors.

Following the 1.2.0 update, TomTom has made it possible for you to monitor your heart rate 24 hours a day. The recording rate is every 10 minutes, which although quite far from what other manufacturers offer (Fitbit for example), at least gives you a slight idea of the intensity of your day. Ten minutes is a refreshment rate that may be sufficient when you're sitting on the couch doing nothing, but it's insufficient when you're doing some activity (walking, moving, etc), as values are lost along the way.

For example, in the graph below you will see that the maximum for the day is 160 heartbeats, when in the file of the last minute training I reached almost 170 ppm. Also the training consisted of first cycling session followed by running, so there was a transition in which the heartbeat dropped significantly. This transition will have entered within that window of ten minutes, so it does not appear in the graph. This recording time has no other reason than not to affect negatively the autonomy of the clock.

By default the option is disabled, so you will have to enable it by entering the "Tracker" options, and in pulse indicate "Yes". Those ten minutes at least can be useful to measure your resting heart rate, and comparing it between different days podrue to know when you are more fatigued after a hard workout and know when you should not undergo another punishment in the form of training. But you'll learn that by watching these graphs for weeks.

 

Bluetooth connectivity

The entire range of TomTom Runner 2 and Spark has Bluetooth Smart connectivity, which offers dual functionality, firstly to connect to external sensors and secondly to synchronise with your mobile phone.

In the sensors section, the Runner 2 / Spark can be paired with pulse sensors and speed and/or cadence sensors that have Bluetooth. Therefore it is not compatible with ANT+, analog or Polar Wear Link sensors. Bluetooth connectivity only.

In the case of the Cardio version, you can pair an external pulse sensor that would allow you to mount the watch on the handlebars of your bike, or wear the watch on the sleeve of a coat if you live in an area with a harsh winter.

When it comes to connecting to your mobile phone, everything is the same as with the first TomTom Runner. The only utility it offers is to sync activities and GPS cache data. But on Android it has little use at all, because the connection is very slow. And when I say very slow, I mean it. Passing an activity via Bluetooth can mean you have to be glued to your mobile phone for 15 or 20 minutes, and any break in the connection will mean you have to start syncing from scratch.

The only thing you can take advantage of this connection is to update the QuickGPS data (satellite cache), which will allow you to obtain satellite data much faster, by downloading satellite positioning information for the next 7 days to the clock.

At least in iOS the operation is adequate, even performing synchronizations in the background that will allow to keep the daily activity data updated on the MySports website.

Finally, in the case of the Music versions, you'll be able to pair a Bluetooth headset, but that's explained below.

Music Player

At the user level, the most important new feature of the TomTom Runner 2 is the music playback offered by the Music or Cardio + Music version. There are few watches that allow you to play music (Adidas miCoach Smart Run, Motorola Motoactv or other Android-based watches, but not sport-specific), so if this feature is important to you, the TomTom Runner 2 / Spark becomes a clear option, probably the most satisfactory of them all.

To connect the watch with your Bluetooth headset, simply press the crosshead upwards, and the watch will start searching. If this is the first time you have paired the watch with them, you will need to put the headset in pairing mode.

If your headset is already in sync, it will find it in a matter of seconds and automatically start playing.

When you're running, it's not possible to select tracks or playlists, so you should do this before you start training. Once you're in the activity, you can control the song you're playing through the controls on your headphones. The volume is also not controlled from the clock, but you must do this from your headphones as well. And if you want to stop playback, you can simply turn them off.

You can listen to music on the go, or simply on a daily basis, in which case you'll see an icon on the lower left of the main screen to indicate that the music is playing.

As is often the case, Bluetooth coverage is limited, and it is not just limited to the watch, but the headset also plays a very important role. It must have a good antenna design and enough transmitting power to avoid cuts in music playback. Despite this, TomTom has improved playback in its latest firmware version (at least as of this writing, version 1.2.0), trying to reduce such cuts. In the tests I have done before and after the update I have been able to see a slight improvement with one of the headset I was testing, the worst performing of the three. And if you want a recommendation, the Sony SBH-20 is my choice (because you can also use any headset you feel more comfortable with), with which I have not suffered cuts in the reproduction.

But the most important tip is to wear your watch on your wrist on the same side as you wear your headset antenna. You'll easily know which side it is because by putting your watch on one wrist you can cut it and by changing it you can remove it completely. That's why it's important to have quality headset.

When you get ready to run and search for satellites, it will warn you with a voice message that it has already obtained a signal and that you can start running. Unfortunately it does not warn you when running about other data, such as rhythm or distances, as you can find in different mobile applications.

The clock has a total of 3GB to store music. It has a predefined list (Running Trax, made by Ministry of Sound), but of course you can include the music you want. Passing music to the clock has a problem, at least from the point of view of simplicity. You will not pass the music directly as a folder to the memory of the clock, but it behaves as if it were an iPod, and you must create a playlist with iTunes or Windows Media Player with the songs you want and then synchronize it with the TomTom Mysports application.

If you use either of these two applications you will have no problem, the synchronization will be very easy because you only have to select which albums you want to upload to the clock, but if you don't use them, first you will have to create the playlists there and then upload them to the clock through Mysports.

Battery life

In the case of the TomTom I have not carried out a range test as I usually do, partly because of the lack of time (the deadlines have been quite tight and I wanted to test, above all, the performance of the optical sensor). But mainly because it depends on many variables. And the fact is that the range is not the same if you are only using the GPS, or the GPS with the optical pulse sensor. Or you are listening to music, or you have the light on constantly... There are many possibilities, and several models available with more or less features. Also the new feature of recording heart rate throughout the day can have an impact on the range that the non-Cardio versions will not. In short, it is complicated to analyze and would need weeks to perform the tests alternating the different possibilities.

What I can confirm is that if you make use of everything (GPS + optical sensor + screen light + music) the battery disappears, literally. Which is normal on the other hand. To summarize quickly, this is the autonomy you can expect depending on each use, or each version:

• Exclusive use of GPS: up to 11 hours
• GPS + optical pulse sensor: up to 9 hours
• GPS + optical pulse sensor + music: about 4-5 hours

New features that could be incorporated

When TomTom announced the clock at the IFA in Berlin they promised some updates. More than a promise in itself, you can take it as a letter of intent from TomTom, different paths that his new clock could follow. To summarize it quickly, these are the following:

Just because you see something on this list doesn't mean that TomTom is going to include it for sure. In fact, take all this with a grain of salt, as some of these options TomTom is finally working on may not be able to offer due to problems such as battery life. TomTom has not had a great record of updates so far, although the truth is that a couple of days ago it released a major update that included 24h heart rate monitoring (which was also promised), so the rest of the features could be coming along in 2016.

Call and message notifications are something TomTom has committed to, but as the Bluetooth connection on Android is working right now (extremely slow), they should solve that problem first, as I don't think there is enough bandwidth to transmit all the data.

Other things listed, such as VO2Max calculation or resting pulse variability, are possibilities that LifeQ will be able to offer on its optical sensors. It's another thing to have TomTom incorporate it into the clock.

In short, if you buy the TomTom Runner 2, do it according to the specifications listed today, and don't let your purchase be guided by possible improvements that the clock may receive in the future. Because they may or may not come. So if these possibilities finally materialise, it's a reason to be happy, but don't buy the TomTom Runner 2 Cardio thinking about, for example, notifications. Because although it's something that TomTom is working on, it may never come true because of problems with the clock's autonomy (for example).

TomTom MySports

The TomTom synchronisation application, to be downloaded from hereThis is where you can synchronise your activities with both the TomTom website and any of the other services or file formats offered by the application.

The external services that may receive the activities automatically are the following:

And as for the files you can export to, they are the ones you will see below:

These files cannot be downloaded from the TomTom MySports website, but are saved on your computer. In the program window (the one I have placed above) you can find two buttons, one to directly access your MySports web profile, and the other to open the folder where all the files are saved. They are all organized by their corresponding date.

And what you see below are the generated files that you could find inside each of the folders, depending on what you selected. The TTBIN file is the native TomTom file, while the FIT file would be a conversion that I requested from MySports Connect. You can also find other links, such as those of Strava.

So with that configuration done, every time I connect the clock to the computer to perform a synchronization it automatically performs that procedure. In my case it's automatically synchronizing with Strava (in addition to the TomTom website, of course) and exporting the files to FIT and TCX.

However, the TomTom platform is too basic. Although it is easy to use it is quite sparing in functionality.

At the top you will simply find three options. The main panel with an overview, the training tab where you can see the activities you have marked for use in the "compete" training mode and the activity monitor data in the progress tab.

In this panel you will be able to see your activity data of the day and the week, together with the last activities carried out.

At least, when you access some of the activities you have done, the data is sufficient. On the top bar you will find the button to select the activity as a favorite, so you can compete against it and improve your time. Below, a complete summary of the training to see the details in a quick glance.

And below those generic details the breakdown by kilometer (or by laps, if you have trained with that mode), the map of the activity and the different graphs, where you can see rhythm, speed, heart rate and altitude.

By clicking on "Heart rate zones" you will see a graph with which you can get an idea of which zones you have been training in and what the intensity of the activity has been.

That's the information for running. If the activity is cycling and you connect a cadence sensor, you will also have information from that sensor.

Naturally, the swimming activities will be shown in a totally different way.

As for the "progress" section, you will see a summary of all your activity, which you can sort into various views of both time (daily, weekly, monthly or yearly) and the different sports you have done. If any of the profiles supported by the watch you have never used (e.g. freestyle) it will not appear in the drop-down list.

This is also where you can edit different targets for different sports, which will serve as a reference in the main panel.

Following the 1.2.0 update, TomTom has made it possible for you to monitor your heart rate 24 hours a day. The recording rate is every 10 minutes, which although quite far from what other manufacturers offer (Fitbit for example), at least gives you a slight idea of the intensity of your day. Ten minutes is a refreshment rate that may be sufficient when you're sitting on the couch doing nothing, but it's insufficient when you're doing some activity (walking, moving, etc), as values are lost along the way.

For example, in the graph below you will see that the maximum for the day is 160 heartbeats, when in the file of the last minute training I reached almost 170 ppm. Also the training consisted of first cycling session followed by running, so there was a transition in which the heartbeat dropped significantly. This transition will have entered within that window of ten minutes, so it does not appear in the graph. This recording time has no other reason than not to affect negatively the autonomy of the clock.

By default the option is disabled, so you will have to enable it by entering the "Tracker" options, and in pulse indicate "Yes". Those ten minutes at least can be useful to measure your resting heart rate, and comparing it between different days podrue to know when you are more fatigued after a hard workout and know when you should not undergo another punishment in the form of training. But you'll learn that by watching these graphs for weeks.

Mobile applications

In addition to the application that you must install on your computer (because, in fact, it is necessary to connect the watch to the computer before poder start using it), TomTom has applications for both Android and iOS. Both apps are exactly the same, except that in the iOS version you will find the "Total Data" section, which is simply a summary of all the activities performed.

I've prepared an image gallery so you can see what the iOS app looks like.

And of course another Android app gallery.

As you can see in both cases you can access the same information from past activities or progress reports (where you will also see the data from the activity monitor). A very simple application that limits itself to replicating the same information that you can access from the web.

Where there is no similarity is when it comes to synchronizing the clock via Bluetooth. In that sense the iOS application works perfectly. It synchronizes activity data without any problem and updates the satellite cache quickly. But the Android application is unable to do so. The data transmission in the Google operating system is extremely slow, impossible to use. I'm talking about minutes and minutes to achieve synchronization of an activity (it may well need a minimum of 15 minutes), provided that there are no breaks in the connection. In which case, the synchronization would have to be restarted.

So if you have an Android smartphone, forget about automatic syncing via Bluetooth for now, you'll need to connect your watch to your computer every time you want to sync an activity.

My opinion

The TomTom Runner 2 is a slight evolution of the initial model, with a more refined aesthetic, adding the activity monitor function (and in the Music version, music playback).

The Runner 2 is first and foremost a watch designed for running. Not for nothing is the watch a "runner" and not a "biker" or "swimmer". In that sense, the optical sensor of the Cardio version works quite well when running, although it behaves somewhat worse than the Mio sensor I used before. But the LifeQ sensor is brand new, so there may be improvements in its performance. Still, it's good enough to get a B+.

If you are going to ride frequently, you should buy a chest pulse sensor, as the data provided by the optical sensor is not reliable when you move your wrist on the handlebars of the bike.

Despite being burdened by an online platform that is too simple, the possibility of automatically exporting activities to other services (Strava, TrainingPeaks, etc) means that we can do without it completely, although Bluetooth synchronization with Android is not a feature, it is a punishment.

But where TomTom wants to stand out is in the offer of a clock with music playback, where it stands out notably. The use is simple and the synchronization of music does not present many problems (as long as you are already using iTunes or Windows Media Player). There are not many clocks that have this function and of those that offer it, in quality/price ratio, the TomTom wins by a landslide.

In short, a watch focused on the popular runner who is less competitive, but still likes to participate in competitions but not with the intention of winning them. If this is your user profile, the TomTom watch can satisfy you in many ways, as long as you don't need to schedule much more complete workouts than the watch offers.

Did you like the test? Support the website

I hope you liked this test. Usually these detailed analyses take many hours of work. Besides, you know that I am available to answer all your questions in the comments that you can find below these lines. In them you can find answers to all your questions, not only thanks to my comments, but also to the comments of other readers, so do not be afraid to participate and give your opinion.

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Buy TomTom Runner 2

Do you like this page and the information you find on it, and do you want to help? You can do so by buying your TomTom Runner 2 or Spark (it's the same watch, change the packaging) through Amazon.

You can also buy it directly from the TomTom websitewith free shipping.

TomTom Runner 2 version

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0156G33FG&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0156G3IPQ&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0156G3PWM&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0156G4058&tag=c1mes-21

 

TomTom Spark version

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B015CDW7GY&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B015CDW7AK&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0158KT9WQ&tag=c1mes-21

https://www.amazon.es/dp/B015CDWGQA&tag=c1mes-21