Smart insoles vs foot pods
A foot pod is a motion sensor on one shoe. STRIV puts a motion pod on each shoe and a pressure insole under each foot.
Updated Oct 2026What is a foot pod?
A foot pod (also written footpod) is a small motion sensor clipped to one shoe. It uses an accelerometer to estimate pace, distance and cadence, which is most useful indoors or when GPS is unreliable. Some models add running power, ground contact time or other running dynamics.
A foot pod measures how the shoe moves. It does not measure what happens under the foot.
Garmin and Stryd
- Garmin Foot Pod. Clips to one shoe and gives a compatible Garmin watch pace, distance and cadence, mainly for indoor runs. [1]
- Garmin Running Dynamics Pod. Not a foot pod: it clips to the back of the waistband and measures torso motion for cadence, vertical oscillation, ground contact time and balance, stride length and vertical ratio. [2]
- Stryd. A shoe-mounted pod built around running power, plus pace, distance, cadence and ground contact time. Stryd Duo uses two pods to add left–right balance. [3,4]
STRIV: a motion pod and a pressure insole on each foot
Each STRIV insole comes with its own clip-on pod with a 6-axis motion sensor, so STRIV measures foot motion on both shoes: cadence, contact time and pronation-related movement. Treadmill and phone-free runs get distance from the stride estimate.
Under each foot, the insole adds 128 pressure sensors. Together the pod and insole show how pressure moves from landing through midstance to push-off, estimated force and loading rate, and how the left and right feet differ. [5,6]
With a Garmin watch, the Striv Smart Insole app shows live cues and gait metrics on your wrist. Use STRIV with your Garmin watch.
At a glance
| Device | Where it sits | Motion | Underfoot pressure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foot pod | One shoe | Yes | No |
| Garmin Running Dynamics Pod | Waistband | Torso only | No |
| Stryd | One shoe (two with Duo) | Yes, plus running power | No |
| STRIV | Both shoes: a pod and an insole each | Yes, both feet | Yes, 128 sensors per foot |
Which one fits you?
- A foot pod if you only need indoor pace, distance and cadence on your watch.
- Stryd if running power is the number you train by.
- STRIV if you want to see how both feet move and load on every step, and how that changes across a run.
How STRIV was tested
STRIV publishes its own side-by-side testing against a Bertec force-plate treadmill (24 runners, more than 40,000 steps) and a Footscan pressure plate (52 feet, 394 steps). STRIV tracked changes in peak force and ground contact time with r = 0.975, and front-to-back center-of-pressure progression matched with r = 0.998. These are STRIV’s own results, not independent clinical evidence. [6]
Does STRIV have a foot pod?
Yes. Each insole comes with a clip-on pod with a 6-axis motion sensor, one on each shoe. The insole adds 128 pressure sensors under each foot.
Does STRIV work with a Garmin watch?
Yes, through the Striv Smart Insole app on the Garmin Connect IQ Store. See the guide.
Does STRIV measure running power?
No. If you train by running power, a power meter such as Stryd is built for that.
Is the Garmin Running Dynamics Pod a foot pod?
No. It clips to the waistband and measures torso motion; a foot pod clips to the shoe. [1,2]
Can a foot pod or smart insole diagnose an injury?
No. Wearables describe running patterns and track changes; they do not diagnose. See a qualified clinician when symptoms or injury are involved. [5]
Can smart insoles replace a force plate?
No. A validated insole estimates selected force metrics and adds real-world repeatability, but it does not measure everything a force platform does. [7]
- Garmin. Going for a Run Using a Foot Pod. Forerunner 745 Owner’s Manual.
- Garmin. Running Dynamics Pod: Running Dynamics.
- Stryd. Stryd Metrics.
- Stryd. FAQ: Stryd Duo & Stryd Footpath.
- Mason R, Pearson LT, Barry G, et al. Wearables for Running Gait Analysis: A Systematic Review. Sports Medicine, 2023.
- STRIV. Validation: Bertec force plate and Footscan.
- Abdul Razak AH, Zayegh A, Begg RK, Wahab Y. Foot Plantar Pressure Measurement System: A Review. Sensors, 2012.
Still stuck? Message us