Step buzzer

I gave my wife one of these as a birthday present.

The first time he went for a walk with him among friends and fellow hikers, everyone wanted to know what it was, how it worked and how to get it.

I call it a “pager”.

And I liked it so much that I bought one for running and walking.

What is it?

Technically, it is a portable metronome. It is smaller than a pager and is battery powered. It has a digital display, some buttons, and a spring-loaded clip.

How does it work?

• You set the tempo.
• Sets the beep pattern.
• Sets the volume of the beep.

Then you attach it to your clothing or hydration belt, and begin walking or running “in time” with this buzzer.

Tempo is to musicians what cadence is to runners and walkers – the number of steps per minute you want to take. For example, I used to take an average of 125 steps per minute when walking. How can I know? I repeatedly counted my steps out of boredom when I was alone on the road. But now I use my step buzzer to get him to constantly walk a lot more steps per minute.

Setting the beep pattern is analogous to deciding whether you want a sound like tick-tick-tick, tick-tock-tick-tock, or tick-tick-tock.

Personally, I like the “tick-tock” pattern because it’s like “left leg-right leg”.

The volume I choose depends on my mood, road noise, and whether I’m running or walking with other people, who may not want to hear my beep.

Why should you use one?

Running or walking outdoors around cars or bicycles is dangerous with an MP3 player and headphones in your ears. This step buzzer gives you the pace you want to maintain your cadence, without putting your life in danger.

You can eliminate the above safety hazard by using an MP3 player with speakers instead of headphones. But what if you want to walk or run with others? Do they like your musical tastes? If they don’t, or even if they do, but you want to have good conversations during your walk or run, consider using this step buzzer instead to help you maintain your cadence.

How much?

It is much less expensive than a sports watch.

So buy one today and start walking or jogging to the beat, or whistle!