We’ve got the new Nike GPS watch at Gazelle! I’m not especially fond of the exclamation point, but it is warranted here because there aren’t many of these watches around. Our Holland location only got two of them, and they’re sweet!

What makes them special? I’m glad you asked.

All this for only $199

The coolest thing is that they work in conjunction with the Nike+ system. That’s the little, oblong chip that sits in your shoes and calculates your speed, distance, time running, and approximate calories burned. The chip will talk through your Ipod or relay the information to a nifty little sports band.

It’s cool that the GPS watch works with this chip because it can fill in the blanks if your unit loses touch with the satellites while inside, under dense foliage, or in an underground tunnel. Nike uses the TomTom satellite system, so it connects really quickly, too.

The Nike+ system also allows you to set up your preferences really quickly and easily. Instead of fiddling with the buttons on the watch, the Nike+ Interface lets you use your laptop to configure all the bells and whistles (like interval timers, display modes, automatic laps, etc).

Using the watch on the run is easy, too. You can pre-program it to cycle through the statistics you want. You can also toggle back and forth with the touch of a button. It has a back lit display that can be activated through a tap screen for easy viewing.

Another bonus of the Nike+ system is that it allows you to join a community of runners. Using a USB cable or the USB embedded in the watch strap, you can upload your workout to Nike’s training log/web site. You can choose to share your runs with others to discuss training or to increase motivation and accountability, or you could just use it to track your own training.

NikeRunning.com will also allow you to view a map of your route, overlay it on a satellite/street map, and compare it to the most popular routes in your area. This sounds fun. I love to run in new towns while traveling, and it would be cool to check out where the most popular trails are.

One other cool trick this watch does is sinc up with a Polar heart rate monitor. I didn’t know that until I started researching the device. A big thanks to www.runtheline.com for most of the information above.