In order to understand when you are getting pace readings, distance readings, cadence readings from Stryd (and when you are getting them from GPS) on Garmin watches the below notes may help, as I was very confused when I first started. Most of this information is from others, but I wanted to compile it due to my own confusion, so correct me if I am mistaken (credit: @kun, @angus,fellrnr.com1 and garmin support).
Summary
-In order to get distance from a footpod (Stryd) you need to disable GPS either in the app settings or on your watch (not sure if this is possible for any watch) or set the distance to always in the footpod setup (only available on some watches) (see ‘Distance Order of Operation’ for full logic of how Stryd IQ and Run apps record distance).
-In order to get pace from the footpod (Stryd) you need to either disable GPS (in app or on the watch), or if this option is available for your watch set the speed (pace) to always from footpod (in sensor settings when you pair it, not available on all watches).
-In order to get cadence from the footpod (Stryd), pair Stryd as footpod, it should come by default if a footpod is paired, as footpods take precedence over the internal accelerometer when present.
Distance Order of Operation (Where Distance Comes From in Garmin Watches)
Garmin watches (in default run app, and Stryd IQ app) will get distance first from GPS if available and not turned off, unless your watch allows you to set the distance to always in the footpod setup under settings. If a GPS path is recorded when you sync, then distance is coming from GPS not Stryd, unless you have a watch that allows you to set the distance to always in the footpod setup.
If GPS is unavailable (or disabled) or the footpod distance is set to always, then the watch will get distance from the footpod if present.
If GPS is unavailable (or disabled), and a footpod is unavailable, then distance will come from the internal accelerometer. The internal accelerometer is auto calibrated from GPS running.
Pace Order of Operation (Where Pace Comes From in Garmin Watches)
Garmin watches (in default run app, and Stryd IQ app) will get speed (pace) first from GPS if available (and not turned off), unless your watch has the option (in sensor settings when you pair it) to get the pace from the footpod as ‘always’ then pace will always come from Stryd instead of GPS.
If GPS is unavailable (or disabled), or footpod pace is set to ‘always’ (in sensor settings) then pace will come from footpod.
If GPS is unavailable (or disabled), and a footpod is unavailable, then pace will come from the internal accelerometer. The internal accelerometer is auto calibrated from GPS running.
Cadence Order of Operation (Where Cadence Comes From in Garmin Watches)
If a footpod is present then pace will come from footpod (Stryd).
If a footpod is unavailable, then pace will come from the internal accelerometer. If cadence comes from the internal accelerometer then your arms must be moving in rhythm with your feet to get correct cadence, so the internal accelerometer is not measuring foot cadence like a Stryd does but rather arm cadence.
How to Pair Stryd with Your Garmin Watch [see articles: https://support.stryd.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000206994-Step-3-Connect-with-your-Garmin-Watch]
Note: If it is available (not all watches have these options), auto calibrate should be off, calibration factor should be 100 (unless you do a better track calibration session), speed (pace) should always come from the footpod, and distance should always come from the footpod.
Stryd IQ Connect IQ App
(https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/14cc7713-eff0-4136-a643-ac88baf99d02)
By default this app gets the pace/distance from GPS, in order to get all data from Stryd you need to disable GPS on your watch, or set the distance to come from the footpod (setting not available on all watches). Thus if you see a path in your synced data you are not getting distance from Stryd (unless you can set your distance to always in the foot pod sensor settings area in your Garmin Watch, see ‘Distance Order of Operation’), and possibly pace (unless you can set your pace to always in the foot pod sensor settings area in your Garmin watch, see ‘Pace Order of Operation’). See the ‘Distance Order of Operation’ and ‘Pace Order of Operation’ to understand when you are getting distance and pace from Stryd and when you are getting distance and pace from GPS. This app does not have any settings that allow you to totally disable GPS, thus you cannot get distance values using this app from Stryd unless you watch allows you to set distance to always under the footpod sensor setup, and you cannot get pace unless your watch supports the pace from footpod always option (see ‘Pace Order of Operation’).
Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field
(https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/660a581e-5301-460c-8f2f-034c8b6dc90f1)
This data field must be added to Garmin’s default Run or Run Indoor app as a data field, to allow the recording of advanced Stryd data such as power, VO… This data field allows users to see power in the default run applications, and allows all Stryd metrics to be saved with your run, so you should definitely add it.
Garmin Run or Run Indoor App (Default installed Run and Run Indoor apps)
In the app settings there is an option to disable GPS, if GPS is disabled then pace & distance & cadence will all come from Stryd if paired (See the ‘Distance Order of Operation’ and ‘Pace Order of Operation’ to determine when you can get distance and pace from Stryd vs. GPS). If you add the Stryd Power Data Field (above) as one of the data fields for this app, data such as power/VO… will be recorded alongside other data (so if you have a Stryd you should always add this as a field even if it is on a screen you don’t look at much).
Note: With GPS disabled these 2 apps are the same functionally, but you can have different fields setup if you prefer to see different things in indoor vs outdoor running modes.
Settings - if you want pace, distance, and cadence from Stryd (GPS enabled) (only certain watches that support distance=always, and speed=always under footpod setup)
I want to see all my data (pace, distance, cadence) from the more accurate Stryd sensor, and I have a watch that allows me to get set distance=always, speed=always in the footpod, thus below are my recommendations for setup:
Pair Stryd as a foot pod as described in these stryd articles, set auto calibration to off, pace to always, and distance to always from footpod if those options exist: (https://support.stryd.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000206994-Step-3-Connect-with-your-Garmin-Watch)
Download the Stryd IQ app, use this app when running. Alternatively you can install the Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field, and use the default run app on the watch - make sure you add the Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field as one of the data fields on your run app under its’ settings to get all the Stryd data when you sync.
Sync data with Garmin Connect app on your phone, ensure Stryd PowerCenter is setup to import data from Garmin to see your data in Stryd PowerCenter.
Settings - if you want pace, distance, and cadence from Stryd (GPS disabled)
I want to see all my data (pace, distance, cadence) from the more accurate Stryd sensor, thus below are my recommendations for setup:
Pair Stryd as a foot pod as described in these stryd articles, set auto calibration to off, pace to always, and distance to always from footpod if those options exist: (https://support.stryd.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000206994-Step-3-Connect-with-your-Garmin-Watch)
Install Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field (https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/660a581e-5301-460c-8f2f-034c8b6dc90f1)
Use the default ‘Run Indoor’ app from Garmin (GPS is disabled in this app since it is an indoor app). Ensure GPS is turned off in the app settings to ensure distance & pace come from Stryd not GPS.
Access ‘Run Indoor’ app settings, ensure one of the data fields on one of the active screens is setup to show the Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field (https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/660a581e-5301-460c-8f2f-034c8b6dc90f1) so all metrics are recorded from Stryd.
Sync data with Garmin Connect app on your phone, ensure Stryd PowerCenter is setup to import data from Garmin to see your data in Stryd PowerCenter.
Settings - if you want pace, and cadence from Stryd, but distance from GPS (not available on all watches)
With some Garmin watches it is possible to get pace, and cadence from Stryd while retaining GPS map of where you ran. However with this you are getting the total distance from GPS not from Stryd. This is possible if you watch has the setting avialable under settings --> sensor (when you pair Stryd to your watch), that says something like ‘get pace (speed) from footpod’ --> set this to ‘always’, to allow the footpod pace to overrule the GPS for pace. If you have a watch that gives you the option to get distance from the footpod when you set it up, select always, and look at the first settings section above since you do not have to disable GPS to get everything from Stryd.
Pair Stryd as a foot pod as described in these stryd articles, set auto calibration to off, pace (speed) to always, and distance to always from footpod (if this option does not exist then pace will come from GPS if GPS is not disabled): (https://support.stryd.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000206994-Step-3-Connect-with-your-Garmin-Watch)
Install Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field (https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/660a581e-5301-460c-8f2f-034c8b6dc90f1)
Use the default ‘Run’ app from Garmin. Ensure GPS is turned on in the app settings to allow GPS data to be logged, this will get distance from GPS but pace from footpod (as long as pace from footpod is set to always).
Access ‘Run’ app settings, ensure one of the data fields on one of the active screens is setup to show the Stryd Power Connect IQ Data Field (https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/660a581e-5301-460c-8f2f-034c8b6dc90f1) so all metrics are recorded from Stryd.
Sync data with Garmin Connect app on your phone, ensure Stryd PowerCenter is setup to import data from Garmin to see your data in Stryd PowerCenter.
Documentation of Sources of Information
Chat with Garmin Support (3/23/2018):
jctosu:
I have a vivoactive HR, I would like to get pace & distance & cadence from my foot pod (Stryd). This foot pod is paired as a footpod in settings–>sensors. If I disable GPS in run mode, and the foot pod is connected, then does pace & distance & cadence come from the foot pod as the 1st choice?
Inder:
Yes, That is correct. Once the GPS is disabled all information will come from the Footpod.
Vivoactive HR User Manual:
Foot Pod
Your device is compatible with the foot pod. You can use the foot pod to record pace and distance instead of using GPS when you are training indoors or when your GPS signal is weak. The foot pod is on standby and ready to send data (like the heart rate monitor).
After 30 minutes of inactivity, the foot pod powers off to conserve the battery. When the battery is low, a message appears on your device. Approximately five hours of battery life remain.
Information on How to Pair Several Watches with Stryd:
http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Stryd
Stryd’s explanation on when GPS/footpod/accelerometer is choosen:
https://club.stryd.com/t/stryd-foot-pod-does-it-need-a-calibration-factor/3517/971
Stryd’s How to Pair for Garmin Watches:
https://support.stryd.com/hc/en-us/sections/360000206994-Step-3-Connect-with-your-Garmin-Watch
How to Determine What Features Your Watch (or pre-purchase has)
If you are trying to figure out how to setup your watch properly or determine if a watch has the features you want, find the user manual online by search ‘vivoactive HR user manual’, and look for the ANT+ Sensors --> Footpod section, under this section the user manual will go over what features are available. In the examples below you can see the vivoactive HR does not support speed nor distance from footpod, but in the Fenix 5X user manual there is a section of the user manual that goes over setting speed and distance options for the footpod so you can see that you can always get speed (pace) and distance from the footpod instead of GPS if you set those options correctly.
vivoactive HR (does not have auto calibration, nor speed from footpod, nor distance from footpod):https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/vivoactivehr/EN-US/GUID-5B7E3136-E4DC-47ED-89EB-60794DCF1408.html
Fenix 5X (does have auto calibration, speed from footpod, and distance from footpod):https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/fenix5x/EN-US/GUID-ECD3DF02-17CF-48E7-9B93-FCED901BBB22.html
Other Option: fellrnr.com1 has a list of some current Garmin watches (and others) that shows what data you can and can’t get with a specific watch paired with Stryd:http://fellrnr.com/wiki/Stryd#Using_Stryd_With_Your_Watch1