STATSports Vest Review

My son has been using the STATSports APEX Athlete Series GPS Soccer Activity Tracker for his U15 club team. And, so far so good! To my surprise, he actually doesn’t mind wearing a ‘sports bra‘…I mean a sports vest.

With the ability to measure your Total Distance, Max Speed, Sprints, Heatmaps, and more, this tracker gives you a comprehensive view of your performance. One of the neat features is the Pro Score, which allows you to track your performance with one overall rating and compare it to your teammates, friends, and even the pros.

For example, here are my son’s stats from his game against NYCFC.

In this review, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the STATSports GPS tracker and if it’s right for you or your child!

How to Use the STATSports GPS Tracker?

We found the STATSports GPS soccer tracker to be very easy to use. After the delivery, we charged the device and it was ready to pair with my son’s iPhone.

A couple of things to keep in mind:

• You can only sync the tracker on one phone (I think) so make sure you figure out which one before installing.
• Ensure your GPS tracker and iPhone are both charged.
• Make sure Bluetooth is on your phone.

In the app, you’ll go through some prompts about the player like his or her position. It takes about 2 minutes to set up.

After you successfully sync the device to your phone, you can start using the GPS tracker.

All you have to do is…

1. Turn on the GPS device and give it about 10 seconds to get a signal
2. Slide it into the vest
3. Put in the back of the vest
4. The GPS will automatically start recording your movements
5. After your practice or game, you will sync it using your phone
6. Shutoff by pressing the middle button and repeat next time

We’ve found the device to hold its charge quite well. My son charges it about every five days.

Do You Need an App?

Yes, you’ll need to download, install, and sync the free Apex Athlete Series app.

The app allows players to easily track their Total Distance, Max Speed, Sprints, Heatmaps, and more. Club Directors and coaches can also setup their teams and compare analytics compared to others.

Overall, the app is pretty easy to sync up after each session and to interpret data. I thought it would be glitchy but it seems to be working like it should.

Performance Evaluation with Pro Score

I was thoroughly impressed with the data the app tracks. These metrics include:

• Total Distance
• High Metabolic Load Distance
• High Speed Running
• Meters per Minute
• Step Balance
• Accelerations
• Decelerations
• Dynamic Stress Load
• Current Heart Rate
• Maximum Heart Rate
• Average Heart rate
• Time in “Red Zone”
• Current Speed
• Max Speed
• Sprint Distance
• Number of Sprints
• Average Calories expended

Is the data accurate? The only way to know in our situation would be to use another tracker but, from my lens, the data appears to be pretty accurate. Nothing seems to be abnormally high or low.

What’s Included with the Purchase?

When you get your STATSports GPS soccer tracker, you’ll receive the following:

1. GPS Vest
2. GPS Performance Tracker
3. Protective Case/Charging Cable

iPhone or Andriod sold separately 😉

Fit of the STATSports GPS Vest

When it comes to the GPS vest, the smaller the better. The vest should fit really snug so it doesn’t hang and bother you when you’re running.

If you are between sizes, go with the smaller one. To give you some context, my son is about 5’2″ and he wears a Youth Small. He has players on his team who are 5’8″ and they are Adult Small.

Here’s the official size chart from the STATSports website.

Pros and Cons

After a few months of using the STATSports APEX Athlete Series GPS Soccer Activity Tracker, here are the pros and cons.

Pros

• Comprehensive Metrics: The STATSports APEX Athlete Series GPS Soccer Activity Tracker provides 16 key metrics, which is more than any other tracker on the market. You can measure your Total Distance, Max Speed, Sprints, Heatmaps, and more. With this level of detail, you can get a complete picture of your performance and identify areas for improvement.
• Professional-Grade Wearable: Once you get the right size and wear it for a couple of weeks, it will be a part of your sessions. You probably won’t even know you’re wearing it.
• Pro Score Feature: The Pro Score feature is a new addition that allows you to track your performance with one overall rating. You can compare your live data with your friends and see how you rank against the pros. It’s a great way to measure your progress and stay motivated.
• Very Easy to Use: The GPS tracker is easy to use. The device comes with one single button, and the app is available for iOS and Android. You don’t need any additional subscription to use the app.

Cons

• Signal Issues: Some users have reported that the tracker struggles to find a GPS signal. This can be frustrating, as it can affect the accuracy of the data. However, this seems to be a rare issue, and most users have not experienced any problems with the signal. We don’t get a good signal at our facility but it still tracks. We do have to wait until we are on the road to sync it up to the app though.
• Button Design: The one button can be difficult to press, which can be frustrating when you’re trying to start or stop a session. However, this is a minor issue, and most users have not had any problems with the button.
• Vanity Metrics: Sometimes the metrics can be deceiving. For example, a player might run 50% less than their teammates but score twice or make the most tackles on the team. I think it’s important to understand this is just a tool to evaluate mostly work rate and positioning on the field.

Kane’s Final Thoughts

After using the tracker and vest, my son is very impressed. He’s the type of player who just wants to play soccer and not have to worry about anything else like running stats. But, he’s found the app easy to use and understand.

Now, he feels awkward if he doesn’t have the vest on. The stats are a good way to reflect on the game and show himself that he is doing a good job or identify areas of improvement.

From a parent’s perspective, I love it. I think it’s great that his club has invested effort (we had to pay for it) into technology like this.

My one drawback is that sometimes I think players get too caught up with the stats. I’ve seen a player run six miles – and brag about it – but they weren’t very effective in the game. With the right perspective, this can be a great tool for an athlete’s progress.