Gymboss miniMAX Interval Timer and Stopwatch - Camouflage/TAN SOFTCOAT

I have another timer just like this that I've had for almost 2 years now, and I love it. The setup is easy, finding your saved workouts is easy, and it's a small, convenient size. The clip on the back of it also seems really sturdy and snug, so it won't fall off if you have it clipped on while running, or something. It beeps when the intervals are up, and even gives you options for what kind of alarm you want: loud, regular beep, or vibrate. It has options for other kinds of workouts, like crossfit, and it has a stopwatch option, but I only use it for interval training. The thing that would make it perfect is if it could hold more than 5 workouts for each option. That's why I have 2 now, so it gives me 10 saved interval workout programs. I think it's a really great tool to have for exercise, and it makes exercising fun.

I purchased my first Gymboss miniMax (new-unused) on 12 December 2014 from an eBay seller. This review is based on that unit rather than the Gymboss miniMax I recently bought off of Amazon on 31 January 2018 to replace the first one. The first Gymboss served me well for slightly over 3 years before the middle (SET) button stopped functioning. I only used this Gymboss for timing myself on an elliptical trainer. Because of where I positioned the Gymboss on the trainer, it was never subject to sweat or other things that might assail its durability. I can't speak to the unit's hardiness under more adverse conditions. I guesstimate I used this first Gymboss at least 200 times over the course of 3+ years before it went south. Nothing lasts forever (other than death), and I figure I got my money's worth out of the unit. But I still had to take it apart to see if I could figure out what went wrong, which turned out to be blatantly obvious. Attached photo shows where the middle (SET) button broke away from its four solder points on the circuitry board. If my soldering skills were more than rudimentary at best, I'd attempt soldering the button back to the board, which I still might try anyway for practice. I assume the soldering on these boards is done by machine. The minuscule points where the middle button is soldered might challenge even the most seasoned of human solderers. Maybe more easily said than done, but if Gymboss would change the design of the middle button from recessed to protruding, like the other two buttons on either side of it, there might be less stress placed on the soldering points of the middle button, and I might still be enjoying the use of this first unit. Time will tell if the Amazon purchased unit outlives the first one. All in all, I liked the first unit well enough to stick with a Gymboss replacement. But it sure would have been nice if the first unit had carried on to a ripe old age of 5~10~15+ years instead of biting the bullet at 3 years and a month. R.I.P.

I needed an interval timer that could 'grow' with me during my weekly fitness regimen in and out of the gym. But first I had to figure out how one operated in order to know what I was looking for. This was a trial and error process for me. I first tried the GoFit Go Interval timer. I realized that the interval times were pre-determined to 30, 60, 90, and 120 second intervals. And the sets -or rounds - were also pre-determined, but in minutes. The Gymboss miniMAX allows me to select how long I want to, for example, hold a stretch, rest between the next stretch, and for how many sets (or rounds) I want to repeat these intervals. I can use it for circuit training. I can also use it for the Calloway run-walk-run method: I set this timer to allow me to run 5 minutes, audible beep and/or vibrate to signal walking two minutes, and then an audible beep and/or vibration to repeat this sequence again. I can save my static stretching and circuit training as P1 (Program 1) and P2, and my run-walk-run times as P3 (Program 3). This is a nice feature, because I just have to select a saved interval session without having to re-enter the information each time I want to use that timing sequence again. I could even add a P4 to alert me by vibration in 4-minute intervals of my progress while doing a recreational cycling time trial or sprints. I just thought of this! I can save up to 20 programs. Intervals can be set from 2-99 seconds and can be repeated up to 99 times. Another feature I like is that I can set the alarm as either loud or soft (indicated as a capital 'B' for loud and a lower case 'b' for soft on the menu display). And I can also set this timer to vibrate strong ('V') or gentle ('v'). Or I can choose any combination of these choices (e.g., beep and vibrate simultaneously). If that isn't enough flexibility to get excited about, it also has a clock and a stopwatch, and comes in several different color combinations. I chose the camouflage style. I reviewed, purchased, and returned several timing products, that either had too much or too little of what I was looking for. And some were just too large in size. I did not initially order the Gymboss MiniMAX because it was not listed as Amazon Prime; I wanted guaranteed two day delivery. I decided to compromise longer shipping for a product that might be 'the one.' I ordered Wednesday morning, and it arrived Saturday morning - just in time to head to the gym with it! My Final Evaluation: this timer is worth the additional cost for its flexibility of features, small size, and clip. I also ordered the Gymboss armband sold seperately. I included some instructional detail in this review, of information that I found confusing at first, as I tried reading the simple, but microscopic printed instructions. I recommend this timer with full enthusiasm, and I will definitely be bragging about it to my fitness buddies where interval training is important. It turned out being just the timer I needed!

Without a doubt one of the biggest pieces of garbage I’ve had the misfortune of wasting my money on. During set up of my Gymboss the “up” adjustment arrow quite responding (working)! The set up became exceptionally time consuming from that point, and any possibility of a decent review from this customer was lost!! I won’t even contemplate buying another piece of trash from Gymboss!

Works fine. -Minus one star for having to keep the instructions handy... cause its not intuitive. -Minus one star for how many AAA batteries it goes through. Definitely a phantom drain somewhere.

Superbe petit appareil qui vous permet de programmer vos séances, de les enregistrer si vous le souhaitez. Il n'y a rien de compliqué pour la programmation du gymboss, la notice est suffisante (bien que les caractères soient trop petits). Il se transporte partout, tient dans une poche, peut être clipsé à vos vêtements. Idéal pour les vacances et pour toute activité sportive intérieure ou extérieure (crossfit, tabata, HIIT, course à pied avec fractionné...séance boxe ou corde à sauter). C'est bien simple je ne peux plus m'en passer. C'est pour ma part un excellent investissement.

Favorite interval timer with many options for different number of intervals

Me ha gustado mucho, intuitivo y fácil de usar, lo uso para tiro deportivo y es muy económico comparado con otros dispositivos específicos

Perfekt fürs Training. Auch am Hosenbund gut zu bedienen, Vibration deutlich wahrnehmbar. Von einfachen Timern bis hin zu aufwändigen Wechselintervallen ist fast alles möglich.

Easy to set up and use