Mounting a Garmin Edge 530 or Wahoo Elemnt to Foot Strap

I'm looking to get a cycling GPS for cycling, and would like to also use it on my ski.  Has anyone found a robust way to mount one of these GPSs to the foot strap? Please describe!  If it was a watch, it would be easy to wrap the band around the strap.

Also, any feedback on using one of these cycling oriented GPSs for paddling?  Thanks,

Bill

I use an Edge 130:  www.surfski.info/forum/17-equipment/1958...ics-bliss.html#34539
Option 1: buy a Nelo surfski and rig an adapter to the built-in GoPro mount
Option 2: use the rubber-band mount that comes with the Edge
I assume the Edge 530 has a touchscreen? If so, make sure it will work & not interfere when wet...

I'm using Wahoo Elemnt both for cycling and paddling, it's working very well - it doesn't have touch-screen.
My ski is Nelo 520, so I just designed and 3D printed adapter which has click-circular mount on one side and go-pro mount on the other side. 
It's printed using the ColorFabb CF-XT20 filament (Carbon fiber reinforced co-polymer)  in 2 parts which are then glued+screwed together.

My issue mounting anything larger than a GPS watch on a strap is lack of rigidity. I don't like Nelo's rigid straps and the soft straps I like flop down easily. I think Wesley mentioned here and there on his site some sort of stiffer custom strap that holds heavier objects well.

I use a neoprene strap cover for a few reasons;

1: far less chaffing when I paddle barefoot
2: far easier to remount if my feet don't have to chase the strap
3: more strength for pulling hard w/ leg drive
4: easy to strap on my Garmin wrist watch GPS.

I make my own, each one takes 20 minutes with a sewing machine. I use a 3 mil neoprene and industrial velcro (2" x 12"). 

Cryder wrote: I use a neoprene strap cover for a few reasons;

1: far less chaffing when I paddle barefoot
2: far easier to remount if my feet don't have to chase the strap
3: more strength for pulling hard w/ leg drive
4: easy to strap on my Garmin wrist watch GPS.

I make my own, each one takes 20 minutes with a sewing machine. I use a 3 mil neoprene and industrial velcro (2" x 12"). 

Do you think it would take the weight of a Garmin eTrex? I wish I could have it in my line of sight all the time instead of on my pfd.
Also can you post a picture?

SpaceSputnik wrote:

Cryder wrote: I use a neoprene strap cover for a few reasons;

1: far less chaffing when I paddle barefoot
2: far easier to remount if my feet don't have to chase the strap
3: more strength for pulling hard w/ leg drive
4: easy to strap on my Garmin wrist watch GPS.

I make my own, each one takes 20 minutes with a sewing machine. I use a 3 mil neoprene and industrial velcro (2" x 12"). 

Do you think it would take the weight of a Garmin eTrex? I wish I could have it in my line of sight all the time instead of on my pfd.
Also can you post a picture?

From what I can tell the the Etrex is 5 oz and 4 x 2", so that should be easily accommodated. The upside to 3 mil neoprene is that it's quite stiff when wrapped around the foot strap. I'll take a quick pick of the strap tonight and post it up. 

Pic is a little bit dark, but this is what I could find. 

So the neoprene is like a sleeve that slips over the existing footstrap? If so does it make it difficult to adjust the strap?

On a  related topic, I have been training in a K1 and wondering where to mount my GPS watch, ended up using the calf strap from my ski leash (leash not used in a k1). Works quite well as alternative to footstrap mounting. You are not remounting K1's so not an issue of being vulnerable when remounting as it may be on a ski. Much easier to reach on a tippy boat too

Watch on the leash strap is a very interesting idea.
On my watch I replaced the strap with 2 pieces of velcro. I don't see losing it in the event of a swim.
This placement would make it easier to swipe away water droplets and switch displays. Thank you for the idea.

SpaceSputnik wrote: Watch on the leash strap is a very interesting idea.
On my watch I replaced the strap with 2 pieces of velcro. I don't see losing it in the event of a swim.
This placement would make it easier to swipe away water droplets and switch displays. Thank you for the idea.

I guess if you have replaced the strap with velcro it will sit flat, so not getting banged around the same when remounted, but angle of viewing may not be good. With a strap you can rotate it to face you but its not flat against your leg and hence it can get in the way a bit during a remount on a ski. Very handy for wiping face and making adjustments, as you mention. I dont think leg drive motion has any significant impact on measurements.

Thanks for this suggestion. I've been using a Garmin Forerunner 220 just as you've shown in the picture.  It works fine that way on my Epic foot strap.  But that GPS is a cheapie model and doesn't work with my HRM - hence I'm considering upgrading to a different GPS.

The issue is that the cycling computers like the Edge 530 or Wahoo Bolt don't have a wrist strap - so they don't easily wrap around the foot strap.  So, I need to find a way to mount one to the foot strap (and thanks for the ideas!).  I may try the O-ring kit that is available with the Edge 530.    

Foretrex 601 MIL-STD-810G Waterproof and has a nice big screen you can see. Velco watch strap. Its cheap too.

Hi there,

Did you ever find a way to secure a Wahoo device to your footplate or boat? I am curious about the same thing. Not loving a watchface and would like something bigger. Thanks for any updates.

Hi,
This is an old thread now, so maybe you can tell me how durable your setup has been and if the Wahoo Elemnt has done well in the water? Do you put it in a waterproof case? Or is it exposed on your boat?
Thanks!
Denise

I bought a Wahoo Elemnt Bolt, and used the extra mounting disk that is supplied with it to mount it to my foot strap.  I used o-rings wrapping around the foot strap to hold it in place. I also added a cable tie in case the o-rings broke.  As a whole, it worked sufficiently well.  It sagged on the footstrap some, but I could still see it okay.  
One of the things I was concerned about was water intrusion into the Bolt.  The cover over the little USB port feels secure if I made an effort to fully seat the cover, but I wasn't confident that it would survive every immersion.  So, I ended up buying a Suunto watch and wrapping it around the footstrap.  I'm happy with the Suunto device.  
Now, I only use the Wahoo for cycling. I love it for that purpose.

I'm using 3d printed quarter turn adapter to mount my Wahoo Elemnt.
The adapter is secured to original Nelo smartphone mount on the rigid footstrap - swapping Elemnt from bike to surf-ski and back is super easy, just turn it 1/4 and release/secure.
I share one Elemnt device between my road bike, mountain bike and surf-ski and never had a problem.
The adapter is printed with Colorfabb XT-CF20 carbon reinforced filament.

Thanks. Any chance you would be willing to share the CAD file (not sure about the lingo, but I have friends who can help) so I could create one for myself? Or, would some kind of GoPro mount work? I suppose you would have already tried that if it seemed likely. And about water on the Elemnt: no problems with splashes, spills, and/or salt water?
Thanks,
Denise

As far as the Wahoo Elemnt device getting wet and splashed, it should be good.  Its rated for IPX7, which means it should withstand submersion of 1m for 30 minutes.  That would cover any surfski use.  In my case, I did not feel comfortable that the cover over the plug would stay in place, so I relegated the Wahoo to only cycling use, and bought a waterproof GPS watch for the boat.  Good luck.