Gatorade Gx Scan Patch
Source: Gatorade
Sportswear manufacturer Gatorade is launching its first ever wearable device, the Gx Sweat Patch.
The patch is a single-use portable device that analyzes perspiration to provide athletes with information about their athletic performance and hydration levels. It is the latest Gatorade product at a time when the sports drinks market is becoming more and more crowded.
The patch will sell for $ 24.99 and will be available online at Dick’s sporting goods stores starting Monday.
Gatorade says the patch should be worn on the left inner arm during a single workout. It will fill with sweat as the athlete exercises. After training, users can scan their patch using the Gatorade application, Gx, to reveal their unique sweat profile.
Sweating profile is based on sweating levels, sodium loss in the forearm, body weight and the type or intensity of training. The results provide hydration strategies to maximize performance and avoid cramps or dehydration. The results can tell you everything from fluid and sodium loss to sweating rate and compare it to other workouts.
“The Gx system is an evolution of the way we serve athletes. By providing information to help them make choices about everything from their workout plan to training to recovery, we support athletes like never before,” said Gatorade executive Brett O ‘ Brien.
According to Duane Stanford, editor and editor of Beverage Digest, the smart patch is a smart deal for PepsiCo, Gatorade’s parent company. He said this touches on one of the big trends the industry sees, the rise of personalization and personalization.
“When you can customize and personalize, you can often do this at a premium price. It’s the kind of thing that can improve your margins,” he said.
Stanford said this also helps Gatorade maintain its brand credibility and market dominance when the category is busier than ever.
Gatorade dominates the category of sports drinks in the USA, holding a market share of 72% of retail sales, according to Euromonitor. Coke’s powerade falls in a distant second, with a share of 16%. BodyArmor started taking action and showed that the market is no longer a two-horse race.
Another benefit Stanford sees is that Gatorade uses the sports science it has been promoting for a long time and differentiates itself from competitors. The brand will use aggregate exercise information and data from fitness applications that include Apple Health, Strava, Garmin, as well as its own data from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. This will allow Gatorade to better provide athletes with recommendations on training, recovery and nutrition, Stanford said.
“Ultimately, our goal is to bring the science and advanced services we offer to elite athletes to anyone who wants to improve their performance,” O’Brien said.
He says the democratization of laboratory-based sweat tests allows everyday athletes to get closer to professionals.
“This is just another example where they are not just relying on lead, they will defend their turf,” Stanford said.