Posted: 8/4/2009 6:21:27 AM EDT
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Does anyone here use the Garmin Forerunner? How do they work? I am looking into getting one for my running workouts. Specifically I want to know how for I have ran when I run on trails. But in order to get the distance I want I have to do a lot of backtracking, run the trail twice, etc. Would it work for this? Here is what I am talking about: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=31859.
Thanks, Nic4433 |
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Stay away from the 405. Stick with the 305. It is bulkier, but you can actually control it. That clever little ipod-like wheel on the 405 will work great on your couch and then be useless on the road if you sweat. The 405 is a great idea: a GPS watch you can wear to work, but it doesn't pan out in the real world. Read the Amazon reviews, they tell the whole story.
Having said that, the 305 is the best thing to happen to running since shoes. Yes, it works if you backtrack. It is incredibly accurate, except for elevation. You could just run around your yard and would be accurate for distance. It will show you which side of the trail you ran on once you hook it up to your computer at home. The only time it might not work on trails is in HEAVY tree cover. |
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I use a Garmin Forerunner 305 for my triathlon training, and the girlfriend just got the Garmin 310XT so she can also wear it and the HR strap while swimming. Got a 405 this morning and used it on a 12mi run this evening. Worked excellent for me, and has a boatload more functions than my previous Polar HR monitor. No issues with it, although the bezel shit was goofy to get used to at first. Has a lot going on at first. |
| I have had a 201 for a few years now. Its a very good tool for checking distance, pacing, and as a training log. I don't know about the newer ones, but mine has to have a clear view of the sky to work. It would not work in the woods, or on trails. Overall, I like mine very much. |
| 310 looks nice, but that is more than double the price of the 305. The 305 was on sale at Best Buy last week for $129 if believe; the 310 is starting at $369. I think you would have to be rather focused on the triathalon applications to make it worthwhile. I am interested in a more comfortable HR monitor. The current one chafed me raw after less than a week of use. Everything else the 305 already does for running. |
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I have the forerunner 305, and absolutely love it. It's [i]perfect[i] for trail running without benchmarks for distance, but what I really love is being able to do interval training without having to watch the time or HR. The alarm feature works perfectly in that sort of application.
I also know more about my last run then NASA knows about the last shuttle mission - pace, distance, incline, pulse rate, pace coorelated with incline at any point, yadda yadda. All graphed out. |
| I have the Garmin 205, I was not really interested in something with heart rate monitor. A little bit bulkier than a watch but still comfortable to wear. I have not had mine cut out or lose satillites while on the trails of thru the city. I dont use it as a everyday training too just mostly on my long runs. |
| Have the 405 with over a 1000 miles on it mostly trail running without problems. Fun web site to track your runs. The 405cx looks like the way to go. I don't like alot of crap on when running and the 300's feel like a pack of cards to me. The Suunto X9Mi Watch looks good also, I think the army has them in use. |
| Who has tried the new Garmin Connect? I did not like the old Motion Based site and I am hoping to share runs online. The site is tremendously buggy, but has the potential for some cool features. I only see how to share runs to facebook and email, but maybe we could compare runs. My profile is knbromell and I'm running around Portland, OR if any of my runs ever show up. |
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Thanks again for the replies. I decided on the 305, I got one at Sam's Club for $149. Does everything I want and didn't cost much. Nic4433 Played with the graphs yet? Amazing amount of data. I have been playing with it for awhile. It has more data then I know what to do with and I feel like I have only scratched the surface of what this device can do. It is crazy accurate too, it picked up that I ran on one side of a trail and then the other side when I ran back the other way. |
| C'mon, somebody has to have tried Garmin Connect. Comparing runs would be nice, as I generally run alone, and the addition of Google maps to your routes opens up a whole new level of detail. Just create an account at http://connect.garmin.com/ then upload from your Forerunner (the 305s are buggy about uploading more that a couple runs at a time.) You see your own runs on the dashboard and search for other people's runs on "Explore." My profile is knbromell and most runs originate in Gresham, OR. It's a great addition to the Garmin TC and I was amazed by some fast people in my locale. |
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i have the 305
never been into gadgets but this thing is worth it - i use it mainly when i run on roads to tell how far i have gone - i dont use half the feature of it - i have never hooked it up to the PC yet - i am just not a heavy techno nerd type person - i like knowing the distance traveled - thats it |