Discussion: need a GPS watch dodaa

new to running, and need something to record my training data. i need a gps system thats also styish, meaning i can use it as a day to day watch, (needs to be relatively small)

and advice and ideas appreicated

cheers

There are many options you can choose from - depends on how much you can afford to spend and what type of features are important to you. Recently I found GPS watch that could be used even as cell-phone.

I highly recommend GPS with heart rate monitoring available. Heart rate supposedly is one of most objective measures of intensity. First GPS watch I had did not have heart rate monitor and withing 2 training sessions with GPS I wished I had that feature.

However none of the GPS watches I find stylish enough that I'd use them as day-to-day watch. They do look cool but not stylish to work around in traditional office.

Also GPS watches were designed primarily for GPS tracking and recording. Most of them can display time but it is not focus of GPS watch functionality.

Does the Garmin 405 qualify?

thanks "gil", useful info and advice there, maybe ile buy a seperate watch aswell then..

jjcote, that was a watch ide found already, but it seems rather expensive compared to the garmin 110, so im looking for cheap as possible but with same features as that, although saying that i will just end up spending money on it lol, but every penny counts

cheers guys

blitz:
Check out the reviews from DC Rainmaker:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/p/product-reviews.html
You'll get a good feeling of what the difference between the watches are.

Since you are new to running and money counts I would suggest to start with the Garmin FR 110 (with HR strap!). It can give you time/distance and HR and you can download the track to your computer as well.

As you progress you will find out which other features you need (if any) and find the appropriate watch.

thanks mikee will have a look later, just a point on getting the beginner watch, would it not be smarter to just get a professional one (spending the extra cash) so that i dont have to re buy another watch?

just a thought, thanks for the link

A day to day watch can easily be had for less than $10.

how about this one?

http://technics.ucoz.com/_nw/0/87411.jpg

I think most of the garmins won't hold a charge for a full day's use as a normal watch anyway. Not totally sure.

The 410 lasts a long long time as a normal watch. It's battery use in 'normal watch' mode is very small.

Yeah, the 405 could certainly be used as a normal watch, it would definitely last more than a day, but why would you?

I have been using suunto ambit as normal watch for a month. I don't think anyone noticed anything at the office, other than that I have something more stylish than t6d I had before and a Polar hrm before that. So I can't see why some garmins wuoldn't do as well.

erm bernard dont think i need a super computer :D

jjcote, i was thinking a stylish long lasting high quality watch, to replace the indestructable brick i have atm...

jagge...suunto ambit???

Polar RCX 5

+stylish
+small
+no recharge
+heart rate monitor
+easy to handle

-seperate gps
-buttons bad
-wristband not the best

You could look at the Nike+ Sportwatch GPS (or something).

I know a lot of people might hesitate to use it because it's Nike, but I remember seeing it in a store and thinking it looked great. I have looked at a few reviews and apparently it's accurate. If all you're doing is road running, it may work.

Think ive decided on the garmin forerunner 110 with the hrm... Is there any reason why i shouldnt get it? :D

Review. Which actually brings up an interesting question: although this watch has a display, does it display any information that could be used to assist in navigation? And if not, should it be outside of the ongoing GPS controversy?

hmm, as a begineer to this whole shabang, ide say you'de have to have somesort of a degree in gps physics to navigate with that garmin 110!!! so i dont see why these should be banned...

whats to stop you running around with a gps enabled phone?

has somebody actually been caught cheating????

If you look online, you'll find that there isn't much of a price difference between the 110 and the 405 (the 405 has since been replaced by the 405CX, then the 410 and now the 610).

I wore the 405 as an everyday watch for several years. The 405 has several more features, and my favorite is the wireless data transfer, so that when you get back home from a workout/race/whatever, the data is automatically uploaded to your computer. The 405/410 also has the "touch bezel" which has a love/hate relationship with its users.

where's my popcorn?

We can share.

405 does not fit on your wrist , unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger

Get 305 instead, so you can do some real smart things with it.

305 doesn't fit my wrist comfortably at all.

jj: The watch displays the total distance. Therefore it may theoretically be used as a navigational aid.
Pink Socks: agree, it seems that the 405 has come down a lot in price recently therefore it may be an option. (I still had the 400 something in mind which I paid a few years ago).

405 does not fit on your wrist , unless you are Arnold Schwarzenegger

Hmmm... I have skinny wrists (6 3/8", which is an adult small), and the 405 fit me just fine. Though, if you have wrists that somewhat smaller, I could see fit issues.

If anyone wants to debate whether or not I'm like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I guess I'll go get some popcorn.

I have a Garmin Forerunner 110. The battery is claimed to last 3 weeks if you don't turn the GPS on, and 1 week with seven 45-minute workouts (with the GPS on).

It is fairly big for an everyday wear watch, but I've been wearing it for 10 months now, and it's kinda nice.

I bought it because I got a good deal on it, $130. I use the HR strap from my 305.

@J-J: It displays lap speed and distance (I can't remember if it is only total dist, or it also shows lap dist).

If I were buying one today, I would buy a 410 or 610. At Christmas, the 410 was as low as $210 at Costco with a HR strap.

My biggest complaint with the FR110 is that it isn't geeky enough for me. I'm used to Timex and Casio regular watches, and this watch falls short if you actually use things like the countdown-repeat and countdown-continue timers, or multiple time-zones, or multiple alarms. Now I do those things with my cell phone.

What I really like about it is that I never forget to take it to an event and I always have it with me. (I use the 305 in most competitions---the 305 track seems to be better.) If you use it a lot, it is much easier to keep the battery charged than if you don't use it. The charge/download clip is a total kludge and requires multiple attempts until you get the right touch.