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Electronics : Garmin Forerunner 305 Wrist Worn GPS Personal Training Device (With Heart Rate Monitor)Rating: - Very good value for moneyA very handy gadget that does exactly what it claims. Compared to my previous (older gen.) Garmin it is much simpler to use and the speed of boot-up/satellite tracking is much faster. The heart-rate monitor works very well...I especially like the alerts when the HR goes too slow/fast. Only slight drawback is it looks and feels slightly more bulky than I expected, but will get used to this. Overall, very pleased and worth the money. Rating:  - Really impressedI got this recently as a present after going through several other makes of heart rate monitors over the years, which each didn't last over a year. this one seems particularly good as you can track all the stats on your pc, which is just what I was after. Brilliant. Haven't been able to do this before and its great to see how progress is going (or not!!). would definitely recommend this, althoug the watch itself is very chunky so you can't really wear it as a casual watch (someone thought I was wearing a PDA!!). Rating: - First Class GPS reception and accuracyThis is my second GPS running watch and I am still thrilled about the excellent GPS reception and accuracy. I had bought the current Timex GPS watch before the Forerunner-poor satellite reception, would not work on a cloudy day let alone in rain. So I returned it. The Forerunner is miles better. I would get reception even under heavy clouds and in severe rain. When going through a subway, the watch would pick-up the signal as soon as there is a hint of sky. I often run to and from work, which is a 6 miles run. The results with the watch were (under partially extreme weather conditions)-5.98, 6.02, 6.08, 5.97 miles. What else do I like? With the watch come a cradle for re-charging and USB link to the computer. It worked a breeze. The watch is also being recharged whilst connected to the computer. The screen is large. It can be customized and is easy to read. The interface is fairly well designed and it is not too difficult to work your way round all the function without having to read the manual all the time. The negative bits: The supplied software is a big let-down. Although it does not slow down your computer it is hardly useful. Not every function of the watch can be controlled, the maps are less than basic (how can I set way points without streets, paths etc?) and it is almost useless to set-up your training sessions on the computer. The watch feels a bit like a brick at the beginning, but one get used to it. The position of the screen is a bit unlucky and could have been tilted a bit more forward. Although readability is good, it always takes a twist of your wrist before you can read it. Follow-up (27/10/08): Since my last review I have done quite a bit of field testing for reception and accuracy. I am still on cloud seven!! RECEPTION: No problems if in the car on your wrist. Even picks-up some satellites in house in my one storey extension!!! ACCURACY: Several runners in the club now have the Forerunner 305. After each mile there is almost a symphony of alerts going-we are just 1-2 yards out of each other. After a 50 mile journey my watch would disagree with the tachometer by less than 50 yards. The build-in upload facility is really great. It helps me to track my training units with ease. The rechargeable batteries seem to last long enough, but you really have to remember to re-charge after every use. There are only minutes from low battery warning to shut-down. This happened to me just before a half marathon on a unknown course with many hills and no backup watch-how inconvenient. Rating: - Garmin 305An excellent product which I have now been using for some two years. I would have given it 5 stars BUT- for the inaccuracy of the mapping in the Training Centre. When downloaded, running routes appear to be thrown some 1/4 mile East of where they actually are which when projected onto roads is pretty useless. I have contacted Garmin about this but they fail to respond. When downloaded into Motion based Agent, they are perfect - extremely accurate. Has anyone any ideas for resolving this?Garmin Forerunner 305 Wrist Worn GPS Personal Training Device (With Heart Rate Monitor) Rating: - Glad I went for the 305 and not the 405I've been using my Forerunner 305 for over 2 weeks now and I am very, very happy with it. Although I know it is sad, but this little device was one of my main motivations to get back into long distance running after a 5 year break. Since Garmin has updated its GPS watch range choosing the latest model (Forerunner 405) would have been obvious, but I am glad I followed the advice of some reviews on here and elsewhere to go for the older and bigger 305 instead. Why? Well, first of all I have a very nice everyday wristwatch and do not need a running watch that I can also wear at work or in the pub. Yes, the 305 is quite a biggie, but when I am out and about on a run then I don't really mind. After all: I'm out there to pound roads and not catwalks! With roughly 77g the watch is -despite its size- not too heavy and does not disturb me during my run. The user interface (ie the way how to move and navigate through the screens and menus) is very well done and cleverly thought through. The accompanying software from Garmin is -well- sub-optimal. Thank god there now is a Mac version of it, but the overall functionality is nothing to write home about. As a Mac devotee, I am currently trialling a log software called Ascent (for Mac OS X), which seems to fit the bill for me. However you'll still require the Garmin software to upload your own workouts or courses, so you can't replace it 100%. But Ascent is much better in graphing your progress and displaying your route on Google Maps, for example. What I love about the watch are the aggregated History screens. You can see your total weekly milage and average heart rate for a week. The 305 stores up to 1000 laps, which should enable me to store a whole marathon preparation training onto the watch - maybe even 2. Another very good aspect is the fact that I can now see my current pace and heart rate on 1 screen, which really helps me to pace myself during a training run. I also love the Virtual Partner function, although I still haven't understood which time and pace the VP takes (the last run or an average of previous runs on the course?). The manual does not reveal any details on this. Satellite aquisition is relatively fast. You basically need to be outside for a minute or 2 before you start your workout in order to get a satellite fix. On the whole I can only recommend the 305. The 405 might be smaller and newer, but I've saved roughly £80-90 by purchasing a 305... that's a pair of new running shoes in my book! |
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