Printable View
I don't know what you mean by "battery...disintegrate" but to be fair to Garmin you actually get a NEW Garmin for the £50 you pay. I have done this when the battery life started reducing (which happens to every rechargeable battery sooner or later) on a 305 I had.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
My 405cx is really good but one criticism is that the battery life is a bit rubbish if you do long distance stuff. Mine is currently about 7 hours (it is almost 2 years old and I run 4-5 times a week so it's had a lot of use). I also noticed that mine lasted a good few miles less than Stolly's when we were doing the Pembrokeshire Coast Path but his was a bit newer. I changed the plastic strap to the fabric one and that fits my skinny wrists much more comfortably. I've fallen on it a couple times and it is a bit scuffed and the light doesn't seem to work any more but other than that, it does the job. The heart rate monitor (which I haven't used for months) has been through the wash (and in several bogs) a couple times and it still works!
I like the fact that I can wear my 405 as a watch and not look too stupid :wink:
It perhaps doesn't matter to many people on this forum, but it's worth knowing Garmin no longer supply/support their Training Centre (pc software). With newer devices you now have to upload all your data to their web-based Garmin Connect to get a look at it. I may have to switch to Polar next time.
The 405cx is the posh version of the bog-standard 405 like mine isn't it Hes? I wonder what the difference is? Battery life is one, obviously. I've never got 7 hours out of the thing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Hes
Sportstracks is better than training centre and freeQuote:
Originally Posted by Latege
Thanks, I'd looked at CrossTrak but that's not compatible with Gramin devices. I'll take a closer look at this.Quote:
Originally Posted by tele
not the 405.. its shit..
Agreed, the 405 is crap. Mine used to go haywire if i didn't lock the bezel in wet weather! It eventually started to mist up inside with condensation, I would set off up Snowdon or similar in warmish weather and get to the cold summit to find it all steamed up! I had to open it up a couple of times to dry it out and eventualyy some contacts inside corroded away rendering it useless. I bought a 305 off ebay, a backward step I thought but I much prefer it to the 405!Quote:
Originally Posted by IainR
Yeah the bezzle doesn't work when wet.. I was using it in TX in humidity and trying to change the settings when sweating doing a track session was impossible... similarly on a dark track and trying to turn on the light.. nice idea, developed in an office.. never field tested by runners..Quote:
Originally Posted by Ady
And yes I'd go back to the 305.. the 405 is small.. great battery life.. but as a training aid fails..
305 all the way, everyone I know who has a 405 wants a 305
Have both 405cx and 310xt. Both have been great bits of kit. The 405 does have a few issues, but still very useful. My first one locked up after about 12 months and was replaced after I retuned it to Cotswolds. Also a few gliches occasionally and the bezel issue, which for the most part is solved by locking it. 310xt, I've had no problems with but I've used it only for 6 hour plus runs. L50 and Bullock Smithy, it lasted for the full event. I guess it depends on budget to a degree. 405, I think, is available very cheap on e-bay, but I'd like to know there's someone I can return it too.
305 sound bit of kit, get about 10 hours from the battery.
Hmm, I don't think I ever got more than 7-8 hours out of mine, even when new. - Which was fine, I don't need it longer than that. However, yesterday it barely got me round the Tour of Pendle, i.e. 3 1/2 hrs. It's 2 1/2 yrs old, but that's quite a drop-off.Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Compass
I thought the Garmin Training Centre was rubbish, whereas I like Connect, which is also free. You can also look at your training data on the watch itself.Quote:
Originally Posted by Latege
My 310XT showed no sign of flagging at the end of a 17 hours outing. RAINMAKER credits it with 20 hours. I would consult his brilliant reviews on any piece of technology I was considering buying.Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
I saw one of the new Garmin Fenix devices for the first time this weekend. I'm just contemplating which body part I will have to sell in order to buy one.
Fine if you're happy to be web-based. I don't like being forced into it and anyway it's not always an option for me (waiting six weeks or more to upload my data would be a pain) so I was just flagging up the change in case others are in the same situation. Looking at the data on the watch is a fiddle and limited.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra
Do read Rainmaker's in-depth review first. The Fenix seems to have a lot of bugs at present. It also sounds fiendishly complicated, particularly if one is used to the Forerunner series, as it doesn't work in the same way. Rainmaker found that the battery life, claimed to be very long, is unpredictable. He concluded that this was more a watch for mountaineering than running. I have not yet found him wrong about anything.Quote:
Originally Posted by Martyn P
All true.Quote:
Originally Posted by Latege
I don't think connect is that good, sporttracks is a lot better. For me I like the fact you can hightlight which laps were your rest laps and it gives you the averages for al the combined active laps.Quote:
Originally Posted by Latege
http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/
I have to say I quite like Connect, although I have zero to compare it with. They do give average moving speeds etc, which may be the same as 'combined active laps'? Its not perfect but its a nice tool to play with apres run.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra
Thanks Alex, I did read Rainmaker's (extensive) review and you're right, it sounds like a change in direction from those used to the Forerunner devices. I may wait a while and see how they shape up before I splurge on one (that sounds all wrong, but you know what I mean).
Has anyone got a 110? What is it like - a friend is thinking of buying one.
With sporttracks you can hightlight which laps were rest and which where the active ones. i.e. if your doing hill reps, highlight the laps where you're pegging it up the hill and deselect the laps where you trot back down. It will give you your mean average for the hill reps. Haven't found a way to do that with connect. From that I create a custom workout on my forerunner for next time for the same session and set a taget pace quicker than the mean.Quote:
Originally Posted by that_fjell_guy
MartynQuote:
Originally Posted by Martyn P
I have the 310XT and it is fantastic
I had a misting problem and emailed Garmin when it was about 6 months old and they said send it back. I forgot about it and then this september after I wrecked it falling on the Nevis race I sent it back before I went on holiday (this is nearly 2 years old now)
When I got back off holiday a new one had been posted through my letterbox. still a slight misting but I can live with it. cannot fault Garmin for such fantastic service
as for the watch itself, it is very accurate over timings and distances. find it useful that you can compare up to 3 similar runs side by side such as split timings (I split by each mile) so I can see where I lost or gained on a race or previous training run.
the fact you can display british grid is really useful in clag (as was the recent case on leg2 of a BG)
you can upload a previous course and it will give you a breadcrumb trail on the screen to follow
you can set a previous run as virtual partner so you can see if you are ahead or behind your last run
cant really trust the elevation total whilst on a run as this seems to get distorted but corrects itself on Garmin connect
can set your own screen options and have seperate options for cycling and running
most of all it wont lie so the mileage showing on Garmin connect is a true reflection of your mileage (except you can manually put a run onto connect if you forget your watch)
it will connect up with other devices such as cadence on a bike or the BC-1000 scales that records all sorts of body statistics
Garmin connect will record your weight manually if you input it. essential to log again performances
It can make a brew (sorry getting carried away)
Originally posted by geronimo
I have the 310XT and it is fantastic ... find it useful that you can compare up to 3 similar runs side by side such as split timings (I split by each mile) so I can see where I lost or gained on a race or training run.
geronimo, it's better than that - you can compare 4 different runs in Connect. But I suppose that would apply to any Garmin watch that downloads to Connect.
Can you download data wirelessly eg from the 310xt to Sporttracks? I seem to remember this wasn't possible in the past.Quote:
Originally Posted by tele
PS I've just lost interest as I discovered SportTracks costs money!!!
Sportstracks doesn't cost or didn't. you can run it in freetrial mode, which you don't have full functionality. Which limits I think the number of plugins you can run and the number of user accounts from memory. Install it and try it and yes you can use it with the 310XT.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra
That is useful. I don't think you can do that on the 410 can you? Plus the battery life, that is (sadly) probably worth the extra £50 - I will have to save up!!Quote:
the fact you can display british grid is really useful in clag
You definitely can't do that with the 405/410. I agree, well worth the extra 50 quid.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blacky
Still undecided whether I want to mortgage my soul and buy a Fenix. If I'm carrying a rucksack I normally have my eTrex 30 with me, it's a cracking little device and has served me well in about a year of use, but is a bit bulky when you haven't got a convenient pocket to shove it in.
Currently got a FR610 for running which is brilliant ( and a Satmap for hillwalking ).
Just entered my first ultra in May next year, 55 mile Cateran Trail, so 610 will not last the distance, and Satmap too bulky.
Considering trading the FR610 to a 910XT with it's 20 hour battery life. Anyone got one ? Read quite a few horror threads about the barometric altimeter being woeful, but apart from that seems to have all I want. Amazon got them with £100 off at the moment as well, .......
For what it's worth we use an Etrex 20, it's a cracking piece of kit, small, reliable and good battery life. Got it online from Spain for about £80. Use memory map and never had any issues. Got OS mapping for it, full UK off ebay again cheap from Latvia of all places again no problems with it.
Just bought a garmin 410 off amazon. When the price dropped below £150, I could resist no longer!
will post my thoughts once I,ve had some time to use it and learn it.
410 arrived...its on charge. Annoyingly, the Garmin website is down for maintenance so I can't register or get connect going!
First impressions are good. The watch is neat enough to be worn as an ordinary watch if wanted. It's not like strapping the kitchen sink to your wrist!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ridgback
£80 is a very good price for an eTrex 20. This mapping you mention, is that 1:25,000? Presumably it comes on a micro SD card?
My Garmin ANT stick is refusing to recognise my 310XT. Suggestions, please? I'm feeling desperate. Running just isn't the same when I can't spend hours geeking over my stats. on Connect
It's not going well. First run with my new toy on my wrist and my calf muscle lets go!!
I think you can re-register your ANT with the watch and this should sort the problem - similar like you would have had to do when you first set it up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexandra
Im sorry to hear that Wheeze - I hope you were not trying to go too fast and test the current / average speed etc. Hopefully the calf will heal quickly in time for the Jan races.Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheeze
Thanks, but I've tried that - no dice. Having withdrawal symptoms - workout done but no geeky reward mulling it over.Quote:
Originally Posted by sore legs
Here is a page I found through Google when I was having similar problems ages ago. I think I did the ticking boxes thing with the drivers and it started working again.
http://www.coolrunning.com.au/forums...howtopic=27307