Can anyone recommend a gps watch & what do they cost .
Thanks simon
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Can anyone recommend a gps watch & what do they cost .
Thanks simon
There's a huge variety - £40 second hand up to several hundred pounds for a top of the range Suunto.
Really depends what features you want/need?
For in depth reviews of pretty much everything on the market, you could do worse than looking at the DC Rainmaker site.
Be very wary of earlier suunto, they are being made obsolete by suunto in 18 months.
Thanks for advice & reply's.
Ali, I see you’re in Leeds. I’m in Burley-In—Wharfedale & am selling a TomTom Runner GPS watch for my son. £25 & barely used if you’re interested?
Jez - would be interested in buying your sons watch for my daughter, would you post?
PM’d you Moel.
I got one now but thanks..
Thanks Jez - PM returned
Hi,
Sorry to hijack this thread, but I'm also looking for a new GPS watch, with a long battery life to cover ultras.
I am considering the Suunto Ambit 3 Peak, for a proven budget option, but interested that Mark G comment is to avoid older Suunto models.
Any other suggestions of previous years models that could do the job around the 150 pound mark?
Many thanks
I've recently bought a Garmin Instinct (bought for £220 but current price is around £270) as it had breadcrumb navigation following a gpx trail. It also has some cool features such as an in-built compass. I've only used it on a 31 mile 6 1/2 hr ultra (Punkpanther Welcome Way) and there was loads of battery life left after that (Garmin claims 16hrs). I had the optical heart rate turned on all the time & if you disable that then you will extend the battery life as well. DC Rainmaker has done a good review (https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2018/10/...th-review.html)
Quote:
Originally Posted by asutton709
After personal use and good user experience, I can suggest you to purchase the smart products from https://netgears.support/netgear-genie-supportand also get home services for device issues.
I've just bought a Suunto Ambit 3 Vertical from sports pursuit for £147. I'm aware that there are some problems with the movescount app but at that price I was happy to take a punt. I've never used GPS watch before so it's all new to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian G
I bought one of these and am very pleased with it so far. My only gripes are the buttons although locked change the display screen, which is very annoying if using the breadcrumb trail and climbing up steep terrain.Quote:
Originally Posted by asutton709
Secondly there is no vibrate function. I thought this wouldnt be a problem but this was very useful for intervals and reminding me when to eat on longer runs.
anyway a good option and lots on ebay at the moment. got mine for AROUND 100
cheers
Have a TomTom runner at the moment but that is on its last legs and it no longer connects to my phone.
Would like GPS tracking, Android app (with Strava sync), message notification, compass, 50m waterproof, good battery life, will stand up to normal fell running activities and preferably has a barometric altimeter. Don't want to pay more than £200 unless its really worth the extra money.
I'm looking at the Garmin 235 or Vivoactive 3. Any experience of either or any other recommendations?
Suunto Ambit 3 Run, PeteS.
Can be got for under £200 if you shop around (I got a free HRM!).
Very impressed with mine.
Thanks - I'll add it to the list. Do you find the screen easily readable in low light?
They have an Ambit3 on Sportpursuit at present for 149 quid although it says multi sport?? Whatever that means, I’ve got one and find it good although only ever really used it to track distance not for any of the fancy stuff it does, Mrs DTR likes me to download our long runs so she can instagram them :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Dave_Mole
I have a Garmin Fenix 5 - quick to pick up satellite signals, long battery life, water proof, lots of data - cadence and so on - BUT every week or two it will suddenly drain its battery to close to zero for no obvious reason - so I have to check it every morning well before a run just in case it needs emergency charging. When the Climbers Shop in Ambleside were selling GPS watches they recommended this over any Suunto - but their advice may have changed recently.
Off topic I guess, but I looked at all these fancy watches when I started running a few weeks ago and in the end I suddenly realised I already had everything I needed and I just use my phone with the Asics Runkeeper app, it does everything I want it to:
Time, Distance, GPS tracking, Altitude (presumably computationally derived rather than via a barometer), Music, Audio prompts etc.
And of course with it being a phone it has all the other useful apps on there, like full OS maps for £23 a year :-O
If it's raining I stick it in my waterproof coat if it's not so bad weather wise I put it in one of those arm band things which cost £15 or something - sorted!
I may end up with a fancy watch one day, but right now I really have no need!
which is true, but I've found numerous times that the app version of both Strava and Movescount is very unreliable on my phone, but I've never had an issue with my watch....I also find it more difficult to scroll through menus on the phone.Quote:
I suddenly realised I already had everything I needed
That's interesting!
I wonder if I have just been lucky so far, Runkeeper hasn't skipped a beat yet although I have only actually used it in two areas so far.
I also don't mean to suggest that others don't have more requirements than I do, I am a beginner after all!
I just wanted to mention it :)
For the record, this is with an iPhone 5s (best phone I have ever owned, 6 years old and going strong with a new battery recently).
fair enough, just sharing my experience. The reason I got a watch was because I was fed up of my phone crapping out all the time. Have used a watch for the last 5 or so years. Used my phone the other week because I forgot to charge the watch. Guess what? It recorded about a third of my run!Quote:
I also don't mean to suggest that others don't have more requirements than I do, I am a beginner after all!
I guess different phones may have different specs, but I've always found the watch more reliable.
Funny, I guess there are many variables at play here, the obvious answer being if your phone craps out all the time, get a watch :D
I just checked, I have done a grand total of 26 runs since I started running at the end of July, one of those was my first race, every one recorded perfectly!
I guess it's going to happen sooner or later; I'll be 'eating my hat' and looking for a watch the first time my phone craps out on me :D
It’s an odd one. I haven’t used runkeeper for years and years, but I don’t remember it being majorly unreliable. when I did.
However, using Strava on the same phone, I would get terrible results. Same hardware, different app.
A year ago I switched to using apple watch’s built-in tracking app, and it’s been completely flawless. I don’t know, but I’m guessing the GPS hardware in the watch isn’t significantly different to the GPS hardware in my iPhone.
So… I’m guessing the software (in terms of perhaps ignoring obviously-wrong datapoints, and smoothing things out) is far more important than the hardware. If your phone + runkeeper are doing the job, long may it continue! On the other hand, now I use a watch, I’d get cross at having to carry my phone around every training run. Whatever works for you. :)
Personally I like the immediate visibility of a watch and also that its waterproof and more robust than a phone. I will always carry a phone with me but usually buried in the bottom of my bumbag in a plastic bag so not great if you need to know current distance/pace etc
Ive also not found a huge discrepancy between watch and using the Strava app when I don't have my watch. Both seem accurate enough. The main problem I have is with app drawing on the phone battery. Generally not a problem with running but some of my longer bike rides are over 6 hours and that would probably take at least 75%.
BTW I've done some more research and it's looking likely I'll go for a Garmin 735 xt or Instinct. I like them both and although I like the additional ruggedness of the latter, it does feel a little lower in technical spec than the 735. The 735 sadly lacks altimeter but otherwise is pretty much perfect. Suunto Ambit 3 is also a contender.
Heheh, conversely I find wearing a watch annoying :)
I totally get that it is much more convenient to see what's going on with a watch, I do not look at my phone at all while I am tracking my activities. For longer distances the phone is definitely going to run out of juice; I find ~40 mins is about 10% of battery life on my phone. That's going to drop significantly with the colder winter temperatures based on previous experience.
I am anticipating that the phone is not going to be enough for me at some point, I am definitely going to try and get as much use out of it as I can though. The watch technology keeps advancing and getting less expensive as time goes on, so definitely some bargains to be had buying a year or two behind.
If you're going that way PeteS, it seems a shame not to have the altimeter!? The Instinct looks great!!
So I went for the Garmin Instinct. In the end, it was the more rugged styling and barometric altimeter that swung it. I felt the Garmin 735 XT would have got trashed a some point during a fell race and the extra protection of the bevel on the Instinct would certainly protect the screen more. I have been very impressed so far - so much so that although I intended to really only use it as an activity watch, I now wear it on a daily basis. I've only done one race and few training runs but it has been great for those. Had to reconfigure the display to make it more readable at speed but otherwise no real problems. The Garmin Connect app is great, connects seamlessly to the watch and uploads direct to Strava. All the stats you could possibly want on your phone.
Battery life so far has been excellent. I've charged it once since its initial charge 10 days ago and it is still on 80% battery.
GPS acquisition is quick - less than a minute each time I've recorded an activity.
Altimeter/barometer seem accurate. I had to manually recalibrate after I got home from a trip to Wales but I guess that would be normal after a long trip.
Compass also accurate and not needed calibrating yet.
HRM - although I wasn't that fussed for this initially, it doesn't seem to have any problems and it provides some good metrics I may incorporate into my training. Seems possible to broadcast this to other devices so hoping I can get to connect this up to my cycle computer.
Not tried any of the finer points on the navigation side but that's not really why I bought it.
All round, I've been very impressed so far and would certainly recommend it.
It looks good Pete. I'm considering treating myself at Xmas.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeteS
the 735 XT has a look of the Forerunner 220 which I've had for around 4-5 years now and the only issues I have with it are battery life which used to be OK for 5-6 hours and now is down to around 3-4, and then the occasional software glitch as I think the device isn't supported as it was in the early years.
I haven't actually looked at what is in the market at the moment so pleased to see your comments.
I was planning to get one for Christmas too but my local ultimate outdoors is closing down and has a sale on. Managed to get one for £185 but only had the sunset red left in stock. Its a bit bling for work so I've invested in another strap. Charcoal grey, £12 on amazon which looks great.
Another thing to note is the lack of a touch screen. That would probably put some off but the button interface is good and as proven on tonight's commute, easily operated through thick gloves. Another plus in my book.
It could be worth bearing in mind, for anyone looking at a Suunto Spartan. I had an email from Suunto telling me that support for this model will be pulled from "Movescount" and I can't find any way to make watch configuration changes in the new MySuunto app.... and planning GPS (cheating :p ) routes on the app looks really tricky.
That's what I meant with the earlier post. It's not just the Spartan, some of the earlier watches, particularly most ambits don't have Bluetooth so can't be used with the app. There's pages and pages of discussion on the 'suunto app forum'. They seem to be some suggestions that movescount might be kept going for these earlier watches - due I think to lots of angry feedback from disgruntled ambit users (including me). Ultimately I reluctantly bought a Spartan trainer - it has some good features, including the ability to set up intervals etc, but the watch face is a little small. I managed to get it at a good price from Go Outdoors on a price match against Wiggle, I think it was a little over £120. For that money it's pretty good but I would prefer the larger face)figures of a better version to make it a little easier to read. Don't rely on the wrist HR reading though,its very variable, I use a strap.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark G
For what it’s worth (not a lot I predict!)...... I don’t have a gps watch. Just use a standard stopwatch/wristwatch for training sessions... probably explains my lack of pacing ability, but with a bit of practice it doesn’t take long to get used to it, and can “run to feel” without feeling the pressure to reach a pace...
Also avoids the comical sight of all my clubmates pointing their gps watches at the sky to get a satellite before each club session.
When I go out into the fells on a non-racing escapade, I generally take a hand-held gps with 1:50000 OS mapping built in (along with standard map and compass of course).... I have the Garmin gps64s and whilst it is not touch-screen it is absolutely bomb-proof and I’ve battered it to bits over the years with no ill effect. Cost in the region of 300quid with complete OS mapping of the uk... and can also buy memory cards with street maps for the rest of Europe... I’ve used it successfully in the likes of Italy and Spain.
A combination that works for me... but if you need a watch then totally irrelevant...!!
In their latest email update suunto have now said they will maintain a web based service to which you will be able to connect your watch. They don't say which watch(es) or whether or not the service will be equvilent to movescount.
Nearly got myself a Fenix 6 for £365 from Ultimate Outdoors.
They have a 15% code for the Sale, all Garmin included. I popped a few items in my basket but the discount wouldn't come off the watch.
Called them up. Garmin shouldn't be included in the 15% offer.
Gutted. So now what do I do?
I like the mapping option for walking abroad, so don't need a 6 but I do like a deal :D
ended up with a Fenix 5 Plus from John Lewis for £350 and should receive early next week.
I'm reviving this thread as I'm beginning to look for a new watch and wondering if anyone has recent thoughts and ideas. I've not bought one for about six years and since then the 'Health tracking' market has taken off so watches now seem packed with a mountain of stuff I don't want and hard to spot the essentials. I'm after a GPS watch with HRM and decent battery life (i.e.7 hrs with GPS and HRM active, more would be nice but not essential). Something that will last a while (6 years like the last one) and preferably under £200 (or am I out of touch with current prices?). Does anyone know if wrist-based HRM is more or less reliable than chest starp ones? Thanks.
Still pleased with my Garmin instinct. Ticks all your boxes I think. Battery life is about a week in normal use. Recording activities will degrade this a bit but I usually record about an hour or more each day and still get 4-5 days out if it. You can pick one up around the £200 mark unless you want to splash out an extra £100 and get the solar charging one and then battery life concerns shouldn't worry you at all.