Which Garmin, if any.

[Fat Bloke]

For a highly detailed uploaded route I still need to lug my house-brick around then

If you do the faffing about bit and upload it as a course, I've successfully loaded 40+ mile routes, and you get a nifty profile screen showing the route in....erm... profile.

fb

[RobW]

This sounds promising, fb. Maybe I should buy one after all. Are we talking 305 or 405? In what software does one faff about?

Oh and well done with the flood wall: the Attenburgers will I trust be suitably grateful .

[RobW]

Sorry fb, just seen your previous post which seems to have answered my questions before I asked them

I may however need your expertise again sometime

Mind you that 100 waypoint limit seems a little severe, and the Etrex isn't that heavy really ...

[Boy Wonder]

Have had a 305 for a while - usually used without the HRM (which would no doubt scare me when reviewed after ) - amazed by the quality detail of the routes when downloaded but the altitude figures are rubbish.

Takes a minute or two to log onto sateliites - so before going to the club on Tuesday I left it on top of the car to lock on - and then drove off with it still there - result, a very thin 305 with an interesting screen display. So... where's cheapest for a new one?

[sjedwardz]

Uploading a route from memory map isn't that difficult. Export it as a .gpx file and then use gpsies.com to convert in to a .crs (course) file which you can easily load onto the device.
You can then choose "do course" and it will show you exactly where to go and warn when you are off the track. Never really used that bit myself as I prefer to see where I'm going and use map and compass which don't require batteries!. I do load checkpoints at key parts of the run though just in case I need help.


If the route is less than 100 points then you can transfer it directly from MM.

[hopey]

Problem being on a mac you can't do any of this! Well I don't think so?

[trilathon]

i bought a 305 at start of year

the feedback of data for motivation/continuity of purpose/structure has enabled me to knock 3 mins off my 10k time and even win a 10mTT, and move up in my fell running !

they're ace !

[noel]

but the altitude figures are rubbish.

Yes, I think this is a problem of all GPS watches, not just the 305. I don't use the height gain function on my 305. If you download your route to eg, Anquet or some other mapping software, it gives you much more accurate height information.

I remember on some thread last year, someone said they'd done a 5k run along the tow path of the canal, and the GPS said they'd done a few hundred feet of ascent!

[Twister]

I would say don't bother and spend your money on something else. Why do you need a watch anyway? Is it to know how far you've gone, just work it out on a OS Map... I used to have all the gadgets in the world but have not worn a watch of any description since January and I love it. You feel free, you are no longer dictated to by a stupid computer on your wrist that tells you when you've done your training, let your body tell you when your done... Here's a good example; Mate of mine, hadn't seen him for ages, was down the club a couple of months back just after London Marathon. He said, "hi mate, haven't seen you for a while, I'll jog up the road with you, have a chat. We're in mid conversation when his f##king garmin beeped and he said, "Right I've done my four miles, see you..." and with that he walked back to the car... What's that all about?

Another prime example is that you ask all the Garmin wearers how many miles we've done, and they all give you a different total, even though we've all started at the same place and ran the same route...What's that all about?

What it boils down to is that companies want to make money out of what is essentially a sport where you only really need a pair of shoes, shorts and a T-shirt, of course if you need to train like a madman to shave an extra couple of seconds off your PB, then maybe a watch is for you, personally I will never win a race so from now on I'll just enjoy my runs without beating myself up about time and distance etc and not become a slave to this corperate comercialised world!

[Ady In Accy]

What it boils down to is that companies want to make money out of what is essentially a sport where you only really need a pair of shoes, shorts and a T-shirt

You NEED a T-shirt???????????????