Garmin 301 questions...

You want a 305.

I have a 301, and want a 305.  

The 305 has an improved GPS antenna, so it locks on to sats faster, and stays locked in better than the 301.  Not to mention it's smaller, and less bulky.

And you can't add the cadence sensor to the 301 for sure.  Nor sure about the 305.

You should be able to pick up a 305 new for about $200 or so.  You get a lot more bang for the buck with the 305 IMHO.

I've gotten three years of enjoyable use from my 301. But as Chris said, the 305 has additional extra features; it's up to you to decide if those are worth the extra money.

Personally,

• I turn on the 301 while I'm getting dressed and it locks onto the satellite before I leave the house;
• I have no need for a cadence sensor; and
• I'm not bothered by the size.

Did a bit of e-bay shopping for only $100 the 301 seems hard to beat. The 305 has a better antenna and some additional features but I'm not 100% sure I NEED all that... Although it could be argued I dont really NEED a GPS either. I think for the price difference I'm going to go with the 301 unless someone has a compelling reason to do otherwise.

-Brad

Do you run anywhere that has tree cover?  If so, the 301 *will* drop signal.  It's an annoyance of mine.  The smallest little sapling even casts a shadow in the direction of my 301 and I get the "weak GPS signal" beeps.

Trust me on this, if you get the 305, you won't regret it.

I also have to stand perfectly still and hold my 301 over my head to get it to lock on.  Takes about 30seconds to a minute.  The 305 is a lot faster/better at this.

Different experiences. I run and ride through forests without the 301 dropping the signal, and it picks up the signal initially while sitting inside my foyer while I get dressed. Every time I use it.

Only on the cloudiest days in wooded areas do I get the "weak GPS signal" message.

YMMV

If I had to replace it today, I would get the 305, unless I was particularly price-sensitive. As I said, only you can decide if the additional cost is worth the additional benefit. If my choices were $120 for the 301 or doing without because I couldn't afford the 305, i wouldn't hesitate to buy another 301.

Another issue nobody mentions is that the 305 needs a cradle to charge or transfer data.  The 301 plugs straight into a USB cable making it much more portable.  

I loved my 301.  It had troubles for some sections in the single track trails I ran on but most of the run was covered and it was still more accurate than the Nike+ system on most days.  

 My new 305 locks on better (not necessarily faster) but needs a cradle (carry more stuff or only upload to BT from home).  I haven't used the course feature even though that was my most desired feature...  The 305 is better supported on websites as it's more common.  The route planner on BT could not deal with my 301.  The button layout on the 305 is annoying.  If I wear it on the inside of my wrist so I can read it in the aerobars, it bumps the start/stop button when I use the upper part of the road bars for climbing.  The 305 heart rate strap is compatible with the new Power Tap coded computer so only one heart rate strap for running and cycling.