Garmin watches

I'm not someone who has to have the latest and greatest so previous models have been fine. My first two Garmins were used from the BT classifieds. My husband bought me the 920xt for Christmas last year and it does more than I have even taken the time to figure out how to use!

Another 920XT owner here, bought it for like $250 on a Black Friday sale last year.  And to echo trigal above, it does WAY more than I'm prepared to learn how to operate.  I've also owned a 305 and the Fenix 2 (which I stil use as a day-to-day watch, but didn't love it as a tri watch).

You can get some good deals on prior models right around the time they launch the replacement.

I run and do off-road rides with an F35.

Originally posted by FranzZemen

Originally posted by nc452010 Very subjective answers will ensue I started with the 320XT (?). It was fine for what I used it for. I got the 920XT, next.....because I wanted to upgrade (all the cool kids at the pool had one). When I heard I could ditch the HR straps (the Scosche was great.....but still a PITA) if I bought the 935 (it's still plastic), I jumped at the chance. No regrets. It's a fine tool. My wife is currently getting RE-interested in running. If she stays interested, I'll either get her the F5 or get me one and give her the 935. NOT having a HR strap is that big of a deal, to ME. Good luck.

Can't agree more on not having a strap on your chest! They say the strap is still more accurate, but the watches have become consistent. If you have consistency, accuracy is less important (do you care if you HR reading is always a couple of beats off, if it is consistently a couple of beats off? I think the answer is no...because you can still setup your zones according to your watch/arm strap). I still prefer the scotche and will have to test the Fenix side by side for awhile when I get it. I like my wrist watch loose, which won't pair well with optical sensors. I don't mind the scotche tight because of the material and that you wear it on the forearm.

Considering that a heartbeat is a distinct event that is being counted, I would be skeptical of something that is "consistently" a couple beats off.

I'm still rocking my old Edge 500 on the bike and a Forerunner 220 for running.

I've got the 735XT (which just came down in price). I like it a lot; it doesn't have all the features that the 935 has, but I don't really care about altimeter. I like the optical HR monitor in that there's no chest strap, but it can be very finicky. You have to make sure the watch is on tight so that no light gets in (which affects the accuracy). 

The newest models tend to have features that seem more geared toward social media. If you don't care about that, there's no reason not to get an older model. You can find great deals on lightly used Garmins here and at slowtwitch. 

I've had the 310,910, 235, and now 920.  (Besides an Edge 500 and now 520).

I like that the historical tri watches have four data fields.  Makes it easy to to see what I want.  Three data fields feels constrained.  However, the round form factor is easier to use as an every day watch.

On HR: I didn't like the 235 generation of optical HR.  Before the 235 I was using a Mio Link for optical HR, and I think that was more accurate than the 235 generation of Garmin optical HR.  I could never get Garmin's optical HR to play nice on the bike.  And I had a hard time believing some of the higher bpm numbers.  When I got my 920, it came with a chest strap, and I've actually been enjoying it, even though I've had a bad experience with chest straps in the past.

On newer watches: I'm all about finding good deals.  920s are going for about 200 on the use market (and holiday deals are coming up).  I want to skip the 735 model because I don't trust the HR monitor, and will be waiting for when 935s come down in price on the used market.  My 310, 910, 235, 500, and 520 were all used.  There are good deals out there, and money to be saved in this expensive sport of ours.

It's actually kind of on my mind to get a 230, which is super cheap refurbished, and get a HR strap for it, since I have the 520 for the bike, and don't really use my 920 for swimming.

Look first at the classifieds here on BT, and check out the classifieds over at slowtwitch.com. 

I've used Amazon and eBay and Craigslist.  There's also a marketplace on FB for tri gear that always has great deals on everything tri related.