Ernesto's group (4th season)

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Subject: RE: Ernesto's group (4th season) - Closed

gobluedds - 2012-09-10 2:49 PM

dangremond - 2012-09-10 1:44 PM

chris2533 - 2012-09-10 1:24 PM

gobluedds - 2012-09-10 12:09 PM Need some input from the group. I'm thinking of finally getting myself a Garmin. It's getting harder and harder to get accurate distance information for my trail runs and I want to also start tracking elevation changes and correlate them with heart rate info. I do already have A HR monitor but it does not do GPS and having it all in one would be nice. I'm not really sure which version I want yet. While I may on occasion want to use this on my bike, I'll prolly never wear it in the water. Which ones do those of you who use a Garmin wear and why?

Forerunner 305 with heart rate strap, cadence sensor on bike and aerobar mount. I do use it on the swim under my cap.

I think a lot of us are now using the 910. I used to use a Polar running watch and am absolutely sold on the Garmin. I know you say you wont wear it in the water but I'd suggest you do. With the newest update for avg pace during the workout it tracks swim time only giving you a very accurate assessment of your swim pace over time. The strokes per length and efficiency #s are also useful. I no longer worry about keeping track of lengths/laps. It is very accurate. Also works fairly good in open water if you are traveling a good distance.

On the run and bike I find it very useful as well. It has built in altimeter capabilities or you can use mapping data to calculate. I have the foot pod that generates pace and distance absent the GPS if necessary and also gives you cadence. Same on the bike regarding altimeter. I bought the bike mount and the speed/cadence sensor so that it works seemlessly on the trainer.

The charge lasts a long time and it syncs with my windows based computer very easily. The Garmin website also is nice and allows some good data mining.

Happy to answer any specific questions you might have.

I was thinking of the 310 XT. Why did you choose the 910 over the 310?

With my background in swimming counting laps is second nature for me, so I really don't see the benefit of that at this point. Not planning any long OWS in the near future so again, prolly not a factor in the purchase. Is the altimeter really worth the additional couple of hundred bucks difference in price between the two models, for my use anyway? I'll need the foot pod either way to track dreadmill workouts correct?

The big thing for me was the swimming. The Swim Golf score and efficiency calculations are helpful as I try to improve. I don't pay too much attention to the altitude readings (altimeter or map supplemented). I do glance occasionally to see why HR / pace maybe moved more than I thought. I think it would be nice if Garmin calculated some sort of a grade adjusted pace.

I think the swim functionality is what accounts for the price difference. Not sure if there are quality or software improvements over the 310. I know a lot of folks had issues with the 310.

I use the footpod for instantaneous pace indoors and out. Indoors it uses the footpod for average pace as well. I'm pretty confident that the watch, if GPS is on - outdoors, utilizes GPS readings for average pace. I've really gone to relying on average pace for running as instantaneous pace seems less reliable.

If you have no use for the swimming I would get the 310 at REI. if you are a member (and maybe if you're not - just not sure) you have a 100% lifetime guarantee on the watch. if it flakes out on you or you decide you don't like it you can always return it.

Ernesto's group (4th season) - Closed (Page 131)

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