Watches with HR Monitors; GPS etc

nm

Edited by lisac957 2011-01-31 2:36 PM

If you can stand running with a calculator on your wrist, there's the Garmin 305. Amazon shows them with a HR monitor (shipped) for about 130 right now.

I like having a gps while I run. Takes the guesswork out, and the annoyance of planning out an exact route to hit a certain mileage. Then again, I'm an accountant so I'm already pretty ocd about numbers. Made training a lot easier, for me at least.

I lufs my 305, for its GPS more than anything. I prefer to train by effort and pace, though I intend to train with power on the bike thi season. The GPS gives me freedom to take off and run wherever I like and still get an accurate distance and pace measurement. Before I would pre-mark my routes with spray paint on my bike and have to stick to those routes.

Garmin 305  is the best value at that pricepoint.

x2.

pretty much the same reasons that the bear listed.. I like to just run, there are some new trails by me that I can't accurately track with the Bt tracker here or mapmyrun web sites.   I enjoy just taking off and running not really caring about time/pace/HR/etc.  until I circle back to the house, then I'm curious how far it was.

those watches with everything built in are a waste of money. Half of the time they dont even work right, the other half you find you dont really even need any of the features. 

just get a $40 timex ironman digital watch.  If you are so picky that you need an actual heart rate monitor pick one up for $30-$40.  half of the time, heart rate monitors dont work right either. 

theres a reason those watches are 50% off.  

305 is a great option

Seriously? Watches like the FR305 are a waste of money that don't work half the time? I've had mine for years, it's never failed to work, I use most of the features, and consider it to be one of the best training tools I've ever purchased.

The reason "those watches are 50% off" is because the company has introduced later models.

^^  That is just silly.  I love my global trainer.  It cost me $135 and never fails.  I had a 305 for a couple years before that watch and IT never failed either.  If you don't want power, go with a 305, if you do, go with the global trainer.  You can get a 305 for around the same now.  I think I bought mine new for 140.  While these watches are not necessary, they are a ton of fun to analyze and fool around with.  Not to mention you can share your runs with local friends etc.

Thanks for the replys. I am wating to see if Dick's will match Amazon's price of $128 for the 305. If they do I will take my $50 gift card and put it towards it and pick it up.

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Love my Garmin 405

as others have said, it takes the guess work out of training. Its not going to make you faster just a great training aid.  One thing it does help me a lot with is slowing me down on long runs where I tend to speed up to fast. It gives you your pace per mile actively so you know if you are going to fast or to slow.

Also gives a very accurate distance so no more guessing how far you ran.

then you get to upload all the data into your computer and see graphs and tables of your work out, also will keep track of weekly mileage and group your runs by week.

Go get one!

I have a 305 also and this is a pretty awsome program on top of all the other features.  I dont wear my garmin every day because its somewhat bulky and on easy days I dont need to hit a distance to the hundreth of a mile, but if you are serious about training, these are great for analyzing your workouts.