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Garmin 305 forerunner

holdfastholdfast Posts: 15
in General Chat
Hello



first post here so go easy. I have only completed a half iron man which I only finished due to determination and it would have been longer to wait for a pick up. I now want to get a garmin 305 forerunner to help me train better. I do a lot of my running in a forest. Has anyone used one in such any surroundings. How did it perform?

regards

Comments

  • jameshilleryjameshillery Posts: 69
    Hi, I have used one through South Weald forest and get great reception from it , it has not dropped any signal. where as my old 201 could not cope with heavy tree cover
  • nickmcauliffenickmcauliffe Posts: 7
    I can't offer any advice, however like you I am thinking of buying a forerunner. The other aspect I am looking at is how well it works on the bike, so if anyone has used one in this way then please let me know that too. thx



  • jameshilleryjameshillery Posts: 69
    I also use mine on my bike , wear it on the wrist whilst biking that is . I think they make a model that you can mount on the bike . Works very well , very easy to change between the run or bike modes. Running I prefer to use Pace as a measure and biking I use MPH .



    Very clear and easy to use . Also has a multisport option which I did not have time to work out before the London Tri this weekend . which as you press lap switches between the disciplines and also lets you time the transitions(I think) .
  • LuckyLucky Posts: 137
    I've got the forerunnner (and the edge for the bike) and I use the watch a lot more, mainly due to the fact that I'm waiting on a new bike, the multisport mode is great and the other secret of the forerunner is to configure your own screen. Interval training with it is great (about to go out and do a session now)



    The software is now available for mac and pc, top tip though don't try doing a device firmware upgrade using parallels on the mac, I had to send my watch back to garmin for replacement!
  • pigletpiglet Posts: 86
    Lucky you said"The software is now available for mac and pc, top tip though don't try doing a device firmware upgrade using parallels on the mac"

    Sorry to be dumb (not very computer lit- have a mac so don't need to be!) but what did you mean by firmware uprgade? I have been wanting to get the forerunner for a while but it's non-mac compatiblity has always held me back. Have they got it all sorted to run on mac without needing to get extra software etc?

    Thanks
  • LuckyLucky Posts: 137
    Ah, sorry, I'm in IT and making the classic mistake of assumed knowledge.



    When I first got my forerunner the software was only available on the PC, so as I run windows on my Mac using Parallels (so windows runs as a application within OSX) this was fine to view the data using the windows software, however when trying to update the firmware in this manner it "killed" the forerunner and I had to send it off.



    However now the watch software is out for OSX:



    Garmin OSX Training Center



    and also the firmware updating software for the watch is also out for OSX now too:



    Garmin OSX Webupdater



    Help this helps
  • pigletpiglet Posts: 86
    Thanks Lucky- that makes sense. I will look more seriously at the Forerunner now they've seen the light!! Cheers
  • LuckyLucky Posts: 137
    Also worth taking a look at Trail Runner once you've got the Garmin tools installed.
  • JonbrownJonbrown Posts: 10
    I've had my 305 for about 6 months find it fine for bike and run although not so easy to see on wrist - did see a guy with a bit of that foam pipe insulation wrapped around his handle bars that he then strapped his watch to. Not too bad through the woods-



    I use mapmyrun.com very similar to rest, nice upload tool available for 305 http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-kingdom/tywardreath-trotter/655687257 and you can also save route as google Earth map.



    Tricat at Plymouth Tri club sticks his 305 in plastic bag and then under swimming cap! see http://excoboard.com/exco/thread.php?forumid=101487&threadid=515143&page=5





    [image]local://389/D28EFB28225D410D80BD0845CF87D633.jpg[/image]
  • JonbrownJonbrown Posts: 10
    Just in case you can't get into Plymouth Tri clubs forum-





    [image]local://389/1A89451D538840BDADF5BDEDCC800D2A.jpg[/image]
  • LuckyLucky Posts: 137
    Jonbrown wrote:


    Tricat at Plymouth Tri club sticks his 305 in plastic bag and then under swimming cap! see



    I've been debating doing that for my Heron lake swims, expensive if you lose / drown the watch though... not sure if you would do it in a race!
  • holdfastholdfast Posts: 15
    thanks very much for the info. i will have a look at it. take it easy
  • cantswimcantruncantswimcantrun Posts: 1
    I have a 305 edge, which I think is fantastic, works well in tree's and also in cities. I prefer the Edge to the Forerunner, as I am mainly a moutainbiker. The barometric altimeter on the Edge has a much better accuracy than the forerunner which overlays the position onto a map to get an assumed altitude.



    Would def recommend Garmin either way.



    CSCR
  • nickjaywnickjayw Posts: 33
    Hi guys,



    I've very much being enjoying the use of my Garmin Forerunner 305 for well over a year now and it has performed brilliantly. However, a couple of weeks ago I attempted to swim with it and it drowned! Don't attempt to swim with your Garmin unless you add some sort of waterproofing.



    I'm going to get another as it is such a great unit and they are down to around £150 now!



    Nick
  • mini__Cmini__C Posts: 44
    In my opinion you don't really need a GPS watch for running, I mean come on, its rather gimmicky, you what to know how far you ran, use google map and plot it out and find out....

    speed, just time your self!

    The garmin 305 forerunner's screen is far too small, and not really value for money, why not just buy the garmin edge??



    For those of you thinking of purchasing a new garmin edge I would suggest that you wait after Xmas, cause the new Garmin Edge 605 and 705 with Colour screen, map capabilities and power meter capabilities will be out by then, the price are around 250 and 300



    Chris

  • frajfraj Posts: 1
    Holdfast,

    I bought a 305 about a year ago and it is brilliant. I probably don't use half the gimics on the watch but it's excellent to compare with previous runs/cycles as well as seeing where you actually went.

    Few issues though:

    a. The calorie counter seems to be a bit high but always makes for a good excuse to eat cakes whilst on the bike (update from garmin available but still bit high)

    b. You need to make sure you backup your data often. I lost a lot of the tracking details. I think i lost it when i did a software update for the watch.

    c. The elevation data is also questionable (running around a flat running track the watch stated my elevation changed by approx 40m)



    May all sound a bit negative but I would still purchase one.
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