GPS Watches
in General Chat
Hi,
Looking for some feedback on GPS watches - has anyone used the Timex Ironman Global Trainer or is the Garmin 310 XT the real daddy of the GPS watches. All the reviews I've been reading have left me a little confused so any assistance greatly received.
Thanks
Chief
Looking for some feedback on GPS watches - has anyone used the Timex Ironman Global Trainer or is the Garmin 310 XT the real daddy of the GPS watches. All the reviews I've been reading have left me a little confused so any assistance greatly received.
Thanks
Chief
0
Comments
do you know what you want from it?
However, garmin is a family of devices. I have a forerunner 405 and an edge 500 for the bike. It is nice to be able to share peripherals. Garmin uses ant+ (not sure about timex) so can be used as displays for other devices - eg a powermeter. So if you suspect that you may grow your gadget collection (as any right thinking triathlete will be bound to do) a garmin is a very good choice.
I am currently torn between the Addidas mi-coach and a forerunner 305.
Each tell me they do this, that, and the other, but only in a general kinda way that leaves more questions that I started with!
Questions about the forerunner:
Does the 305 tell you what pace your running at in real time?
Would that feature have in the current and average settings?
It says it remembers your heart rate and pace throughout a particular route, then tells you when you're faster or slower on subsequent runs. Does that comparison take place in real time as you run? or is it something you need to do when you get home to your PC ?
Ris, when you wore your 305 under your hat, was that with the heart rate monitor working too? (that would be handy)
And about the adidas?
Now I am right in thinking this isn't GPS enabled? Its just a heart rate monitor with ipod integration, right?
I like to train with my ipod, so obviously something that can plug into it and update me vie my ear phones is attractive.
But can the mi-coach be set up for sprint intervals and other stuff like that in the same way the garmin can. Or does it purely operate between steady heart rate zones and updates from the foot sensor?
Is it just a toss up between ipod integration, or GPS? Or do the features of one clearly outweigh the other?
Yes you can get current pace, slight lag - seconds - but unless you are constantly chnaging virtually on every foot fall is no real problem for me.
Also can display current, average and fastest pace info, info display can be customised to show .
I have the HRM and also cadence sensor.
I find the battery lasts 12 hours easily
you can set a virtual partner for a particular route and it will compare your current performance to it (speed, hr etc). not used this myself though as i tend to do my comparison stuff at the computer after the workout.
the 305 can't collect hr data from swimming the strap can't transmit through the water. you get gps data but it is pretty wacky (bcttt members on endomondo are doing some open water stuff with their gps and the results are fantastic - if a bit weird on distance!).
personally, i'd go for the hrm and gps combination, rather than ipod integration, but then i don't train to music. the 305 can be used on the bike (and swim, ish) and you can get cadence sensors for bike and running for it. ipod integration seems a bit gimmicky to me, rather than being a proper training aid.
I think the desicsion is made...
305 wins!
Shame though because I do like running to the crystal method. I guess I can always turn it down a touch to hear the beeps from the 305!
The virtual partner thing. Is it possible to have your PB from a particular route as that partner? I am crap at racing other folk, even imaginary digital ones! But I am fairly certain I can beat myself (that's how most days start )
You can also get bike mounts for your Garmin, so easy transitions too.