Calling All Runners

medavidcook

Hey MFP

I am wondering if anyone uses a GPS enabled watch, I am looking for one that can upload data and shows map tracks

I am looking at polar rcx3 or rcx5

I am also looking at Garmin Forerunner 220 but they dont offer bluetooth HRM,

Any comments will be great

KristiRTT

I have no experience with the polar, but from what I understand they are strictly HRM at not gps, but I could be wrong! Garmin however does both, I have the forerunner 110 and if you get the one with the HRM strap included it is wireless to the watch!

Tim249

I highly recommend visiting www.dcrainmaker.com. It's a blog that reviews fitness-related technology, and he does thorough reviews of pretty much every option. And somewhere on there is a link to his bottom-line recommendations for different categories/budgets.

BerryH

I assume you want one with HRM compatibility too?

I've used a Garmin and was quite happy with it. I was tempted by bluetooth HRMs, mainly to use with phone apps, but they have a reputation for unreliable connections.

In the end all the strapping up and setting programmes was stopping me actually getting out there and running, so I just stick my phone in my pocket using CardioTrainer or Zombies, Run! apps instead.

3dogsrunning

I haven't tried any others, aside from an iphone with the Mapmyrun app, but I am a huge fan of Garmin. I am now on my third one (one lost to puppy teeth, one lost at a race). When its time for a new one, I will go Garmin again. I like the products, customer service is great - they often go beyond warranty and are great to deal with (I've experienced it myself and see lots of reviews that say the same).

You can check out this site for reviews on both. Its pretty popular.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-reviews/garmin

I'm not familiar with it, but why are you specifically looking for bluetooth HRM?

ETA - if you are just looking for HRM capability, some models of the 220 do have HRM. And they do have other models as well that come with it.

3dogsrunning

I have no experience with the polar, but from what I understand they are strictly HRM at not gps, but I could be wrong! Garmin however does both, I have the forerunner 110 and if you get the one with the HRM strap included it is wireless to the watch!

I think the model of Polar he is looking at comes with a food pod for distance and pace. I'm not sure how reliable that is.

justal313

I use a polar FT4 for my heart rate and Map My Run on my phone for mapping and distance. Yes it means at the beginning and end of a race I'm fiddling with my watch and my phone but I've kinda got it down now...

_Zardoz_

I have no experience with the polar, but from what I understand they are strictly HRM at not gps, but I could be wrong! Garmin however does both, I have the forerunner 110 and if you get the one with the HRM strap included it is wireless to the watch!

Polar do GPS enabled HRMs specifically the ones the OP mentioned. I actually looked at them but decided it was better (and a lot cheaper) to stick with a general HRM and use runtastic on my phone to track my route. If you're going to be carrying a phone anyway you might as well use it. The main advantage of having GPS on your watch are if you don't carry a phone.

medavidcook

I like the new forerunner 220 and was considering getting it, however i have heard it doesnt function properly if you use it to walk, the reason for the bluetooth hrm is it i go for a walk i can use the hrm to get accurate cal burn and not use the watch,

hope that makes sense

wombat94

I'll second the recommendation to read up on sports technology at www.dcrainmaker.com - he's the best at reviewing GPS watches, HRMs, and everything to do with endurance sports tech. (I have no affiliation, other than being an avid reader of his site for about 2 years).

Now for the specifics of what you are looking for I'd recommend the combination of the Garmin FR220 and an HRM strap - but don't buy the Garmin strap. Just get the watch from Garmin and instead get the Viiiiva HRM strap from 4iiiis.

The Viiiiva is a combination Bluetooth/ANT+ HRM so it can connect to both the Garmin watch and an iPhone (4s or later) - and it can do it simultaneously.

I use it with my (previous generation) Garmin FR 610 and my iPhone 5s. I track all of my runs on both devices so that if one has a problem (which does occasionally happen) I still have a record of it from the other device.

In addition, if you want to use a foot pod to capture cadence, the Viiiiva can pass the ANT+ foot pod data to the phone as a Bluetooth footpod so you only need on foot pod.

Definitely spend some time reading DCRainMaker's website and then decide what works best for you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Ted

3dogsrunning

I like the new forerunner 220 and was considering getting it, however i have heard it doesnt function properly if you use it to walk, the reason for the bluetooth hrm is it i go for a walk i can use the hrm to get accurate cal burn and not use the watch,

hope that makes sense

What do you mean it doesn't function properly? Do you mean it gives inaccurate distance or pace or HR? Or are you referring to the calorie estimate?

Wiltord1982

I got the Garmin Forerunner CX 405. Fantastic product. It does everything you need (HR tracking, maps, GPS). I got a fantastic deal at Costco for it and I don't regret buying it. It's the best motivation tool.

rduhlir

I have the newer TomTom Runner, and I love it. It has programmable training features and it is Bluetooth HRM capable. It plugs into MapMyFitness, which is the mother site of MapMyRun.

The developers of the Nike watch developed this one, so it is very similar.

The watch itself is great. GPS is extremely reliable and fast, takes like less than a minute most times for it to hook up to a signal. The training features offered include: pace, goal distance/time/HR/etc..., Intervals, Race. Among others.

There is a TomTom Multi-sport, which is about $40 more, and it is programmed for swimming and biking. You can even get a bike mount for that one.

The Runner goes for about $160-170 and the Multi-sport goes for about $190-200.

Oh, and the watches are interchangeable with different colors. So if you get tired of a color you can change it by getting a new watchband.

ETA: I have used the watch with my Polar FT4 chest strap, and it reads the HRM output for that. Not sure if this is true for all the other HRMs out there, but it reads my FT4. Just to let you know.

davert123

I use a FR410. I love it because it tracks HR, pace, distance etc and you can upload and analyses your data in Garmin or transfer to other packages like training peaks. If I don't know where I am going i also use an android app called runtastic running on android. .The downside of Garmin as far as i can tell is that the HRM doesn't pick up signals from anything apart from ANT+ and although I think you can navigate to waymarkers (i've not used this) you can's see a map on the screen. The runstastic HRM syncs with running machines etc. which is useful for pulling of HR data at least Good side of Garmin though is that it fits to your wrist and you don't have to worry about prodding about on a screen to see your data when its pissing it down and you are covered in mud :-)

davert123

I'll second the recommendation to read up on sports technology at www.dcrainmaker.com - he's the best at reviewing GPS watches, HRMs, and everything to do with endurance sports tech. (I have no affiliation, other than being an avid reader of his site for about 2 years).

Now for the specifics of what you are looking for I'd recommend the combination of the Garmin FR220 and an HRM strap - but don't buy the Garmin strap. Just get the watch from Garmin and instead get the Viiiiva HRM strap from 4iiiis.

The Viiiiva is a combination Bluetooth/ANT+ HRM so it can connect to both the Garmin watch and an iPhone (4s or later) - and it can do it simultaneously.

I use it with my (previous generation) Garmin FR 610 and my iPhone 5s. I track all of my runs on both devices so that if one has a problem (which does occasionally happen) I still have a record of it from the other device.

In addition, if you want to use a foot pod to capture cadence, the Viiiiva can pass the ANT+ foot pod data to the phone as a Bluetooth footpod so you only need on foot pod.

Definitely spend some time reading DCRainMaker's website and then decide what works best for you.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Ted

I like the idea of a combo strap I may investigate. I can see the benfits of having both a Garmin and a phone app and this may be the solution I have been looking for :-) Thanks

medavidcook

What do you mean it doesn't function properly? Do you mean it gives inaccurate distance or pace or HR? Or are you referring to the calorie estimate?

Seen reviews that it doesnt pick up slower pace,

SonicDeathMonkey80

I like the new forerunner 220 and was considering getting it, however i have heard it doesnt function properly if you use it to walk, the reason for the bluetooth hrm is it i go for a walk i can use the hrm to get accurate cal burn and not use the watch,

hope that makes sense

If you're only planning on walking as a form of fitness, save your money and get a Fitbit. Unless you're powerwalking with an 80lb backpack, I don't see your heartrate getting high enough to be worth recording.

3dogsrunning

What do you mean it doesn't function properly? Do you mean it gives inaccurate distance or pace or HR? Or are you referring to the calorie estimate?

Seen reviews that it doesnt pick up slower pace,

Really? I've never heard of that.

medavidcook

thats what i thought until i read it, got link at home, i know the fr220 has a run/walk mode.

If you're only planning on walking as a form of fitness, save your money and get a Fitbit. Unless you're powerwalking with an 80lb backpack, I don't see your heartrate getting high enough to be worth recording.

Walking wont be my main form of fitness, in the summer i do alot of hiking etc and also running,

geebusuk

I liked my motoactv when I was using it - can be got fairly cheaply as they're not discontinued.
Also will play music and do fancy stuff choosing appropriate music for the pace and so on.

I tend to have a phone with me anyway, so now got a phone that will connect to my Ant+ sensors and just that.

ldimicco

I just acquired the FR 220 with HR monitor and love it! There is an app you can download to wirelessly sync your run to the Garmin Connect website, and it also shows you all of your data on the app itself. I used the watch on my half-Marathon last week and it told me I ran 13.09 miles. Seems very accurate and is easy to use.

BluesGuitar

I have the Forerunner 210 with the HR monitor and have only great things to say about it. I think the Garmin Connect site you upload your info is lacking a bit on the esthetics department, though technically it incorporates all of the relevant data an athlete would want to look at.

FFfitgirl

I use my phone app to track these thing.

3dogsrunning

I use my phone app to track these thing.

I used the phone app for a long time. It definitely gets the job done and is more affordable. That said, I still prefer a dedicated GPS. They are more accurate plus it's much easier to get the info. It was pretty hard to see your phone on your arm to get all your info. I like beig able to check my pace and distance at various points (although voice feedback most apps have will give you the info you want at specified intervals). I find the watch much easier for pacing tempo runs and speed intervals.

It all depends on what you are doing and what you want.

scorpio516

I am also looking at Garmin Forerunner 220 but they dont offer bluetooth HRM,

Why do you need a BTLE HR strap? Do you already own one?

ANT+ works perfectly fine for all purposes. Watch + HR strap would do fine whether its ANT+ or BTLE or whatever.

I've got a Garmin FR 405. Been fine, but has had some issues - but given the environment I've put it though (negative temps through 105F+, dry, wet, rain, snow), not many.

The FR 220 is pretty neat. I personally want to upgrade to a 620 for the additional features, but that's just me.

If you don't want HR (and you probably do) the FR 10 is a good choice.
You DO NOT want the Forerunner 70. It's not a GPS watch!

you could find a FR 210 for a good deal now that the 220 is out. The 220 was a very good watch too.
The FR 110 isn't a bad deal, if you don't want to program run-walk/off-on intervals (that and foot pods for treadmills are what you get with the 210).

I've got two problems with Polar's watches: #1 they seem expensive for what you get. #2 they don't use an open protocol. Garmin/Timex/everyone else uses ANT+, which is open source. You can use a Timex watch, a Garmin HR strap, and a Trek speed sensor no problem. Polar's closed protocol means you always use Polar's accessories. I'm sure their next watches will be BTLE, but the watches they have out right now aren't.

So Timex also makes GPS + HR watches. A few other companies do too. DCRainmaker has a decent slice of the market covered, but he's missing some options. If you can navigate through letsrun.com's forums you can find some other options too.