Garmin Forerunner 210

fscarano

Anyone familiar with this GPS watch? Can it be used for walking as well as running?

pro? cons?

Thanks in advance

mellylq

I have the Garmin 110 (the model with the heart rate monitor), and I LOVE it. I got that particular one because I wanted to use the HRM for other activities like ketttlebell workouts and have an idea of how many calories I burned. I run, but I'm sure it can be used for walking as well. I love this watch!

thavoice

Anyone familiar with this GPS watch? Can it be used for walking as well as running?

pro? cons?

Thanks in advance

Yes, I can be used for walking.
Runnnig.
Biking.
Whatever you wish.


I have the 305 and love it. I dont know all the bells and whistles on your version but the functions I love on the 305 is the pace alerts..use them for races and PT tests.

wannaBrunnner81

I have a Garmin forerunner 310 and i use it for biking, hiking, running. I have not used it for walking but there is no reason you shouldnt be able to. I love it, and never go running without it. Well worth the investment.

whoisak

The forerunner can track any activity when ever your heart is pumping:-) but it really shines when you are out in the wild logging miles. That's really what you are paying for...the gps. Don't get me wrong, the forerunner is great, but I find the battery life annoying. You really have to have it charged for every use. And it's expensive.

Let me throw out an alternative. If you are like me, you probably already have your smartphone with you when you are running/walking/biking, so why not harness the gps in your phone with an app like MapMyRun or Endomundo? Then you can save your money and get a non-gps HRM.

I have a Sigma PC15, I bought it in 2007, and it has been a champ. It gives me my heart rate broken into heart rate zones, it does calories (very accurately I might add). I have logged well over 200,000 kcals and it keeps on ticking. Another lesser known benefit? It's an analog/un-coded signal, so it works with all the cardio equipment in every gym I've ever been to. I'm not sure if that is true with the Garmin, it is with Polar, not with Timex. The battery lasts forever, I change both the strap and watch maybe every 9 months. Alas is it discontinued, but you can still find it online, its successor is the PC 9, but i don't like it as much. The only con I see it having is you really have to read the manual so you know where all the features/functions are, but once you are familiar with it, it's great and makes total sense.

waylonlikks

I've had one for about a year and a half, and I'm happy with it. Mostly I use it for running, but I have also used it for walking. It's suitable for both.

I found the reviews on Amazon to be helpful in cutting up the details. The 210 a basic GPS watch, no fancy bells and whistles. It'll tell you where you went and how fast you were moving, automatically record split times, estimate how many calories you burned, etc. There's an optional heart rate monitor (HRM), which if I recall correctly is about $50 extra.

It syncs with Garmin Connect, a web service that recently got a major facelift and allows you to analyze your workouts in laborious detail. The 210 requires a cable to sync; more expensive models will sync wirelessly. It's a little tricky to connect the cable at first, but you get the hang of it. (Tip: connect the clip end of the cable to the watch and wiggle it around until it "snaps" into place BEFORE you plug in the computer side)

If you're a pro/am athlete who's obsessed with the minutiae your training data (things like cadence, vertical oscillation, ground contact time), or you really hate buttons and need a touchscreen, or if you're really into social media and want to sync wirelessly so all your friends and followers can immediately see the results of each workout (which I'm sure they're dying to know all about), you might want a more feature-laden device. But for a casual user who's interested in general fitness, the 210 does the trick.

Hope this helps.

glreim21

I have the Garmin 210 and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to purchase a GPS and HRM. You can use it for walking, running, cycling, even an option to use indoors. Haven't regretted this purchase for a second.

3dogsrunning

This guy does a pretty thorough review.
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/12/garmin-forerunner-210-in-depth-review.html

fscarano

Thanks all. appreciate the feed back.

SonicDeathMonkey80

I have one that I'm currently selling on Amazon because I needed more watch and upgraded to a 620.

Pros - does everything a GPS needs to do and displays 3 data points. Also tracks heart rate and cadence (with footpod).

Cons - data points are limited but adequate (I used it for 9 months just fine) and the charger cradle/clip can be finicky.

fscarano

How is the battery life?

thavoice

How is the battery life?

The batter life on the 305 is fantastic.

I cannot even tell you how long it lasts as I dont ahve to charge it very often.

Not sure of the 210 though

ag27404

The battery life on my forerunner 210 is pretty good, actually (I know someone said they had to charge after every activity but I have not had that issue). I have used it with no problem on half marathons and still had plenty of juice left. I typically can get 4-6 activities in before I need to charge, depending on how long the activities are. I did push my 210 to the limit when I biked a metric century. It took me about 6 hours (with stops and starts) and just as we were pulling into the finish I got the low battery warning.

Overall I've been really happy with it. I've had a few minor issues with my watch (issue with saving, connection to satellites for GPS) but Garmin customer service is fantastic.