Does anyone have a Garmin?

lculian
lculian Posts: 313 Member
edited September 26 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi.

I have a Polar HRM and love it, but now that I'm running I would like to upgrade to something that tracks pace and distance. Does anyone have the Garmin 210? DO you like it, are there any cons?

I'm running 5ks, 10ks and will be doing a 1/2 Marathon in October. I'm hoping for a little guidance I would like to get a model that is reliable easy to use and will help me pace myself.

Thanks for the insight:flowerforyou:

Replies

  • Asomething
    Asomething Posts: 61 Member
    My hubby got me a Garmin 305 for Mother's Day (way early, I REALLY wanted it!). I'm a beginner/novice runner, but have several (real) runner friends who have these and LOVE them!! I'm really enjoying mine! P.S. Hubs got a great deal on Amazon.
  • Delboy1961
    Delboy1961 Posts: 26
    Ive got a 305 and it is excellent and has improved my speed as it tells you your pace so you know if you need to speed up / slow down
  • bunnysone
    bunnysone Posts: 486 Member
    ive got a 405, havent had a polar before so cant compare it, but I love the GPS feature on it so I can track my runs/rides, plus the online information that it has as well with splits, heart rate zones etc.

    Love mine!
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Here is a good review. http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/12/garmin-forerunner-210-in-depth-review.html
  • TAWoody
    TAWoody Posts: 261 Member
    Do you have an iphone or android powered phone? If so they have free apps on there that do just that. I have one on Android called Endomondo
  • lculian
    lculian Posts: 313 Member
    Thank you for all the tips, information and reviews. It's been very helpful!
    Have a great day!!
  • nam14uk
    nam14uk Posts: 556 Member
    I'm in exactly the same position as you. Started running and really enjoying it but the Nike sensor is not cutting it for me. U til now I have used that and I have a polar ft7.

    Lculian - Just curious about which model you ended up going for and what it's like?

    Thanks in advance?
  • thecrossfitter
    thecrossfitter Posts: 424 Member
    Here is a good review. http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2010/12/garmin-forerunner-210-in-depth-review.html

    Thanks for sharing this link! This is exactly the kind of review I was looking for! Let the shopping continue!
  • MaggieMay131
    MaggieMay131 Posts: 211 Member
    I have a Garmin and I love it! I don't know the exact model offhand, but it's proven to be pretty accurate. The only times I've had major issues with it were during large races in the city of Chicago - there are a couple places where I think there was some interference (because of the buildings, maybe)?? A couple other runners with GPS watches around me were complaining of the same issue... but I don't think it's Garmin, I think it was the satellite signal in general.

    ANYway, love it, my husband and I both have one. :)
  • loved1
    loved1 Posts: 206 Member
    I have the Garmin 305 and I love it. I don't think I've used half the features. That's one of my 2012 goals.
  • Zoekat05
    Zoekat05 Posts: 99 Member
    That DC Rainmaker site has amazingly detailed reviews for all of the Garmins as well as other GPS watches. It is a great place to go if you want to compare the various models.
  • bert16
    bert16 Posts: 726 Member
    I have a Garmin 405CX and love it - it's my BFF! Don't know how I'd run without it...
  • kevin3344
    kevin3344 Posts: 702 Member
    Do you have an iphone or android powered phone? If so they have free apps on there that do just that. I have one on Android called Endomondo

    I use iMapMyRun on my iPhone and it's very accurate. It's a great app for free. When I ran the Turkey Trot 8k it said my time was 38:24 my actual was 38:23! And it took a second to get it off my arm! So the time was spot on.

    The best part is the voice feedback. With bluetooth headphones it tells me my pace, distance, total time, etc. every .5 miles (or whatever you set it up as). It has auto-pause (in case you need to tie your shoe), and you can also go online and view your splits.

    I don't have a Garmin but a lot of my friends who are in the run club here in Raleigh either use that or their iPhone..
  • thecrossfitter
    thecrossfitter Posts: 424 Member
    I've read a lot of those reviews and the 210 is looking like the winner - but more research to come. Ive used endomondo in the past. I do like the app itself but I hate running with my phone! I also want some of the features regarding pace and laps etc. oh - and just a watch in general
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    Love my Garmin Forerunner 305. But I would like to upgrade to the 310XT or 910XT for battery life. The 8 hour life on the 305 is good for most things, but for ultra events, it's not enough for me. The 310XT and 910XT both have 20 hour battery lives. But if you don't need the extra battery life, save a bundle and get the 305. It's awesome.

    I complained about the battery on the 305 only lasting 8 hours, but that's an eternity compared to how fast the battery on my Android phone (HTC Thunderbolt) will drain a battery. If I'm using it to listen to music and run, it will die after just a few hours of running, so the phone is out for longer distances. In fact, when I run a 50 mile race in February, I will just keep my phone turned off and only fire it up if needed. Otherwise I would have to change batteries on the run. And even then it may still drain my spare! Dang smart phones. My old phone could go days without needing a charge!
  • thecrossfitter
    thecrossfitter Posts: 424 Member
    After hours spent reading DC Rainmaker (and other) reviews, I purchased the Garmin Forerunner 210 today! Hooray!
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    Yay! Have fun with it. :)
  • linnea213
    linnea213 Posts: 178 Member
    I received the Garmin 305 for Christmas after much research and love it! The big selling point for me was the large display.
  • athensguy
    athensguy Posts: 550
    After hours spent reading DC Rainmaker (and other) reviews, I purchased the Garmin Forerunner 210 today! Hooray!

    Congrats!

    I have a 305, but if I was going to do it over again I'd probably get a 210. The main reason being that the 210 has more intelligent calorie estimates if you use the heart rate monitor.

    You'll probably enjoy using the Garmin a lot more than using a phone.
  • thecrossfitter
    thecrossfitter Posts: 424 Member
    After hours spent reading DC Rainmaker (and other) reviews, I purchased the Garmin Forerunner 210 today! Hooray!

    Congrats!

    I have a 305, but if I was going to do it over again I'd probably get a 210. The main reason being that the 210 has more intelligent calorie estimates if you use the heart rate monitor.

    You'll probably enjoy using the Garmin a lot more than using a phone.

    Thanks! I just set up everything and made sure the hrm was synched properly. I'm about to take it out for my first run! I'm very excited :)
  • reallymyBEST
    reallymyBEST Posts: 242 Member
    I got a 305 this summer and it's helped my running a lot! I love it! The only negative is that I sweat a ton and have to put a wristband under it on the hot day or it gets a little annoying. I just got the attachment for my bike and am excited to set it up this wknd.
  • njfitnessgirl
    njfitnessgirl Posts: 281
    I have the Garmin Forerunner 305 and I absolutely love it. I run about 3-4 times a week and I use the heart rate monitor a lot for my p90x workouts. I love my Garmin and its worked great for tracking my pace and my workouts.
  • KimmieBrie
    KimmieBrie Posts: 825 Member
    After hours spent reading DC Rainmaker (and other) reviews, I purchased the Garmin Forerunner 210 today! Hooray!

    Yay! Enjoy... I got the 410 a week ago but I haven't really figured it all out yet. Used once so far on an outdoor run to track distance but haven't used the HRM yet but looking forward to it!
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I have had two Garmins, both 305s. One succumbed to puppy teeth (it still technically works but I can't see the screen). My second got lost after a race. I am still hoping it will turn up somewhere in the house, I am sure I brought it home. If not, I will be buying another Garmin. I have been very satisfied with them. I will go with one with a heartrate monitor as well.
    I have dealt with customer service a couple of times and have always been happy with the service. I have also read a number of reviews that say the same thing.

    I have an iPhone and use the imapmyrun app now since my Garmin is MIA. It works to track distance and pace, but its just not the same. I don't like that I can't see it as easily as my Garmin since I wear it on an armband, the Garmin is on the wrist. I find it difficult when I am trying to run a target pace because i can't see it and where the pace is shown , its really small.
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