| Brand: | Garmin | ||
| Average Rating |
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Package Includes: Forerunner 305, Heart rate monitor, docking cradle, expander strap, AC charger, PC/USB interface cable, Quick start guide, Garmin Training Center CD & owner’s manual
The Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS System combines form and function. This combination running partner and personal trainer is designed for athletes of all levels. It features a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, new courses feature, and robust ANT wireless heart rate monitor for optimal performance. The super-sensitive GPS tracks your every move, even working on tree-covered trails and near tall buildings. The heart device monitors your heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. These taskmasters will continually push you to do your personal best. Courses feature lets you download recorded courses and compete against previous workouts Auto Pause pauses and resumes training timer GPS features – GPS with high-Sensitivity SiRFstarIII architecture Wireless communication between system devices via ANT protocol Display Size(WxH) – 1.3 x 0.8 (33 x 20.3 mm) Lap Memory – 1,000 laps Rechargeable internal lithium ion battery – lasts 10 hours (typical use) Waterproof – Submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins. Alerts – Time, distance, pace and heart rate Physical Size(WxHxD) – 2.1 x. 7 x 2.7 (53.3 x 17.8 x 68.6 mm) Weight – 2.72 oz. (77 g)
Heart rate monitor features – Transmission Range – approximately 3m (9.8ft) 3V CR2032 battery – lasts 3 years (1 hour per day) Physical size(WxHxD) – 13.7 x 1.4 x 0.5 (348 x 35.6 x 12.7 mm) Weight -. 74 oz (21 grams) more info
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June 1st, 2010 at 12:01 am
It works great
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I really can’t add anything that hasn’t been mentioned. For those wanting it for military purposes, it only displays in Lat/Long. I’ve taken this bad boy all over the world, and its the best training partner ever.
June 1st, 2010 at 12:02 am
The perfect fitness device for me!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have/had a Timex Ironman and have never been so aggravated with a sports watch/device as it. One slight bump of the buttons and the display would change to something that wasn’t easy/quickly to get out of… and many times that attempt would screw-up my the time/stats of my current run. Even if it didn’t, who likes to be distracted during there run, so… I decided to get this Forerunner. I’m not going to repeat what others have said nor list its features. I’ll just say that it is one simple operating sports watch with comprehensive abilities that provides the ability to do long term performance studies with the included software. If I did have something negative to say, it’d be about the cradle. The watch, especially with the second (long) watch band, is not easy to place on a flat surface without the watch popping out of the cradle. The cradle is used to charge and replicated data to and from the watch–no big deal.
June 1st, 2010 at 12:21 am
Must have for runners…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I absolutely love my forerunner 305! I was not a serious runner until I decided that I was going to run the Marine Corp Marathon this year. When I first started training I had to drive my routes to guage my miles. I had no idea how to monitor my heart rate and tracking my runs on paper was time consuming. Now I just push start on my forerunner and run. The forerunner tracks just about everything.
I’ve read some reviews about inconsistencies with satellites but I must say my forerunner locates satellites within seconds of turning it on. It has never lost a signal (even when I run tree lined trails) I can customize my training sessions and track my progress with easy to read software. Just sync the forerunner to your computer and all your run data is downloaded.
This item is a must have if you are training for any type of running race.
June 1st, 2010 at 1:01 am
Use it all the time!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I love that the Garmin 305 tells me how far i have runned, my pace and time. It does have a heart monitor which I have used but the numbers are soooo small even with reading glasses (which I do not wear while running) I have a hard time reading.
It is larger in size but the features make up for it. Easy to charge, still finding out all the other features. It’s doing everything I need it to do for now!
Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor
Mary, Stillwater, MN
June 1st, 2010 at 1:03 am
Wow….I regret takign so long to buy this
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
So amazon recently gold boxed this at $125…..wow am I glad I plunged. What a product. I use it in a very basic manner….go out for a jog and keep track of my stats as I go. Go home, plug it in. Basic accountability on what I have done. Can’t wait to test it on a bike.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:13 am
Ok while working, failed after 9 months
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
The heart monitor reading is too small to read when you really want to control your activities. Distance measurement was OK. BUT, after 9 months it simply failed, the reset recommended by Garmin did not help, and their service offered to try and fix it for 79$! without shipping. This is an overpriced old technology. Buy a simple HRM, and wait for GPS to be more efficient and cheaper on cell phones.
June 1st, 2010 at 2:52 am
Versatile Product!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have owned this product for over a year now and am so happy with it I bought another one! I use it mostly for hiking. It records the entire hike: elevation; speed; heart rate; map of hike; grade; time; distance. You can also use it to record how long it takes to get to the trail head, as well as the route you took to get there. Originally I bought it to use for running, but I found I only had time to run on our treadmill. So I had to buy a foot pod to record the distance I ran. I found the foot pod was quite expensive. When I saw the Garmin Forerunner 50 on sale at Costco for $80 I bought it. The Forerunner 50 has a heart rate monitor and the foot pod. Then I took out the foot pod and sold the HRM on Craigslist for $50. It worked perfectly!
The features on this watch are quite extensive. The size does not bother me a bit. I find you can view up to four different data values at one time. You can fully customize the data you view on multiple screens. I recommend this watch for any hiker who wants to view there progress. It even has a map feature so you can see where you have been, so if you’re going back on the same route that you hiked in on, you will be able to look at the watch and see if you’re on the correct route. Once you download the information into your computer you can make notes about the hike such as the trail you took or the what the weather was like.
You can even use it when you’re driving or boating. I even used it to calculate our fuel consumption when we were boating on Lake Powell in Utah.
So to recap:
You can use it inside on a treadmill
You can use it outside biking, hiking, or running
You can use it driving or boating.
It is a very versatile piece of electronics.
There were only two features I wish the watch would have:
#1 the ambient temperature, so the computer could record it and
#2 a solar feature to recharge the battery. Thanks for reading.
June 1st, 2010 at 3:54 am
Okay device, could be much better.
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I think the Garmin Forerunner 305 has the potential to really help out a runner but i don’t thing the heart rate monitor is very accurate. I’ve done a manual count after a heavy workout and compared it to the garmin and the garmin is way off by as much as 20 to 30 beats. That bothers me that I’m not get accurate data. Sometimes the heart rate monitor won’t even pick up my hear beat, so I spend several minutes during a heavy work out adjusting the band to see if that helps. I wish it would also tell my how many calories I am burning even if I’m not outside working out. It’s functional but I wish is was a better device.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:11 am
GARMIN FORERUNNER-excellent runing watch
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
happy with my purchased of the garmin forerunner 305, I’m a runner and i”ve been looking for a perfect watch that will suit my running activity.With garmin forernner 305 i can easily check the time,Pace and even calories burned after run.Is’nt it amazing that Garmin forerunner 305 made my running life uncomplicated.
June 1st, 2010 at 5:34 am
Fab 305
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
An amazingly easy to use sports watch which has increased my motivation to run by all the new metrics that are now available to me (displaying on download speed and elevation/grade, heartrate and pace, etc.). A great tool.
June 1st, 2010 at 7:36 am
Far better than forerunner 100
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I bought this for my wife for her birthday. She loves it far more than her Garmin forerunner 100. The battery life is better and it is more accurate.
June 1st, 2010 at 8:48 am
Great product!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am very satisfied with my Forerunner 305. I use it for running and skiing. It is easy to use, just turn it on and start running. GPS accuracy has been great for me, within 1-2 % accuracy on controll-measured routes. I chose the 305 instead of the 405 because of the good reviews here on Amazon and because of the good price, and I feel I made the right choice. Definitely 5 stars from me!
June 1st, 2010 at 9:30 am
Promise and deliver
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Hi, I’m 37 years old, running Marathon and less.
I used the Garmin Forerunner 405 in the last 18 months and decided to replace it with
the Garmin 305 Forerunner (yes, you read correct – i bought the 305 over the 405)
and i am very happy.
I am much more satisfied now:
- The on-going pace is much more accurate,
- the screen is clear and easy to read (405 is too small)
- It synchronize with satelites faster
and above all:
- It is easy to use with push-buttons (thanks god i no longer need to use the “”touch screen”").
Yes, it is a little big and a little heavy, but this is surely neglected!!!
you get used to it by the 2nd run.
The only doubt you should have when thinking of buying the Garmin 305 is whether you are
willing to spend more money and get the Garmin 310x.
I decided not to, and i am good with it: By saving 200$ the meaningful lost is not having
a vibrating alarms. Which is a very good idea, but i can manage without it, and with the 200$ i saved
Good luck and good run.
Ofer
June 1st, 2010 at 11:13 am
Garmin is not an Opera by Bizet!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
In short, I’m so glad I got this! it is a kick to use. I love knowing my running pace and all the little auto stop/beep at the mile functions. way cool! Great for Ironman Training. Would be cool if it was waterproof. I’d like to now have to leave it with my bike while I do the swim. But oh well.
June 1st, 2010 at 11:40 am
Excellent but does not work with most gym machines
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This excellent device does not couple with gym machines (treadmills, ellipticals, bike machines, etc.). I also have a Polar HRM, and it works with EVERY gym machine I have ever used. It is nice to have both: one for outdoor running and biking (Garmin 305), and one for gym use (including swimming) (Polar).
June 1st, 2010 at 11:59 am
Great — if you run on the tree-less tundra
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I’ve used it for a few runs on a parkway with trees and have only been able to get the GPS to work once. Standing the SAME spot two days in a row, and it found satelites after about 5 minutes one day and not at all the second. I haven’t been able to get the heart rate monitor working either, even after changing the battery and making sure the straps are wet. When I did get it working for one of the three runs, I did like the usability and the display. However, it’s pretty much a paperweight if you can’t get the GPS working. It’s great if you run out in the barren plains but forget about nice Midwestern runs along lakes. Buyer beware!
June 1st, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Great purchase
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I researched a few of the Garmin units before deciding on this one. I looked at the 405 and the newly released 110, and after comparing the features and cost I went with the 305. I couldn’t be happier. It is a little larger than the others but after wearing it a couple times I don’t even notice. The amount of data that it collects is great to go back and analyze, and you can see how you were doing at specific portions of a race.
In addition the 305 gives the option of using the footpod (indoors) and a cadence sensor (bicycle).
Would definitely recommend to others and would buy again.
June 1st, 2010 at 12:35 pm
A good decision
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
At the age of 63 I started runing in organized runs and realized I needed to monitor my progress without spending a lot and this Garmin 305 has proven to be a good investment. Thanks.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Garmin 305
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Love the Garmin 305. I use the heart rate and pace features. They are great.
June 1st, 2010 at 4:47 pm
Average Joe perspective
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I am by no means a serious runner; I am just a guy that needed a tool to help me stay in shape. If you hate running on treadmills or running in circles on a track then this is your ticket to freedom. This was by far the best purchase I could have made. After I charged the batteries, I was able to put it on and was able to use it right away. There are many features to this device and takes some time to get used to but you will pick it soon enough. I have found that the more features I learned the more excited I was to get out and run.
June 1st, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Garmin 305
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is my first GPS sports watch and it’s freakin’ awesome! It does everything I thought it would do plus much, much more. This is a great toy/tool to use during your workouts and it’s a great way to analyze the quality of the workouts. Well worth the money at $150!!!
June 1st, 2010 at 6:37 pm
Great product, GPS weak in cities
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I am very happy with my purchase. It allows me to track all aspects of my run. I like that I can set pace alerts, heart beat alerts, distance alerts and location alerts… all tools that allow me to train better and smarter. I haven’t used it while biking yet, but have heard it is great as well.
June 1st, 2010 at 7:14 pm
love it
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
for those of us who are technologically challenged, this watch is incredibly easy to set up and use!
June 1st, 2010 at 7:40 pm
Excellent Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have now used my Garmin 305 for several training runs and a half marathon. This product works great! The HRM is works as well as any other I have owned. Although, it would be nice if the HRM strap was compatible with the treadmill’s at the gym… The GPS has been flawless for me so far. I have had no issues with signal loss even while running on trails that have a lot of tree cover. I usually set my screen up to show, avg pace, heart rate, time and distance. This data has helped me to get the most out of my runs. I love the autolap feature. This feature creates a lap for a preset distance. I have mine set for 1 mile so that I can see how my mile times are throughout the run.
The software that comes with the unit is just ok, but I think that is because Garmin is investing their time in the Garmin Connect website. I use the Garmin Connect website exclusively now. It has more features, better mapping, elevation correction, etc.
June 1st, 2010 at 7:53 pm
Great watch for all running
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This watch is great for running with, because I can run wherever I want instead of setting up my routes online. I use it for coaching my track and cross country teams. I use it for marathon training and during my marathons. Elevation feature might be a bit off, but I don’t use that for anything. Heart rate is a great feature to use to see my progression of fitness. Love that I can have it auto lap my mile splits. I recommend it to all my friends.
June 1st, 2010 at 8:20 pm
SO FAR SO GOOD
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just got this watch and so far so good. Its big but not that big and you wouldnt think its light but it is. I do recomend it. Really nice
June 1st, 2010 at 9:23 pm
no customer’s service
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I had a Garmin 301. Its usb plug corroded. I contacted customer’s service, and they exchanged the device, no questions asked.
Since I bought 2 garmin 305, one for me and one for the Miss. I updated gps software on one of them… it’s not working anymore. I tried to contact customer’s service by sending 3 email for the last 2 weeks… no answer yet.
June 1st, 2010 at 10:31 pm
Best running watch…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got this watch for $120 a few years ago. I cannot run or bike anywhere without it. It tracked everything. I like to use it when I go to new places, then upload the GPS info in Google Earth to see where I am, very cool……
June 2nd, 2010 at 2:54 am
Great Device
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this Forerunner because I wanted to train for a triathalon. Very easy to change between running and biking which is nice. There are a lot of features with this but once you get the hang of it, the watch is easy to navigate. Heart monitor is a little quirky to setup. Mine didnt setup automatically off the bat so I had to keep turning the device off and on until it connected. Not really that big of a deal and shouldnt be a show stopper for purchasing this watch.
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:22 am
Great for biking and running
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Does all I hoped it would, and for 1/2 the price of newer models. GPS seems very accurate and the reports are great. Not sure how accurate the calorie counter is, seems high, but the heart rate monitor and tracking is excellent.
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:01 am
Great Product at Great Price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’d been thinking about purchasing a Garmin for months for my Triathlon training. I’d spent ages considering the pro’s and con’s of all of the different versions – 405, 405CX, 310XT – but just made a ’snap’ decision one day that at this price I’d go for the 305.
And I’m really glad that I did. It does everything I need and didn’t cost the earth. The HRM signal reception is rock solid and the GPS acquires the signal pretty quickly when it has a decent view of the sky. I don’t really need to swim in it or wear it as a day-to-day watch, so didn’t need to pay the extra for the 310 or 405.
Only minor negative is the maps in the Garmin Training centre software – it only show major roads. It would have been better to integrate it into something like Google Maps to get a better map view, but the export to Google Earth makes up for this.
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:16 am
Very Happy With This Watch
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I started running again recently and just jumped in a bought the watch. Amazon had a sale on the watch I couldn’t pass up. I had been looking for watches and had my eye on this one for a while. I bought the watch because I got it for a good price. At the time there were others I liked more, but since I’ve been using this watch I have fallen in love with it.
Acquiring satellites goes much quicker if you stand still. I set it on the ground while I stretch and it is ready to go way quicker than if I wear it while stretching. I love the features, love the big display and the control you have over what you want to have displayed. You can choose all the display features to show for three screens.
Thought it would be to big and bulky, but really not a problem.
Great watch, my wife takes it for her runs now too and really likes it.
Have had it for 2 months and use it 4 times a week.
Still haven’t used the software though so I can’t comment the functions and use of that. I just haven’t gotten around to it, but plan to.
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:47 am
Great tool for novice to expert
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I recently started trail running and the Forerunner 305 has been great! It is nice to see how far you have run and see a total of miles for the week or month on the computer screen after downloading. I haven’t gotten into to evaluating my heart rate yet and I know there are many more options to learn about but for now this is a great tool for novice to expert. Oh and I even got lost when I ventured off the trail and was able to find my way back to my car by using the navi directional arrow! Awesome!
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:50 am
Very Satisfied Customer
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
As I started training for triathlons, I researched all the heart monitor systems and found that the Garmin Forerunner 305 was exactly what I was looking for, and was within my budget.
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:51 am
Very good GPS
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is a very good GPS. All of the functions are easily understood and you can be up and running in a few minutes. The watch is a bit bulky, but it more than makes up for it in functionality and ease of use. Only problem is sometimes cant find a satellite connection when outdoors. Can take as long as 5 mins to connect. Otherwise great product.
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:27 am
Awesome
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this Garmin. My first GPS watch and it is great. It is great for running and biking!
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:27 am
Running for life
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor
This Garmin Forerunner 305 is the best!! I don’t leave home without it!! It keep track of everything! I don’t have to worry about how many calories I burn I know what I have burned with the 305. It is exactly correct on the miles I run. I love the way you can download your progress on your computer without having to be online. I do a lot of 5 and 10k runs so this is very much needed to help me keep track of my progress. It is a great product for advanced runners, I do recommend this product to any runner that wants to keep up with their progress. Awesome product.
June 2nd, 2010 at 12:31 pm
I don’t know what I did before I had my Garmin
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The product is amazing. Sometimes it takes a little while to locate a satellite but I leave it on my window sill while I’m getting ready so it has time to connect. There are so many features and all are very easy to use. I haven’t tried to HRM feature yet but plan to do so soon.
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Poor quality
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
Returned twice for repair in first nine months, now dead for the third time and recently out of warranty.
This product is easy to use and has some good features such as HRM for the price but quality is terrible.
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Great Device
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Always wanted one of these, picked it up when Amazon was offering it for a steal of a price. After a good read through of the instructions, I strapped it on and gave it a whirl. The GPS picked up the signal quickly, the heartrate monitor worked perfectly and the data on the watch is great for challenging yourself. The device has continued to work well with no issues since I purchased. The software was easy to install and the watch syncs effortlessly.
Pros: Data captured: fantastic, every data point you could need. As I learn more about the community behind the devices, I am seeing all types of cool stuff you can do (like Geocaching, mapping and sharing routes on Google Earth or Bing Maps).
Pause feature: detects when you stop for a traffic light and autopauses the timer. Great feature, even better that it is optional to the user
Cons: Altitude tracking: only flaw I have seen so far; did a 2 mile hike that climbed ~2000 feet, device had total ascent of ~4000. I wonder if that was the sum of all time going up hill versus the true altitude change, as the course had various ascents and descents.
Overall, I highly recommend. Also, check your HSA flexible spending account rules; because of the heart rate monitor, this device qualified for reimbursement under my plan.
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Frustrated w/ length of time to locate satellite after being indoors
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
This is a really cool watch. I like the addition of the cadence sensor. The heart rate monitor fits great. But it is annoying waiting up to 5 minutes after going outdoors to retrieve the satellite. It is twice as annoying for work out buddies.
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Exactly what I was hoping for
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ve been running with the Forerunner 305 now for a month. I wanted something that would accurately tell me distance and pace, and the 305 does that beautifully. The HRM works well. The battery life isn’t great, but it doesn’t matter as long as you charge it occasionally, and it fully charges quickly.
I can’t comment on the long term reliability, but so far I love it.
June 2nd, 2010 at 1:47 pm
Garmin rocks ^^
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I got the garmin after trying with very good results the Nike C5 which I used when I started doing my workouts for P90x. It showed reliable information with a very nice display.
Soon I discovered a very nice gadget: Adidas miCoach and although it was a nice since you could select a wide arrange of workouts depending on your goals(fitness, losing weight, marathons, short runs etc.), personalized workouts, 10+ trainers etc. it lacked something: a visual display and a GPS.
The garmin filled those 2 important needs for me and many more:
1. Mac compatible software
2. Amazing web support
3. Easy to share workouts on social networks like facebook
So far, I’ve tested it for a month and the satellite lock is fast, accuracy is impressive. Don’t mind the ‘bulky’ look since after you are done with your training you take it off ^^
Btw, remember to keep it charge before a long training session. Havent tested how long it last since I charge it after every session but it doesn’t hurt to have it at 100%.
June 2nd, 2010 at 3:03 pm
Great Product
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great product, although the time in seconds it takes the device to link to the satellites could be improved.
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Very good overall, but some annoying issues
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I almost didn’t bother writing this – the Forerunner 305 has so many reviews already and I figured no one would actually get to reading mine. But in the interest of providing some info I didn’t see in other reviews (course I only read the first few pages), I figured I’d write something up.
I got the Forerunner as a Mother’s Day present a couple weeks ago. I’ve since taken it on several runs. I’m just getting back into running after a 10 year hiatus so I’m by no means an expert — I can’t speak to how the Forerunner works for elite runners or people with serious training schedules. I mainly wanted it because I’ve been running through the woods on unmarked trails, and it’s hard to judge the effectiveness of your workouts if you have no idea how far you’re running.
Overall the Forerunner does what it says – it seems pretty accurate with distance (I’ve taken it on trails with milemarkers a few times and it seems pretty dead-on with the mileposts). The trails I run on are pretty-thickly tree-covered and it doesn’t seem to bother the reception much. The pace sometimes gets wonky — I run at a pretty consistent pace 9-10 minute mile pace) but I’ve seen it swing wildly within a minute from 11 min/mile down to 7 min/mile — I can say for sure that if I was really running 7 minute miles, I’d probably keel over dead so I know that isn’t right. Also, the elevation readings seem completely whacked. One of my trails is an old rails-to-trails and is completely flat along a creekbed — there’s maybe a total of 10 feet of elevation change. Every time I run it and download the results of my run, the Garmin tells me I ascended a total of 200+ feet and decended 170ish feet. Besides the logicaly impossibility of that (wouldn’t I still be floating 30 feet in the air when I returned to my starting point), there’s no way there’s more than 10 feet of elevation change total over the whole trail. I’m not sure if elevation is so inaccurate because of the trees or what, but if you are looking for something that accurately reports your grade and elevation, this isn’t going to do it in my experience.
Other things that bother me: the Forerunner does seem to take a ridiculously long time to find the satellites when you first turn it on (I have a regular Garmin Nuvi in my car that finds the satellites almost instantly every time — not sure why the forerunner is any different, but it obviously is.) You also seem to have to stand still to get it to find the satellites – so I can turn it on, get in my car, drive to the trail, park, get out, and it still hasn’t found them because I’ve been moving. I usually have to stand around (perfectly still!) in the parking lot for a while waiting for it to find the satellites, which is annoying. I think I might try the suggestion of another reviewer – turn it on and leave it outside while I get changed into running gear.
One other thing that’s bothersome is that I find the watch very uncomfortable. It’s not that big and out of the box, I didn’t think it would be a problem. Maybe I have abnormally bony wrists or something, but when I strap the watch onto my wrist, it presses against the bony nub at on the outside of my wrist. That spot has been bruised and sore since my first run with the Forerunner. I’ve tried loosening the strap a bit, but then the watch just flops up and down repeatedly on that bone, making it hurt even more. I’ve tried moving the watch up my forearm a bit, higher than the wrist, but over time as I run and sweat, the watch ends up sliding back down over my wrist and banging up and down over the sore spot. I thoguht about turning it so the display is over the inside of my arm, but that points the GPS antenna toward the ground and I think that will mess with the accuracy (I suppose I could wear it towards the inside of my wrist, antenna pointed toward the sky, and just learn to read the display upside-down!). My wrist has gotten so sore that it’s interfering with my ability to wear the watch. I’m thinking of either ordering some wrist sweatbands and wearing the watch over one to see if the extra cushioning provided by the sweatband helps or seeing if Garmin has a different strap that might be more comfortable — I read somewhere that there are different wristbands available so I guess I’ll have to call them to find out.
Oh, one more tiny point – there’s is virtually no instruction on how to wear the heartrate strap. I had never worn one before and had no idea how you were supposed to put one on. The manual tells you “just under the breastbone” but doesn’t explain how to fit it when you’re wearing a sportsbra, etc. There are no pictures or diagrams in the manual so I ended up googling and finding a few you-tube videos that demonstrated other brands of heart rate monitors and that’s how I figured it out. I guess Garmin assumes that you’re an expert runner who knows what you’re doing and don’t need a lot of handholding, but I think providing a diagram in the book (or even a simple sentence that says women should wear the strap directly underneath the bottom band of their sports bra) for heartrate monitor newbies like me would have been very helpful.
I know it seems like I’m complaining a lot, but overall, I really like the Forerunner — it was easy to set up and is pretty intuitive to use. The heart rate monitor seems very accurate and it’s comfortable to wear. The connection to my computer and installation of the software was fast and easy. It charges quickly and holds a charge for a long time. It tells me my current pace pretty accurately most of the time, total distance, total time, and current heart rate which is all I mainly care about during my run. Heck, just having the total distance is huge for me — no more trying to guess how far I went based on how long I ran or driving my route with my car afterwards to see how many miles it was. The sofware is pretty cool and lets you make all kinds of fancy graphs and stuff, and it will keep your training history forever. The Forerunner does lots of stuff (making courses, mapping, setting training zones and having it alarm if you go out of them) that I haven’t even tried yet. As soon as I find a way to make it stop hurting my wrist, I’m looking forward to many years of running with it.
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:14 pm
awesome
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I had a polar hrm before this. This item blows the polar away. It actually motivates me to run so I can go back home and upload the data to my computer and then look at all the charts and graphs. I can see the data that is important to me like heart rate, speed, and pace. You can even export it to google earth. Pretty cool.
My favorite feature is the real time pace. This has helped me a lot during training and running a 5k. I can see if I am going to slow or be wowed by how fast I am actually running.
I have not spent enough time to get familiar with all the menus and options because right out of the box it gave me almost everything I was looking for. May pick up the foot sensor so I can get the same kind of data while running on the treadmill.
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:30 pm
Perfect tool for runners, fun to use, powerful features – fast GPS lock
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The 305 is a huge improvement over earlier models. The GPS lock-time is significantly faster with the 305. I’ve gotten a GPS signal inside my house within 30 seconds. In addition, the smaller profile of the 305 makes it easier to use on a wrist. It looks and feels like a large wrist watch and not some monstrosity or rejected design for an ankle monitoring bracelet.
The software for Windows is excellent. Retrieving data from the 305 is a snap, and it is nice to overlay your running routes onto a map. I used to enter all my running data manually and it became cumbersome when I got lazy and forgot to record a year’s worth of data. It tracks and monitors your heart rate data if you have the heart rate sensor strap. Speaking of the sensor, it is very cumbersome and uncomfortable to use. I had the strap fall down to my waist numerous times. I had it above my pectoral muscles, under my pectoral muscles, tightened it, and did almost everything short of duct tape it to my skin each time and it never failed to loosen up and fall down to my waist. The data that it collected was acceptable at times, but more often than not I got erroneous data and it didn’t really contribute much to my running pattern. It is a great idea if the strap had been incorporated into the watch itself to monitor my pulse. I don’t see why I need to strap a huge wireless antenna to my chest to get the data.
The display is very clear and easy to read. The buttons feel very mushy and it isn’t just because of the silicone material that covers the buttons. There’s no tactile response so I second guess whenever I try to push a button. I had to set up the 3 screens the way I wanted, but there’s no speed display for joggers. You only get to see your pace, and speed is available only to bikers. However once you download the data to your PC, the speeds are available. In the older Forerunner, you could easily set it to display speed in MPH for jogging.
Pros: Easy to use once you spent the time to set it up, rechargeable internal Li-Ion pack that has great battery life, available sensors for heart rate and bicycle pedals, and is comfortable on the wrist.
Cons: Heart rate monitor is cumbersome and uncomfortable, buttons don’t feel very tactile.
Overall: 4/5 stars
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:41 pm
A Great Investment
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the 305 after almost 6 months of review and feedback from friends. It has been the best investment I’ve made in my training. I’m still learning all of the features but the immediate ones I needed were perfect right out of the box.
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:42 pm
I love my Garmin GPS!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I was impressed by the speed and efficiency in delivering my Garmin GPS! When I got it I was thrilled with all the features it comes with!It’s easy to use and I can record my data in my PC for future adjustments.A real worth-buying!
June 2nd, 2010 at 7:44 pm
A gadget can’t make you get in better shape….or can it?
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
All in all, I’ve seen my share of fitness gadgets and tools come and go and I’ve come to appreciate a few as my very favorites and the forerunner 305 definitely in my top three. Now is the Forerunner 305 a completely necessary tool, no, not at all, if you really wanted to you could just googlemap out your run and figure out your pace with a watch, and you could definitely get a much cheaper heart rate monitor for that purpose. That being said, the Forerunner 305 is a fantastic tool and does everything that it can do nearly perfectly.
Having this tool to track and keep a history of my runs has really inspired me to run much more often. And looking at the watch while running definitely inspires me to run faster to keep pace or go faster than my last run. So from those perspectives the Forerunner 305 actually does get you into better shape.
For tracking runs the Forerunner 305 can’t be beat, it’s incredibly accurate in it’s gps positioning and keeps detailed history of your runs (or bikes for that matter). I used to use the Nike + run system and this watch keeps much more accurate records on distance. The only small issue that I’ve run into with the watch with respect to its gps function is that the watch can sometimes take a bit longer to locate satellites when it’s turned on if it’s overcast outside. It also gives a great deal of display options and can show you pretty much exactly what you want to focus on in whichever display position you desire.
The workouts option provide good options to train with including the expected distances, 5k, 10k, marathon and anything custom inbetween.
The heart rate monitor is quite accurate and the watch even enables you to set alerts to go off if your heart rate is too low or too high. The only other issue that I have with the watch is that the calorie counts aren’t necessarily the most accurate. The calorie counts are calculated based on weight and distance traveled. This is a basic method to calculate calories burned, and can vary in it’s effectiveness based on the overall fitness of the person. A more accurate method to determine calories burned would be based on heart rate, which this watch should use, but does not, and I’ve heard that some of the cheaper polar heart rate monitors will do (because they have to since they don’t know the distance traveled).
Overall though, this watch has been an invaluable part of my fitness arsenal and has enabled me to stay in great shape without a gym membership.
My other two favorite fitness tools are PowerBlock Elite 90 Adjustable 5 to 90-Pounds per Dumbbell Set and Bowflex SelectTech Adjustable Bench Series 3.1.
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:05 pm
hoping to make better use of this soon
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
this will be great once i get out and run some trails or start riding my bike again. it basically does not have a map even though it claims to have one. it has a pointer. the heart rate monitor works good, but the numbers are tiny for that piece of data if it is something you’re trying to pay attention to while running.
otherwise, is great. i even loaded a costa rica map i purchased for my nuvi onto it.
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:12 pm
Love it!!!!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love this item. I put off buying one for a few months then finally just gave in. I haven’t tried all the features, but I’ve already used it 4 times (I’ve had it about 6 days). I love being able to keep track of my pace. The GPS seems to work great! I would recommend this 100% The only thing is I wish the unit was a little smaller, but I’m making due (it’s not a deal breaker). Can’t wait to use it in my next race.
June 2nd, 2010 at 9:50 pm
More useful than I thought
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
With all that has been said, I thought I would add that I am impressed just how much Garmin packed into this device, even though it has aged and must be near the end of its scheduled production lifetime.
Technology often gets in your way, but Garmin has made this device simple and practical to use. I mostly use it for running and biking, and for both sports, it has never gotten in the way. I have not tried it for skiing, but I will next skiing season.
Of all the great features, the heart rate monitor is very important for training, and the ‘Training’ modes and ‘virtual partner’ would be useful for more professional athletes.
For biking, the quick mount is sturdy, and the watch has not popped out. The LCD is clearly visible in daylight, and the highly user configurable display options are nice to track real-time and average stats. You can easily switch between display modes with the up/down buttons.
I was concerned about its ability to track heart rate, and so far it has been quite accurate. In some cases, the heart rate monitor has over-estimated the actual heart rate and gave readings in the 200 bpm range. In those cases, I have readjusted the HRM strap slightly, and then it began to track accurately again.
Another concern was the elevation accuracy. It is not accurate with altitude for various technical reasons, but so far it has not been embarrassingly wrong in deep mountain valleys, where I thought it might completely lose it. So it is OK to use for long, undulating, mountainous bike rides.
One note — this device can start to track satellites if it is turned on indoors, so if you are not in a ’steel jungle’ you can turn it on before you start your workout, and it will be ready in time (usually only 1 minute anyways.)
This device makes it easy to track my cardio progress and performance over a long period of time in a variety of sports, and for that I give it 5 stars.
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:13 pm
Great Improvement over the 205! Definitely a must have!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This thing is amazing, easy to set-up and extremely accurate. I was looking for an alternative to the Nike Plus I was using before and this one nailed down my distance extremely accurately. Best of all it worked with my mac, and was extremely easy to set up. I strongly recommend this to anyone who’s wanting to get serious or is serious about their daily jogging or biking ritual
June 2nd, 2010 at 11:42 pm
Great product!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
After much research, I opted to purchase the Forerunner 305. I was concerned about its size being too large, but was pleasantly surprised to find it not as big as I originally expected. The software that comes with the product is sweet. It gives you the ability to track all of your progress right from the PC. It even allows you to view your route on Google earth, which I found to be really cool. I have used mine during cycling, jogging, kayaking, and even purchased the foot pod to use on the treadmill.
Some of the cons about the product.
Heart rate strap is uncomfortable and itches after some time. The Garmin watch will only communicate with a Garmin heart rate monitor strap. I have a really nice Polar strap that is very comfortable that I could not use. I contacted Garmin’s customer support and they concurred with my findings. You can always purchase Garmin’s version of a soft strap, but who wants to spend another $60.00.
The battery life is only 10 hours. Even when I power it down after each use, it appears to drain.
These cons are petty compared to what this unit can do. Thought about buying one of the newer more expensive versions, but glad I opted for the 305.
Go ahead and buy it