Which Garmin (on a budget?)

brayblue24

I'd appreciate a bit of help please.

I'm taking the running more seriously as a winter alternative to the bike. I've been using the Garmin 500 when running (with a watch strap) but TBH I find it a bit cumbersome. I've had a FR60 (limited use due to limited data) and a FR405CX (slow to get satellite and a bit fiddly) but the OH wants to get me something for Christmas and I've decided to get a running dedicated Garmin unit (as I already have the Garmin HRM and Ant+).

Am I right that the FR70 is not compatible with Strava?

My budget is (give or take) €150 and any help at all will be appreciated folks.

Is there a unit I've somehow missed?

Thanks

SWL

brayblue24 wrote: »

I'd appreciate a bit of help please.

I'm taking the running more seriously as a winter alternative to the bike. I've been using the Garmin 500 when running (with a watch strap) but TBH I find it a bit cumbersome. I've had a FR60 (limited use due to limited data) and a FR405CX (slow to get satellite and a bit fiddly) but the OH wants to get me something for Christmas and I've decided to get a running dedicated Garmin unit (as I already have the Garmin HRM and Ant+).

Am I right that the FR70 is not compatible with Strava?

My budget is (give or take) €150 and any help at all will be appreciated folks.

Is there a unit I've somehow missed?

Thanks

I have the FR60 and use it for both running (mostly) and cycling, I have no problems with it, you will need to buy the footpod which is approx €50. IMHO all you need is pace, distance and HR which the FR60 does very well.

Krusty_Clown

The FR70 isn't a GPS unit. Not sure if that's a necessity for you? If you need something with ANT+ compatibility, then the FR10 is out too. So, you can choose from:

FR110 - GPS and ANT+ compatible, but an entry-level watch, known for having some reliability issues
FR210 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + intervals - outside budget
FR410 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + Advanced workouts - outside your budget

Two suggestions:
1) if you know someone in the US, you can pick up the Forerunner 410 + HRM for $150 at the moment (short term sale price). It'll be finicky though, like the 405cx you used previously. Delivery is within the US only, so you'd need to get it back somehow.

2) Today at 7:29pm, Amazon black sale will have the Forerunner 310xt + HRM for sale, for around £150 (around €185). Outside the budget, but I'm sure you could sell the HRM (seeing as you have one already) for €25-€30. It'll sell out quick though, so you'd need to buy it in the first minute that it's on sale.

paulwexford

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The FR70 isn't a GPS unit. Not sure if that's a necessity for you? If you need something with ANT+ compatibility, then the FR10 is out too. So, you can choose from:

FR110 - GPS and ANT+ compatible, but an entry-level watch, known for having some reliability issues
FR210 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + intervals - outside budget
FR410 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + Advanced workouts - outside your budget

Two suggestions:
1) if you know someone in the US, you can pick up the Forerunner 410 + HRM for $150 at the moment (short term sale price). It'll be finicky though, like the 405cx you used previously. Delivery is within the US only, so you'd need to get it back somehow.

2) Today at 7:29pm, Amazon black sale will have the Forerunner 310xt + HRM for sale, for around £150 (around €185). Outside the budget, but I'm sure you could sell the HRM (seeing as you have one already) for €25-€30. It'll sell out quick though, so you'd need to buy it in the first minute that it's on sale.

I have Garmin 310xt and I highly recommend, is def worth going a bit outside your budget for.

Krusty_Clown

endswell wrote: »

Is the 410 the best one or is the 910 better? Thanks for all of this info btw

The 910 would be better, but significantly more expensive. The 910 is the flag-ship of the Forerunner product line. It does a lot of things that the 410 doesn't do, like swimming (outdoor and indoor (using accelerometers)), 20 hour battery life, built-in barometric altimeter (crap) and other stuff. It does have its problems though. Many owners complain about fogging, though it has never bothered me (it does fog, but I don't see it as an issue).

endswell

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The 910 would be better, but significantly more expensive. The 910 is the flag-ship of the Forerunner product line. It does a lot of things that the 410 doesn't do, like swimming (outdoor and indoor (using accelerometers)), 20 hour battery life, built-in barometric altimeter (crap) and other stuff. It does have its problems though. Many owners complain about fogging, though it has never bothered me (it does fog, but I don't see it as an issue).

cheers!had got in touch wit sb in meantime so deleted post. thanks anyway

brayblue24

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The FR70 isn't a GPS unit. Not sure if that's a necessity for you? If you need something with ANT+ compatibility, then the FR10 is out too. So, you can choose from:

FR110 - GPS and ANT+ compatible, but an entry-level watch, known for having some reliability issues
FR210 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + intervals - outside budget
FR410 - GPS and ANT+ compatible + Advanced workouts - outside your budget

Two suggestions:
1) if you know someone in the US, you can pick up the Forerunner 410 + HRM for $150 at the moment (short term sale price). It'll be finicky though, like the 405cx you used previously. Delivery is within the US only, so you'd need to get it back somehow.

2) Today at 7:29pm, Amazon black sale will have the Forerunner 310xt + HRM for sale, for around £150 (around €185). Outside the budget, but I'm sure you could sell the HRM (seeing as you have one already) for €25-€30. It'll sell out quick though, so you'd need to buy it in the first minute that it's on sale.

Thanks for all the advice folks, particularly all the detail above. I didn't go for the 310 on Amazon as it came to about €200 in the end.

I'm waiting for a reply to an email I sent re a USA address. If I get it in time I'll order the 410 on Amazon.com's Cyber deal.

Thanks again

brayblue24

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

1) if you know someone in the US, you can pick up the Forerunner 410 + HRM for $150 at the moment (short term sale price). It'll be finicky though, like the 405cx you used previously. Delivery is within the US only, so you'd need to get it back somehow.

Received email from the US with mailing address too late for the offer but it went back down again yesterday to €149 so got it then. Should have it just in time for Christmas.

Thanks again for all the help folks

BullBauld

brayblue24 wrote: »

Received email from the US with mailing address too late for the offer but it went back down again yesterday to €149 so got it then. Should have it just in time for Christmas.

Thanks again for all the help folks

Hi brayblue24. How much in total did it cost you taking into account shipping from US. Did you use myus.com for the delivery?

brayblue24

Don't quote me on this as Amazon just give details of the item but no cost and I can't get into Eircom for some reason. IIRC it was $162/€125. Hopefully I'll shift the HRM after Christmas as I already have one.

I didn't use myus.com for one simple reason-I hadn't heard of them till about 3 minutes ago!! (But they're bookmarked now thanks) I used a friend of my mother's ans she'll post it over.

Can't argue with that price though

BullBauld

Sound, thanks for reply brayblue.

JohnnyBingo

brayblue24 wrote: »

Don't quote me on this as Amazon just give details of the item but no cost and I can't get into Eircom for some reason. IIRC it was $162/€125. Hopefully I'll shift the HRM after Christmas as I already have one.

I didn't use myus.com for one simple reason-I hadn't heard of them till about 3 minutes ago!! (But they're bookmarked now thanks) I used a friend of my mother's ans she'll post it over.

Can't argue with that price though

Any idea how much p&p and taxes VAT etc will add to the cost?

brayblue24

JohnnyBingo wrote: »

Any idea how much p&p and taxes VAT etc will add to the cost?

I'll post here when it arrives

JohnnyBingo

Ordered my Garmin 410 from amazon yesterday and having it hand delivered by a workmates brother. Giddy as a child while waiting for it It's the wife's Christmas present for me so she's glad that another item is ticked off the list. €147 including tax and one day delivery charge. Fantastic price.

brayblue24

Garmin 410 arrived today via An Post-no customs excess wither. It was ordered on December 1st and had a one night stopover in NYC before being posted registered. Total spend: watch €129 and regd. post $28.06/€21.50, to give grand total of €151.50. So no complaints here then:D