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Watch with speed/distance tracking advice

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  • 29-03-2013 4:34pm
    #1
    Lemlin
    Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭


    Started running about 3 months ago and have been using my iphone with Runkeeper to track my stats like average speed and distance.

    Problem is, as you can imagine, it's big and clunky and if I have no pockets I have to hold it while running.

    Just wondering if anyone could recommend a watch I could use for tracking my speed and distance?

    I'm not too worried about tracking heart rate and would like possibly something where I could load back to Runkeeper.


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    #2
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Garmin FR10 is the simplest GPS watch on the market. For more functionality you go up from there to the 210, 610 & 910 (or Polar)


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    #3
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,524 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    amphkingwest wrote: »
    Garmin FR10 is the simplest GPS watch on the market. For more functionality you go up from there to the 210, 610 & 910 (or Polar)
    You missed out on the 405 and 410, which are cheaper options than the 210, 610 and 910. Then there's the Timex Ironman range, which seem to be improving with each new revision, but are not as widely available (or supported) as the Garmin/polar watches.


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    #4
    Lemlin
    Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    amphkingwest wrote: »
    Garmin FR10 is the simplest GPS watch on the market. For more functionality you go up from there to the 210, 610 & 910 (or Polar)

    Is it the best that I'll get for around €100?

    And I presume it'll load back to Runkeeper?


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    #5
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Lemlin wrote: »
    Is it the best that I'll get for around €100?

    And I presume it'll load back to Runkeeper?

    To be honest you could pick up a 305 (refurbished) or even a 110 for around the €100 mark and a 305 at that price would be fantastic (they were €300+ when new) but they are discontinued so there won't be software updates or support going forward.

    I don't use Runkeeper but I'm sure there is a way of using an uploader to capture the data from the watch and upload there. You do have Garmin Connect which works to upload and store your run data.

    As Krusty pointed out, I skipped the 405 and 410, they do sit in under the 610 and have more features than the 210 but not so user friendly, just google reviews and search the Garmin megathread for 405 / 410 comments.

    I'm a BIG Polar fan but they don't have anything in the market to compete with the FR10 (Yet! ;))


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    #6
    Lemlin
    Registered Users Posts: 22,249 ✭✭✭✭Lemlin


    amphkingwest wrote: »
    To be honest you could pick up a 305 (refurbished) or even a 110 for around the €100 mark and a 305 at that price would be fantastic (they were €300+ when new) but they are discontinued so there won't be software updates or support going forward.

    I don't use Runkeeper but I'm sure there is a way of using an uploader to capture the data from the watch and upload there. You do have Garmin Connect which works to upload and store your run data.

    As Krusty pointed out, I skipped the 405 and 410, they do sit in under the 610 and have more features than the 210 but not so user friendly, just google reviews and search the Garmin megathread for 405 / 410 comments.

    I'm a BIG Polar fan but they don't have anything in the market to compete with the FR10 (Yet! ;))

    Just checking Amazon and this 110 looks a decent price with heart rate. Would it be my best option for that price point? It's available for about €100 without the heart rate either.

    I want something that is user friendly so the 405/410 are out.

    Any 305 I've seen online still appears to be near €300 and I'd prefer get something where there'll be software support going forward.


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    #7
    Krusty_Clown
    Registered Users Posts: 19,524 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Lemlin wrote: »
    Just checking Amazon and this 110 looks a decent price with heart rate. Would it be my best option for that price point? It's available for about €100 without the heart rate either.

    I want something that is user friendly so the 405/410 are out.

    Any 305 I've seen online still appears to be near €300 and I'd prefer get something where there'll be software support going forward.
    The Forerunner 410 is £15 extra and you get so much more than the 110, but if user-friendliness is a deal-breaker, I would go for the Forerunner 10 (rather than the 110).
    amphkingwest wrote:
    just google reviews and search the Garmin megathread for 405 / 410 comments.
    Mine has clocked up 10,000 miles and is still going strong (since 2008). I have read (and responded to) damn near every single post in that thread, and the only impression I have is that after 3 or 4 years, the battery life is shortened and the buttons can get stuck.


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    #8
    shane1981
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭shane1981


    Lemlin wrote: »
    Is it the best that I'll get for around €100?

    And I presume it'll load back to Runkeeper?

    Yes, you can load straight from the watch to runkeeper site. The garmin connect site is quite good too though.


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    #9
    Bobs Your Uncle
    Registered Users Posts: 2 ✭Bobs Your Uncle


    shane1981 wrote: »
    Yes, you can load straight from the watch to runkeeper site. The garmin connect site is quite good too though.

    I recently bought the Garmin fr10, and so far I can't fault it. I have the watch set up for km but when I upload to the garmin website it changes all the data to miles. Can that be changed?


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    #10
    shane1981
    Registered Users Posts: 278 ✭✭shane1981


    Bobs Your Uncle wrote: »
    I recently bought the Garmin fr10, and so far I can't fault it. I have the watch set up for km but when I upload to the garmin website it changes all the data to miles. Can that be changed?

    Yeah, just go up to your username on top right corner, select settings and change measurement units to metric.


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    #11
    plodder
    Registered Users Posts: 7,252 ✭✭✭plodder


    Krusty_Clown wrote: »
    The Forerunner 410 is £15 extra and you get so much more than the 110, but if user-friendliness is a deal-breaker, I would go for the Forerunner 10 (rather than the 110).


    Mine has clocked up 10,000 miles and is still going strong (since 2008). I have read (and responded to) damn near every single post in that thread, and the only impression I have is that after 3 or 4 years, the battery life is shortened and the buttons can get stuck.
    Just bought a 410 myself after nearly five years of trouble-free use of a 405. 405/410 must be a discontinued line now, which is why it is so cheap. For me, the similarity with the 405 is a huge advantage (quirks and all). In the end, it was the battery, buttons getting stuck, and seals letting in water that did the 405 in for me.

    One issue I see with the 10, that is worth thinking about, is that you can only store 7 activities on the watch. So, you really have to upload through your PC pretty regularly. I am more used to recording months worth of runs before bothering to upload, and once, when I had lost the USB stick, I went almost a year without doing it.


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