Nike + Sportwatch GPS

[plain lazy]

I've had a scour through some old posts and can't quite find the info I'm looking for...

I want to get a GPS watch as I've been borrowing my wife's one for too long now and think it's about time I had my own. She has the Garmin Forerunner 305 which has been great but since we bought it (for £95 a year ago) the price has gone up again.

I want to get one for as cheap as is practical (ie don't want to buy the cheapest nastiest one).

The models I am looking at are:

Garmin Forerunner 110, Forerunner 205, Forerunner 210, or the one that's catching my eye the most is the Nike + Sportwatch. It looks better than the others (IMO) and I would be happy wearing it as a wristwatch.

Has anyone got any experience with using the Nike watch (or any of the other ones) for training, and more importantly GPS tracking of O races (including routegadget) and could offer some advice. I'm not bothered about heart rate stuff, I have that option with wife's 305 but I've never used it.

[Dave]

from what I've found out about Nike's watch (partly from chattig to the desginers) is its pretty good for road running and it's main advantage over garmin is having more accurate pace readings (but for that you need the shoes with the sensors - $250!). I'm not sure how well it will work off road/in forests as the gps is supported by tomtom, probably still alright though.
I'd have thought if you're looking for cheap Garmin is the best but if you want flashy with a nice interface it'd be nike.

[Gross]

I've been looking into GPS watches etc recently... but am swayed towards Polar RX3 as it has goos HRM facilities... the GPS comes via a seperate attachement

[Gross]

Polar have just introduced a new watch - RC3 GPS with integrated GPS. Cost seems to be around 280 euro.....

[Paul Frost]

I've been using such devices for many years now and have always found Garmin to offer the best range of reliable models. There is a triathlete that does very extensive reviews and testing of these things and his site is worth a visit www.dcrainmaker.com

[Gross]

That's quite a good review for the Polar wath... think I'll try and sneek a view in Helsinki

[Paul Frost]

The cons list has a few too many important things in it for me to consider it:

Cons:
- Neither ANT+, nor Bluetooth/Bluetooth Low Energy compatible (no hardware inside for either)
- Limited configuration of data pages, I want more flexibility
- Waterproofing is poor (really poor)
- Online training site needs major overhaul

But it depends what is important to you, I think waterproof is a must for anything that I would use outdoors.

[Becks]

My "waterproof" Polar HRM died completely in a rain storm in Seattle a couple of weeks ago, despite never having a battery replacement. For ten years I never had problems with Polar, and now my last two have died this way.

[gaw]

Has anyone used the new Garmin Forerunner 10?
I'm wondering whether to get this or the Forerunner 110. Does anyone have any comments of what they find useful which one model has but the other doesn't?

[Paul Frost]

Main difference is the 10 doesn't have and can't use a heart rate strap.
This Garmin website comparison table shows all the features of the 2 devices

[plain lazy]

For what it's worth, I eventually bought the FR 410 (with HR Strap) and I've been well impressed with it ever since. It picks up satellite really quickly (way faster than Mrs Plain Lazy's FR 305), and is really quick to download to the laptop, even managing to link from across the kitchen.

It's cheap just now on Amazon [url]http://tinyurl.com/d2ll3a7
[/url] less than £160 with HR strap, still costs £200 in some places online.

Not had any problems with the touch bezel, works perfectly once you're used to it.

[andy]

does anyone know if the HR straps are backwards compatible? I notice some of the 110s don't come with an HR strap but do work with them, and I've got one from my 305...

[Paul Frost]

Straps I've had for my 305 work with my 910XT, and pretty sure that all Garmin straps are compatible.

[plain lazy]

I think the ANT stuff isn't as good at working with the older watches but I can't remember for definite. Some forums said that older HR straps caused more spikes in HR than the newer ones. I'm not sure Mrs Plain Lazy's FR 305 HR strap has ever seen the light of day though TBH...

[ifor]

All the Garmin straps and recivers are ANT+ so totaly interaperable. There is an ANT+ product listing page Even has an entry for my Android data logging app IpBike for anyone wanting to not bother with buying a specialist device.