Garmin Forerunner 405 Water Resistant Running GPS With Heart Rate Monitor (Black) (Factory Refurbished)

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $349.99

Amazon Price: $349.95

Garmin once again uses technology to help you improve your training with the Garmin Forerunner 405 Black GPS Enabled Sports Watch Heart Rate Monitor.

Nowadays, training through activity alone is not enough. People seem to need to go through data gathering and analysis to ensure that they are performing well. The Garmin Forerunner 405 helps by tracking your training and monitors your time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate (when paired with heart rate monitor).

All of these enable the Garmin Forerunner 405 to review and analyze the data to see how you’ve improved. It can even provide you with new courses or a virtual partner to race with just for you to better gauge your improvement.

All of these features are available for you through the Forerunner 405’s very intuitive interface. It features a touch bezel that lets you quickly scroll and select features on the device.

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Related posts:

1. Garmin FR60 Mens Red Fitness Watch Includes Heart Rate Monitor USB ANT Stick
2. Garmin Forerunner 305 Review
3. Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Enabled Sports Watch

Garmin Forerunner 101 Waterproof Running GPS

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $114.27

Amazon Price: $229.98

The compactly designed Garmin Forerunner 101 is capable of providing precise and accurate speed, distance, and pace data to all the runners. It can track calories burned, lap history, and all other performance data necessary for improving training.

The Forerunner 101 even takes this data a step further and can create a Virtual Partner that helps runners reach their goals better. The Virtual Partner can be configured so that the runner can check if they are able to keep to the pace that they want their running training to have.

What separates the Forerunner 101 from other devices is the fact that it is a high quality Garmin GPS device. This means that precise latitude, longitude, and altitude data can be expected from it. This allows runners to mark specific areas, and navigate to them through an electronic map

It is also notable that the Garmin Forerunner 101 is easily adaptable to any situation. There are many accessories available to suit your need. There are available accessories to make it better equipped for cycling, distance running or other physical activities.

What’s in the box:
Forerunner 101 unit, wrist strap, manual, and quickstart guide.

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User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Garmin 101
Disappointed with the unit. It has great capabilities and the price was right, but the pace function does not work dependably, and the battery life does not appear to be the 14 hours advertised. I needed a battery operated unit so that I could use the Garmin while hiking peaks from a backpack/backcountry situation, therefore being able to replace batts and use it every day, and during the pack, to track elevation and distance, etc. I have the 201 for day hikes, which charges electrically. It could be operator error, but battery life should not be…

1 Star Worked, For About 2 Weeks
My loving wife gave this to me after I commented how much my brother liked his. And for about 2 weeks it was pretty cool to watch my speed and distance while and ran or rode my bike, and to get data from the runs. Then it started acting up, and I switched batteries a couple times and re-read the manual but by the end of 3 weeks of semi-daily usage it quit altogether. I didn’t use this product in the rain or combat or anything, just for running and bike riding, honest. I am about to send it back and I hope to heck I just get our money back. The product I got was truly garbage and I advise anyone against buying it. Who needs to spend good money on something that only works 2 weeks? This reinforces my philosophy that sports and fitness should be kept simple, that going high tech is a waste of time and money.

4 Stars Nice little GPS
GPS system works great. I was originally skeptical of it being comfortable due to its size, but it hasn’t been a problem. The only complaint I have is that it goes through batteries very quickly. I probably put a new set in every week. Need to get some rechargeables.

Otherwise, I’m very happy with my Garmin.

3 Stars Good for distance, Poor for pacing.
If your looking for a GPS watch under $100 to just measure distance walked, run, or biked, then this watch will fit the bill. But if your a runner or biker looking for more advanced features like pacing you will probably be better served getting the Forerunner 205 for $50 more.

Here is my experience with the Forerunner 101:

I run a 5 mile loop along a pedestrian only parkway next to a lake. The distance markers have been measured and verified by a local track club so I know they are accurate. The Forerunner 101 usually hits the markers right on or is within +/- .05 of the marker, and the total distance is also within this variance. The pacing is a different matter. I usually run this 5 mile loop in around 40 mins. for a mile pace of about 8 mins./mile. The watch pacing swings wildly up or down per mile so one minute it says I’m running 10 mins./mile and then a few seconds later 7 mins./mile. During the course of the run it will level off for awhile to what seems a fairly accurate pace reading of about 8 mins./mile, but at some point will fluctuate wildly again. I have also used this watch in a 5K race with the same pacing fluctuations.

The GPS acquisition when you first turn on the watch does take awhile, normally 2 – 5 minutes. So you definitely don’t want to turn the watch on a few seconds before they fire the gun to start a race. I like the history log that records and stores the times for each run by weeks, this makes it easy to track each run without having to enter the information in a database.

The bottom line here is to keep in mind this watch has been around since 2002, so the technology is dated. If your on a tight budget and just want to know your distance traveled this watch should work for you, otherwise put the money towards a newer model.

4 Stars satisfied
This is the first & only gps watch I have owned. I live in a rural area with no tall buildings. I have been very satisfied with the Forerunner 101 as compared to the cost. I typically turn it on and set it on my front porch a few minutes before I run. 98% of the time I have no problems, when I have a problem it’s with signal strength. I love having time/pace/total distance all displayed at once. The distance seems to be very accurate & consistant. I was afraid the bulk of the watch would bother me but it hasn’t. Two AAA batteries are lasting me over 50 miles which is not bad if you only run 10-15 miles a week like me. I recently ran my first half-marathon and enjoyed being able to go back on the watch and see my pace for each mile of the race.

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Related posts:

1. Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Enabled Sports Watch
2. Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS Enabled Sports Watch
3. Garmin Forerunner 205/305/405 – Top Running Watch 2009

The combination of style, durability, and functionality places the Garmin Forerunner at the top of the list as a preferred running watch among elite athletes around the world!

Selecting a Garmin Forerunner product depends on the athlete’s budget, kind of training, and how advanced one wants their training to get.

That said, let’s take a look at our top 3 Garmin Forerunner Watches.

Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver & Sportswatch

Garmin Forerunner 205

For beginners or entry level training, Garmin offers a Forerunner model that is perfect for them, the Garmin FR 205.

On its own, the slightly more affordable Garmin FR205 is a GPS powered fitness watch plus workout tool that tracks your total training time, and calories burned.

The FR 205 also lets you create multi sport workouts. Multi Sport Workouts allows you to seamlessly transition between sports without having to reset the unit. This is a perfect setting for training for triathlons or any other event that combines many disciplines.

If you are feeling a bit more advanced, and want more training data to analyze, the Garmin FR 205 can use its ANT+ seamless wireless feature to connect with other accessories.

It can connect with devices like the wireless foot pod for you to be able to track more data such as distance, speed and pace.

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Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

Garmin Forerunner 305

Garmin also offers more feature rich products if you consider yourself a bit more of an advanced runner.

In the Garmin Forerunner® 305, runners would get more details and more advanced features than the entry level Garmin models.

The Forerunner 305 is also capable of the basic features that the Garmin FR 205 has – PLUS, it packs more functionality such as a digital coded heart rate monitor and heart rate zones.! It even has built in multiple sport profiles for running, biking and other sports.

What separates the Garmin Forerunner 305 from entry level models is that it already has a built in heart rate monitor that previous models needed additional accessories for.

This makes accessing the data much simpler and more intuitive for users.

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Garmin Forerunner 405 GPS Receiver With Heart-Rate Monitor (ADVANCED)

Garmin Forerunner 405

For even more advanced training, Garmin rolls out the Garmin Forerunner 405.

One of the more advanced GPS enabled training watches; it packs the monitoring of your training time, distance, pace, calories and heart rate but also adds more functionality and style to the device.

The first thing that you would notice in the Forerunner 405 is its more compact design. This makes it more lightweight and more comfortable to wear when you are training.

The next improvement is that it seamlessly connects to the Satellites for tracking your data. GPS uplink is much quicker than the entry level or mid range models. The Garmin 405 connects to satellites in 4-5 seconds as compared with the minute or 2 in other models.

Lastly, the Garmin 405 supports Wireless data upload. When you connect the USB “ant stick “to your computer, the Garmin would automatically send your workout data from the watch to your PC.

This makes it much easier to maintain and keep track of your training records.

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Again, before purchasing a GPS running watch, it would be important for you to know what kind of training you want to have.  Are you aiming for a simple stroll in the park, a morning leisure run or perhaps an intense training regiment fit for triathletes?

No matter what training path you choose however, it seems that there is a specific Garmin Forerunner series running watch that is fit for you.

Related posts:

1. Personalizing Your GPS Running Watch
2. Garmin Forerunner 405 Black GPS Enabled Sports Watch HRM Factory Refurbished
3. Garmin 010 00679 05 Forerunner 50 Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor and USB ANT Stick

113541 Features: Monitor your time, distance, pace, and calories with a single sport watch-personal trainer as it stores all of the data so that you can review your improvement later Switch between monitoring your speed to viewing your GPS monitor by tapping the touch bezel Don’t worry, you’ll always get great reception for your GPS thanks to the unique design provides the antenna a larger view of the sky If you have to pause, or begin a new lap, you don’t have to spend time resetting everything to the Auto Pause and Auto Lap features take care of that for you Record up to 1000 laps worth of lap history and customize your workouts, with multi-sport, advanced, and simple workout schemes to track your energy output Your best workout buddy, it’ll give you warnings when you deviate from a set pace, and alert you when you’ve reached time or distance goals Compatible with power meters so that you can view data from 3rd party ANT+Sport-enabled power meters Share your data with other Forerunner 405 users easily with the wireless transfer capabilities or automatically download it to your computer with the USB ANT Stick Specifications: Weight to dimensions: 211 ounces to 188 x 278 x 0646 inches Barometric altimeter: no Display size diameter: 106 inches Battery to battery life: rechargeable lithium-ion to 2 weeks (power save mode); 8 hours (training mode) Waypoints to routes: 100 to 0

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Superior Running Watch
After recently buying this product and taking it for a few runs, on and off-road, I’ve had none of the difficulties others have. The bezel is adequate, and as there is really no need to be pushing buttons or scrolling through menus while on a run it is completely functional. The software has worked flawlessly for me and has provided me with a plethora of information, making my written training log nearly obsolete. I can’t ever imagine using all of the functions provided by the 405. The GPS usually connects quickly, and I’ve never lost a signal. The shape of the watch does make it a better fit for those with larger wrists, but you can always just wear it higher up on your arm. You’re going for a run, how comfortable do you plan on being? Though this is my first Garmin watch, I am willing to bet most issues others have had are due to user error, as I am not the most tech-savvy person.

My only qualm with this product would be the accuracy of the GPS measurements. I’ve seen the accuracy on my watch jump to +/- 113 ft., and when on a 10-15 mile run, that can really add up.

Furthermore, because of the setup, it isn’t very practical for interval training, but let’s be honest, it’s easier to just stick with a stopwatch.

Other than this, it’s totally worth it for someone who, like me, does a lot of running and a lot of trail running (as the mileage on trails can get dicey). I personally plan to take this watch with me on most of my runs.

5 Stars Excellent product

I am very pleased with not only the fast delivery of the watch but also with its performance.The gps enabled feature has really changed my runnings entire dynamic. While it did get some getting used to with regards to use and online support overall I am still, after a few weeks of use, very happy with the watch. Now a few words of advice: always lock the bezel when going on a run to prohibit sweat or rain from messing with the sensitivity of the bezel and be use software updates with caution and be sure to read how to redtart the watch if the update fails and leaves the watch unactive.

5 Stars Can’t live without it for training!
Currently training for a marathon. I guess people have trained before without the use of a GPS watch but why not use the technology if we have it. Watch is great for training. I mainly use the watch for miles/time/and pace. Many other features of this watch that I have yet to use but love how I can log on after a run and see the terrain/calories estimated and map of course. Great watch. I agree with the others to lock the bezel prior to running because the sweat will sometimes cause it to move in the menu. Not a big deal.

2 Stars Decent GPS and definite improvement but plenty of issues
I bought this recently after owning the 201 previously. The design on the 405 CX is much better than the rectangular old design but that seems mainly attributable to the decreasing size of technology. I also owned a polar with a footpod recently for comparison and viewed this an upgrade. Overall, my experience has been only OK and echoes a number of comments on here that i didn’t see or hear from the running store when i purchased the 405. Had it been a $200 purchase i’d view it as an expensive and heavy watch that sometimes has a useful GPS function but it was ~$400.

Positives:

A little large but not as large as previous devices

Software was relatively straightforward to get installed (but doesn’t work reliably – see below)

Finds location faster than prior version but not nearly as fast as others indicate here (i live in NYC so tall buildings can present a problem but it does ok in trails of NJ or other tree covered areas) – i have never had it lock in the ‘5 seconds’ others mention. The best case is 20 seconds and up to a minute or two, which is obviously frustrating since you can’t start the timer until it locks

Negatives:

Biggest complaint is that the software worked exactly three times uploading data and has not worked again (despite using multiple computers, turning off surrounding wireless devices, etc)

I emailed customer support, got two responses then no responses after that when i clearly outlined the problem had not been solved

the heartrate monitor is subpar and feels like polar technology from five years ago. the hard plastic definitely will rub you raw if you’re not careful.

the bezel is twitchy and i have had problems on longer runs when there is plenty of sweat or rain and i can’t get the bezel to recognize the touch.

the menus are hardly intuitive and not designed from a runner’s perspective. i wonder who tests this stuff and if they can run around the garmin headquarters but i digress.

the altitude was laughably wrong but since i’ve only been able to see the elevation changes a couple of times (see software problem above) i can’t tell if that was run-specific or a general problem.

As you can tell i’m generally disappointed because i thought i was getting an upgrade but i’ve gotten a whole new set of issues. unfortunately, i’d still recommend this over the footpod option (notwithstanding the superior heartrate monitor) but if you can hold out you may want to consider waiting for the next version.

4 Stars First time Garmin watch owner and it works great
Being this was my first time I would own a Garmin sport watch, I wasn’t sure to either get the 305 or 405 based on some negative reviews of the 405. But I figured there were just enough good reviews, and it being a newer version I decided to take a shot and go with the 404 and I can tell you..so far…it works great! I’m using it to train for a marathon and I’ve been running with it for the past two weeks. I’m just blown away by all the information it is able to record and then transferring it wirelessly to my laptop and logging into my Garmin Connect account to get the detailed maps of the routes I took and information breakdown of all my runs is awesome. I haven’t had trouble locating satelites (takes less than a minute) and I can’t say I’ve had trouble with the bezel acting crazy during my runs. Maybe I don’t sweat so much that it gets wet maybe. Not sure. But I’ve even changed settings during the runs with no issues. But just as the manual tells you, you can lock the bezel after you have your desired settings and display. After that you can touch the bezel all you want and it won’t move or change screens. Really not a big deal from my experience. The watch fits fine around my wrists with no irritation or anything. Feels like a normal watch. I think the only thing that I found doesn’t record correctly is the elevation. I guess it should work as intended but I don’t rely on the elevation data to much. Don’t know what else to say about the watch. It’s been working great for me. I thought the instructions were pretty clear (such as syncing the watch and laptop) and easy. I’d recommend getting the watch.

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Related posts:

1. GARMIN 010 00329 05 Forerunner 101 Wrist Mounted GPS Fitness Computer
2. Garmin Forerunner 205/305/405 – Top Running Watch 2009
3. Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Blue

Garmin Forerunner 310XT Waterproof Running GPS With Heart Rate Monitor

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $399.99

Amazon Price: $389.99

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star SWINNIMG GPS signals don’t penetrate WATER
OK, so I don’t own one of these units. I am researching and thinking of buying something. It occurred to me, with all the complaints about swimming accuracy, that I should mention something:

Electromagnetic signals (ie. GPS signals) DO NOT EASILY PENETRATE WATER. Just ask the Navy. Any water other than distilled water has some conductivity, especially salt water. It acts as a Farady shield – the GPS signal hits a conductor (water) and creates a current in the conductor. The resistance of the conductor will dissipate the energy of the signal. BASIC ELECTROMAGNETISM. This is how your microwave keeps the EM radiation inside from getting out and cooking you – by using a conductor shield to trap it.

I am surprised Garmin claims they have a GPS unit that will work under water. Call the Navy! They would love a way to communicate with submarines without having to use sonar, which gets them in a lot of trouble by disrupting marine life. The reason they use sonar is that ELECTROMAGNETIC SIGNALS DON’T TRAVEL WELL UNDER WATER!

The GPS accuracy while swimming will be based on how far you plunge the watch under water, the type of water, etc. The device might work better if you strap it to your head! Just my two cents.

5 Stars 310XT is most everything Garmin says it is
I felt compelled to write a review, because I am disturbed with what some other reviewers are publishing. This is the best watch of it’s kind I have owned, and as long as a purchaser understands what it does, and it’s limitations, I think they will be more than satisfied. It may be that this watch will not meet their needs, but it should not be a cause to deliver a poor rating.

I have owned the Forerunner 305, the 201, the Timex GPS and a Polar, so I have years of experience. Since I do triathlons, I was most looking forward to the waterproof controls, and 20 hour battery. The charger is a bit funky design, but for me it seems to work just fine. My battery has been lasting at least 16 hours–I haven’t tested it further before recharging. One issue that I had with the 305 also, though: the watch should be TURNED OFF while you are charging. If not, as soon as you disconnect the charger, since the watch is ON, it will start “discharging” (as it does normally while it is on. I have been caught several times with a depleted battery on my 305 because of this quirk–I think the watches should be programmed to automatically turn themselves off when the charger is connected).

I have used the new watch swimming, biking and running and hiking, and I am pleased with the performance for each sport. One reviewer pointed out that there should be a “swim” mode–I agree, but I think Garmin may have avoided that mode because the GPS does not work well in the water. Several reviewers complained about that, however Garmin does write on their website AND in their manual that the GPS does not work well in the water (I don’t know that I would blame that on Garmin–probably the technology is just not there yet–besides, GPS signals do not penetrate water.) In fact, I did NOT get an accurate GPS distance reading for open water swimming, but it did map my COURSE correctly, albeit with a lot of zig-zags (I know I can’t swim in a straight line, but I am not THAT bad).

The biking portion works great. The Garmin matches pretty closely with the distance measured on my bike computer (I don’t have the Garmin bike sensor–I want that and the quick-release mount for my next birthday). Of course it also tracks speed, altitude, heart rate, etc. (I used the heart monitor strap from my 305).

Running works well also, basically same as biking although I do set up the display screens differently.

Other, useful new features I have noticed:

1. The watch locks onto satellites more quickly than my 305

2. The watch vibrates, although I wonder how this affects battery life. For instance it vibrates every lap (if I set it) so I know I have completed an autolap without having to look at the watch.

3. The software is more refined (lots of small fixes. For instance the settings function lets me know what sport mode I am in–although I think this could still be made easier and less confusing. And the time zone can be put on automatic–I always wondered why they couldn’t do this before–the watch knows where it is for gosh sakes. And there are extra custom screens if you want them–statistic hounds take note.)

4. Wireless data upload. Very nice! Their new “Garmin Connect” site is also pretty useful, and the data can be uploaded directly to the Internet.

5. The 310XT is not much smaller or lighter than the 305 (according to the specs), but it FEELS MUCH smaller and lighter.

6. There is a progress bar for the battery charging. I would like to be able to see how much time is LEFT in my battery–I wish Garmin would add this.

In summary, I think this is far and away the best GPS watch Garmin has made, and is especially appropriate for triathletes (despite the swimming issue). You DO need to become accustomed to using the watch. Although I do not think it is hard to use, you SHOULD read the manual. At least you do not have to keep RE-reading the manual like I do for some other gadgets. I do think this watch is way overpriced, but I am a gadget freak, and I’m sure the price will come down over time, like it did for the 305 (which is a great deal, now, btw, if you don’t need a 20 hour battery-life and a waterproof stopwatch

5 Stars garmin 310XT
ran a marathon with my new garmin and every thing was perfect except the distance calculation. the marathon splits ended up being .2 mile off at the end. so the mile alert was always a little early at each mile, therefore my av. pace was also a little off. my old 305 did the same thing, so i am disappointed that the 310XT wasn’t better. this watch is very user friendly.

5 Stars runner
It’s the first gps so i’m not able to do comparison but this product in my opinion is excellent.

5 Stars Great Watch
I had been using the 201 for the last 4 years and just upgraded. It is much smaller and is much more accurate. I have also taken it hiking in Colorado and it never lost the signal even under the trees.

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Related posts:

1. Garmin Forerunner 110
2. Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor Blue
3. GARMIN 010 00329 05 Forerunner 101 Wrist Mounted GPS Fitness Computer

The Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor helps you improve your training by using the most modern technological innovations.

The Forerunner 405CX is considered as the evolution of GPS-enabled training. It allows you to easily record your training data such as distance, pace, calories burned and heart rate. It could even use this data to help you by creating a Forerunner Virtual Partner that will help in challenging you to improve your running times.

Of course this training data would not be useful if you would not be able to analyze them. That’s why aside from the internal memory where the Forerunner 405CX stores your training data, you can use the included USB ANT stick that uses the innovative ANT+ wireless technology automatically to transfers information to your computer.

This allows you to use running software to study your training patterns or even share your workouts and results online.

If these features do not seem to suit all your needs, just remember that there a variety of optional wireless accessories, such as foot pod or bike sensors to make the Garmin Forerunner 405CX GPS Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor match any kind of training that you do.

What’s in the Box
Forerunner 405CX, USB ANT stick, Heart rate monitor, Two additional wrist straps, AC charger, Charging clip, Owner’s manual on disk, Quick reference guide

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User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Awesome
First and foremost, do not expect to be able to just put it on and it will work properly. Like anything that costs a bit more, you have to read the instructions. So if you cannot follow directions then you will have a heck of a time trying to use it. I took it on a test run just so I could get a feel for it.

The only problem I had with it was that it wasn’t connecting to the satelites in order for the GPS to work. I had to go back in and re-read the instructions.

*Note- If you want to use the GPS, make sure the power save mode is off because that mode interferes with the satelites.*

Once I figured out the satelites, it took several minutes for the watch to locate them, which kind of sucks if its cold outside. You have to stand still until it picks up on the satelites.

Also, make sure the GPS is turned off while you are inside because it will try to connect to the satelites and use up your battery life.

There are so many neat features on this watch but what I thought was so cool was auto-pause setting. This feature will pause your watch if you get below a certain speed. This is good for when you are at stoplights.

I also liked how the watch is set up to transmit your watch data wirelessly. Once transmitted, you can go on garmin connect and view your results.

This is a complicated device, but once you have it all set up and figured out, it’s very easy to use. I really recommend this watch to anyone who wants something that will help them with their training and to track their progress.

4 Stars Good workout partner
I am very happy with this GPS but it does have some quirks.

I have an Edge 305 on my bicycle so maybe the learning curve was easier for me, but I found the 405CX pretty easy to use. It does take some getting used to but by the 3rd use I had no issues with it. I had my screens set up and was using the simple workouts with ease.

The screen is a bit small, but once you get used to the set up it becomes easier to read on the run. If you don’t use auto scroll you can quickly look at your watch and get the info you want. At the start of the run I pick the screen that is best for what I am doing and just leave it there mostly unless I get bored and start to cycle through my screens.

The touch bezel works ok. Using it to set up a workout is easy once you get used to it. During a run a touch scrolls the screen and a touch and drag increases or decreases the speed of the virtual partner. Sometimes it takes a second or two to register and sometimes a slight touch registers. It’s usually not an issue, but sometimes my jacket will make it scroll when I don’t want it to. When I do want to scroll it during a run I sometimes have to press a second time to get it to scroll. It’s not really an issue for me and you learn the ins and outs of it.

GPS reception has been very good for me, even under clothing. It takes about 10-20 seconds to find the satellites each time I run, so I stretch while it’s searching. I have noticed that even after it has found the satellites it still needs time to stabilize. For instance on one track run I started running right after it found the satellites in a place with a lot of trees. After the run I looked at my route and the first part of the lap under the tress it showed me about 50′ off the track, but on each subsequent lap it showed me right on the track even while under the trees. It just needed time to stabilize. Now I turn on the watch and give it a few minutes while I stretch/warm up, then when I am ready to run it’s right on the money.

Like the 305 Edge the elevation feature is practically worthless. The barometric pressure just fluctuates too much so the watch is always all over the place. Again it does seem to stabilize the longer it is on, but it’s never exact enough to rely on. If you look at the elevation chart in the software after a run you can see where the hills are, but if you are doing laps a hill’s elevation can change by as my as 75′ each time you come across it each time. I don’t use the watch itself to tell me the elevation when running since it is so off.

Looking at the pace chart in the software after a run is interesting. Like elevation, it’s all over the place, spikes everywhere. Even though it looks a mess it is useable, where you had to stop for traffic or where your interval sprints will be clear in the chart. While running the pace on the watch does seem very accurate. You can quickly see how fast you are going and if you accelerate it shows instantly on the watch. It is probably one of the most useful display items.

The heart rate monitor has been perfect, no issues at all. I do use Buh-Bump, Heart Rate Monitor Electrode Cream with it which may help.

I have to charge the battery once a week (I run 3 days a week). A 30-40 minute run uses about 10% of the battery. Sitting in powersave mode for a day or two is a greater drain on it.

I do love this GPS besides the quirks. It’s great to quickly and easily set up an interval workout and not have to be on a track or constantly looking at my watch (it makes a very loud beep at the start of each interval which I can hear even on a windy day). It’s a great training aid that makes a run more interesting and fun.

The software does leave a lot to be desired (Windows Vista 64). The watch links fine, I have never had any issues there, plug in the ANT antenna and it does everything itself. But the Garmin Connect website while nice doesn’t break down everything enough and can be a bit slow. The Garmin Training Center software displays more information but is clunky and not very polished.

I highly recommend this GPS watch. It has helped me tremendously on my workouts and makes my runs more fun. While it could be better, and cheaper, I don’t regret buying it. I do wish Garmin would improve the software though. For this price they really could do better. I wouldn’t let that stop me and there is other software you can buy that works with the watch.

4 Stars Small Package, Big Features
Buy this monitor now. Easy to use and small enough so you dont feel like you have a laptop on your wrist. The bezel touch menu navigation can be sensitive to bumps but the lock feature solves most of your problems. Great product.

5 Stars This is the best of the best Gadgets
The Garmin 405cx is amazing. It locks Satellites and keeps tracking me almost everywhere. I run through town, and then through some woods, and my other device, would pick up here, and there, and never hardly track in the woods. I can even see my movements as I get ready, in the house. The Upload is quite easy, and the web app is really cool.

5 Stars Excellent product
I have used this watch for 2 weeks now, and I am almost 100 percent satisfied with it.

First of all, it is very easy to use. After 15 minutes I knew how to access most of its features.

The touch bezel works great. Even when it was raining I was able to use it with no trouble at all.

The battery life is not great, but it’s ok. It takes about 3 one-hour workouts (5 days) to wear out the battery.

The GPS is not 100 percent accurate, but it is good too. Sometimes the map shows my route as if I had been taking shortcuts through the bushes. I would rate its accuracy as been 8/10. It’s my first GPS device though, I don’t know if they are all like that.

The heart rate monitor is excellent, much better then my Polar. It’s more accurate (doesn’t show absurd values like the Polar does sometimes) and it allows you to change the battery instead of having to buy a new one when the battery dies.

Another great thing about this watch is that it allows you to select the data fields that you want to view during your workout. So, you can configure up to 3 sets of data with 3 fields on each one to view during the exercise. You can either change the data sets by touching the bezel or configure the watch to rotate through them.

The data transmission to the computer is very nice, too. You only have to stick the usb receiving device into your computer and it detects the watch and retrieves the data.

So, after all that, I can say that it was a great purchase, and I recommend it for anyone who likes running and gadgets.

Buy/More Info

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