Full Written Review of the Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch.

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Full Written Review of the GARMIN Forerunner 101 Wrist Mounted GPS Fitness Computer.

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Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $79.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

The revolutionary design of the Ironman Triathlon Sleek with OPTIMAL VIEWING ANGLE puts the display in your natural line of sight, without breaking form. The START/LAP button is located in the best possible position for instant and mistake-proof access. The case and strap are sculpted like a second skin, ensuring maximum comfort. The end result is less effort seeing the time, surer tracking of splits, the best possible fit and — most importantly — a faster finish.

The Timex OVA Ironman Triathlon Watch is a tough timepiece designed to withstand a tough triathlon, and all the training that goes with it. Constructed with a lightweight resin case, the watch includes a stationary plastic bezel and a blue resin wristband with an adjustable buckle clasp. A durable mineral window shields the large blue-shaded digital-gray dial face, which displays time as well as the day, date, and month. Four black and blue buttons decorate the bezel and include mode, set/recall, Indiglo, and stop/reset functions. A prominent blue start/lap button rests above the 12 o’clock position. This athletic timepiece is powered by digital-quartz movement and is water resistant to 330 feet.

“I recently bought a Timex OVA (optimal viewing angle) watch. I bought it as a replacement for my old Nike Triax watch, which inexplicably stop functioning correctly. After comparing several different watches, including the new Nike Triax watch, I was impressed at the lightweight of the OVA; I can’t even tell when it’s on my wrist. Also the OVA comes in large- and mid-size versions, which is very important for many runners like myself that have thin wrists. The viewing angle makes looking at your watch slightly easier while running versus the conventional angle. Furthermore, the placement of the buttons is the best on any watch I have ever owned or tried; the start/lap button is literally fool proof and very easy to find without having to look down! The indiglo night feature works the same as many new sport watches, by lighting the numbers rather than the screen, which works very well at night. The memory feature gives lap times, total time, best time, average lap time and also the date at which the time was recorded, which makes recording training information very easy. Finally this watch not only performs fantastic… but it looks awesome with a ton of different color options.”

“Coming from a long distance runner, I find this watch to be one of the best watches I’ve had in a long time.”

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While the different manufacturers and models of running watches would mean that each one of them would have unique features, there are some things that are consistent in a running watch. These are the features that should always be great in any model so that it would become a good running watch for you.

Here is a list of those features that you should look for in a running watch to determine if it would help you:

Connection to GPS

A GPS powered running watch would definitely help you in your training. This is because the GPS system would help you accurately track data such as your location, pace, and total distance covered.

The power of a GPS powered running watch is truly capable of providing you with the highly accurate data that you would need if you are serious in your running training.

Large and Legible Display:

It could be hard to focus on your training if you would not be able to read the data on your running watch. Having jumbled data, or very confusing data fields would be frustrating for you to see while running.

Related to this, you should also check whether the running watch display can still show you good data at night or at bright light. You may want to invest in a watch that has a backlit display such as those termed as Indiglo.

Computer Connectivity:

Having a running watch that has good computer connectivity would definitely help you in your training. A whole host of options becomes available for you if you are given the capability to download or upload your training data.

You can get professional advice from various runners, or run training analyzing software for you to know which aspects of your training would still require improvement.

Toughness:

Running training could lead you to situations where nature can be difficult to work with. Rain, sleet, snow, or even extreme heat can be your enemies. That’s why you should check if the running watch is able to withstand harsh environments.

Things to check for could be water resistance, as well as how tough the construction of the watch and its straps are. You don’t want your watch to break down right in the middle of your training!

The ones listed are just some of the basic factors and features that you should take into consideration when purchasing a running watch. Being able to find a watch that can satisfy all of them would truly help in ensuring that you would have a good partner as you work out.

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The more advanced running watches today are packed with so many features, that you may not be able to know which of them to check for when purchasing one. There are illuminated displays, voice activated commands and all the other bells and whistles that make these running watches seem like a great purchase.

The problem with it is that you can become so enthralled with all of these advancements, only to find out that it lacks the features, and attributes that you would really need in order to become a better, faster, and more efficient runner.

To help avoid this, you should be able to know the essential attributes that sports watches should have in order for you to run well. When the running watch that you have purchase has all of these features, then you know that you are all set.

All the other things that the running watch that you have purchased can offer you, could just then be considered as bonuses or things that can make your things easier.

First important feature: A clear, legible and easy to read display. The Garmin Forerunner 205 , pictured below, has a great display.

 When you are running you would much rather focus on the run instead of the watch. That is why it is important to have a good and clear LCD. A clear screen would enable you to simply glance at your watch and immediately know how well you are doing in your runs.

Remember that having to slow down your pace, or even stop just to check on how well you are doing is counter intuitive.

You may even want to find a watch that has an illumination feature if you plan to do night runs.

Second Important Feature: Intuitive Menu system, like the one the Nike Midsize Triax Speed 10 Regular Watch  has.

This feature is related to the first mentioned. Again, you would want to be able to “get up and go” instead of fiddling around the watch’s menu.

Try to find a running watch that offers easy to set menus, and handy buttons for menu navigation. This would make it easier for you to concentrate on running instead of focusing on the buttons of your watch.

Third Important Feature: The ability to keep track of your run history. The Garmin Forerunner 310XT  does a great job of that

Your running watch should not just be a one run thing. You should be able to know just how much you are improving in the course of your running training. That is why it is good to purchase a watch that features a record or log of all the training times that you have done when you used that watch.

Having these feature in your running watch would enable you to determine if you have improved your running pace, speed, and all other factors that you want to be able to make good strides on.

Of course, the degree of importance in all things is determined by the users themselves. If you find watches that may not be able to do these things, or pack these features but you are comfortable with it, and are willing to try and make it work then by all means use it.

After all these are merely suggestions that try to help you improve on your running training.

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The trend for GPS running watches today is to load them with many features and a whole host of functionality to cater to everyone’s training needs.

And, with the plethora of options, the need to customize and personalize your GPS running watch is important to match your style, needs and interests.

When personalizing your GPS running watch, here are some settings that you may want to configure:

Interface: Most runners track only specific things when it comes to their training. Some care about their pace, their heart rates, their total times or some other variable. However, running watches are able to track more than these figures, which can make a confusing interface and display.

Fortunately, there are running watches, such as the Garmin Forerunner 205, the Garmin Forerunner 305 or the Garmin Forerunner 405 that allow users to easily customize what appears on their running watch’s screens. This makes for a less convoluted interface, and users would only need a quick glance to see the data that they need.

Wrist straps: This is an often overlooked customizable feature when it comes to running watches. A running watch with an ill fitting strap would be unwieldy and uncomfortable for the runner. This may make training a lot more difficult than it needs to be. If the default wrist strap fits your wrist, then good for you, but if it’s not then you must try to change.

It is highly important to change wrist straps to fit the contours of your wrist. That’s why some models of the Garmin Forerunner come with alternative sizes for their wrist straps and even have the screw drivers included with the package.

Optional Accessories: While Garmin Forerunner running watch models are able to provide many kinds of features, it can’t be helped that there are some features that are needed by other forms of training. This is where the optional accessories can play a big part in improving ones training experience.

For example, The Garmin Forerunner 205, can be used with compatible accessories to give additional functionality. There are heart rate monitors for people who want to know how intense their training is, speed/cadence sensors for bikers, and foot POD for runners who want more detailed training when they are indoors and using their GPS enabled running watches.

Computer software: Another way to customize your equipment is through the computer software that it comes with. Having a good computer software to analyze your training would easily enable you to adjust settings, and find out which data you would really need when doing your intense training.

Being able to customize your running watches would truly help in ensuring that you get the easiest, and most efficient training. You would not have to be cumbered with extraneous features, or ill-fitting equipment, if you are available to easily personalize your watches.

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Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sport Watch with USB ANT Stick and Heart Rate Monitor (Black)

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $282.61

Amazon Price: $166.98

The Garmin Forerunner 405, while admittedly a high end product, is a feature rich and sleek looking training gadget that can surely catch anyone’s fancy.

But questions arise as to how does the design help your training and if you can actually use these features.

Out of the box, the most noticeable Garmin Forerunner 405 features are the:

• Sport watch
• Auto Lap®
• Time/distance alerts

At its core, the Garmin Forerunner 405 is a sports watch. It can give you the features that you need when running from block to block or at your local park. The Garmin Forerunner 405 would provide you with the necessary tools to track the usual data.

The auto lap feature automatically starts a new lap as your run, and the time/distance alert provides you with an alarm whenever you reach your goals. Used in conjunction with each other, these features of the Garmin Forerunner 405 gives you your time, lap splits, lap times, distance and overall pace that would help in determining whether you had a good training or not.

Of course if you are happy with those features then you can simply select lower end models. The Garmin Forerunner 405 shines when you delve into its more advanced functions.

More advanced features of the Garmin Forerunner 405 include:

• Faster satellite uplink time
• Intuitive Controls
• A host of compatible accessories
• Easy connectivity between devices and computers

The quick satellite uplink of the Garmin Forerunner 405 truly stands out. Now you don’t have to wait long hours when using satellite guidance for its data. With it faster tracking of waypoints, routes, or even measuring just how you are doing at a specific area or place in your usual training route becomes much easier. The improved GPS system can truly help you analyze your data more precisely.

Another thing that’s good with the Garmin Forerunner 405 is its host of wide ranging compatible accessories. There is the Foot Pod for tracking speed distance and cadence when indoors, or even bike speed or cadence sensors if you fancy yourself as an indoor cyclist.

The Garmin Forerunner 405 is also proud of having:

• Intuitive interface to set watch while training
• Compact and lightweight construction
• Easy connectivity with computers

What makes the Forerunner 405 more amazing is that it is quite easy to use. Aside from its lightweight and compact design, Garmin has also made the Forerunner 405 much more intuitive.

They have included 2 buttons on the side of the Forerunner 405 that users can easily press to adjust the necessary settings. Users would not have to fiddle around much when trying to customize their training.

After all the training that you do, the Garmin Forerunner 405 also shines in synchronizing data to your computer. As long as it recognizes a connected “USB ANT stick “  to a PC it would automatically transmit your workout data to the PC.

This makes it much easier to store, share, and analyze your training data to find out your areas of improvement.

Conclusion:

Given all the functionality of the Garmin Forerunner 405, you would be able to see how it is a great fit for runners who truly take their training seriously and are not too shy about spending for the additional benefits.

While a bit higher in price compared to the other Garmin models, the added features, improved capability, and more lightweight and compact build that can truly advance your training makes spending that additional money worth it.

Buy/More Info

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Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $299.99

Amazon Price: $234.99

The Garmin Forerunner 305 is a big step up from getting data through basic stop watches – such as GPS training capabilities to monitor your distance, pace and elevation!

Here’s what you would get out of the box:

• Forerunner 305
• Heart rate monitor
• Garmin Training Center® software
• Docking cradle
• Expander strap
• AC charger
• USB cable
• Owner’s manual
• Quick start guide

Like the previous Forerunner models, the Garmin Forerunner 305 would show your pace, speed, and distance travelled as you go along your track. The biggest addition to it is that it that the Forerunner 305 comes built in with its own heart rate monitor functionality.

Unlike lower or entry level models that needed optional accessories for heart rate functions, the Forerunner 305 comes with this functionality built into the device. Training enthusiasts know that knowing and understanding your heart rate as you train is important. Through the heart rate data, a runner would be able to know how intense he is going at his training. That’s why it is great that the Forerunner 305 has highly accurate sensors to provide you with ECG-level heart rate data.

Other notable features of the Garmin Forerunner 305 include the Virtual Partner. In the Virtual partner, a runner’s spirit of competition is ignited as he is provided with a virtual competitor on screen. In virtual partner mode, the Forerunner 305 displays how far ahead or behind you are compared to a competitor.

The Forerunner 305 also has easily customizable display screens that the Garmin Forerunner 305 has. This features means that the Forerunner 305’s  four quadrants that display training information can be customized to suit your needs. Beginning runners can just look at time, laps, or total training time, while those who want more data can opt for pace, heart rate (HR), distance and lap time or other data.

Runners don’t have to stress though if they are not able to immediately see the data they want. All the data tracked by the Garmin Forerunner 305 are stored in its internal memory. This would allow runners to easily review and look back at their past performances and see their improvements.

Another way to look at past data would be to download it to your computer. The great thing about the Garmin Forerunner 305 is that its bundled computer software is a joy to use. The included Garmin Training Center software is very easy to configure and would truly help runners calculate just how effective their training is.

Packing intermediate to advance running features, and a highly affordable price, the Garmin Forerunner 305 is custom made for moderate to advanced runners who are searching for great GPS functionality and easy computer integration from their running watches.

Buy/More Info

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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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Garmin Forerunner 101 Waterproof Running GPS

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $114.27

Amazon Price: $274.99

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.

Buy/More Info

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.

Buy/More Info

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