All About Running > Gears and Wears > Looking to get a Garmin - which one?
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Looking to get a Garmin - which one? (Read 603 times)
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Supermegaheart Me
posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:07 PM
modified: 5/15/2008 at 9:08 PM
Marcus:

So you can lock it so it stays on one screen?

Because that bezel, as cool as it is, was the one thing I wondered about. If it can be locked, no problem. I only use one screen anyway.

E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
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You want to run long, race long, get endurance? Run long. Run long more. You want to run hills, race hills, survive hills, get strong? Run hills. Then run more hills. You want to run fast? Run fast, then run faster. Then run more faster. You want to do all of those things? It's going to be all of the above, and a lot of it.

~ Obsessor
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House Master
posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:10 PM
Quote from JakeKnight on 5/15/2008 at 9:07 PM:
Marcus:

So you can lock it so it stays on one screen?

Because that bezel, as cool as it is, was the one thing I wondered about. If it can be locked, no problem. I only use one screen anyway.


Yes. You can switch it to the screen you want to display and then lock it. I just set up Data Screen 1 and then eventually turned all of the others off. With it set up like this, if the bezel gets lightly touched nothing will happen.

Does that make sense?
The Gaijin Samurai. a.k.a The attorney dissin' attorney. Read and Listen
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My clam (shell) picture.
posted: 5/15/2008 at 9:24 PM
I say 305.
Take the $150 you "save" and buy say, perhaps two pair of shoes, or shoes and other gear. Or shoes and beer. Or just beer.
That's like 5 or 6 cases of decent beer. Or like a bazillion cases of swill JakeKnight drinks.
Boston 2008
DWARP
Marathon Madness Mob
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posted: 5/15/2008 at 11:27 PM
I just got the 305 last week when REI had them on sale for $165.00. I must say that I love it...I like having all that data available to me. Size has not bothered me. I was thinking of getting the 405, but my local store didnt have them yet and it was $349. The only complaint about the 305 is that I would like some kind of backlight feature for when running in the dark. That feature may be on there but I havent found it yet.

Save the bucks and get the 305...if you can still find them.

Bob
Castaic Sprint Triathlon 8/9/08
Hansen Dam Triathlon 8/17/08
Disneyland HM 8/31/08
Santa Clarita HM 11/02/08
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PR
posted: 5/15/2008 at 11:35 PM
Quote from digitalguy3 on 5/15/2008 at 11:27 PM:
The only complaint about the 305 is that I would like some kind of backlight feature for when running in the dark. That feature may be on there but I havent found it yet.

Save the bucks and get the 305...if you can still find them.

Bob


Once your 305 is on, just hit the power button once...don't hold it down...and the backlight function becomes available. It goes off after 15 seconds (can be changed from the settings menu), but every time you press a button, it comes back to light. Also, if you use the auto lap feature, every lap it will light up. (I got mine from REI last Thursday...)
-Ryan-

"To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." -Pre

My blog on running and other thoughts
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posted: 5/16/2008 at 12:56 AM
The backlight feature can be set to stay on permanently until you hit the power button again.
www.mnultrarunner.blogspot.com
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Ruler of Running Tights
posted: 5/16/2008 at 1:21 AM
Quote from dnephin on 5/15/2008 at 9:24 PM:
I say 305.
Take the $150 you "save" and buy say, perhaps two pair of shoes, or shoes and other gear. Or shoes and beer. Or just beer.
That's like 5 or 6 cases of decent beer. Or like a bazillion cases of swill JakeKnight drinks.


Dude! Great call so I'm off to buy some Chimay with my savings.

Its a well known fact that Gorillas prefer swill - I saw it on National Geographic channel
"Spandex.....all Spandex!!!" Buddy Love of the Nutty Professor
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
2008 goals:
1) run a fall marathon (Indy)
2) stay injury free
3) PR 5K, 10K, HM & M
4) get my kids to start running with me
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posted: 5/18/2008 at 11:43 PM
Quote from aharmer on 5/16/2008 at 12:56 AM:
The backlight feature can be set to stay on permanently until you hit the power button again.


Thanks to all, found the function and it works well.

Bob
Castaic Sprint Triathlon 8/9/08
Hansen Dam Triathlon 8/17/08
Disneyland HM 8/31/08
Santa Clarita HM 11/02/08
ultramarathon/triathlete
posted: 5/20/2008 at 1:22 PM
I had an old ironman gps watch with an arm pad. That sucked, never worked and was REALLY bulky.
After a year I upgraded to the Garmin 105(?) --the green/grey one that was rectangular and much larger than the 305. It did not have a heart rate monitor and it took a long time to find satelites and lost them under any tree cover.

Then I got, for a birthday present :) the garmin 305. It's awesome. Smaller than the previous one, faster to find and hold onto satelites, but it is a bit bulky (though much less than the previous model).

I think I'll eventually upgrade again but I'm happy with the watch for now and would recommend it.

My only real problem is that if it does lose sat reception while on a run, it takes forever (or never) to pick it up again. During my last 2 maratons & my last ultra, I lost reception part of the way into the race (for no reason I could figure out) and never got it back... then again I use the watch in hundreds of days of training and racing each year so I guess statistically it loses signal pretty rarely.

Anyone know if there is a way to prod it to look for the signal again if it loses it on run, without stopping and turining it off/on?
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posted: 5/20/2008 at 5:38 PM
So I called around today and only one store in my area had the 405, so I headed over there at lunch today.

Well, they only had the green one - which I thought was kind of ugly. But trying to keep an open mind I tried on the 305 and 405 versions. On my wrist they both felt about the same weight, with the 305 beign just a bit bulkier.

I took the 305 so I can take it for a test spin and the guy at teh store told me to try back in a few days and they should have some more of the 405s in - and I will trade the 305 in to try out the 405. Though I wont end up keeping the one I just got. At REI (where I bought it) the 305 and 405 both cost the same - $299. If I like the 305 I will return it because I'm pretty sure I have seen it cheaper somewhere online.

"80% of success is showing up." ~ Woody Allen

"Go that way... really fast. If something gets in your way... turn." ~ Charles DeMar

God doesn't give you what you want. He gives you what you need, the rest is up to you.
ultramarathon/triathlete
posted: 5/20/2008 at 7:31 PM
Just an FYI, a lot of stores, (I know EMS at least) will match prices. Print off the price from the website you see it for less, and bring it into the store. They should honor it. If not, then yeah, buy it online :)
Scout7
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CPT Curmudgeon
posted: 5/20/2008 at 8:36 PM
I like my 305. I only use 2 data items, though.
Amat victoria curam.

Sine labore nihil.

Dulcius ex asperis.
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Ruler of Running Tights
posted: 5/20/2008 at 8:42 PM
Quote from Scout7 on 5/20/2008 at 8:36 PM:
I like my 305. I only use 2 data items, though.


Curious which one's?

Isn't that like having a 60 function Swiss army knife and oly using the corkscrew and the toothpick. Wink Just sayin....
"Spandex.....all Spandex!!!" Buddy Love of the Nutty Professor
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
2008 goals:
1) run a fall marathon (Indy)
2) stay injury free
3) PR 5K, 10K, HM & M
4) get my kids to start running with me
Scout7
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CPT Curmudgeon
posted: 5/20/2008 at 8:44 PM
Quote from CarmelRunner on 5/20/2008 at 8:42 PM:
Curious which one's?

Isn't that like having a 60 function Swiss army knife and oly using the corkscrew and the toothpick. Wink Just sayin....


Elapsed Time and Distance.

I had it displaying four. And I even varied it through the different screens. Found it too distracting.

I plan on maybe using lap pace for a race. But recently, I've been eschewing any watch during a race, and it's working out better than I thought.
Amat victoria curam.

Sine labore nihil.

Dulcius ex asperis.
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Ruler of Running Tights
posted: 5/20/2008 at 8:49 PM
Quote from Scout7 on 5/20/2008 at 8:44 PM:
Elapsed Time and Distance.

I had it displaying four. And I even varied it through the different screens. Found it too distracting.

I plan on maybe using lap pace for a race. But recently, I've been eschewing any watch during a race, and it's working out better than I thought.


There's no school like old school.

I just started using my 305 and the four split screen can be distracting. Hell it took me ten minutes to figure out how to tell time with the thing. I do like the data. Makes me feel like the 6 Million Dollar Man without the robotic arm, legs and hearing....
"Spandex.....all Spandex!!!" Buddy Love of the Nutty Professor
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Einstein
2008 goals:
1) run a fall marathon (Indy)
2) stay injury free
3) PR 5K, 10K, HM & M
4) get my kids to start running with me
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All About Running > Gears and Wears > Looking to get a Garmin - which one?