Garmin 405 Release Date (Read 4388 times)

Well thanks folks. Certainly gives me somethings to consider. I don't really need either one, but was just considering a purchase. How friggin' heavy is the 305? I just can't get over how massive it appear compared to my Timex Ironman HRM, which looks like a 'normal' watch.

For the record,

and just to be clear :

BERNER IS BACK!

I am master of the multi-quote reply.

I do plan on wearing the 405 on date night, does the HRM interfere with anything?

Pay attention to sudden heart rate spikes Train, analyze, improve.

You know what they say about a guy who has a big watch face... Man, I remember back in the day I would strut around the track with my 201 on. Good times... Good times...

This is a bit of a simplification, but I think its correct: A route is a series of waypoints. Think of them as thumbtacks on a map, numbered 1, 2, 3, etc. in sequence. When running a route, the Garmin tells you what compass direction to run to get to the next waypoint, and how far away it is. When you get to that waypoint, the Garmin starts giving you directions to the next waypoint. The path between waypoints is always a straight line. Generally speaking, a route has limitations. I believe it can have only a set number of waypoints (100?) under Garmin's specification. At the risk of generalizing, it is an older format that Garmin used when its GPS devices were mainly for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. It is being phased out. A course is a collection of sequenced GPS points potentially numbering in the thousands. Think of them as red dots on a map so closely spaced that from a slight distance it looks like a solid line. When running a course, the Garmin tells you if you start missing the dots by a margin of error, and helps keep you on track of the dots. The Garmin also knows how fast you ran from dot to dot in the baseline course, and can tell you if you are running faster or slower than the baseline performance. Generally speaking, a course is a more accurate and useful way to record a run. Its only limitations are the memory capacity of the unit. Courses can also be created by lots of modern software, including things like converting Google maps to courses. Many marathons and other races offer course downloads on their websites. The Garmin Training Center software has built in functionality for courses, but not routes. At the risk of generalizing, it is the newer data format and is vastly preferable to runners than routes. Probably more information than you were seeking, but the explanation is relevant to those comparing the 405 to the 305. The 405 does courses, doesn't do routes; the 305 does both. In my opinion, this is the equivalent of saying that the 405 has a CD player, while the 305 has both a CD player and an 8-track cassette player. Yes, the 305 can play both -- but, I mean, c'mon ... 8-tracks?

I got my hands on a 405 at the CMM Expo today - and changed my mind about it in about 10 seconds. It is S-weet. Wicked cool. Rad. Gnarly. Seriously. Still not sure I'd wear it as a watch ... but a minute with it on my wrist got rid of most of my reservations about it. It's really, really, really cool. I even liked the display, absolutely LOVE the new band and the way it fastens. I'd miss 4 data screens. But the cool factor makes up for a helluva lot. Nobody told me about the sweet way you change screens. Did I say "cool" enough? Yesterday I'd have argued for the 305. Today, if I didn't already have one, I'd probably wait for the 405. Which have allegedly now been shipped to - at least - REI.

Just 3 I think. But its so, so cool. Did I mention that?

I put both of them on one wrist. It's definitely smaller. Noticeably smaller. I know it didn't really look it in pictures, but in person it seemed half as big. Mostly because of the circle vs. rectangle thing. It also felt much, much lighter. It hugged my wrist a lot better than my 305 does, fit a lot snugger and more stable. Sorry, man. Maybe you'd have a different opinion. (But if I were you I wouldn't go check )