Beginners and Beyond

12

The never-ending search for a new running watch...insert <sigh> here... (Read 47 times)

    I'm looking to upgrade my running watch. I've only ever had the one I'm currently using, which is a Motoactv. I got it a few years ago after it had been discontinued, and for the most part, it has served me well. But the website is unsupported and crap, and the watch does have its idiosyncrasies. One thing I LOVE about it, is that it has built-in mp3 storage, and I'd really like to have that again. It's probably not an absolute deal-breaker, but it might be. I hate carrying my phone around when I don't have to. Otherwise, I don't need a ton of stuff. I'm mainly just interested in a good, reliable GPS lock; time, pace, distance (being able to view this on the same screen would be great); and an absolute must is the ability to set up multiple intervals. Do most all watches give verbal notifications of your choice? I've looked at so many online that my brain is mush -- tomtom, samsung, fitbit ionic, lower-mid range garmin (I know, no music), and the list goes on (except for the apple watch, not interested in that one).... Any tips or suggestions are appreciated!

    Docket_Rocket


      I use TomTom and the TomTom Sparks have the mp3 built-in so you can listen to music directly from the GPS.  It also has the optic HR (not sure if there is a regular version with the HR strap and the mp3, though.  Having said that, it does not have the ability to set workouts up like that (or if it does, I have not learned it).

      Damaris

       

      As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

      Fundraising Page

      LRB


        Other than a Forerunner 110 that I bought for a friend a few years back (it was very, very, very basic), I have no experience with the lower end of Garmin products. I'm not sure what Garmin offers in the way of music, but with the ability to create the most sophisticated workouts your mind or coach can conjure up, and the ease in which runs are uploaded via Bluetooth on my phone, I have no desire to wear any other brand of running watch except theirs.

         

        I've had the 410, 220, 620 and 630. I looked at the Fenix 5 sapphire back in the spring, and almost bought it, but decided to wait and see what the next watch in the 600 series would be, since I prefer the run specific nature of them.

         

        Anyway, the 630 is nice but the 620 was my favorite. It does not however, have mp3 storage. Plus at this point, it's old.

          This does not help with your MP3 issue, but I love my Garmin 220. It does everything you need without any extra bells & whistles. And so far hsa actually worked continuously for about 2.5 years, which is not bad for a Garmin product.

           

          MTA: do they still make the iPod Shuffle, that just clips onto your shirt? May be a better music solution than force-fitting it to your wartch selection.

          Dave

          bluerun


          Super B****

            This does not help with your MP3 issue, but I love my Garmin 220. It does everything you need without any extra bells & whistles. And so far hsa actually worked continuously for about 2.5 years, which is not bad for a Garmin product.

             

            MTA: do they still make the iPod Shuffle, that just clips onto your shirt? May be a better music solution than force-fitting it to your wartch selection.

             

            A friend of mine was just complaining about how they don’t, so if they do, she’d be delighted.

             

            Re: the original question, I came across this article the other day... never tried any of these, though.  I’m Garmin all the way.

            https://www.wareable.com/running/the-best-fitness-watches-with-music-playback

            chasing the impossible

             

            because i never shut up ... i blog

               

              A friend of mine was just complaining about how they don’t, so if they do, she’d be delighted.

               

               

               

              Harumph. Probably because when does someone ever not have their phone anyway? Other than when they're out running, for which case they make much more money selling you an Apple Watch.

              Dave

                Thanks so much for the input!

                 

                Dave, I’ve thought about a mini mp3 player if that requirement makes my decision too difficult.  Dave and LRB, can you set up notifications on the Garmin for things like pace and distance for every mile, or whatever you want?  And if it does, does it have Bluetooth so you can hear them, or no?  I’ve always heard so many good things about Garmin that it does make me want to consider it, even without the music.  Thanks for the link, bluerun, that was one of the many articles I read!  Docket, I downloaded the tomtom manual last week, and I think it does have interval capabilities.  See below if you’re interested in this feature--

                 

                Intervals

                How to get there: Activity screen > Press down > TRAINING > INTERVALS > WARMUP, WORK, REST, # SETS, or COOLDOWN.

                Select this option to use interval training.

                Interval training is short periods of exercise followed by rest. The main aim of interval training is to improve speed and cardiovascular fitness. For example, during a 20 minute walk-jog workout you could do an 8 minute fast walk, followed by 3 sets of 1 minute running and 2 minutes walking, then a 5 minute walk to cool down.

                For warmup, work, rest and cooldown, you can set either a time or a distance. For sets, you choose the number of sets you want to include in your interval training program.

                Cyberic


                  If I were an Apple customer I'd look into the Apple Watch 3. As a bonus it now has an electronic SIM in sync with your iPhone, that you don't have to bring. Or so I hear. But I am not. Neither are you.

                  I'm also into higher end Garmins. I currently wear a Fenix 3. The plus side of the Fenix, other than it's high end Garmin electronics, is that it looks good, and I wear it as an every day watch.

                  Doesn't help you, though.

                    ^^^ Everything helps...thanks!

                    LRB


                      Thanks so much for the input!

                       

                      Dave, I’ve thought about a mini mp3 player if that requirement makes my decision too difficult.  Dave and LRB, can you set up notifications on the Garmin for things like pace and distance for every mile, or whatever you want?  And if it does, does it have Bluetooth so you can hear them, or no?  I’ve always heard so many good things about Garmin that it does make me want to consider it, even without the music. 

                       

                      There are pace alerts, distance alerts, time alerts, alerts alerts, alerts. These are sound or vibration from the watch itself though, so the tooth of blue is not needed.

                         

                        There are pace alerts, distance alerts, time alerts, alerts alerts, alerts. These are sound or vibration from the watch itself though, so the tooth of blue is not needed.

                         

                        This is exactly what I was wondering...thanks!

                          Another vote for Garmin (I have the 230), but to be fair, it is the first and only GPS watch I've ever had.

                           

                          That said, I had very high expectations, and I have not been disappointed.  As far as setting up workouts, that is exactly what I wanted to be able to do, and this thing is perfect.  I can set up my intervals (by time or distance, distance can be set as metric or imperial) and have a pace range set--the watch buzzes at me looooong when I'm too fast or slow (and it has a notification on the face that tells me which, and what my pace is, so I know how much to correct), then a *short* bzz when I'm in the set range.  It also tells me "3 of 8" or whatever I'm on, so I know how much longer I have to suffer.  I lose track counting on my own somewhere around #4, so it's helpful for me.

                           

                          You can customize the workout as much as you like.  I program my warm up by distance, then the speed intervals by distance, recovery jogs by time, pick how many times I want to repeat the interval/recovery, and voila!  You can put in as many different ones as you like, so you could program a ladder or whatever if you are into that.

                           

                          I have everything set to vibrate, but it does have a bell, and you can set it to tell you information through your headphones.  I used the voice over for a while, but found it was unnecessary since I could look anytime and see what I wanted to know.

                           

                          It has all the metrics I know how to look at (pace, distance, cadence, elevation, keeps track of shoe mileage), and it syncs nicely with RA's log system.

                           

                          I wear mine as an everyday watch because of the "smart watch" features.  It tells me I have an incoming call, text, and missed call (I don't have it selected, but if I want, it will also tell me if I have new email).  I haven't used the audible ringer on my phone in 8 months, and I haven't missed calls!!!  Women's clothes don't have pockets a lot of times, and I never heard my phone when it was in my purse if I was in a restaurant or anywhere even slightly loud, so I missed most calls and texts.  I also would turn off the ringer because I was in court or something, and then forget to turn it on, and miss everything for hours afterward.  My husband is a lot less annoyed with me now, lol.

                           

                          The only thing I was on the fence about was whether to get the one with the HR monitor or not.  Peeps around here tell me the HR monitor is sketch, so I'm glad I skipped it.

                           

                          MTA: I also use the alarm clock now every day!  It vibrates, so it's less irritating for someone who is not getting up at the butt crack of dawn.  Hubs no longer has to hear the loud alarm clock and my inevitable attempt to turn it off that ends with me knocking it off the table and scrambling around to find it.

                          Docket_Rocket


                            Thanks so much for the input!

                             

                            Dave, I’ve thought about a mini mp3 player if that requirement makes my decision too difficult.  Dave and LRB, can you set up notifications on the Garmin for things like pace and distance for every mile, or whatever you want?  And if it does, does it have Bluetooth so you can hear them, or no?  I’ve always heard so many good things about Garmin that it does make me want to consider it, even without the music.  Thanks for the link, bluerun, that was one of the many articles I read!  Docket, I downloaded the tomtom manual last week, and I think it does have interval capabilities.  See below if you’re interested in this feature--

                             

                            Intervals

                            How to get there: Activity screen > Press down > TRAINING > INTERVALS > WARMUP, WORK, REST, # SETS, or COOLDOWN.

                            Select this option to use interval training.

                            Interval training is short periods of exercise followed by rest. The main aim of interval training is to improve speed and cardiovascular fitness. For example, during a 20 minute walk-jog workout you could do an 8 minute fast walk, followed by 3 sets of 1 minute running and 2 minutes walking, then a 5 minute walk to cool down.

                            For warmup, work, rest and cooldown, you can set either a time or a distance. For sets, you choose the number of sets you want to include in your interval training program.

                            Ooh nice. I have to tinker with it. After 4 years I should know how it works but no. Lol. Still not unhappy I ditched Garmins just for the post run calibration capability on the TM (which I have not seen anywhere else) and consistency of the watch.

                            Damaris

                             

                            As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                            Fundraising Page

                            Docket_Rocket


                              If I were an Apple customer I'd look into the Apple Watch 3. As a bonus it now has an electronic SIM in sync with your iPhone, that you don't have to bring. Or so I hear. But I am not. Neither are you.

                              I'm also into higher end Garmins. I currently wear a Fenix 3. The plus side of the Fenix, other than it's high end Garmin electronics, is that it looks good, and I wear it as an every day watch.

                              Doesn't help you, though.

                               

                              I am waiting for them to make the GPS capability worth it and for them to make the watch Miami proof. So far, it would last me a year tops in the current form and material.  I did damage my 610 in 8 months and that one was more waterproof, I think.

                              Damaris

                               

                              As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

                              Fundraising Page

                                Also for the OP - if you haven't already discovered DCRainmaker, that is the place to go for product reviews. Maybe not at the start if you are already overwhelmed by the options, but once you've narrowed it down a bit. His reviews are thorough to the point of exhaustion.

                                Dave

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