Can anyone please advise me on a GPS watch?

[clemetteattlee]

DH is about to turn 40. He has asked me for a Garmin forerunner GPS watch. It turns out there are LOADS of these. Does anyone have one? Which ones are good?
Thanks.

[ILoveLemonCurd]

It depends what he wants it for really. If it's just to know how far he's been and at what pace the FR110 is good and basic. But if he wants to be able to program it to do intervals, or specific training plans, or race a virtual partner and then upload the data into pretty graphs he'll need a higher spec.

I have a FR405 which does all that and I also have the HR monitor too. It suits me and does all I need it to along with lots of other things I have yet to discover! The 610 is the bees knees with a touch screen but is very pricey!

Why not look at the Garmin website to compare them?

HTH

[FredFredGeorge]

The Forerunner 305 is really really excellent for the price if you are happy with the large size.

The 405 is over-priced I think and the bezel is extremely polarising in opinion, you either love it or you hate it.

The 110 is good if all you want is a log of where you go or the 210 if you need to be able to use it on a treadmill (but the cost is not ever worth that I think)

I would go with the 110 Heart rate for 110quid from Handtec probably unless he knows which one he wants.

[clemetteattlee]

Thank you both. I need to pin him down on exactly what he wants. At the moment he says "the one like 's"

[ILoveLemonCurd]

Just a note on the bezel, I do like it. The only issue is in the rain when it can flick about. It's easy to lock and I always lock it while running so it stays on the right screen so it's really no problem. I also wanted a small wrist watch type, but like Fredfredgeorge says the 305 is good if you don't mind its bulkiness. I've not checked the prices now, but I got mine for less than 200 from Tesco, maybe I just got a bargain!

[ILoveLemonCurd]

Ooh just checked Amazon, £150 on there for a 405 with HRM, actually cheaper than the 305

[clemetteattlee]

I have been reading about the 410 which is an updated 405. It's £160. Worth it?

[ILoveLemonCurd]

That sounds like a bargain to me, I'm sure your DH will love it. He'll be able to bore enlighten you with no end of statistics about his performance

[FredFredGeorge]

The "workout" features of the 410 are the only difference over the 110 which is 50 quid cheaper, and most people do not use the workout features, they're annoying (If you tell it to run 10minutes at 8min/mile pace, then get stopped to cross the road - it shouts at you until your average for the entire session is back at 8 min/mile pace rather rather than just shouting at you until you're back running the pace you want, so you run a lot faster than it suggests)

I find the bezel truly horrible, whenever I've had to borrow DP's 405 I make her start it, and her stop it upon returning.

[FredFredGeorge]

Oh and the 305 should cost you no more than 110 (they've been as cheap as 70 on occasion)

www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/1384/garmin-forerunner-305-hr---noh

[ILoveLemonCurd]

That's interesting Fredfredgeorge because it's the workout features I use the most and find the most useful. It's excellent for intervals beeping at me when I need to change. Also it has a useful warm up and warm down feature so you don't skimp on those. Personally I think it's brill, but then that is why there are so many variations as people want different things. While I think the 110 is a good watch, some might find it just a little too straightforward and quickly want more features, my DH being one of those!

[clemetteattlee]

is handtech a reputable site to buy from?

[FredFredGeorge]

Handtec are extremely reputable yes. I've bought 5 or 6 garmins from them (both me and DP have spare 705's in case one goes wrong as well as running ones) and know lots of others who have too.

[clemetteattlee]

Great, that you. I have decided on the 110 (or the 305 if it comes back into stock). DH is essentially impatient when it comes to gadgets so I think keepi it simple will be best.
Thanks for your input both.

[KingofHighVis]

I have a 405cx it is excellent. As lemoncurd says, the workout features are great for intervals. Ive never had a problem with the bezel though I know some don't like it (tip for you ffg - you use the buttons to start and stop, not the bezel.)
I was recently looking at options to replace dps ancient 101. I decided the 110 and 210 were too basic, the 305/310 too big, and the rest too expensive, so I git her a 410.
Only issue is that the plastic strap doesn't fit slender lady wrists so she uses the velco strap, which isn't particularly attractive; not sure about strap sizes for other models.