If you’ve been following the running scene and you dig new cool-looking gadgets, then you have surely heard of the latest Garmin Forerunner 610 watch release. For a while now, Garmin has been leading the revolution in terms of delivering high quality running watches complete with features that runners and even triathletes deem important to excellent running performance on race day. From highly accurate GPS readings leading to reliable and real-time pace, distance and elevation data, to systematic online training logs to help you keep track of every workout so you can properly analyze your performance, Garmin has been the undisputed leader in running watch technology for many years now. With the latest Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS watch, Garmin has pushed the envelope further in terms of performance, function, reliability, and style.

Among the many things that set the new Garmin GPS 610 watch apart from older Garmin versions is size. A common complaint among many Garmin users is the sheer bulk of the old Garmin models highlighted by the extremely popular but massive Garmin Forerunner 310XT. Compared to the Garmin Forerunner 405 and 410 watches, the two previous releases prior to this one, the same watch diameter is maintained but on-screen pictures at any given time has been increased from 3 to 4 displays. Advancements in electronics technology have also led to a thinner Garmin 610 watch, hence the Garmin running watch 610 now feels less like a prop from an old science fiction movie and more like the futuristic gadget that it has been promising to be all these years.

Over and above the improvements in size, the Garmin 610 Forerunner watch has grown leaps and bounds in terms of reliability which is a key concern in previous releases such as the Garmin Forerunner 410. The latest version utilizes Hotfix technology which remembers your latest position relative to satellites that it needs to constantly talk to for accurate location information. This allows the Garmin Forerunner 610 to establish signal reception in less than 10 seconds when you’re prepping for a run. If you have been a long-time GPS watch user, then you already know that those few seconds you spend waiting for a signal reception while trying to hold yourself back from pounding the road feel like eternity. In addition, Garmin offers a variety of packaged options that you can purchase depending on your need. You can choose to purchase the base kit with just the watch and GPS function or go for the additional heart rate monitor (HRM), footpod for treadmill or indoor runs, and the bike speed or cadence sensor to make the watch equally useful for multi-sport purposes. If you choose to go for all three configurations, you will be pleased to know that Garmin has simplified the setup for pairing with ANT+ sensors: you would only need to turn on your Garmin Forerunner 610 with HRM, ask it to locate compatible devices, and setup the pairing and the next time, the watch will do all this automatically leading to an effort free integration with critical sensors including the USB device that downloads your training data so you can put it up on the Garmin online database for extra analysis.

Of course, one of the raves in the few Garmin Forerunner 610 reviews that you will read is the new touch screen technology powered by Edge 800 cycling computers. This feature has reduced the number of keys that you need to operate the watch; now you only need a power/light button, a lap split/reset button, and a start/stop button to aid you in your runs. Most other functions are done via the touch screen technology which works very well even in tough conditions like rain or when you are wearing gloves. Overall the Garmin Forerunner 610 review in this area is more than favorable as the watch indeed delivers on its promise to simplify navigation while in mid-run. Besides, once you’re on the road, you’d only really be flipping from left to right to look through pertinent running data so it simplifies your life without having to go through the old Garmin Forerunner 410 bezel design which I personally found to be mildly distracting.

Of course, no Garmin release would be complete without a heart rate monitor and the Garmin 610 is no exception. The Garmin forerunner 610 HRM builds on the success of many old releases to offer data that is readily available while you run. You can configure the screens to contain essentials like pace, distance, time, and heart rate. The watch records all this data in mid-run so you don’t only get real-time readouts of how you are doing but in the end, you can export all these to view trends and charts. The Garmin forerunner 610 HR trend, for example, is a very useful measure in determining which areas you need to work on to improve your running overall – if your heart rate showed an increase while running hills or beyond a certain speed, then you know those are the areas that you can go back on for improvements.

It goes without saying that if you have owned a Garmin for a while now, there is no obviously no reason to not buy Garmin Forerunner 610. In many respects, the Garmin 610 is a significant upgrade over older models. I have already mentioned in passing comparisons between the Garmin Forerunner 610 vs 410 and how this release builds on the success of the Garmin FR 310XT and Garmin FR 405/410 to deliver a more reliable, more user-friendly, and more versatile training partner. While the watch is not meant to replace the multi-sport functions of the Garmin FR 310XT which considerable has more functions and better water resistance built into its very bulky frame, the Garmin FR 610 serves the purpose of runners from the newbie to the elite.

You will also be happy to note that Garmin conscientiously offers the Garmin Forerunner 610 sale in two packages so you can choose one that is appropriate for your need. The first package contains the watch, the USB ANT+ stick for data downloads, and the magnetic charging cable and sells for $349. The more advanced version includes the heart rate monitor and sells for $50 more. The footpod and bike speed sensors are sold separately. For now, this is the Garmin Forerunner 610 best price that you will find on the market considering that it’s a fairly new release. You can always choose to wait a while to see how the prices will be adjusted depending on sales performance but given the relative strength of the Garmin FR 610, I don’t think you would want to torture yourself by waiting.

The Garmin FR 610 is a laudable running watch with many admirable enhancements and now significant trade-offs despite its sleeker profile. (For more in-depth reviews, you can read them here and here.) It’s the perfect running partner for your training runs and most definitely a reliable ally on race day.