Garmin have recently unveiled a brand new Forerunner GPS watch, the Garmin Forerunner 910XT, building on the tradition of the 305 and 310XT Forerunners with their multisport focus that triathletes will find useful and beneficial. The former watches are very popular and were well received by triathlete and athletic communities, the new Forerunner watch adds new features to Garmins proven model. The new watch offers several new enhancements, that is sure please aerobic athletes of various persuasions, especially swimmers. So let’s take a closer look at the latest offer from Garmin.

What’s New

The Garmin Forerunner 310XT was known for being the first GPS watch to be safe to use while swimming in the water. The Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS, follows in that tradition and adds a whole host of new swim metrics on top, allowing you track your swimming sessions in greater detail, adding the following swim metrics to its list of abilities: distance, speed, stroke count, stroke type

Forerunner 910XT without HRM (MSRP. $399.99) – Buy Now
Forerunner 910XT with HRM (MSRP. $449.99) – Buy Now

Unfortunately, the new watch fails to address a couple of flaws of the 310XT.

Its inability to track speed and distance in the water; the inability to receive a GPS signal underwater is an unfortunate phenomena all GPS watches suffer from, there really is no way to address this due to limitations in the technology.

Its lack of heart rate reception under water; Garmin use the ANT+™ protocol for their heart rate monitors, which unfortunately will not transmit underwater. This ability is only found in the Polar RCX5, which uses a non-ANT+™ protocol.

On the plus side, both the 310XT and 910XT feature an open water mode for swimming, which works on the basis of the watch re-establishing the GPS uplink mid-stroke while your hand is out of the water. Open water mode is not 100% accurate, but gives you a rough idea of a swim course.

A more accurate technique that a lot of triathletes use is the watch-under-the-swimming-cap trick, that keeps the GPS antenna out of the water throughout the swim.

Other changes in the Garmin 910XT watch include a thinner form factor. The display screen of the new watch is identical to the 310XT, but with less thickness. The watch also features a brand new high-tech design and has a shiny black color scheme over the silver/orange of its predecessor. The Forerunner 910XT is Garmin’s first ever GPS watch to feature a barometric altimeter. This delivers greater elevation accuracy than GPS based elevation, which has a degree of inaccuracy in vertical measurement. This puts Garmin in league with top-line Suunto and Polar watches in terms of real-time altitude measuring.

Like the recently released Forerunner 610, the new Forerunner 910XT Garmin adds the Training Effect sports metric, an indication of how effectively you have trained and previously only found in Suunto watches. So the latest Generation of Garmin GPS watches are now have a greater competitive advantage compared to the best offerings from Suunto and Polar. If you want the ultimate all-in-one GPS watch, a Garmin is really the only game in town.

The new watch also adds new sports watch modes including support for a run/walk reminder feature. The run/walk training method is popular among those new to the sport who are not yet fit enough to continually run for any length of time. The new reminder feature allows you to pre-set times for walking and running and will alert you when it is time to start jogging or take a break. The Virtual Racer feature introduced in the Forerunner 610 is also present, it allows you to train or race against previous performances on pre-saved courses. Unlike Garmins popular Virtual Parter feature, the pace of your virtual competitor will vary, which is more realistic when you take hills and off-trail segments of your course where your pace is slower into account.

Summary of FR910XT enhancements:

• slimmer external case
• new swim metrics
• barometric altimeter
• training effect
• run/walk reminder feature
• improved ANT+™ based cycling power meter support
• virtual racer

Traditional Forerunner Sports Features

While the Garmin 910XT Forerunner offers plenty of new improvements over its predecessor, the advanced sports watch features found in older Garmin Forerunners that have worked well have been included unchanged. The 910XT remains a high-end watch with endless ability to configure data pages and tweak settings to maximize your training experience. In the 910XT, Garmin have designed a watch that ‘does it all’, and in many ways Garmin have really hit the nail on the head. The Garmin 910XT HRM contains the following “traditional” features that have been successful in the Forerunner 305 through to the latest offerings.

Customizable Display: Customize multiple data pages with up to 4 data fields per page
Auto Scroll: Set up the watch to scroll through data pages in sequence.
Auto Lap: Automatically registers a lap in memory
Auto Pause: Pauses the stopwatch when you stop running (like when you stop at traffic lights), and resumes when you continue
Alerts: Alerts you via a visual, audible or vibration signal based on time or distance
Virtual Partner®: Train against a virtual competitor moving at a pre-set pace (but without variations)
Courses: Run against a previous activity on a previous course
Multisport Mode: Pre-programmed transition sequences for swimming, running, cycling. One button-press transitioning
Advanced Workouts: Use Garmin Connect™ to create advanced structured workouts with goals
Interval Training: Setup repetitive hard/easy session with warm-up and cool-down

What is lacking in the new watch is the “simple workout” feature, where you can input a time, distance or calorie goal. I guess, this is due to the impractical nature of running until you reach a certain distance or for a certain length of time, I mean unless your run mindless laps of your athletics track, you are left in the middle of nowhere and must somehow get back.

Advantages For Runners

The Garmin Forerunner 910XT HR watch, offers similar benefits to those of the Forerunner 610 and former Forerunners. When you go for a run you can record details of how far you went, how fast and a course of your run is saved in memory. The advanced sports modes (see the list above) allow you to to perform advanced training based on a structured sequence of activities with options for goal-oriented training, target zones and various different alerts that can be set up.

Advantages For Cycling

This particular watch from Garmin is more friendly towards cycling than other Forerunners, with support for up to five customized bike profiles with parameters for wheel size, weight, speed, cadence and power as well as support for major ANT+™ sensors geared at cycling.

These are generally:

• power meters
• cadence only
• speed-only
• speed/cadence combos

The 910XT has nearly the same general functionality as the Garmin Edge 500, but can only display up to 4 data fields instead of 8. The 910XT offers a lot more than the Edge 500 for runners and swimmers, but if you are pure cyclists that does no swimming or running, you will probably be better served with the Garmin Edge 500 (no mapping) or Garmin Edge 800 (with mapping).

Of great interest to the cycling community and triathletes is support for pedal based power meters for cyclists like the Garmin Vector, CycleOps, Power2Max, SRAM/Quarq, SRM as well as cleat power meters like Brim Brothers Zone and O-Sycne. However the Garmin watches are not compatible with Polar’s Look/Keo power meters as these are based on the Polar W.I.N.D. protocol and not ANT+™.

The cycling power meter metrics that are supported in the Forerunner 910XT are:

• power
• 30s average power
• power in kilojoules
• power current lap
• power of last lap
• power max
• power max current lap
• power in watts/kg
• left and right power (for upcoming Garmin Vector pedal power meter)

and included are the following Training Peaks metrics:

• intensity factor (IF)
• training stress score (TSS)
• normalized power (NP)

The Training Peaks metrics will also soon be available in Garmin Connect™.

Advantages For Swimmers

The Garmin 910XT GPS watch is the first Garmin to have integrated swimming metrics that can help you keep track of your swimming sessions in a pool. The watch lets you set the distance of the pool and the stroke type. It will display your SWOLF score (efficiency) and will register the following main swimming metrics:

Lengths: num lengths, lengths current interval, lengths last interval
Stroke distance: stroke distance average, stroke distance current interval, stroke distance of last interval
Stroke rate: stroke rate overall, stroke rate current interval, stroke rate of last interval, stroke rate, last length
Distance: distance overall, distance of current interval, distance of last interval
Pace: pace average, pace of current interval, pace of last interval,
Efficiency: efficiency average, efficiency of current interval,efficiency of last interval
SWOLF: swolf average, swolf of current interval, swolf of last interval, swolf of last length

The 910XT Forerunner GPS watch, like the 310XT is waterproof to 50 meters and as mentioned will not transmit heart rate or GPS distance information while underwater, although it can link up to the GPS satellites in the open water mode, allowing you to register speed, distance and save position plots for mapping purposes.

Garmin Forerunner 910XT vs 310XT vs 305

	Forerunner 305	Forerunner 310XT	Forerunner 910XT
MSRP	$199.99	$349.99 wo/hrm $399.99 w/hrm	$399.99 wo/hrm $449.99 w/hrm
Specifications
Dimensions, WxHxD	5.33 x 6.86 x 1.78 cm 2.1" x 2.7" x 0.7"	5.4 x 5.6 x 1.9 cm 2.1" x 2.2" x 0.8"	4.8 x 7.1 x 1.6 cm 1.88" x 2.78" x 0.646"
Display Width	3.3 x 2.0 cm 1.3" x 0.8"	3.3 x 2.0 cm 1.3" x 0.8"	3.3 x 2.0 cm 1.3" x 0.8"
Unit Weight	77 g	72 g	72 g
Battery Type	Rechargeable	Rechargeable	Rechargeable
Battery Life	10 hours, typical	20 hours, typical	20 hours, typical
Heart Rate Support
Map Navigation
Swim metrics
Barometric altimeter:
Customizable Screens
Display Data Fields	4	4	4
Device Support
Bike speed/cadence support
Foot Pod support
Power meter compatible
Touch Sensitive Bevel
Memory
Lap History	1000 laps	1000 laps	1000 laps
Waypoints	100	100	100
Routes	50	0	0
Software
PC transfer	USB cable	ANT+™	ANT+™
Garmin Connect™
Garmin Training Center®
Features
Training Effect (measures impact of an activity on your aerobic fitness)
Virtual Partner® (train against a digital person)
Virtual Racer™ (compete against other activities)
Courses (compete against previous activities)
Auto Pause (pauses and resumes timer based on speed)
Auto Lap (automatically starts a new lap)
Auto Scroll (cycles through data pages during workout)
Multi-sport (changes sport mode with a press of a button)
Simple Workouts (input time, distance and calorie goals)
Advanced Workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts)
Pace Alerts (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace)		(advanced workouts)	(advanced workouts)
Time/distance Alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal)
Vibration alert (choose between alert tones and/or vibration alert)
Interval Training (set up exercise and rest intervals)
Heart Rate Based Calories

The Verdict

The Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS watch is an attempt by Garmin to produce a watch that has it all, and in that respect Garmin have once again delivered in spades, especially in respect to the pool metrics for swimer that have been added and its enhanced support for cycling power meters. The addition of a barometric altimeter also puts it in league with the high performing Suunto t6d and Suunto RS800CX watches. The added walk/run feature is another nice touch, though I suspect if you are buying a watch of this calibre you will already be very fit, and more likely the ultra-fit category. This feature can still be a useful for time-based reminder that activates independently of other alert systems.

As a capable sports watch for competitive triathletes, the FR910XT watch is in a league of its own, with its advanced multisport abilities, you can seamlessly transition between a swim or a run leg, a run and a cycle leg or any pre-configured sequence you need. For swimming and cycling it offer an unparalleled number of advantages over most watches in the market and it is the near equal of the Forerunner 610, indeed it has a much longer battery life, but on the other hand lacks the tap-screen advantage of the 610 which is more a performance runner’s watch.

If you are a pure runner or a pure cyclist, then this watch is over-kill for your needs. The same can be said for casual runners, who can get what they need out of the Forerunner 110 or Forerunner 210 watches at about half the price. In terms of price, it is always smart to look around the internet for the best Garmin Forerunner 910XT price, however the cheapest offers are usually found on the Amazon website. At the time of writing this review, the new Forerunner is yet to be released. But if you would like to buy Garmin Forerunner 910XT you can head over to Amazon and pre-order.

Forerunner 910XT without HRM (MSRP. $399.99) – Buy Now
Forerunner 910XT with HRM (MSRP. $449.99) – Buy Now

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.

Garmin Forerunner 410 Watch

Price: $324.99

Garmin have just announce that they are soon to be releasing two new watches. The Forerunner 210 is a more advanced version of the Forerunner 110, which is a light-weight GPS watch that is quick and simple to set up. Both of these watches utilize the new SiRFstarIV chipset, which is smaller than the old SiRFstarIII chip as well as more accurate and reliable, as does the new Forerunner 410, an incremental upgrade of the Forerunner 405CX watch and is something to definitely look forward to when it is released into retail stores later this year.

Perhaps the most obvious benefit of the Garmin Forerunner 410 (and this will be a great relief to many runners) is that, due to the smaller chipset, it has been made sleek and streamline and more like a normal sports wrist watch. Another of the gripes of the old Forerunner 405-style watches are problems with the bezel, which athletes often complained to be over-sensitive. The new watch features a new and enhanced touch-bezel that allows runner to quickly scroll through a list of features while they are running and in almost all weather conditions.

The new watch transitions smartly into power save mode which utilizes less battery drain, however the watch will alert you when it is doing so, so you have a chance to manually override it if you wish to. When you have completed your workout the Garmin Forerunner 410 GPS watch allows you to wirelessly transfer your data to a PC or Mac and then to “Garmin Connect”, Garmin’s online training community portal. The ANT+ stick also allows you to link up to ANT+ devices such as heart rate monitors, foot pods, bicycle cadence devices and various types of exercise fitness equipment.

In terms of features, the Garmin GPS Forerunner 410 delivers the full “swag”, allowing you to customize the display screen with the ability to show three consecutive fields and up to 30 different data fields to choose from. You can even decide how many fields to display on the screen and have the choice to show one ultra-large field, or three smaller ones. Basically, the Forerunner 410 watch is the choice for athletes who want the maximum number of features and customizeability. It is also possible with this watch to have training pages scroll while you are on your run so you can view multiple information in a pre-determined cycle.

The Forerunner 410 supports Garmin’s advanced workouts feature, which allows you to set up complicated staged workouts and personalized goals. In terms of heart rate training, the 410 Garmin watch offers the ability to set up heart rate training zones with out-of-zone alerts and the new watch support’s Garmin’s heart rate based calorie consumption measurement feature.

The new Forerunner 410 watch is scheduled to be displayed at the upcoming Chicago and New York marathons before being released into retail stores. This exciting new watch offers several improvements on the older 405CX watch, most significantly the newer chipset which makes the Forerunner GPS watches, sleeker, lighter and more comfortable than ever!

Garmin Forerunner 210 Watch

Price: $299.99

Garmin have just announced a new GPS watch into their Forerunner line, the Forerunner 210 GPS running watch. The Garmin Forerunner 210 GPS watch is designed to be as easy to use as the model released prior to it, the Forerunner 110. Like the 110 watch, it is designed for runners who want the power of a GPS watch, but without the complexity and endless convoluted menu systems that were the burden of many of the older Garmin GPS watches. The Forerunner 110 answered the call and now the followup watch, the 210, takes it one step further.

Utilizing the new SiRFstarIV chipset, the Forerunner 210 delivers much more power and accurate GPS tracking ability in a much smaller chip. This allows the wristwatch to be offered in a much smaller, lighter, more comfortable size. The watch uses Garmin’s “HotFix” technology that enables the watch to quickly obtain and maintain a satellite signal. Where the new watch offers benefits over the 110 watch is in some extra training modes it offers to runners. With the Garmin GPS Forerunner 210 watch a runner has the ability to create customized interval training sessions. We have talked about Interval Training in the past, and have harped on about the fact that they are one of the key training workouts for improving fitness and performance. Garmin’s advanced interval training features allow you to view your current pace for each interval.

The new watch also allows you to set up heart rate alert. A heart rate alert notifies a runner that their heart rate is above a max threshold or below a min threshold, effectively allowing you to define an optimal intensity and stay within it for the course of a training session. The 210 Forerunner watch also supports a food pot device in addition to GPS which allows for indoor training and offers additional information such as your running cadence and steps per minute which can be viewed when you transfer your personal training history to the Garmin Connect online community portal.

The new watch is available in a trendy looking glossy black/black design that looks extremely fashionable and high-tech. Like the Forerunner 110, the watch features a lighter battery, that is rechargeable and can sustain GPS/training mode for 8 consecutive hours and will keep the watch running for up to three weeks in power save mode. Data can be transferred to Garmin Connect via a USB connection. The watch does not support wireless ANT+ transfer like other Forerunner watches, however this is not a huge drawback. Both watches support a heart rate chest monitor that allows accurate heart rate information to be displayed on the watch as well as the new heart rate based calorie consumption feature that is present in the latest Forerunner watches.

If you enjoy simplicity in a watch with a blend of power and you are serious enough about your training to utilize some of the advanced features of the Forerunner 210 watch like its interval training feature and heart rate alerts, then considering it’s utilization of the new chipset, it’s comfort, size and lower weight profile, the Forerunner 210 delivers an outstanding package when compared with other Forerunner watches that are bulkier, heavier and have more convoluted requirements when activating features.

This exciting new model is due to feature at the Chicargo and New York City marathons, before being released in retail stores, so look out for it soon.

Garmin is noted for it’s GPS technology used in car navigation systems and hand-held devices, and is also very highly regarded in the running community with several popular GPS sports watch innovations. Garmin also have non-GPS sports running watches that offer many of the features found in their GPS watch models, without the expense or burden of the power-hungry GPS systems.

The Garmin Forerunner 60 (FR60) is their most recent offering in this non-GPS category and is effectively an upgrade to their highly popular Forerunner 50 sports watch. The older Forerunner 50 measured speed + distance by using a footpod device, but a few of the advanced sports features in the GPS Forerunner were sorely missed. The FR60 addresses some of these missing functions.

This new watch features more hours of memory, better water resistance and some notable watch modes that were missing from the Forerunner 50 like the Virtual Partner feature.

To briefly sum up. The FR60 runners watch offers the following advantages to it’s users:

• Built in digital heart rate monitor
• ANT+ technology for compatibility with exercise machines and other heart rate monitor straps
• Wireless uploads to a PC or Mac and the option to import your data into GarminConnect, Garmin’s online fitness web portal
• Virtual Partner sports watch feature
• Improved waterproofing
• 100 laps or 15 hours of detailed data storage
• Foot pod compatibility for speed + distance tracking

What the FR60 is NOT, and a few disadvantages of the FR60 include:

• No GPS and no navigation functionality
• Pricey footpod, around $70, which must be attached to your running shoe

If you seek a fully fledged GPS sports watch, we recommend the Garmin Forerunner 405CX or Forerunner 310XT.

Support for Interval Training Workouts

In the past we have talked about how an interval timer features in a watch can assist serious athletes in sessions that alternate between hard and easy training efforts. We even consider this one of the features needed in a running watch.

The Forerunner FR60 Garmin Watch can be used for interval training sessions based on time and distance (if used with a footpod device) and has a more sophisticated interval timer features than the Forerunner 50, making it a much more practical choice for serious athletes.

Virtual Partner^TM Feature

One of the standout features of the GPS Garmins, the Virtual Partner^TM feature is a computerized “stick man” that can be configured to run at your target pace during a run.

If you are lagging too far behind your goal pace, your “virtual partner” is displayed ahead of you on your display, or behind you if you are running faster than your goal.

Compatible with Garmin Connect

Garmin Connect is an online fitness portal that allows you to set up a customized fitness profile that you can use for tracking and sharing your training data.

The website is compatible with Garmin devices and allows you to share experiences with like-minded athletes from around the world. Not only can you track your fitness progress with Garmin Connect, but the online community nature of the service allows you to find and stay connected with a group of likeminded people from around the world.

Wireless Technology

Like the Forerunner 50 and other Forerunner Watches, the new FR60 watch supports ANT+™ technology. With support for ANT+ the watch can seamlessly communicate with your PC or Mac computer and potentially a speed cadence foot pod and other ANT+ compatible devices including heart rate monitors from other manufacturers and a host of exercise equipment.

Buy Garmin FR60 Fitness Heart Rate Watch

	Garmin FR60 Men’s Black Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $105.88
	Garmin FR60 Men’s Red Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $149.99
	Garmin FR60 Women’s Black Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $129.99
	Garmin FR60 Women’s Lilac Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $101.19

Garmin Forerunner 50 vs Garmin FR 60

	Garmin Forerunner 50	Garmin FR60
	Buy on Amazon for $199.99
Water resistance	30 meters	50 meters
Lap history	100 laps or up to 7 hours of data	100 laps or up to 15 hours of data
Heart rate monitor	Some versions	All versions
Virtual Partner
Auto Pause (pause/resume based on speed)
Auto Scroll (cycle through pages during workout)
Time + Dist alerts
Interval Training	Only based on alarms

Detailed Comparison

	Garmin Forerunner 50	Garmin FR60
	Buy on Amazon for $199.99
Specifications
Unit dimensions, WxHxD	1.7″ x 2.3″ x 0.8″ (4.2 x 5.8 x 2.0 cm)	men’s: 2.2″ x 1.5″ x 0.5″ (5.6 x 3.8 x 1.3 cm) women’s: 2.0″ x 1.5″ x 0.6″ (5.2 x 3.8 x 1.4 cm)
Weight	1.5 oz (42.5 g)	men’s: 1.6 oz (44 g) women’s: 1.4 oz (41 g)
PC transfer	Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer)	Automatic sync (automatically transfers data to your computer)
Battery Type	coin cell battery (CR2032)	coin cell battery (CR2032)
Battery Life	1 year	1 year
Heart Rate Support	Some versions	All versions
Display Data Fields	2	3
Bike speed/cadence support	yes (optional)	yes (optional)
Foot Pod support	yes (optional)	yes (some versions)
Water resistance	30 meters	50 meters
Memory
Lap history	100 laps or up to 7 hours of data	100 laps or up to 20 hours of data
Software
Garmin Connect™
Garmin Training Center® Compatible
Mac Support
Sports Features
Virtual Partner
Auto Pause® (pause/resume based on speed)
Auto Lap® (automatically starts a new lap)
Auto Scroll (cycle through pages during workout)
Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace)
Time + Dist alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goal)
Interval Training (set up exercise and rest intervals)	Only based on alarms
Customizable screen(s)
Watch Features
Time of day (12/24h)
Dual time zones
Calendar (day/date)
Daily alarm

Conclusion

The FR60 watches will be sold on Amazon for around $129.99 without a footpod and for around $129.99 with a foot pod device included. With ANT+ technology, Virtual Partner, heart rate monitor support and support for interval training, this watch is a cheaper, yet viable alternative to a GPS enabled sports watch

Purchase Garmin FR60 Fitness Heart Rate Watches on Amazon

	Garmin FR60 Men’s Black Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $105.88
	Garmin FR60 Men’s Red Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $149.99
	Garmin FR60 Women’s Black Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $129.99
	Garmin FR60 Women’s Lilac Fitness Watch (with Footpod) BUY ON AMAZON FOR $101.19

Perhaps one of the most innovative and useful technology to become widely available for athletes of all levels are watches with GPS.

By receiving satellite signals that allow them to calculate your precise three dimensional location and then detecting subtle changes in motion over time, a GPS can provide a host of useful features that has a practical implications for your training and fitness goals.

For more information visit our GPS Watches Information Page.

Currently Garmin’s Forerunner is at the forefront of the GPS sports watch market by a long shot. The company revolutionized the GPS fitness watch with their early models, the 101, 201 and 301. More modern models feature better GPS sensitivity, more modern features and a smaller, more comfortable watch form factor.

Garmin have just released two models:

• The Forerunner 405CX
• The Forerunner 310XT

These are upgrades of the Forerunner 405 and Forerunner 305 watches.

You can see how the different Forerunner watches differ here

We have discussed the Garmin Forerunner (GPS running watch) Workout Types and have examined the Garmin Forerunner (running GPS watch) Interval Workout mode.

All Garmin Forerunner watches support “workouts” which are structured training sessions that you can customize to your personal requirements.

There different types of workouts are:

• Simple Workouts allow you to do a run by time, distance and calories
• Heart Rate Workouts are simple workouts but with heart rate zone alerts
• Interval Workouts let you create repetitive sessions with recovery and the option of warm-up and cool-down
• Advanced Workouts, are structured workouts that let you set goals at each step of the workout

In this post we talk about Advanced Workouts.

Unlike other types of workouts, advanced workouts can only be created using Garmin Connect or the Garmin Training Center software.

The Forerunner 405/CX watches allow you to schedule workouts. Once in the memory of the watch, they can then be wirelessly transferred to other Forerunner watches.

Scheduled workouts can be viewed while in time/date mode. Tap the bezel to view today’s scheduled workout and activated by pressing ENTER to start the workout.

Alternatively, advanced workouts can be started by:

1. Touching and holding MENU
2. Then selecting TRAINING -> WORKOUTS -> ADVANCED
3. Then the specific workout you wish to start
4. Then DO WORKOUT and START

During the workout, the Forerunner displays each step of the workout including the name of a step, the goal (if any) and current workout data. An alarm counts down at the end of each step until the next step of the workout begins.

An advanced workout can also be halted early by pressing the LAP/RESET button.

Advanced workouts are ideal for multi-discipline workouts at the gym, or sessions like Fartlek training where you may wish to structure your workout in phases.

Advanced workouts are available in the following Garmin Forerunner watches:

• Garmin Forerunner 301
• Garmin Forerunner 205
• Garmin Forerunner 305
• Garmin Forerunner 310XT
• Garmin Forerunner 405
• Garmin Forerunner 405CX

The last post explored the different Garmin Forerunner (GPS Running watch) workout types. In this post we explore Interval Workouts, a feature that can be used for structured repetition training.

The Garmin Forerunner line, a collection of running GPS watch models that are tailored for endurance athletes and fun runners are by far the most innovative of these type of sports watches on the market today.

Garmin have just released two new models, the Garmin Forerunner 405CX, (an upgrade of the 405) and the Forerunner 310XT (an upgrade of the Forerunner 305).

Of the two upgrades, the 310XT is the more revolutionary, but the 405CX, unlike the 310XT is selling at a price very close to it’s predecessor the 405, so is worth the purchase if you are buying a new watch.

View the differences between all GPS Forerunner watches here

To quickly recap on the last post, all Forerunner watches support “workouts”. Workouts are activity modes of the watch, each activity mode allows you to structure your training in a different way. These workout modes are called: Simple, Heart Rate, Interval and Advanced.

Most runners who have trained seriously in a group should already be familiar with interval training or “rep training”. Repetition training involves running a number of hard efforts with a rest in between.

For example a rep session might go something like this:

WARM UP (20 minutes)

– Rep 1 –
1000m hard <-- The Rep
3 minutes rest <-- The Recovery

– Rep 2 –
1000m hard
3 minutes rest

– Rep 3 –
1000m hard
3 minutes rest

– Rep 4 –
1000m hard

COOL DOWN (20 minutes)

The Forerunner Interval Workouts mode can be used to structure a repetition workout. What’s more, by utilizing it’s GPS capabilities, the Forerunner watch allows you to run a repetition over a fixed distance in areas where distance is not marked, like trails and roads.

Unlike Advanced Workouts, Interval workouts can be created on the watch. Advanced workouts, however can only be created using the Garmin software.

An optional warm-up and cool-down period can also be set. If you select a warm-up then the Forerunner will switch to the warm-up phase of the workout when you start the Interval Workout. You must press LAP to end the warm-up and start your first interval.

If you selected a cool-down lap, it enters a cool-down stage at the end of your last interval.

An alarm sounds to notify you of the end of an interval and the watch counts down the time until a new interval begins. An interval can also be manually ended early with the LAP/RESET button.

Athletes are growing to recognize the advantages of the GPS Running Watch as a serious tool for accurately measuring and analyzing their training.

Once, a figment of science fiction, GPS watches are now becoming a hit among the endurance community, who are starting to realize the many benefits that accurate tracking of distance, speed, altitude and location can offer to a performance athlete in training.

Garmin, a main player in the mainstream GPS market has cornered the GPS sports watch market with their Forerunner watches.

Garmin stormed the GPS sports watch market with their early model Forerunner 101, 201 and 301 watches and soon after introduced the 205 and 305 watches which were bulky, but highly functional and utilized the SirFstarIII chipset. The new watches featured much more reliable GPS tracking.

The Forerunner 405 was introduced soon after, and featured a much sleeker, more stylish form factor, a touch sensitive bezel, wireless data transfer to PC and even unit-to-unit data transfer.

Garmin have just released two new GPS watches, the Forerunner 405CX which is an upgrade to the 405. The 405CX features superior calorie measurement, better GPS tracking and a replaceable watch band, making it suitable for more petite sized wrists. The other watch, the 310XT is an upgrade to the Forerunner 305. It features a big increase in battery life (around 20 hours from 10), wireless PC transfer and unlike the other Forerunner GPS watches, is waterproof.

The Forerunner watches have been designed to cater to the needs of runners and athletes. One of the benefits to runners is the concept of workout types.

There are four different workout modes supported in the Forerunners: Interval Workouts, Simple Workouts, Advanced Workouts and Heart Rate Workouts. We look at each in turn…

Interval Workouts

These are efforts run over a specified time, or a specified distance and then repeated a number of times with a rest component in between efforts. Interval workouts also allow you to perform an optional Warm-up and Cool-Down.

For example an interval workout might be structured like this:

WARM-UP
Rep 1. 800m (Hard), 2 minutes (Rest)
Rep 2. 800m (Hard), 2 minutes (Rest)
Rep 3. 800m (Hard), 2 minutes (Rest)
Rep 4. 800m (Hard)
COOL-DOWN

Simple Workouts

Simple workouts can be based on time, distance or calories. Simply set the type of simple workout, enter the duration, distance or number of calories you wish to target and then select DO WORKOUT. The watch will display the message WORKOUT FINISHED when you have completed your goal.

Simple workouts have been omitted in the new Forerunner 310XT, but is present in all other GPS Forerunner watches.

Advanced Workouts

Advanced workouts are complex workouts with workout “steps”. For each progression in a workout, goals can be set in advanced workouts as well as varied distances, times and calories. Advanced workouts must be set using the Garmin Training Center software that is included with the watch, or the online Garmin Connect service. Advanced workouts can also be scheduled ahead of time.

Heart Rate Workouts

Similar to a Simple Workout, Heart Rate Workouts are run against a heart rate training zone based on beats per minute (BPM). An alert will sound if your heart rate slips outsize a lower and upper heart rate limit. This feature is only present in Forerunner watches that support a heart rate monitor chest strap.

GARMIN FORERUNNER INFORMATION.

BUY GPS RUNNING WATCH

With runners undertaking their final preparations for the London Marathon of 2009, Garmin have released a new Forerunner model, the 405CX. Very much resembling the Forerunner 405 in both looks and function, the main additions in the 405CX are far superior calorie measurement, better GPS sensitivity and alternative webbing for smaller wrists that make the watch much more suitable as a ladies sports watch. Fitting the alternative wrist band is shown in this video from the official Garmin blog.

According to their website, Garmin worked with Firstbeat Technologies Ltd to perfect their calorie monitoring features. Firstbeat is a Finish company that specialize in heart rate monitoring and analysis equipment for exercise and sports, weight management and stress monitoring applications.

Aside from the fact that the 405CX is now available in a new deep blue color, the Forerunner 405CX contains most of the features of it’s predecessors, but at a very similar price, those looking for a new GPS watch, especially if you have petite wrists, should not look past the 405CX as a one-piece GPS watch with sports features that deliver.

If you have read up on the Garmin Forerunner 310XT and liked it’s 50 meter water resistance and 20 hour battery life, unfortunately the Forerunner 405CX does not offer these features.

Purchase the Garmin Forerunner 405CX on Amazon

Garmin have just announced an upgrade of their Forerunner 305 watch, an upgrade that addresses several requests athletes have been asking for.

It will please Triathletes to know that new 310XT watch not only looks different, but is water resistant to 50 meters. The watch also features an optional quick release and bike mounts for seamless transitioning between the swim and bike legs of a Triathlon event.

We are not yet sure if GPS works in water. Water obstruct GPS signals, so while this watch may be usable in the water, the GPS tracking functions may not work when swimming. If you do wish to use GPS in the water, one technique swimmers use is to place the GPS watch under a swimming cap, so as the GPS aerial is above water throughout the swim. This might not work too well for backstroke however

Garmin are also releasing a more comfortable, waterproof, soft-strap heart rate monitor. It can be used in the water, but does not transmit heart rate data while you are swimming. While this is not what most triathletes are after, it might save time transitioning between the swim and run legs of an event by allowing an athlete to wear the heart rate monitor device under a wetsuit.

This watch also has much greater battery life than the 305, with the ability to run GPS for 20 hours, compared to just 8 hours in the older watch! This is a godsend to endurance athletes, especially those intending to compete in the Hawaiian Ironman or similar events.

Like the Forerunner 405, Garmin have fitted their new watch with wireless connectivity. With the ANT stick plugged into your computer you only have to enter the room and your data is automatically synced up with your computer. Unlike the Forerunner 405, this model does not support unit-unit transfer.

Unlike the Forerunner 305, this watch has heart rate-based calorie computation, but for some reason the 310XT lacks the Simple Workouts feature and Routes that were supported in the 305.

Overall the 310XT is a progressive upgrade of the 305, rather than a revolutionary new design, but is a worthy choice for endurance athletes who require extra battery life and triathletes who don’t want to worry about getting their timepiece wet while performing in an event.

Upgrade Summary

• New sleek, comfortable design
• High-sensitivity GPS receiver with HotFix
• Waterproof to 50 meters
• Wireless connectivity equivalent to the FR 405 via an ANT stick (but no unit-to-unit transfer)
• Battery capacity upgraded from 8 to 20 hours
• Heart rate-based calorie computation

The Forerunner 310XT is expected to be released in June.

Where to Buy
To find out more information about the 310XT. Visit the Amazon product page:

• Garmin Forerunner 310XT.

Video From the Official Garmin Blog

Other Details

	Forerunner 305	Forerunner 310XT
	$226.99
Specification
Dimensions (W,H,D)	2.1″ x 2.7″ x 0.7″ (5.33 x 6.86 x 1.78 cm)	2.1″ x 2.2″ x 0.8″ (5.4 x 5.6 x 1.9 cm)
Display (W,H)	1.3″ x 0.8″ (3.3 x 2.0 cm)	1.3″ x 0.8″ (3.3 x 2.0 cm)
Resolution	160 x 100 pixels	160 x 100 pixels
Weight	2.72 oz (77 g)	2.5 oz (72 g)
Battery	8-10 hours, typical	20 hours, typical
Water Resistance	IPX7 submersed to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes	50m
Memory
Lap History	1000 laps	1000 laps
Waypoints	100	100
Routes	50	0
Watch Features
Heart rate monitor
Bike speed/cadence
Foot Pod
Virtual Partner
Courses
Auto Pause
Auto Lap
Auto Scroll
Multi-sport
Advanced Workouts
Simple Workouts
Pace Alert
Time/distance Alert
Interval Training
HR Based Calories
Software & Analysis Features
Garmin Connect
Garmin Training Center
Wireless Features
Wireless Capable
Auto Sync
Unit-to-Unit Transfer
Displays Power Data