New Garmin Forerunner 310XT. Now Waterproof
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:
Video From the Official Garmin Blog
Other Details
View our Information Page to learn more about GPS Sports Watches or BUY WATCHES WITH GPS HERE.
