Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver and Sports Watch by Garmin
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List Price: Our Price: $189.99 You Save: $78.00 (29%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $149.95 (click here) Category: GPS or Navigation System See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver and Sports Watch
Digital camera Review: Absolutely AWESOME
Summary: 5 Stars
Love this new 205. I just upgraded from the 201 and really like the functionality of the new 205. I like the fact that it keeps a better satellite signal. Also like the size much better.Digital camera Review: Absolutely the best gift for a running geek
Summary: 5 Stars
I have heard it compared to the microwave -- you just don't know how you got along without it after you buy one. It is the truth. As a numbers junkie who can't trust his body for speed, I now can tempo train with the best of them because my pace is on my wrist. Highly recommended.Digital camera Review: Accurate and Easy to Use
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this GPS to help me train for a marathon. Knowing my pace was a huge difference in helping me run longer distances. The watch seems very accurate and is simple to use and configure to your liking. I love itDigital camera Review: Accurate, Light Weight Training Tool
Summary: 4 Stars
I received the Garmin 205, and for the price it is amazing. Very accurate GPS system on the roads (trails do not seem accurate) and it has settings to beep and take splits of whatever distance you like. The watch is a lot lighter weight than it looks, and conforms to the wrist nicely. The only cons to the watch are that it is bulky and when you go outside to start your run, you have to wait until the gps can be located which can take up to a minute (which is a long time in the winter cold). Overall, I highly recommend this watch for the price.Digital camera Review: Almost Perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I upgraded to the Garmin 205 after my faithful (but archaic) Garmin 201 became unreliable. I use the 205 strictly for running, so I can't comment on the biking functions. I really like this product, except for one fairly significant shortcoming (see below).
On the plus side, the 205 is much more ergonomic that the older 201. It fits more like a wristwatch, and doesn't look "geeky" like the 201. More importantly, the 205 works a lot better than the 201. It captures satellites much more quickly when you start it up, and it doesn't seem to lose signal nearly as much as the older model. They've also made the buttons larger, and placed the "start/stop" and "Lap/Reset" buttons on the front of the unit so that they're much easier to use. The menus and screens are very similar to the previous model, so I felt comfortable with the 205 from the beginning. It's obvious that the folks at Garmin spent a lot of time listening to runners, and created a product that does what it's supposed to do, and is easy to use as well.
My major complaint about the 205 is the alert "beep". I have my 205 set to beep every 0.5 miles of running distance, however the sound is so weak, that I barely hear it less that 50% of the time. I run by myself in a quiet neighborhood, but I still can't hear the alert even when I'm expecting it. I know many other runners who have the Garmin 205, and they universally have the same complaint. It's obvious that Garmin put a lot of effort into refining this product, much to the better. It's surprising that no one seemed to notice that the alert sound was much too weak for normal use.
I also know of some runners who have had problems with the electrical contacts on the back of the unit. Apparently the electrodes can become corroded from the normal sweat of the running, and will no longer work with the charger. A friend of mine had to have his 205 replaced twice because of this problem. I notice that the instruction booklet advices you to make sure that the electrodes are absolutely clean and dry before you charge the unit. I haven't had any of these problems in the brief time I've owned the unit, so maybe they fixed the problem.
I summary, I would strongly recommend this product. If you're a serious runner, this is a "must have".