Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor by Garmin
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Digital camera reviews of Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor
Digital camera Review: 5 stars with better HR display
Summary: 4 Stars
A worthwhile upgrade to the 301. Much better reception (I run the trails in Colorado and have yet to drop a signal, even on cloudy days), smaller (Garmin separated the charging feature, bringing it outside the unit), doesn't pop off (the 301 would pop its hinge when my wrist would bend too far, when getting up for example), and the hr strap is more comfortable. On the downside, the hr display is now too small and is very hard to read on the run, an obvious drawback when training. The only other drawback remains the same as the 301. Garmin's training software is nowhere near as good as Polar's. Not even close. You can use third party vendors, but for the cost, the 305 should come with its own high quality software. However, I think the Garmin is superior to the Polar 625x, and better software is not nearly enough to sway me back to Polar.Digital camera Review: A "MUST HAVE" for runners, walkers, bikers
Summary: 5 Stars
I got the Forerunner 305 because someone stole my 201 (right out of my Baby Jogger Stroller!) that I have had since 2005. I felt lost running without a Forerunner so I had to get a new one. I absolutely love, love, love the 305 and recommend a Forerunner for all runners! Here are a few of the things that I want to comment on regarding the 305.
SIZE - yes it is huge but it is still smaller and sleeker looking than the 201. I am 5'3", 110 pounds and I wear it using the smallest hole and it fits perfectly. I used to take the 201 off as soon as I was done using it because I felt ridiculous wearing it. Hence that is why it was in my daughter's stroller and got stolen while we were at the playground. Anyway, the 305 is large, but it is the perfect size for reading quickly while running. It also doesn't bother me enough to have to take it off immediately. Check out my picture of the 305 on my arm for an idea of how big it is. There is also a longer strap if you have a bigger wrist.
SATELLITE CONNECTION - unbelievably fast! The 201 used to take up to 15 minutes to make a connection and it would lose its connection under relatively dense tree cover giving me inaccurate distance and pace readings. The 305 only takes about a minute and I have yet to lose the satellite connection during my runs in shady areas and on cloudy days. The pace seems pretty accurate. For me it seems range from 6:00/ mile to 9:45/ miles with the average pace always being right on when compared to my official race paces.
HEAR RATE MONITOR - The 305 monitors your HR during your entire run. The monitor is a little too big for me with the chest strap at its tightest setting. I have to tuck it into my sports bra in order for it to stay put. To give you an idea of its size, my bra strap is a 32 and 34. But once it is tucked in securely, I forget that I am wearing it.
ALERTS - You can set your Forerunner to beep if you go below or above a certain pace and HR, and when you reach certain points/laps, such as 1 mile marks. The 201 has the alerts feature too.
Garmin Training Center Software and Garmin Connect website - absolutely awesome. I have a Mac and never uploaded my 201 data to my computer. With the 305 I can upload my data to the Training software and the Connect website with my Mac. I prefer the website because it maps your run on actual maps. It also plots your pace, elevation, and heart rate. When you click the "play" button, you watch a little circle move along your route alongside your exact pace, HR, and elevation. You can see exactly where your pace and HR changed! You can also see other users' routes, their paces, and their HRs as well. Very cool.
I love my Forerunner 305 and feel totally lost without it. There are many other features too, but these are the ones that feel are most important. It is great for training. I actually medaled in my age group in the last 3 of my races and it happened to coincide with me using my 305! I definitely recommend this to anyone who runs or bikes!
Digital camera Review: A Great Gadget!!!!
Summary: 4 Stars
I am very pleased with my Garmin Forerunner 305! I love the fact that I can monitor my heart rate, distance, pace, and time all in one glance. I also love the auto pause when I have to break for traffic. I do believe that the distance is a little off though. A regular running route of 3 miles was clocked in at 2.87 by my Garmin but to me it's no big deal. Also, on a recent trip to NYC it failed to pick up the satelite as I ran along the Hudson River. Overall, I believe it is a great gadget and I'm happy "as a lark" on my runs.Digital camera Review: A Great Garmin!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Garmin Forerunner 305 is great. I have enjoyed it fully. I recommend getting with other runners who have them to fully utilize your features faster. It is a little confusing at first, but it is awesome when you figure it out. The only problem I had was I left it connected to the computer one time when I turned off the computer. I took it out later and the battery was dead. I charged it in the wall plug and everything worked fine after that. So, disconnect it from your computer before turning off your computer. Running Ahead website works great with reading the stats and downloading stats off the garmin.
Digital camera Review: A Great Investment
Summary: 5 Stars
I purchased the 305 after almost 6 months of review and feedback from friends. It has been the best investment I've made in my training. I'm still learning all of the features but the immediate ones I needed were perfect right out of the box.