HR Monitors and GPS/Speed Units

Get a garmin forerunner.  It is a gps unit and in my experience is extremly accurate. 

I have the Nike I-pod thing, and a Garmin 305.  I much prefer the Garmin--HR data and MUCH more accurate for me.

I like the Garmin 305 but i heard it takes 5 minutes to synch to a SAT, any truth to that? I don't need it to synch in 2 seconds, but 5 minutes is awhile.

I was concerned that the speed would be inaccurate on the Nike or Polar, interesting the HR is bad, that's not new technology...

I just went outside and tried and it was 1:56 to aquire the signal and that actually seemed long.  Usually if you take it off and set it on the ground while stretching, etc. it gets the signal pretty quick.

 

Mine is moody... sometimes it takes 2-3 minutes, and sometimes it's up in 30 seconds.  I used to be bad at stretching pre-run, but now I'm much better because I'm waiting for the Garmin. 

Garmin sync time is normally right around a minute for me.

BUT, it can vary. If you haven't used it in a while, it takes longer. The first time it takes longer, and if you travel large distances it takes longer.

My understanding of the reason is that it is just downloading satellite position changes most of the time. So if you've used it recently, it doesn't have much delta to wait on. If you haven't used it in a LONG time and it has to reaquire every satellite (or if it has to do it because you've moved several hundred miles) it's far closer to the 10 minute time frame.

In those cases, just set it down outside, for a few minutes, answer "No" to are you indoors, and "yes" to have you moved a few hundred miles, and it's about 5 minutes from there.

-Jot

Timex Trailrunner is great - absolutely everything I need and lots of stuff I didn't know I'd like.  GPS, with altitude changes, lots of waypoint/programable stuff for trails and finding your way if you want, HR stuff (I discovered that measuring my one minute recovery HR decline is helpful), current spped/pace - averaging of speed/pace - smoothing of speed pace, etc.   

I can set it to record lap data per minute or per distance (every 10 minutes or every mile, for example) and it will give me my average pace, HR, altitude changes, etc. during each "lap" and of course on the whoel run.  Can set it to automatically do a split when I reverse dierction so an out and back is great and I can look for negative splits.  I like it on the bike too (but haven't been doing much of that lately). 

Accurate? - my experiece is it is extremely so. 

The GPS uses a regular AA battery, the HR monitor a basic round "computer" battery - replace it yourself unlike some you've got to SEND IN to replace.  Watch battery is regular stuff too but I'd take it to a local jeweler to avoid messing up the waterproof seal. 

I like that it is just a watch by day too and wear it all the time.  It's my alarm clock too - 5 alarms. 

I can use the HR monitor, GPS, or any combination.  I've heard great things about the data recorder too, but never used it. 

Gets satellites pretty quick - faster than the prior model I had - which wasn't bad if you didn't travel a long way before turning it on again.  30 seconds usually.  Even picks them up inside so I don't have to turn it on outside and leave it like the old ones. 

Highly recommend it.  Very dependable and rugged.  Check it out and don't just go with the most common ones without comparing it.  Got mine on E-bay for less than $200 new.

Edited by KMac40 2007-08-13 9:16 AM

I am using the Forerunner 305 as well, and find it to be very accurate (as long as you update the software). It rarely takes more than a minute to acquire the signal; as others mentioned it takes longer if I have traveled a long distance, but never longer than my stretching routine.