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A
Canada
February 15, 2010
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GOOD AND GEEKY
Works great, doesn't skip around and give bogus instantaneous speeds or weird heart rates.
The data available while you are running and to analyse afterwards provides inspiration to go running more. It has different alarms for too fast/too slow, so you don't have to look at it all the time when you're running.
It is a giant awkward thing on your wrist, and if you put it on the right wrist (because presumably you already have a normal watch on your left wrist) it's awkward to reach the display change buttons. But you can customize it to show what you want without having to change screens, or to change screens automatically, and we don't go running to make a fashion statement. It also works if you put it on a table next to the treadmill or in your jacket pocket: it doesn't have to be on your wrist, just on you and close to the heart rate monitor.
Pros: very customizable, excellent data
Cons: really bulky, not for swimming
Recommend: YES
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Graham
Waterloo, ON
December 30, 2009
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EXCELLENT PRICE/PERFORMANCE RATIO
Will track everything you want it to, especially with the cadence/speed add-on.
Pros: display is very customizable
Cons: slightly chunky on the wrist
Recommend: YES
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Steve
Montreal, Quebec
December 28, 2009
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GARMIN 305
works great, and really easy to use and download info to computer.
Recommend: YES
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Sandy
Omaha, Nebraska
December 26, 2009
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FORERUNNER 305
For a small woman's wrist this item is way toooooooo large. We will be returning it to try to find something that "fits" her size. I don't know if anything exists that also offers what the Forerunner 305 does. Guess we shall see.
Cons: see above
Recommend: NO
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Biker
Ontario
December 14, 2009
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THE GARMIN FORERUNNER 305
Does everything it say's great. Easy to change screens to your personal preferance. Finds satellites easily.
Pros: everything
Cons: nothing so far
Recommend: YES
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Graeme
Calgary, AB
December 7, 2009
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FORERUNNER 305
Excellent purchase, exactly what I wanted in a GPS watch.
Recommend: YES
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Luber
Barrie, ON, Canada
December 6, 2009
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GREAT PIECE OF KIT
Amazing. This wrist tool does EVERYTHING! Literally. I cannot think of one single feature I could possibly add. Not yet anyway. It's amazing what Garmin has packed into this tiny device (OK it's not really TINY). And how configurable can you get? At $180CAN it was a big jump up from my Nike iPod sensor, but there is no comparison. Even the web site is great. Not fantastic but great. Give it a little attitude, Garmin. Runners are energetic people.
Pros: endless, endless features. everything works.
Cons: fairly steep learning curve.
Recommend: YES
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Devin
PE, Canada
November 19, 2009
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GARMIN FORERUNNER 305
I've only had the chance to use my new Garmin a few times, but from what i've seen I like it. I ran my first half- marathon without any GPS, just a stopwatch, so I bought this Garmin for my next big race. I think it's going to come in very useful in my training, so that I can reach my new goal time, and get a new PB in my next half-marathon.
I was a little concerned about it's size from reading reviews before I bought my new Garmin, but i'm happy to say that it's not too big at all. It looks to about the same size as other GPS products that i've seen.
Pros: 4 way split screen so you can see multiple items
Recommend: YES
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Paul
Kincardine, Ont
November 2, 2009
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GARMIN FORERUNNER 305
A great running aid. Used it last month for Toronto marathon and dead accurate, ie, 42.2 km logged. Allows impartial and objective instant feedback as to how one is running. Now I can monitor both my engine rpms,(HR) as well as speedometer.
Recommend: YES
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Vic
Blainville
November 2, 2009
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RELIABLE AND GREAT VALUE GPS WATCH
This product has great GPS reception within forests and around high buildings. The watch is simple to use and many customizable data fields. Looks big but feels light. Love the software by garmin for post race autoevaluation.
Pros: great price and reliable gps reception
Cons: none
Recommend: YES
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MCGYVER
Tacoma,WA
September 20, 2009
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BEST RUNNING GPS IN MY OPINION
have been using this model for over a year and am very happy with the performance of it. I also have the 205 as a back up for when we want to run a very long ultra. I have never had a problem with this or my 205. I even bought my wife a 305 and she uses it alot. we average about 11 hours out of the 305 and about 7 hours from the 205. I would recomend either one.
Pros: very easy to use
Cons: it is bulky if you have very small wrists
Recommend: YES
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MRComment
N/A
June 30, 2009
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HIGHER MODEL OF FORERUNNER 305
Starting with the Forerunner 305. Garmin finally started producing GPS-enabled watches that didn't make you look like a total goof while tracking your pace and vitals, but these still weren't timepieces you'd be comfortable wearing to the office or even a bar. Then came the Forerunner 50, which had the perfect watch-like form factor, but unfortunately, no GPS. So fans of this line will be pleased to learn that Garmin has somehow been able to shoehorn a satellite receiver into a casing not much bigger than the 50's and dubbed it the Forerunner 405. Besides monitoring and logging speed, distance, heart rate and location, the 405 also features a touch-sensitive bezel for controlling its various functions, as well as the same proprietary ANT+Sport wireless syncing technology as the GPS-less 50. Available in either black or green. To read heart rate monitor buyer guide, please visit http://www.coolcheapest.com/HeartRateMonitors.aspx
Recommend: YES
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Warren
Ottawa
June 26, 2009
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GARMIN FR305 - AWESOME
I love my Garmin 305FR!! I debated bewtween the 305 and 405 and I am "Totally" pleased with my decision. It is easy to use and has a big display of up to four readings per page and it can rotate between display pages automatically. I look forward to each and every run with my Garmin Coach, cause that what it is to me. The watch as many functions, too many to list here....buy it and you will love it!!
Pros: east to use and an excellent training aid
Cons: heavier then 405
Recommend: YES
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Adam
Toronto
June 17, 2009
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FORERUNNER 305
The forerunner 305 is a very versatile companion for anyone training in multisport. Many feature include the use of routes, virtual training partner and customizable workouts. Well thought features also include Auto Pause which stops timing your workout when you are forced to wait at red lights and therefore won't affect your overall pace times.
Pros: good unit, flexible and nice software.
Cons: tricky downtown to initially get a lock.
Recommend: YES
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Vanessa
Timmins, ON
June 10, 2009
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VERY USEFUL RUNNING TOOL
After each workout I can review my workout on my Mac, with speed, elevation and distance. Very user friendly.
Pros: good price, lots of informatio
Cons: large, but isn't cumbersome.
Recommend: YES
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Cali
Toronto, ON
May 25, 2009
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GARMIN FORERUNNER 305 REVIEW
The Garmin is a great running tool for those who want to run longer distances. I bought it so I could run around without planning my route on the internet (on a site such as mapmyrun.com) and so I could run by the lake and on paths (these places can't really be tracked).
Pros: really motivating, helpful for safety
Cons: bulky, slow satellite loading time (city)
Recommend: YES
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Dany
Rougemont, QC
May 22, 2009
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FORERUNNER 305
Exactly what I was looking for. Easy to use. Good accuracy on distance, confortable, large display. Excellent product.
Recommend: YES
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Mike
Suffolk, GB
May 4, 2009
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EVERYTHING PROMISED
Great product! I've been using it for a couple weeks now and so far it hasn't let me down. Satellite acquisition is quick and reliable. I don't think I've ever waited more than 45 seconds for a signal, usually it takes around 10 seconds. This watch has really re-invigorated my exercise program!
Pros: ease of use, comfort on wrist.
Cons: difficult to push side buttons.
Recommend: YES
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Richard
Toronto, ON
April 30, 2009
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GOOD PRICE / EXCELLENT PRODUCT
Got this device for my workout. Compared to the newer / higher end model, the price was quite attractive for all the features it comes with. Some reviews indicated that it may take a while to pick up GPS sats, so I was a bit concerned, but I found it to be quite fast. Maybe the newer firmware helped. Mine shipped with the latest firmware, etc, and I am very happy with the device.
Pros: a wide array of features a big screen
Cons: a little bit large but ok
Recommend: YES
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molongneck
Poplar Bluff, Mo
April 27, 2009
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GARMIN FORERUNNER 305
Excellent product. I wish I would have purchased one sooner. Being able to see improvement is another motivator for me. This is a good item for beginner to advanced runner.
Pros: everything
Cons: a little big
Recommend: YES
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Jim
Kingston On
March 29, 2009
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GREAT PRODUCT
Very impressed with the forerunner 305. Light, comfortable, and large display. This is my first GPS and I found it very user friendly and easy to learn the menus.
Recommend: YES
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Dave S
Calgary, AB
January 24, 2009
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A GREAT BUY AT AT GREAT PRICE..
The 305 has more than met my expectations.
In reviews from other people on the web, I was looking for the rare negative comments. But when I actually got the 305, I didn't see what they were talking about. Comments like the heart rate value wasn't readable at the top right-hand corner of the display (preset display), or another was that you couldn't use it like a watch (not sure why you'd want to but..). However, if you read the manual and understand how to adjust the display, you can set from 1 to 4 items to display at one time, with any combination of measurements (including the time). It is completely self tailoring a wonderful surprise I was not expecting. I have the preset display set to just time, and then can cycle through preset displays for outdoor running (GPS enabled) or indoor running with the heart rate monitor (no GPS).
The heart rate monitor works well, no issues so far with interference. The wrist device is comfortable but may be an issue on a smaller frame. The availability of a foot pod for indoor running or treadmill as well as a cadence kit for biking was an unexpected surprise and I have interest in purchasing later on.
Finally, the software allows easy graphing of all measured parameters and ability to view GPS information in google earth a wonderful idea. Would like to have seen better integration with other existing training software (PC Coach).
Pros: versatility in programming display, ease of use
Cons: inadequate battery life indicator
Recommend: YES
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Mig
Charlottetown, PE
January 9, 2009
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GARMIN FORERUNNER 305..GREAT ASSET TO TRAINING
Great product! I had used one for a race before I bought it(got it from a friend). I was hooked after that. If it could help me that much in a race imagine how much for my training! So much information can be taken from these little things, never lost signal yet! REcommended 100%
Cons: none so far
Recommend: YES
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Jules G
Quebec City
January 5, 2009
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A NICE EXERCISE MONITOR AT A REASONABLE PRICE
The Forerunner 305 does a lot for a reasonable price. It is rather small and comfortable considering what it does. The heart rate monitor works perfectly. The GPS is OK - it takes way too long to locate the satellites but doesn't seem to loose track once started. The software that comes with it is not very good but I don't mind since the free SPORTTRACKS available on the Web is extremely good - don't miss it. The cadence option is nice and works well. The Bike mount is useless - don't bother - you need to remove the arm band each time you want to use it - stupid!
On the weak side, I would have liked an easier to read display and an option to make the timer count down at will. The battery is a major weakness: it is not replaceable - when it goes bad (and it will), you must buy another unit or send it back to the factory - also a charge doesn't last very long, not long enough for some endurance bike rides or treks. The 4 side buttons are difficult to push, impossible with gloves. The elevation data is not accurate but Sporttracks is able to correct that. The memory capacity is not very big but ok for my needs if I don't keep too much history.
A great product priced right ! Highly recommended.
Recommend: YES
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Mike
Iowa
December 26, 2008
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VERY IMPRESSED... EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS
This unit does everything I expected and the unit software is quick to download and easy to use. I fortunately have MapSource from another GPS unit, so I have a good set of maps. The included maps, I agree are almost useless. I just bought the cadence/ speed sensor and am looking forward to using that on my indoor trainer to track my winter workouts. I might even get the foot pod as well.
I'll also note the antenna strength is very good and the heart rate monitor seems to have a higher refresh rate or uses a shorter rolling average than my Polar units.
The best feature is the ability to correlate speed to heart rate. Training by pace instead of time or distance is great with the flexibility of not having to be on a running track. This is the best way to determine efficiency and fitness level.
Drawbacks: 1) I would like to have 6 fields on the display at a time. Then I could put the instantanoueos values on 1 page and the average values on the next. I'm a nerd, I'd like to have more info displayed at one time without having ot change pages.
2) I'd like to see a "Total Altitude Climbed". Also the grade and altitude calculation could use some data point smoothing. Meaning, it's too sensitive for the accuracy of the calculation being done. Just making the value more of a rolling average value. I think the elevation data is good, when some type of linear regression is used to smooth the data. I'd say that when figured over a 200 foot distance, the data is good, but over a 50-100 foot distance it varies too much.
I'll have to use it more to make my judgement about the memory issues and battery life. For longer bicycle rides, I might extend the distance on the waypoints.
Overall pretty good product for the price I paid $165 @ Walmart on a 1 day special (Sorry GPS City...you were very close. I did buy the cadence sensor from you).
Of course in 5 years with advances in flash memory and increased screen resolution, we'll have the mapping capability of the Edge 705 or even a Nuvi in a unit only slightly larger than the Forerunner 405.
Recommend: YES
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john winterdyk
December 8, 2008
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My 405 is very good except the HR font is so small that the only way I can view it is to stop running! Did I miss something in the instructions....? I find this an invaluable function but am essentially unable to use while running. Only able to access avg HR after the run.... very frustrating.
John
Recommend: YES
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Warren
November 24, 2008
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GOOD BUT...
I've owned this product for about a year. It is acceptable but has a few tragic flaws:
1. The battery life leaves much to be desired.
The battery discharges quite a bit when the unit is not used. Now matter how small your runs are if you do not charge the unit between runs you risk having the unit shut off unexpectedly.
2. The unit requires more memory.
I have the optional cadence sensor and cycle with it on smart recording. I get a maximum of about 80-100 km of stored information on smart recording when I cycle. That's not acceptable. I can ride upwards of 250 km in one day. The unit is completely useless for 2 day treks where electricity is not available as the memory is quickly filled up and battery will surely die after a few hours of use.
3. The software and maps that come with the unit are crap and basically unusable. I personally use "sportracks" - it maps data on google maps and provides much analytical graphs etc (for free - donations are accepted). If it wasn't for this software offering I would have probably returned the unit. That's how bad the software is that is shipped with the unit.
4. The elevation and grade data is way off. The data is unreliable and therefore unusable.
Summary - The unit is ok for running but it suffers from a limited battery and not enough memory for most cycling pursuits. A software work around is available and should pose a problem. If your buying this unit with the intention of using elevation and/or grade data - forget it.
Cheers
Recommend: YES
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Michael
July 13, 2008
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FORERUNNER 305 - EXCELLENT
I bought the 305 for my wife as she has taken up Nordic walking and wanted to keep better track of her distance and pace - so far she has needed to pry it off my wrist to use it herself. The features, display and amazing GPS signal acquisition has really impressed me. I was worried she might find it heavy and large on her wrist but it seems to be very comfortable. I’m still playing with both the Garmin training Center software and the free SportTracks software to decide which the best is. I suspect we will use SportsTracks to store and view the history but use GTC to build routes and courses (at least until SportTracks improves this set of features). My only complaint is the 305 does not allow for multiple profiles so we can both use it under our own profiles – or maybe this is just a good reason to get my own!
I'll add that the price, availability and fast shipping from GPScity was exceptional.
Recommend: YES
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Mike
KS
July 12, 2007
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DOESN'T DISAPPOINT
Let's face it...I'm a 'Garmin Geek'...and have several models. One for my car, one for my truck, one for my bike, and now...one for my running! I love the Forerunner. It really is like having a training assistant. I ran against myself again tonight (and got beat)...so I'm ready to race myself again tomorrow. And don't forget you can upload your workouts to Motionbased for archival and comparison to other runners (or bikers or walkers) around the country!
Recommend: YES
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Chris Chapman
ON
January 4, 2007
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First thing to do with this unit is download the firmware updates. Out of the box the unit may behave erratically with inconsistent pace alerts, lost signals, misreported distances and calorie burn, among other things.
Make sure you get at least v 2.50 for the unit software and 2.90 for the chipset and things should be ok.
Recommend: YES
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Tom
IN
December 31, 1969
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I have had my Forerunner 305 for two weeks now and it is amazing. I used to run carrying my Garmin E-Map, which lost its signal reception at five points along my route. The 305 has NEVER lost its reception.
The information like heart rate and pace are great tools for conditioning. The screens are easy to customize and even easy to read while running.
Downloading the data to a PC is a snap; even my 75 year old mother-in-law likes to look at my screens to see what route I took, my speed at certain hills, and my heart rate.
The heart monitor took a couple of times to get used to (a band around your chest), but now I forget that I even have it on. The size and weight of the 305 itself has never been an issue; I actually expected it to be larger and heavier.
If my 305 was stolen or lost, I would re-order one immediately, even at twice the price.
Recommend: YES
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