Garmin Forerunner Comparison

[chickwhorips]

i've played with the garmin forerunner 101. i like it but i have to wear a hr monitor also.

i'm thinking about getting the garmin forerunner 301 or 305. i think they both can be used for running and cycling.

anyone recommend one over the other? the 305 just looks fancier to me and more expensive, not as bulky but not sure what the technical parts are. i looked on the garmin website, but i want to know if someone's played with them personally.

thanks!

[limewave]

The 305 has real time where as the 301 receives a signal every few seconds so its not as accurate. DH has the 301, I got it for him before the 305 was available. We love it. We both use it for cycling, running, hiking, kayaking, and snow shoeing.

[yellow]

The antenna on the 300 series is also in a better location than the 200 and 100 series. I just ordered the 305...there is a $50 rebate available through May 15. I got it from Amazon for MUCH less than the retail (couldn't use my REI 20% off coupon on it...darnit).

[chickwhorips]

you can't use the 20% on it at REI? why not? well there goes that idea...

[yellow]

The fine print, m'dear. I got all excited...until I went into the store and was talking to the cute store boy and he told me to read the coupon. Smart A$$ kid.

Offer not valid on boats; Oakley products; GPS receivers; two-way radios; emergency locator transmitters; skis, boots, or bindings; snowboards, boots, or bindings.

[chickwhorips]

the fine print is what always gets me.

oh well still thinking about getting one, now thinking i don't want to spend the money to get the 305. with the discount it would've worked. maybe i'll get the trainer that i wanted. so hard to pass up that 20% at REI.

[yellow]

With the $50 rebate it's $207 on Amazon, and no shipping charges. With your 20% off REI coupon it would have been $270 less whatever your dividend is. You can always spend your dividend on something else!

You can get the rebate coupon via the REI website...

[Blueberry]

The fine print, m'dear. I got all excited...until I went into the store and was talking to the cute store boy and he told me to read the coupon. Smart A$$ kid.

Offer not valid on boats; Oakley products; GPS receivers; two-way radios; emergency locator transmitters; skis, boots, or bindings; snowboards, boots, or bindings.

Yeah - I had the same experience. I then kindly pointed out that they had the 20% ad in the back of the flier box for the GPS info. He promptly moved it. And shut up.

Now back to the decision of whether to get an Edge 305 or a regular GPS with altimeter.....or try a Polar again.....

Decisions, Decisions.

[tygab]

The fine print, m'dear. I got all excited...until I went into the store and was talking to the cute store boy and he told me to read the coupon. Smart A$$ kid.

Offer not valid on boats; Oakley products; GPS receivers; two-way radios; emergency locator transmitters; skis, boots, or bindings; snowboards, boots, or bindings.

Hmm, the clerk at my REI store did not stop me and I used my dividend... I guess I lucked out.

anyway, you can also get the rebate coupon @ Garmin's site. I like mine so far.

[Blueberry]

tygab-

You can use your dividend - just not the 20% off. If he let you use the 20% off, you did luck out!

Carrie Anne

[DrBadger]

I am looking at getting the forerunner 305 (or the polar CS 300). One questions though, is there a bike mount for it, or some other way to mount it on the bike, so that I don't have to look at my wrist for speed, distance, heartrate etc.?

Also, do you have the optional speed/cadence sensor? Does this do a much better job with speed and distance because it is using the wheel instead of the GPS satelites?

The reason I am looking at these ones instead of the Edge is that I want to be able to use it while running and at the gym at least as a heart rate monitor.

Thanks!
E.

[kelownagirl]

And I am wondering the opposite - could I pack the Edge in my pocket if I wanted to take it running?

[limewave]

I am looking at getting the forerunner 305 (or the polar CS 300). One questions though, is there a bike mount for it, or some other way to mount it on the bike, so that I don't have to look at my wrist for speed, distance, heartrate etc.?
Thanks!
E.

We cut a small piece of foam tubing to fit around the handlebars. Then strap the Garmin around that. This works really well. You can get the foam tubing at a hardware store.