Any recommendations on GPS watches?

A final update in case anyone was wondering. Picked up the Garmin Forerunner 405 this week and have taken it out on two runs now - one in the city and the Golden Earls orientation run yesterday. Working like a charm. Lots of functionality i'll likely never use or figure out,  but it seems to do what i want it to. But I don't love the training log software that it comes with. That's the next challenge.

Thanks for all your comments!

 Haha, Jackie.  I'll be looking for that brick on our run at Golden Ears on Saturday.  Good to know that we won't get lost ;-)

Thanks to all for the comments. Given these and other online comments, I've knocked the Garmin Forerunner 405 off the list. Tried both it and the 305 on for size last night and they are surprizingly similar. Given the cost and my very unexciting, short, safe little runs, I think I'm going to try the 305. But it is hideous looking! 

If you see someone out there with a clunky brick strapped to her arm, looking like she's lost - that would be me!

Jackie

What Stan said!

PLUS, the 310 has a full 20hr battery life before it needs to be charged and is there first officially fully waterproof multi sport watch. The 405 does act up in rain and only has an 8hr battery life.

GR

Hi jmont,

When I bought my GPS i "splurged" & got a Garmin RINO - it has FRS & GMRS radio and weather radio, a big map page & lots of other feathers. I've been running more frequently and for longer in areas without cell phone coverage and I'm planning to do more of these and go for longer so the radio with weather radio was important to me (I also bought a SPOT during their $50 rebate sale earlier this year).

I asked a friend who is a pilot and outdoor fanatic & has purchased LOTS of GPS over the years where he recommended buying one, he told me about GPS Central which is in Calgary, prices were very competitive with stuff I found on eBay / Amazon, and they shipped to me free (i think the free shipping was a sale though) in 2 days! Very impressive.

I've been quite happy with it although one thing I sort of wish I'd done is looked more into how strong the GPS reception is - mine does tend to lose reception a lot in heavy trees; I know they all do, but I think I could have gotten one with slightly stronger reception than mine has. But in general I have been really happy with it - it's not as small as the wristwatch ones but it serves WAY more purposes, and it's not that much more $. I really like the peace of mind that I can get in contact with SOMEBODY when I'm out in the woods.

Good luck!

k

ps one other thing about the RINOs is they're way more rugged, no touch screen to stop working when wet, i can throw it in my bag / drop it & not worry about it

Hi,

I had the regular Garmin 405 for about a year.  I ended up switching to the Garmin 310xt and I love it!  The bigger screen makes it so much easier to read.  Plus I found the touch bezel on the 405 to act up a bit when it was wet.

....Stan