GPS Information

I’ve always been a Polar heart rate monitor user before but having not been greatly pleased that the strap broke on my RS400sd after less than a year, I decided to buy a Garmin Forerunner 305.

I carried out a ton of research online before buying my Polar RS400sd last year – and on the whole every comparison I saw was Polar vs Garmin. And it boiled down to one thing – footpod technology vs GPS technology.

For those that don’t know, footpods are quite small devices that attach to your trainers and have some cunning technology inside that somehow manage to work out how far your feet are moving when running. GPS however, means that your location is constantly being monitored by satellites in order to work out the distance (and therefore speed) of your run. Footpods are the option if you go with Polar, whereas Garmin Forerunner 305 uses GPS.

What Do You Get

1. The wrist unit
   First impressions are good. One of the other reasons I wasn’t keen on the Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS in the past was the perceived size of the wrist unit. Now it’s here it’s a good surprise. It’s no way near as big as I thought it was going to be. Don’t get me wrong at all, you would be a bit mad to wear it as a normal watch, but I don’t think it looks as stupid on your wrist as a footpod looks on your trainer!
2. Interchangeable watch strap
   Now, this is a nice touch Garmin include a watchstrap just in case the one included as standard doesn’t fit your wrist!
3. Screwdriver
   An even nicer touch.. a screwdriver in case you do indeed to or want to change the watch straps!
4. The Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor chest strap
   This is the strap that goes round your chest (on top of your sternum) to send your heart rate details to the wrist unit. It has the look of an earlier Polar model I used, but it’s much more comfortable. And it’s certainly better than the strap that comes with the Polar RS400sd. The Garmin type is a lot easier to put on and take off.
5. USB cable
   For attaching the unit to your PC (or in my case my Mac).
6. The docking cradle
   This is what the wrist unit needs to be attached to when you transfer data to and from your PC/Mac.
7. Charging unit
   Needed if you want to charge the unit using a standard wall socket.
8. Plug
   Not much explanation needed for this bit!
9. 2 pin adapter
10. User guides and software
    It’s nice that there are two guides – a quick start-up and a full manual. Obviously being a guy I decided to scan read the quick start guide!

Garmin is one of very few GPS producer to fling units specifically for working and cycling, but fortuitously for fitness buffs, it takes the category badly and offers a solid range of productions that it continually betters. The Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver with Heart Rate Monitor is positioned just below the new-for-2008 Forerunner 405 in the Garmin line.

Garmin is in general mooted to be the best first-class of GPS for runners and its top-end Forerunner 305 presents why. The Garmin Forerunner 305 provides a complete solution for monitoring, storing, analyzing, and sharing a wide range of workout data. Its built-in GPS capability (including a high-sensitivity receiver that works well even under tree cover or in urban environments) keeps track of where you went, how far, and how fast, with no wires to clutter a bike, and no gadgets to place in a running shoe. The Forerunner 305 includes many customizable features and displays. Its personal computer connectivity grants you upload to computer or online-based digital breeding and route-sharing pricks.

The Forerunner 305 will serve the needs of someone who wants to simply track time, speed, and distance in a basic running or walking program, but it also has enough features to satisfy the most obsessive enthusiast, and is great for someone who needs to share data with a professional trainer or coach.

The 305′s display is all about choices. Using the unit’s relatively easy to learn “mode,” “enter,” and “scroll” buttons, you can partition the display into as few as one large data display, or as many as four. When cycling, for instance, I kept an eye heart rate, current speed and elapsed time.

The unit comes with a wireless heart rate monitor strap, computer docking/charging station, a unattached charger unit, and the Training Center computer software on CD. Setup and installing went swimmingly, but you will exact to spend some time with the manual, and getting accustomed to the button functions.

The Forerunner 305 comes with a data dock that plugs into a computer’s USB port, and this permits you to upload all of your training data into Garmin’s Training Center software, or online to the Motionbased Web site . Storing and analyzing your workout data using these excellent graphing and sharing tools is one of the key benefits of using the 305.

A full set of time, distance, and heart rate zone alerts are completely customizable and will keep you in your desired ranges. You may also vie against a “virtual partner.” Advanced workout options abound.

Garmin Forerunner 305 – GPS Receiver