Mostly all good

By Peter V. Ranked #848 - Trail Running Accessories June 7, 2006

I have used the Garmin 201 for running for several years. It has been very useful but the GPS performance was poor under trees and in other semi-obstructed areas. The new 305 has superior GPS tracking in all of the areas that I could not get reception in before. I have not received a "weak GPS signal" yet. The heart rate monitor works flawlessly and the chest strap is comfortable. There are many more useful features to learn, use, and enjoy than the previous models.

In my opinion, however, the ergonomics of the new case design missed the boat. The display is smaller and actually tilts away slightly making it necessary to fully pronate the forearm and abduct the shoulder to get a good view. Some of the lettering ends up being very small. The wristband is small and does not stay under the restraining loop. The buttons, which I thought were just right on the last models, are much stiffer and more difficult to operate when running. This may have been necessary because they moved some of the buttons to the sides of the case where there could be inadvertent pressure on them.

In summary, this watch performs its primary mission very well. I hope they can get the case design right the third time around.

View Details: Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS

Helpful Votes: 0 Yes