Switching GPS

Cunning Runt

Morning all,

I appreciate that this has probably been done many times before. But if possible I am after advice on which GPS watch to buy.

Currently I am using a Forerunner 405, but find that the battery life is not great at around 6 hours.

All I need is something simple to use with a long battery life, as I am not interested in downloading stat's and figures after the run. Just pace and distance with a decent signal strength.

Any advice will be gratefully received, thanks in advance.

VDOT52

Watches don't send a signal, they receive signals. Go to: dcrainmaker.com for a load of reviews and advice. All you will get on here is a list of people and the devices they have

Tim R2-T2

I think 6hours is near the limit. I assume you're doing ultras. There are watches that will operate while charging, some like the Garmin FR 220 and 620 don't.



Your 405 does, all you'll need is one of those emergency phone charger devices to charge it up.



http://stolly14.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/extending-battery-life-of-garmin-405.html?m=1

VDOT52

My 310xt gives me at least 12 hours/2 weeks use if I don't use the backlight(run at night), but it is probably able to go more towards the 20 hour that garmin suggests, but I don't risk it. While the 310xt is very solid it is almost as old as the 405 and might not be much of an upgrade in terms of modern features. That said, with what it does, it does bloody well.

Cunning Runt

Cheers both for the replies. I was thinking of trying a portable charger but was unsure if the GPS information would continue recording on a 405. Thanks to your link Tim it seems that it does.

Now any suggestions for a portable charger or are they all much the same?

 

booktrunk

Yep £10 on Amazon will get you a 3000 mAh unit that should keep you going for a few recharges  

tricialitt

The charger works OK, but it's still a pain- I didn't recognise the 2low battery" noise at my  last ultra, so the first I knew, my screen was blank. It took a long time torecharge, and because I'd lost all charge, I had to wait until it was possible to get the GPS going again, so I lost quite  a lot.

I'm thinking of FENIX3- does anyone know if it works with a mio?

booktrunk

Don't know about mio.. but fenix 3 is lovely  on Saturday after 11 hours recording every second with HRM was at 19%, charged it for an hour and was upto 70 odd % 

is quite cute using it as a daily step counter, and keeps approximate track of calories burnt in the day. 

VDOT52

CR- The 310xt has 20 hours of recording just like the Phoenix. Probably both to about 12 hours in 1 second recording mode. I get about 8 hours from the 310 with 1 second recording and with the light on.



Tricia- the fenix is like all other gatmibs and will work with the mio (as well as any other watch will anyway). They will be putting the mio into the fenix by this time next year so that is something to look forward to

tricialitt

It's quite nice having the mio separate from the main watch- I put it on the opposite wrist, and cover it up with a buff if the signal is poor, whereas I don't put my Garmin direct onto the skin of my wrist, I wear it over a sweat band, or over the sleeve of my arm warmers, - this solves th eproblem of it being too big for my wrist, and protects it from getting too sweaty.

Soemtimes I use the mio alone- eg spinning classes- I like to know my HR zone, but don't need GPS, etc, as I'm in the gym.

tishtosh

tricialitt - how long does your mio last (ie battery life) when running - I'm doing my first ultra next month and my garmin will not last that long I know. I'm not overly bothered constantly knowing my pace as I run mainly by my heart rate so a mio may end up as a better option. 

Fenix 3 looks fab but a tad expensive!

Thanks

VDOT52

Battery life is claimed to be 8-10 hours afaik.