Just beginning to research the latest mid range + choices on a short list of Garmin, Fitbit and Apple.Either just released or about to be.
Wading through DCRainmaker and other stuff.
I know much good advice has been posted in the past.
I would appreciate any leads and vital pros & cons excluding budget at present if possible.
Looking for mainly serving all things running.Without the ability to take an ecg., get in the water and swim,wonderful as that is,and ease of use assuming they may all meet that requirement anyway.
No just, running, mapping,interval programmes, VO2 max improvement indication,and running related stuff.
It’s an amazing choice and many options but looking to try and narrow it down and justify the expenditure and most of all match my needs.Possibly a one and only purchase for me perhaps.
It’s very like taking what you need from this amazing forum.
One size does not fit all as is so well understood on here,but somethings do.
Thank you in kind anticipation.
💥🏃♀️🏃♂️💥👏👏☄️
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Tbae
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Can’t offer any advice on sports watches Tbae, 1am over here insomnia ruling, so doing some lurking on the forum. Happy birthday Mrs Tbae and what gorgeous grandchildren you both have 👍
Can’t wait Tbae, it has been a long winter, first time today without any heating on. Will be looking forward to reading all your replies re the watch. Golly, bet they’ve all grown heaps since that photo was taken then.
That is a lovely photo of you and your wife with your grandchildren, you say it was taken over a year ago, I am sure they are all as gorgeous now as they
were then. Not an expert in running watches, however if you Google 'watches for running', there are comments from runners advising on different kinds of watches which may interest you.
Yes I do feel good thanks after my 5k run yesterday, legs were a little stiff afterwards but 2 hours later I went a short 30 minutes cycle ride to exercise them. This morning I slowly walked that exact 5k route that I ran yesterday, this time it took me 61 minutes compared to just over 34 minutes 24 hours ago. I looked at my wrist watch at 35 minutes into my walk today and gasped 'my goodness me I am barely half way through this walk, yesterday I had completed it.'
Ach tbae, that picture is just so lovely it sums up everything about family in just one simple photo. Right down to the dinosaur!
I don't have experience of many gadgets, but my own thoughts would be that the smart bands and watches I've had before (I've tried fitbit, Samsung and Sony, the sort that you wear all the time to monitor your stats, GPS, notifications, sleep, steps etc) are great fun at first but I've always ended up feeling they're a bit of a jack of all trades device and not brilliant or accurate for any one thing. If you're a casual fitness person they're fab and tell you everything you need to know. But if you're looking for more insight into your running you might get frustrated by them being a bit light on information.
I use a Garmin Forerunner 235, my partner uses a TomTom something or other (it has music storage and GPS maps, which mine does not). He complains about it a lot but it does the job well enough as far as I can see. I do love my 235, but if money was no object and my wrist was a bit less thin and weedy I'd definitely go for the Fenix. They do loads of stuff and also look the biz. But I'm happy enough with my little blue Garmin, and after a year of running with it I've not yet thought 'I wish it did soandso'. It tracks me well, post run breakdown is interesting and useful, it is customisable with interval patterns etc, it doesn't come preinstalled with a ghost mode (where you can track a previous effort in real time) but apparently that is downloadable for free from the Garmin IQ store so I must investigate that sometime.
I'm certain Polar do excellent devices too, but unfortunately I have no experience of those!
This is just so helpful young woman of steel, to steer me.Yes got sight of Fenix.👍The 235 has been well praised on here.
Unbelievable offer on the latest Fitbit watch on QVC, and series 4 Apple Watch is impressive in their launch presentation.
Polar,and others get mentioned lots in DCRainmaker but trying to find further detailed info from his recent presentation.Hard going for 🦕’s🙈😂
Thanks Sqkr and I hope your recovery is good from Glas go.That made me laugh.Go Mhor next year.💥🏃♀️💥☄️👏👏
PS looking for insight.Yes anything that helps you improve mitochondria and VO2 max from your running indirectly of course that’s getting to the core of the business.👍👏👏
And I'm a forerunner 35 fan Tbae. You can put Garmin connect app on your phone as well as a PC . With Bluetooth it downloads all your stats at the end of the run. I'm not very techie but have found it easy to use and do like all those stats. UpTheStanley wears his all the time but I do just for walking , running or cycling.
Edit:
Also if you use strava you can get it to download to that too.
Was trying to get this old donkey from a trot to a canter this morning.I was talking to myself saying gallop, but the animals I pass seem to understand and respond better than I.
I agree with Dexy and Ang. I also have a forerunner 35 and I love it. It does everything I need and downloads my runs easily onto Strava at the end. It is one of my best purchases this year. 💨💥🏃♂️🏃♂️ Beautiful photo by the way. X
When I was looking for a running watch recently, I did a forum search and found that most runners use Garmin watches. The Forerunner 235 is particularly popular here and I followed the advice posted to buy a used one on eBay. I have only had it a few days and didn't manage to record today's run (I used Runkeeper as back-up) but I can see already that the Garmin Connect app is very comprehensive and will give you the info you're looking for.
A lovely family you have there! Regarding watch research, I looked at a number of youtube watch reviews which helped a lot. I was researching the Garmin Vivoactive HR at the time only because it was on sale 🙂 and found some great reviews. There are a ton of review and demo videos that may help your decision making. Many are reviewing the latest ones. Personally I did not need all the bells and whistles, so I opted for last year’s model which saved a few $$
I’m another fan of the Garmin 235 which I’ve had for a few months now and I’m really happy with everything it does. ( I upgraded from a basic Fitbit which had no gps or screen! ) I’m not very techy and I find it so easy to use!! 😀
Thanks Sarakc, the Garmin 235 is very popular for runners.I am pleased you are enjoying it and finding it easy to use.I managed to find Jays excellent report on it, he posted 3 months ago.Brillant.👍
The latest Fitbit Ionic Watch the Adidas version and the Apple series 4 are interesting, although as new products, more expensive. The Garmin 235 is very competively priced and very good value.
Regard watches, I guess it’s like anything else, (and one of the comments (Sqkr I think) if you’re a casual runner, then one of the fitbits (I have a versa) will do, but if you want more information then Garmin seem to have the edge. If you’re a gadget fiend then Apple Watch will almost certainly be able to do more and will have more downloadable / customisations that you could do.
I think I maybe just need a carrot 🥕 for this old donkey to get me going from a trot to a canter.A gallop perhaps a step too far.🙈
I hope you are all good and making sound progress.Winter stuff is all a very new running experience.
But what is not to like Mitch.
It is all win win, and as an Aussie sports prof said, it is mandatory and in our dna, and we all know the consequences of not doing it.
I think that is fair enough.🤔😂
Atb Mitch.💥🏃♂️💥👏👏☄️
Hi Tbae pet! Fab photo! Beautiful family. 🤗 and of course yummy looking cake. Happy birthday Mrs Tbae.
Now then...... I have a garmin forerunner 25. I’ve had it for two years now ? I think. Anyway it’s great. It covers a whole host of things. Running,swimming cycling, calories, sleep, weight etc,you get the gist I’m sure.
It also has gps which enables me to sync my route,times, speed etc to my iPad. Blimey I think I’m rambling.
I’m no use on watch choices, Tbae (I opted for the Garmin Forerunner 35, as I wanted something simple, but I’ve no idea if it does all you want or not!)
What a lovely family picture, though! I was trying to workout whose 10th Birthday it was, then zoomed in to see the cake said Nanny! So happy 70th to your wife! 😃❤️🎉🎉🎉🍾🥂💗
In hindsight, I’d probably have opted for even cheaper simpler Garmin options if I’d known they included internal GPS, Tbae. I don’t use the Heart Rate function on the Forerunner 35 anyway (I trust my Fitbit more), so it depends if that’s important to you or not. Not sure how accurately any watch can measure VO2 max anyway.
That’s very interesting about the basic models, starter models as JuJu referred to.
Yes I agree the VO2 max is an indication only, you can see the full test on pinkaardvarks post 6 mins a week HIT.The HR I have not used but getting more interested now that I am feeling more confident about pushing, which you have to do if you wish to improve both mitochondria and VO2max.
I’ve heard Garmin devices can get mixed up between heart rate and steprate, Tbae. Mine does seem to give a general indication of pulse rate that isn’t a million miles away from my Fitbit, but it’s certainly not as accurate. (It gives me figures above and below the max and min rates of my pacemaker, which I know to be impossible. Fitbit figures are rarely beyond my theoretical pulse limits by more than 1bpm!)
Awww, what a lovely photo Tbae ....such cute grandchildren...happy birthday Mrs Tbae...I haven’t had any other sports watches, just my Fitbit & I LOVE IT!!!!! it made me smile the first time I heard about Fitbit because a boyfriend I had when I was younger, he was very sporty & also a lifeguard at our local pool & ‘Fitbit’ was my nickname for him!!! lol
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it sums up everything about family in just one simple photo. Right down to the dinosaur!
Question about watches/wearables
Running watch recommendations please 
HELP! I'm spoilt for choice.
Watch Out, Fabulous450 Is Off To John O Groat’s! 🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️🏃🏽♀️❤️
Sports bra
