Garmin Forerunner 110

[Sarah-A]

I have seen in some posts community members recommend this watch - but on Amazon the reviews suck. One poor customer having had to return hers numerous times :-S

Anyone had bad experiences with this watch? Is the heart rate band annoying - or do you just get used to it?

[crox Graduate]

My friends 110 takes forever to lock on to signals, much worse than my 210 was. It also shares the same data clip, which can be a complete nightmare. I sent my 210 back and got the 610, much happier.

You won't notice the heart rate band.

There's a new 220 & 620 coming out soon, you might want to wait...

[LMS2110 Graduate]

I am very pleased with my 110, but I must confess that it has dodgy days when it can't find a satellite for a couple of minutes. (The trick is to keep still while it locks on - and most of us probably whizz straight out the door and want contact immediately .... As I said, mine is only sometimes sluggish!) The HRM was no problem to use at all, though since I am not on a manic scheme to train for racing etc, I only use it every so often. It certainly isn't a nuisance to wear for an hour, though it might chafe in, say, a marathon. I think the data clip is clever - suppose it's what one gets used to!

Mine was a graduation present so I have no urgent need to replace it yet ... Nor do I have the funds to do so. I guess, if newer models are about to be launched - and that's highly likely with Christmas approaching - see if you can wait for the new models to be reviewed ... I suspect that each new problem overcome, creates another for someone else. Happy running and shopping when you get around to it.

Cheers, Linda

[crox Graduate in reply to LMS2110]

The data clip is certainly faster than the ant+ connection on the 610. It can be a faff to get it to connect, maybe they sorted that but it was a nuisance on my 210 and I know my mate struggles with his 110. Also on the 210 it could kill the device for hours on end

[LMS2110 Graduate in reply to crox]

Hi Crox, I certainly didn't want to mislead Sarah! I got my Garmin in May so maybe it had been tweaked between our purchases? The 610 sounds amazing - hope to try one someday. Happy running, cheers, Linda

[Sarah-A Graduate]

Thanks both for your feedback.

The 610 does look amazing - but at nearly double the price - sadly way out of my budget.

Linda, have you had any issues with condesation? I have read reviews where users have had problems with this?

Thanks

[LMS2110 Graduate in reply to Sarah-A]

Hi again Sarah... I got mine back in May and we had a beaut (sweaty) summer, and mine came with me through Europe - sometimes packed in a suitcase, sometimes on my wrist as I ran along river banks, and a couple of times on the seashore in temps of mid 30s. Didn't see any sign of condensation at all. Linda x

[Landesman Graduate]

I am pretty happy with my Forerunner 10. No HRM (which I didn't want) but relatively inexpensive and it gives me average pace and all the usual stats during the run, which is what I want.

[PastyMan Graduate]

I've got the 110, I had a birthday soon after graduation but didn't want to go over the top in case the running was just a fad .... it wasn't!

It does a job but I'm a little jealous of some of the fancier functions on other models. I've only used the HRM a few times and it's fine. The data clip though I do find temperamental and more than once I've thought the watch was broken. It does take quite a while to lock on a satellite signal too.

All in all a 6/10

[suzybenj Graduate]

Not much to add on above. In impatience at first it is a bit of a faff to work it correctly - but that is def user error on my part. The HRM I have had no probs with and quite sadistically i like to see how high i can get my heart rate and how quickly it comes down.

The irratating factors - are the clip charger - which if you don't set ir right - it does not charge. It does run out of charge quite quickly over a week - and irrating if it runs out of charge on a run (user error again). No problems with condensation. The satellite is annoying - but I think it is really my own impatience - if i turned the thing on whilst walking it would be fine!

i don't load the data on computer as I am happy to just compare my history on the watch.

Personally - I love it - despite all of the above

[mrqwest Graduate]

I'm a 110 user, and I love it. I've got my gripes with it, but generally, it's a great watch and I love the stats I get. I don't have a HRM so can't comment on that.

Bad bits: -

1. As others have said, sometimes takes 3 or 4 minutes to lock on to a satellite but I start it as I leave my home and it locks on whilst I do my 5 minute warm up walk.

2. It displays 'average' pace, and not 'current' page. So you can set laps and it'll display the average pace on a lap. Mine is set as 1km = 1 lap so it'll display the average pace for that km I'm running... but I would prefer it showed my current pace so I can see if I'm running too fast or too slow.

Those are the only bad bits I've noticed.

[Sarah-A Graduate]

Thanks, for all your help - I am really tempted (I am a sucker for stats),

I would prefer a 'virtual partner' becuase it sounds really helpful for interval running etc, but alas I can't really afford those models at the moment.

Think i'm gonna take the plunge and order the 110