running tech

[rmnsuk]

I've worked in computers for 35+ years, but I'm a bit of a dinosaur when it comes to gadgets. I have an iPhone with strava, but I haven't been able to get it to work properly on either of the two parkruns I've tried it with. I'm lucky to be able to play music on it. I'm thinking of getting a gps watch, in the hope it will work better than the phone.

But which one to get? And will it really work better than my iPhone with strava?

I don't need anything complicated, but cheap would be good. Any recommendations?

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

There have been lots of posts/threads about this recently. The Garmin Forerunner 10 is the most popular basic GPS watch.

Not really sure what problem you have been having with the iPhone/Strava combination but any GPS device will struggle if you have heavy tree cover (or tall buildings) because they depend on line of sight with the satellites. If you don't have those conditions then they should work fine.

[rmnsuk Graduate in reply to Dunder2004]

I think the problem is more to do with me than the watch/software

[nhs2015 Graduate]

We have been looking at this. A watch mainly. For us here, it looks like Tomtom is best. It is one you can use for running as well as bike riding. It does both. It retails at A$245 or A$265 depending on the store, but is on special for $199 and with a bit of pressure, can get it for A$187.

For us price is first, then what it does. So being dual (run-ride) will work for us.

[millwalki8 Graduate]

Ordered a Garmin Forerunner 610 last night Will be nice to run without the iphone jiggling about in my pocket. will pick up a cheap MP3 to keep Laura's soothing tones.

Great deal on the Garmin at handtec.co.uk/

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

The Navrun 500 amazon.co.uk/Ultrasport-Nav... available on Amazon for £80, is exactly the same as the Crane GPS watch with HRM as sold last year by Aldi for £65. I have been using the Aldi watch for a year and found it pretty reliable. Occasionally there are glitches and inconsistencies, but I know that even the much lauded and much more expensive Garmins are not infallible and the battery life and navigation features knock the Garmins out of the ring. Sixteen hours of GPS operation, 1 year watch only operation.....beat that Garmin.

I run with Runkeeper on my phone, with music, and the Crane watch. The two systems rarely give identical results, although generally within acceptable tolerances. The watch seems to give more reliable distance measurement than Runkeeper on a Samsung mini.

My only serious critcism, says more about my decrepitude than the watch, is that, while you can set up three screens of three data fields, in workout mode, only the middle line of larger and bolder font, is readable to me while running and there are restrictions as to which data can be set to that middle line.

Definitely worth considering.