What do you think of the Garmin Forerunner 405?

darabbit

Hi there,

My OH bought me a present of the Garmin Forerunner 405 a few months ago and I just could not wait to get out running to try it out.

However now, I am having a love hate relationship with it, but maybe it's just me so I'd love to hear your opinions. Firstly here are my issues with it:

1. It is too big and bulky esp for the lady runner amongst us.
2. When it rains or you perspire too much the bezel doesn't work.
3. After about an hour on a long run, the screen changes from the three views to the time and it refuses to change back to timer easily.
4. The distance is never accurate. I have ran the same route and come up with different distances!
5. The battery is utter rubbish. It has to be charged after every run if the GPS is left on.

I do love the split timing of each km/mile as it encourages me to up the anty in a race.

I also live the running buddy but again it is difficult to get the view to stay for a long run.

I can't wait to see if the next model will fix the above.

Please let me know what your experience has been.

Cheer!:)

Domer

I too have recently purchased a 405. I find it quite compact on my arm, but I would not be somebody that they'd describe as "skinny"!!!

I find all the features on the watch very good, but I do find the distance measured to be wildly inaccurate and inconstant. For example, I did my long run over the weekend. I did an initial loop back to the car, which on my LSR the previous week measured 7.5 miles, but on this weeks it was only 7.1 miles. I ran the same loop twice, and when I looked at the map on the garmin software, they did not overlap, and in places were way off. Grant it all the running was on trails, but surely the results should not change that much.

Also, when I returned from my run my watch said 16.8 miles, but when I connected it to sportstrack, it told me I had 17.5 miles done... dont know the reason for this.

I do like the watch, and it seems to work more consistantly when on the open road, but as I do most of my running on trails etc, it's not good.

Just my 2 cents.
Domer

Rusty Cogs 08

any chance a mod can attach this to the existing 405 thread ?

Darabbit, if you don't want the screen to change from whatever it's showing just lock the bezel. Should then remain fixed on whatever it's on.

Domer

Its the OP that has the problem with the screen. I usually lock the bezel during runs when it is raining.

Domer

RacoonQueen

2. When it rains or you perspire too much the bezel doesn't work.
3. After about an hour on a long run, the screen changes from the three views to the time and it refuses to change back to timer easily.

I have these problems too, thought it might just have been mine and had been thinking of sending it back. Somtimes I can't stop or restart it either without nearly breaking my finger from pressing the button as hard as I can 100 times.

Krusty_Clown

Screen going back to clock issue - Sounds like an early problem that was addressed using a system update. Make sure you have updated to the latest software revision.

Wet Bezel problem - Yep, it sure is a problem. I don't see what was wrong with having actual buttons on the watch. Anyway, like everyone else, lock the bezel.

If you don't think it's skinny, try a 305 for a week.

Domer: Are you waiting to establish a good satellite reception before you start running?

Battery life: Mine is 7-8 hours. How long are you running for darabbit?

menoscemo

Don't knock the forerunner 405. It is the best thing ever.

RJC

Like Eric Cantona it is a flawed genius. Who thought we wouldn't run in the rain or sweat? I mean FFS!

Otherwise, with sports tracks software it is excellent. The garmin site is rubbish and is so dependent on US traffic.

TJC

menoscemo wrote: »

Don't knock the forerunner 405. It is the best thing ever.

I agree!! Think it's brill.
Darabbit, as someone said, there is a thread here somewhere with tips on how to use the watch...eg, to lock the bezel, press the 2 buttons together. Have a read of the thread, that's where i found out how to figure the watch out (although still not fully up to speed with it)

As someone who has just returned to running after a long time, i find the watch brilliant for training, especially as i do nearly all of my running on my own.. Has helped me hugely whether it just be running for time or distance, or doing a bit of speed work. great watch wen u get the hang of it..

robinph

Domer wrote: »

Also, when I returned from my run my watch said 16.8 miles, but when I connected it to sportstrack, it told me I had 17.5 miles done... dont know the reason for this.

I have noticed SportsTrack coming up with different numbers for the distance covered compared to the watch, Garmin software and other sites I upload to as well. It must be something to do with the algorithm that each one uses to figure out the distance as that is not actually a fixed number in the data recorded by the watch.

Peterx

I don't know how you get 8 hours from the battery. It's the one thing about the otherwise excellent watch that annoys me. The battery time is junk. I never get more then 6 hours from it.
Otherwise it is brilliant though..

eon1208

Bought this watch about 7 weeks ago. Distance measurement has been very accurate albeit with small tolerances of say 30 metres in a mile though only somtimes. Long runs seem very accurate too.... Garmin also state these tolerances in their manual, it cant be 100% accurate 100% of the time....Happy with it

plodder

So long as it has a clear view of the sky, it should be accurate enough. The worst situation for accuracy is if you're running under trees, and not following a straight line.

I agree with the other criticisms though - user friendly it ain't, and while it is cleverly designed to look like a normal watch, it really isn't and anyone with a slender wrist should really try one on, before buying.

darabbit

Hi all,
Thanks for all your replies. From what I have read the general response is positive.

I suppose I should lock the bezel before I start out to sort the issue with the bezel going mental when it gets wet. That is one problem knocked in the head.

I will just have to run in open spaces and in a straight line to avoid the garmin getting confused about distance:rolleyes: I always ensure that I have full satelite recption before setting out so that I get an accurate reading as possible.

As for the battery life, I run for approx 1hr - 1.5 hours but if I don't turn off the GPS I have to charge the battery before my next run. i deffo wouldn't run a race without recharging it first. I was very careful when I got the watch first to fully charge and then let the battery run out before charging again so it not due to abuse of the battery.


I think the garmin is a great training buddy but there is deffo room for improvement.

Roll on Garmin Forerunner 505:)

plodder

darabbit wrote: »

I will just have to run in open spaces and in a straight line to avoid the garmin getting confused about distance:rolleyes:

No, just run in open spaces, OR a straight line.
though that could be tricky if there are trees in the way.

copacetic

darabbit wrote: »

As for the battery life, I run for approx 1hr - 1.5 hours but if I don't turn off the GPS I have to charge the battery before my next run. i deffo wouldn't run a race without recharging it first. I was very careful when I got the watch first to fully charge and then let the battery run out before charging again so it not due to abuse of the battery.

why would you leave gps on after the run? I do 3 - 4 1 hour runs a week and put it in watch mode afterward and only recharge once a week which seems reasonable to me.

I think like myself a lot of ex-305 owners really love the 405 because it was a big improvement. eg you didn't have a watch mode!

Personally I don't like the bezel, but can live with the battery life as they made it so much smaller.

Krusty_Clown

darabbit: It definitely sounds like you need to install the software update. Even if you don't turn off the GPS, the watch should automatically go into power-save mode where it's using very little battery power.

I'm very well disciplind about turning off the GPS, but my OH rarely switches it off. It isn't really a problem as the watch will go into powersave (as long as you don't leave the watch in training mode). If after you install the software update, the watch is still going into Powersave mode while in training mode, you need to return it as soon as possible (within the warranty period).

darabbit

Thanks for that. I will check for upgrade as mine deffo doesn't go into sleep mode. it is a bit of a Forest Gump:D

SeamyH

Well I have the 205 model, now granted it's pretty bulky so it's not going to be your cup of tea but I love it and the size dosen't bother me in the slightest. I am only new to running (well about 6 weeks now) but Im up to over 30 miles a week.

The comment you had on the rain / sweat causing problems with how it works has never been an issue for me. The one thing I love about the 205 is that the distance is always the same, maybe where you are running has lots of trees which may effect the GPS signal, either that or it's a faulty watch. Also just on the battery life I run for an hour each day Monday to Friday and I only ever have to charge once every 2 weeks (lasts 10 hours with GPS always on).

Just thought I'd give you some feedback on it in case you fancied a change but as I have already said if you think the 405 is big then the 205 will blow you away.

RacoonQueen

Mine is just crap. Messed around on me again today..then I was trying to loosen the strap and the strap broke. Now I can't even use the piece of crap in Dingle. :mad:

Edit: and while they claim it's fully operational with a mac...it's not. Software updates never work correctly.

Reaganomical

After reading this thread and others raving about the benefits of the 405, I'm contemplating buying one...but...will there be a newer model released this year? Might hold off if there was.

I could just check the garmin website I suppose...meh

Krusty_Clown

We need to merge this thread with one of the many other 405 threads. Saves answering the same questions, over and over.

There are two newer models already:
Garmin 405cx - Same as the 405, but comes with a soft strap, and a better way of calculating calories burned. Not worth the extra 100 euro.

Garmin 310 - First fully waterproof Forerunner model (others are IPX7 - waterproof for 15 minutes to a depth of 1 meter of water). Longer battery life (20 hours), but, it is the same size as the older 305 (much larger than the 405). It's the one I would buy, if I had the dosh, and wasn't too bothered about the size.

RacoonQueen

Seeing as after only 6 months...due to the strap which I'm going to have to tape together for dingle I'm now in the market for(well saving for) a new watch. IS there a better alternative to map my running/cycling? Was tempted to buy the 405CX when it came out. That could most likely be bought cheaper on ebay. What about a timex or polar model?

Edit: I did manage to fix the strap yesterday but then when I went to put i on this evening the part that links the strap together was on the wrong side of the other metaly part(good explanation, I know) so I had to try and fix that...which just made the metaly part fall off again, I asked a man to fix it(you men are supposed to be good at these things) while I went off for a short run, told him to be careful as one of the pins was close to snappage...then what does he do? :rolleyes:

Krusty_Clown

Is it a 405 you have? If so, buy the soft strap for it. They sell it as a separate option now. Won't solve your Dingle problem though.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=38206

RacoonQueen

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Is it a 405 you have? If so, buy the soft strap for it. They sell it as a separate option now. Won't solve your Dingle problem though.
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=38206

Ta' for this by the way, saw when I was looking for this a strap repair kit and bought that instead, maybe I should have searched this thread out first as that link says it's suitable for smaller wrists. :pac:

neilc

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Seeing as after only 6 months...due to the strap which I'm going to have to tape together for dingle I'm now in the market for(well saving for) a new watch. IS there a better alternative to map my running/cycling? Was tempted to buy the 405CX when it came out. That could most likely be bought cheaper on ebay. What about a timex or polar model?

Edit: I did manage to fix the strap yesterday but then when I went to put i on this evening the part that links the strap together was on the wrong side of the other metaly part(good explanation, I know) so I had to try and fix that...which just made the metaly part fall off again, I asked a man to fix it(you men are supposed to be good at these things) while I went off for a short run, told him to be careful as one of the pins was close to snappage...then what does he do? :rolleyes:

If you have an iphone download the Runkeeper app, its just as good. I put it in either an arm band or waist pouch, it works great. The only issue is battery life on really long runs. I received loads of texts and even a phone call during the marathon last week so the iPhone died at mile 23. Details of my marathon run can be seen here. Best thing is it only cost €7.99.
Neil

RJC

I sent mine back to Garmin last week. The back light died about May of this year but it only became a problem in the last few weeks. I asked them how long it would take to repair it and they told me they don't repair them, they just send you a new watch.

nerraw1111

Going on this thread, the 405 seems to almost critically flawed?

metamorphosis

I'm thinking about buying something along the lines of the 405. Sick of just using the hrm. Few concerns though.

1. I have wrists the same size of an 8 year old girl. Seriously. From reading this thread, i get the impression that it might not be the most suitable for those with girly wrists. IS there any alternative ye'd recommend?

2. Instead of starting a new thread ill ask here - anyone here that uses the polar f20 with the foot pad attachment? How do ye find it? I got the polar f20 a while back but never bought the foot pad for it.

RacoonQueen

It is a bit large for small wrists but I've uber small wrists and the 405 is still comfortable, there is just a little extra space between the watch and your wrist, doesn't slide or anything though.

osnola ibax

Hi ul,405cx has infinitely adjustable soft strap

Sub430

RJC wrote: »

I sent mine back to Garmin last week. The back light died about May of this year but it only became a problem in the last few weeks. I asked them how long it would take to repair it and they told me they don't repair them, they just send you a new watch.

You might get my one after they fix the screen

My one fell from the kitchen table and the screen cracked, as the screen is not covered by warranty I had to stump up around GBP100 to get it fixed :mad:

The missus has the 305 - I used it once and found the buttons better than the bezel but the satellite locator is a lot slower.

eon1208

m

eon1208

Condensation on watch face 5 mins into run yesterday.....Obscured vision of data fields, found this to be a disturbing development..... Emailed tech support got following not so helpful reply

Dear ,
Thank you for contacting Garmin International. I will be happy to help you with this. The 405CX is not recommended to be used in the rain. It has a water proof rating of IPX7, which means if it accidentally dropped in standing water, it can withstand 1 meter of depth for 30 minutes. Rain is a variable that we cannot measure, but we do know that running in the rain will affect the device over time. It's recommended to cover the 405CX when it's raining.

Rang directly and they told me to post it back immediately that there was a definite fault. This is in conflict with their Email response...Queried the same problem occuring in 14 months and they said they would replace at a reduced rate. This sounds reasonable... I then E-mailed them back as follows

"It has been posted back and is being replaced under warranty by garmin. I am a competitive runner and have no choice but to run in the rain a LOT. It shouldnt happen an expensive item like 405cx. Garmin have told me over the phone it is a fault and to return it at my inconvenience immediately for replacement with a new one. I have cheap watches in all weathers and this did not happen. As I said it is a brilliant piece of equipment.

yours respectfully

I wont let this dampen my enthusiasm for the watch and indeed missed it on my run today....What do u guys think..it is surely nonsense to say rain can cause this...Most of us runners on time constraints have to run in heavy rain......I dont always wear long sleeves and wouldnt want to......However would encourage to buy 405cx it is a great training tool.......

Krusty_Clown

It's certified waterproof in a meter of water for 30 minutes, but can't withstand a bit of rain?! Sounds like you were talking to a right numpty. Sure, the bezel goes hay-wire, but otherwise it works fine.

Mine has had condensation twice, but only when the weather has changed from cold to extremely sunny. I just ignored it.

eon1208

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

It's certified waterproof in a meter of water for 30 minutes, but can't withstand a bit of rain?! Sounds like you were talking to a right numpty. Sure, the bezel goes hay-wire, but otherwise it works fine.

Mine has had condensation twice, but only when the weather has changed from cold to extremely sunny. I just ignored it.

Maybe I have jumped the gun in sending it back but when the guy on the phone told me to, i didnt hesitate. Still wouldnt be 100% happy with internal condensation appearing though.......

The Rook

Couldn't recommend the 405cx enough.

With the Garmin Connect & Training Centre Software, along with the functionality of the watch itself I think it's a winner!

steoc

I bought the 405cx about 2 months ago and i love it.
Im a novice and find it a great help it also encourages me to get out.
I have had no problems with mine touch wood.
I also have friends asking me to do their routs with them to find the distance... Its amazing looking back on the garmin connect after.
Steoc.

robinph

The Rook wrote: »

Couldn't recommend the 405cx enough.

With the Garmin Connect & Training Centre Software SportTracks, along with the functionality of the watch itself I think it's a winner!

Fixed that for you.

packas

neilc wrote: »

If you have an iphone download the Runkeeper app, its just as good. I put it in either an arm band or waist pouch, it works great. The only issue is battery life on really long runs. I received loads of texts and even a phone call during the marathon last week so the iPhone died at mile 23. Details of my marathon run can be seen here. Best thing is it only cost €7.99.
Neil

Thanks for the heads up on runkeeper Do you know if it has a virtual partner or something similar to help as a pacesetter?

Pat.

The Rook

robinph wrote: »

Fixed that for you.

Interesting ... hadn't seen that before!

Two questions ...

(1) If you have a weeks training schedule in advance can you upload it to your 405CX so that it tells you what runs you have to do?

(2) Can you load historical runs that you've saved to the 405cx onto it?

Thanks !

scottreynolds

The Rook wrote: »

Interesting ... hadn't seen that before!

Two questions ...

(1) If you have a weeks training schedule in advance can you upload it to your 405CX so that it tells you what runs you have to do?

(2) Can you load historical runs that you've saved to the 405cx onto it?

Thanks !

Someone please answer these questions : -- I have my polar and love these features. I upload two weeks in advance and all my intervals etc all planned out and I get a beep at 6pm to tell me its time to train (if I haven't already).

The Rook

Just to clarify, I know you can do this with the Garmin Training Centre software, but I was more specifically referring to the SportTracks software !

Ta!:)

neilc

packas wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up on runkeeper Do you know if it has a virtual partner or something similar to help as a pacesetter?

Pat.

It doesn't have a virtual partner yet but as far as I understand that is a feature thats going to be added in an upcoming update. Since I downloaded the app last April/May it been updated several times. Each update has made a significant improvement. The most recent one this week was the ability to manually add runs if using a treadmill for example + instead of just current pace it now also voice prompts average pace.
Neil

metamorphosis

ULstudent wrote: »

I'm thinking about buying something along the lines of the 405. Sick of just using the hrm. Few concerns though.

1. I have wrists the same size of an 8 year old girl. Seriously. From reading this thread, i get the impression that it might not be the most suitable for those with girly wrists. IS there any alternative ye'd recommend?

2. Instead of starting a new thread ill ask here - anyone here that uses the polar f20 with the foot pad attachment? How do ye find it? I got the polar f20 a while back but never bought the foot pad for it.

Meant the polar rs200 and not the f20.