GPS Watch Advice

Galway_2016

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get myself a GPS watch and was hoping for some advice, as with so much out there I'm struggling to decide what one to get.

I'm looking to spend less that €250 and I would like something that'll be fairly accurate, in terms of GPS, for both running and cycling. HR monitor, smart watch capabilities, sleep analysis and an accompanying app are some of the things I would like, but not totally necessary.

Was looking at maybe the Garmin forerunner 235. Anyone know what they're like?

Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Down South

Galway_2016 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get myself a GPS watch and was hoping for some advice, as with so much out there I'm struggling to decide what one to get.

I'm looking to spend less that €250 and I would like something that'll be fairly accurate, in terms of GPS, for both running and cycling. HR monitor, smart watch capabilities, sleep analysis and an accompanying app are some of the things I would like, but not totally necessary.

Was looking at maybe the Garmin forerunner 235. Anyone know what they're like?

Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I have the 235 as do most of the guys I run with. A good watch for running. I don't know about cycling. Being replaced so should be bargains out there

BeepBeep67

Galway_2016 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get myself a GPS watch and was hoping for some advice, as with so much out there I'm struggling to decide what one to get.

I'm looking to spend less that €250 and I would like something that'll be fairly accurate, in terms of GPS, for both running and cycling. HR monitor, smart watch capabilities, sleep analysis and an accompanying app are some of the things I would like, but not totally necessary.

Was looking at maybe the Garmin forerunner 235. Anyone know what they're like?

Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

If you keep an eye out you could pick up a Garmin Forerunner 735XT for that money, would be more multi-sport friendly than the 235, I used one for a few months while in between watches, no issues with it.

watches imo are not as good for sleep monitoring as bands as they are uncomfortable to wear whilst sleeping.

opus

Got an email from Sweatshop with the 235 for £190 in a Black Friday deal.

incentsitive

Check out the thread "recommend a running watch to me" (which I started), I had a Forerunner 235 and it was a disaster. I have done up to marathon with it and it was not tracking distance properly.
I verified it against others running the marathon regarding the distance, and I also checked it against MapMyRun since on shorter distance.
Now having said that, people have suggested that it might be a dodgy device that I got. I don't know. I literally tried everything and even Garmin support (which was brutal).
I am now going to buy a Polar M430, it has good reviews and apparently piggy backs off your phone to ensure the GPS is accurate. It is exactly the price you are looking for.
Just another tip - I have found Amazon return policy to be excellent. I had to return 2 watches and there was no problem with either return.
I have found Garmin to be not as good as they used to be - I had an old 305 and it was bullet proof, I have had the 235 and 35 since and both were useless at distance tracking, although they did have loads of other good features.

RayCun

opus wrote: »

Got an email from Sweatshop with the 235 for £190 in a Black Friday deal.

It's cheaper on Amazon, £176. Might be another price drop on Friday

opus

How about a 935 for €279 from a retailer in Finland?

RayCun

RayCun wrote: »

It's cheaper on Amazon, £176. Might be another price drop on Friday

235 is down to £150 on amazon

Klopp

opus wrote: »

How about a 935 for €279 from a retailer in Finland?

They don't deliver outside of Finland from what i can see?

incentsitive

If the OP can wait a few days, I will have a report on the Polar M430 for him!

incentsitive

So OP I got my Polar M430 and tried it out last night. I'm still learning how to use it, but my initial thoughts are that while it lacks the sleek interface of the 235, it is a MILLION times more accurate on how far you have run.
By way of comparison, I used the 235 for a 5k run a few weeks ago (compared it to MapMyRun which I know gives me exactly 5k), and by the end of it the 235 was registering 2.8 miles (so it lost 0.31 miles on a 5k). Last night, the M430 was 3.09miles, so 0.02 miles out and that was probably at the start as it was the same throughout.
I even ran in under a tree-lined route which Garmin lost the GPS on - the M430 never lost its signal. It was a million times better.
So while I still need to figure out how to set a lot of the stuff up, and they are sticklers about giving you the data from it (which I hate but if they want it, they can have it because I don't click advertisements, etc which are put to me), I have to say that in terms of distance accuracy, I think this would be hard beaten in my view.
Having had 2 disastrous Garmin's (235 and 35) this is such a relief to have finally found a reliable, decent, accurate piece of kit.

greenspurs

Just looking for info myself on buying a new watch as my Garmin Forerunner 205 is on the blink....

What did the OP end up getting ?