Garmin 405 Review
Now that I've had my fancy new Garmin 405 for a few months, I thought it would be good to do a review. You can bet that I'll be using my Garmin this weekend at the Cascade Lakes Relay while I cover 19 miles in three runs on no sleep and lots of team bonding!
My first Garmin (the beastly 305) was purchased for me by my parents in 2006 when I was training for the Portland Marathon (my very first full) just six months after running my first half marathon.
Having this watch was so helpful to my training. At that point, I had yet to meet up with a running group in Eugene, OR so ALL of my training runs and track workouts were done alone.
Yes, it got boring at times, but it also allowed me to think a lot. Running can be the best and most effective therapy at times.
Pros
Sleek design and color
Shape doesn't bruise my wrist bones
GPS capability is much better
Speed connecting to satellites
LED light up screen is great
Fashionable enough to wear with non running attire
Option to switch to bike mode if I want
Lap function is easy to use for track/speed work
Cons
Stats aren't as big and readable as with the 305
Bezel is finicky when trying to scroll through laps or runs
Cool new features
Race against (or keep up with) another "athlete" by setting a specific pace for your run
Workouts that allow you to set your watch to tell you when you reached certain distance or calorie burn
*I rarely use these features, but it's nice to know that if I wanted to really push myself OR force myself to run easy, my watch can help me do just that.
I know that some people (based on reviews I read) returned the 405 because the bezel was simply too frustrating to them. It doesn't always easily scroll through the miles or various runs when I ask it to, but overall I'm really pleased with it. And I'm even more pleased that the manfriend and my parents realized how much use I got out of my old one to buy me the 405.
There are still days I head out on a short run for time only without the Garmin, but more often than not, I appreciate knowing my pace and exact distance. What's your running watch of choice?
Related Post:
Necessary Accessories for a Long Run
My first Garmin (the beastly 305) was purchased for me by my parents in 2006 when I was training for the Portland Marathon (my very first full) just six months after running my first half marathon.
Having this watch was so helpful to my training. At that point, I had yet to meet up with a running group in Eugene, OR so ALL of my training runs and track workouts were done alone.
Yes, it got boring at times, but it also allowed me to think a lot. Running can be the best and most effective therapy at times.
Pros
Sleek design and color
Shape doesn't bruise my wrist bones
GPS capability is much better
Speed connecting to satellites
LED light up screen is great
Fashionable enough to wear with non running attire
Option to switch to bike mode if I want
Lap function is easy to use for track/speed work
Cons
Stats aren't as big and readable as with the 305
Bezel is finicky when trying to scroll through laps or runs
Cool new features
Race against (or keep up with) another "athlete" by setting a specific pace for your run
Workouts that allow you to set your watch to tell you when you reached certain distance or calorie burn
*I rarely use these features, but it's nice to know that if I wanted to really push myself OR force myself to run easy, my watch can help me do just that.
I know that some people (based on reviews I read) returned the 405 because the bezel was simply too frustrating to them. It doesn't always easily scroll through the miles or various runs when I ask it to, but overall I'm really pleased with it. And I'm even more pleased that the manfriend and my parents realized how much use I got out of my old one to buy me the 405.
There are still days I head out on a short run for time only without the Garmin, but more often than not, I appreciate knowing my pace and exact distance. What's your running watch of choice?
Related Post:
Necessary Accessories for a Long Run
Comments
I really like my 305. Like a lot. It doesn't feel too bulky for me (but I have kind of thicker wrists) and I've got using it down to a science almost. Plus I've had it almost 2 full years and it still works GREAT!
If/when it dies I might upgrade to the 405. We'll see... ;)
The crazy thing is how many features it has that I haven't even tried to use! I get overwhelmed with all the capabilities, and only do the simple stuff :)