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:
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Comments

J said…
I have the 405 too and love it. the touch bezel can be frustrating at times but I don't usually use it a lot. Every product has its problems but the 405 is pretty good for a running watch. And its nice to know the distance on each run.
Carmy said…
Great review. I just received my 405 yesterday and so far I'm liking it. I too had the 305 but that took a poop on me so the 405 came up on Amazon for $149 and I couldn't pass it up. A few more days of play with this bad mammajamma and I'll be an expert.
Amber said…
Great review!!

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... ;)
I have the 305 & love it! Before that i had a model that i got at Target which ran on disposable batteries. And died all the time. SO I am just happy to have a reliable watch. So far I have been really happy with the 305 so until it dies, I will stick with it. But when/if it dies, I will likely upgrade to the 405 (or whatever the latest & greatest is!)
Loooove the 405 :) Obviously. I've had mine for 3 years now (whoa) and while I do run without it sometimes, or wear it just for distance and don't pay attention to time or pace, it has been SO instrumental in all of my training. I don't even map out runs anymore, I just rely on the watch to let me know when/where to turn around. So simple! I do use a little discretion though, knowing full well that it can't be accurate 100% of the time.

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 :)
WOW! That looks so much smaller and more comfortable than the 205/305 versions!
Jen Correa said…
I just got the 610 and I love it. I previously had the 305 and the 101 (I think that's the right number) before that. I love Garmin's products and was so excited when I got the new one. Run in good health with it!

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