[fatneck]

Hi all, in the market for a new running watch. Budget sort of in the region of £200 - £300. Wasn't sure whether to create a new topic or pout this in the Fell Running thread. As it's not specifically fell running related and might be of use to others I thought I would create a new one...

I've been using a bog standard old TomTom for years. It's totally basic but does the job of telling me how far I ran and in-run metris such as pace / time and distance.

Interested in the Garmin Forerunner 245 - any opinions?

I did get an old Suunto off Monolith but have never been able to get the buttons to work properly or the charger to work...

Quite prepared to look at second hand options...

[SA Chris]

I've had a Fenix 3 for years now and love it. Big face easily customisable with single or multiple screens per activity, and loads more things  will never use. Great battery life too, will last for 10 hours or so with GPS on, OK for a full day skiing.

I looked at Forerunner, but concerned it isn't as sturdy looking as the Fenix, as I wear mine all the time, not just for running, and I'm a clumsy bastard.

Downside is it's pretty bulky, especially if you have skinny wrists like me, although the 5 is a lot smaller if you can stretch budget to that. Be aware the first generation of the 5 had a shortened battery life, but later versions have been better.

[Stabbsy]

As is usually the answer, it depends what you want it for. I like Garmin stuff and the interface is pretty good - I've had a couple of Forerunners and now have a Fenix (posh Forerunner with altimeter). I'd buy Garmin again. The 245 looks pretty well spec'd out, but not sure whether it does much more than the 45 for £100 less? It's a wrist based HR monitor and I've never been sure how accurate these are - it might be that they've come on a lot since my last purchase, but I prefer to use a chest strap but I do a lot of my training based on HR as Sheffield is too hilly to use consistent pace.

A lot of the additional 245 features require you to get the HRM-Run strap for the running dynamics. I have one and it's just a load of extra numbers to geek over, but I don't pay much attention to them if I'm honest - I mean it tells me my ground contact time with my right foot is longer than that with my left, but not sure whether this actually matters!

[Paul B]

I don't use their watches only their cycling computers but I have strong dislike of Garmin; I've recently replaced mine with a Wahoo unit (sorry they don't make watches). My Dad followed suit and Peewee has also just made the change.

They (Garmin) seem like a company who have been a market leader for too long and haven't developed as well as they should have.

[SA Chris]

A lot of the additional 245 features require you to get the HRM-Run strap for the running dynamics. I have one and it's just a load of extra numbers to geek over, but I don't pay much attention to them if I'm honest - I mean it tells me my ground contact time with my right foot is longer than that with my left, but not sure whether this actually matters!

I got one of those, and looked at the stats for a few weeks, then got bored. It does confirm, for example though, that over the distance of a longer run my weaker right leg starts to tire and my ground contact time on the left gets longer.

It's a remarkable piece of kit though, somewhere were I disagree with Paul as its something that sets Garmin apart as an innovator, perhaps they are concentrating on watches, not bike computers. FWIW, I have a handlebar mount for my watch when cycling so i don't need to check my wrist all the time.

[Stabbsy]

I got one of those, and looked at the stats for a few weeks, then got bored. It does confirm, for example though, that over the distance of a longer run my weaker right leg starts to tire and my ground contact time on the left gets longer.

I'd concluded the opposite - I'd have thought ground contact time would be longer on the weaker leg as you sink more and don't spring back. Goes to show how useless some of that info is to the average punter.

[SA Chris]

it's either ground contact, or left right balance, can't remember which. I'd need to go back into Garmin Connect and look.

[T_B]

I got one of those, and looked at the stats for a few weeks, then got bored. It does confirm, for example though, that over the distance of a longer run my weaker right leg starts to tire and my ground contact time on the left gets longer.

I'd concluded the opposite - I'd have thought ground contact time would be longer on the weaker leg as you sink more and don't spring back. Goes to show how useless some of that info is to the average punter.

I’d be interested to know ground contact time as I have a strong suspicion my knackered ankle leg with collapsed arch is on the ground a lot longer than the other foot. Dunno if there’s much I can do about it though, especially as my other foot is now developing ‘incredible hulk’ big toe to compensate!

To the OP what about Coros? Popular with American ultrarunners as the battery life is amazing.

[SA Chris]

If you have a Garmin, the HRM Strap is compatible with most newer watches.

https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/p/530376

Costs less elsewhere.

[Coops_13]

Joining the conversation to give a non-Garmin perspective I have this: https://www.suunto.com/en-us/Products/Sports-Watches/suunto-spartan-sport-wrist-hr/Suunto-Spartan-Sport-Wrist-HR-All-Black/ which I really like. Battery lasts forever as a watch with c.1hr activity per day. Lasts a full day at least of hiking / skiing (GPS tracking all day) and lightweight. 

[steveri]

Another Fenix 3 here, didn’t spend too long pondering - it was a bargain at the time. Downside it’s a bit bulky as Chris says and I think  maps are nicer on newer models. Just replaced straps 4 years in otherwise no bother other than occasional freeze whilst charging, easily fixed with a restart.

[TobyD]

Has anyone had good experiences with watches that are more like £100-£150? I'm not that into vast amounts of data, just the basics of reasonable GPS, time speed, etc. 

[T_B]

Ebay? I’ve had a Garmin Forerunner 230 for the past 3 years or so. It’s fairly basic but works. You’d pick one of those up for around £100. Or Polar are supposed to be good value.

[TobyD]

Ebay? I’ve had a Garmin Forerunner 230 for the past 3 years or so. It’s fairly basic but works. You’d pick one of those up for around £100. Or Polar are supposed to be good value.

Thanks Tom, basic is what I want! I had been looking at the forerunner 45, at the moment I just use a Sony smart watch with Strava app on it. Just gives a distance and time since the version of Android wear on the watch went out of date. It'd just be nice to have something properly compatible with strava.

[Paul B]

Thanks Tom, basic is what I want! I had been looking at the forerunner 45, at the moment I just use a Sony smart watch with Strava app on it. Just gives a distance and time since the version of Android wear on the watch went out of date. It'd just be nice to have something properly compatible with strava.

It might be worth doing some further research on this (although perhaps I'm misunderstanding what you mean) but Strava recently dumped support for things like HR monitors being directly supported by the app itself (stability issues apparently). If you're just talking post-run upload that'd be different.

Looks like it mightn't be an issue?

Strava Mobile App: Download and record your activities using Wahoo Fitness.
Strava Wearable apps for Apple Watch, Samsung Galaxy/Gear and WearOS devices: Continue recording normally.
GPS watches and cycling computers (Garmin, Wahoo, Polar, etc.): Continue recording normally.

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032979131-Removing-Direct-Sensor-Pairing-from-the-Strava-Mobile-App#:~:text=As%20of%20October%2028th%2C%202019,or%20other%20Bluetooth%20sensor%20data.