|
|
|
Average Customer Review
Share your thoughts with other customers
|
|
|
The most helpful favourable review
The most helpful critical review
53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
Quality sports watch with excellent features.
As of Feb 2010 - continuing to use this at least 2-3 times a week and still rate it 5 stars! Tracking my stats online and keeping a record of routes, comparing heart rates and monitoring different sessions is a real motivator to me.
Original review - I write this having owned both Sunnto and Polar sports watches in the past. I've owned the Garmin 405CX for a...
Published 12 months ago by Dazzla
|
› See more 5 star, 4 star reviews |
 |
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent....when it works
I bought this in February as a birthday present. Previously my boyfriend had the Forerunner 50, but after returning it to Garmin three times due to various faults, decided to make the upgrade to the much more expensive 405CX.
The watch is really easy to set up, and was quick to reconnect to Garmin connect (even on our Mac). The first few uses were great -...
Published 2 months ago by Holzieb
|
› See more 3 star, 2 star, 1 star reviews |
|
|
53 of 53 people found the following review helpful:
Quality sports watch with excellent features., 28 Aug 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
As of Feb 2010 - continuing to use this at least 2-3 times a week and still rate it 5 stars! Tracking my stats online and keeping a record of routes, comparing heart rates and monitoring different sessions is a real motivator to me.
Original review - I write this having owned both Sunnto and Polar sports watches in the past. I've owned the Garmin 405CX for a month and used it both for running, circuits (outdoors) and in the gym. Overall I would highly recommend this piece of kit, it has exceptional features, excellent data capture and a great on-line (or PC based) inter-face to which you can download your data, analyse and share it. The bezel takes a little getting used to but no more so than an iPOD. The positives and negatives are as follows:
+VEs:
- Excellent in-built GPS that has no trouble locating satellites in urban and non-urban areas. It even has a track back function should you get lost! Doh!
- Good heart rate monitor (standard chest strap).
- Multiple data pages that you can customise to show multiple permutations of HR, pace/speed, distance, averages.
- Virtual training partner - a nice feature to help you train or run.
- It comes with both standard and velcro watch straps. I prefer the velcro.
- Garmin provide really good user videos on their website that talk you through the multiple features; a real benefit as I get bored reading manuals!
-VEs:
- I'm still getting used to having to charge the watch every few days but its no more inconvenient than charging my iPOD.
- I'm dubious about its water resistant qualities. A perfect watch would offer decent water resistance (up to 10M) but I'm just not sure how far to test this!
- A little more choice in colour would be nice.
All in all I would highly recommend this, if your into fitness training and you enjoy analysing data ( and sharing it) then this is the watch for you.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
145 of 147 people found the following review helpful:
Strongly recommended step up from old models, 21 Jun 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
Having just bought the 405CX I found the lack of user reviews deeply frustrating. Having had the watch for 2 weeks I thought I would share my experience.
I formerly owned a 305 and my big concern with the 405 was the reported difficulties in picking up satellites (as a result of the smaller design). Well the 405CX has certainly resolved these issues. I'm guessing the kit remembers where you tend to be because it catches a satellite even in areas that would have been a total no go with the 305 (like in the shadow of tall buildings). This morning's run got a satellite connection in 5 seconds (really!) Combine this high sensitivity with an ability to save locations and the GPS functions are better than ever. Other reported issues were the wet sensitivity of the bezel. Well it certainly works when wet hands touch it - although I've yet to go out in a downpour this bodes well for me. I tend to leave it on a single screen so changing the reading isn't likely to be that important.
Having been an enormous fan of the old model I bought this (more expensive) upgrade only when my old one was stolen. However having made the purchase I would recommend others to do the same - it really is a delight. The battery meter tells you specifically how much energy you have left so you're unlikely to be caught short - and the battery is certainly no weaker than the old model. At least now you can assess whether it needs 10 minutes charge before you go out - rather than the guessing game of the past.
Runners - you'll love it. The old model was the best bit of kit I'd ever bought - the 405CX is considerably better. A strong recommendation.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
From a beginner, 11 July 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
Excellent product. I have just taken up jogging and it really is useful to motivate and guide. You don't have to be a super fit athlete to get maximum benefit out of it. It also has a bike mode. The heart rate monitor is non-intrusive. It fits comfortably on a lady's wrist and I like the look of it. The watch automatically downloads into my PC. The calorie counts are fun too!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Great training tool... well worth the money, 8 Aug 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
This is really a great watch for anyone who loves to measure their progress or just learn more about their fitness.
The watch gives you the ability to modify three 3 different screens that allow you to view up to 3 different measures at once.. so you can have your heart rate, distance and pace. The second screen can have your heart rate zone line graph, running time, elevation. Every measure can be added or removed from these 3 screens.. brilliant...
The GPS is very accurate... it take a while to start up when you first go outdoors as it finds satellites. The bezel navigation is a little tough to get used to, but I think it is better than having to try and press buttons when you are running. I had some problems with the wireless USB stick and had to reinstall the software a few times... so hoping that does not happen again..
The watch is just great and you should definitely buy one if you are ummming and ahhring.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent Product, 23 July 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
This watch is a little fiddly to begin with, I recommend keeping the manual to hand to begin with. The wireless heart-rate monitor is great and is hardly noticeable when wearing it. I had some problems sending my Activity Data to garminConnect, though I found out this was due to the software version of the ANT+ utility... ANT Agent version 221 works fine whereas version 225 doesn't. Seeing your activities played-out on Google Maps with relevant time/pace/heart rate/altitude is pretty amazing compared to writing down numbers in a diary. Altogether a great product.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Actually makes you faster.........., 2 Oct 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
I have often thought I should run more without a watch and just enjoy the run. HOWEVER, I now have a new slavemaster to speed me up, so the thought of ever running without it has long gone! Switching to the virtual partner view spurs me on to get my pace back inside my pre set goal. It even tells you how far you are ahead or behind in distance from your set pace. Simple to use, with 34 variables to customise your display, this has it all. Plus, relive your torture on google earth when you download your runs. How steep was that hill? This will tell you. Awesome. I thank you!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Garmin Forerunner - great functions / poor battery life, 5 Oct 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
I bought this mainly for running.
The unit seems to have pretty much all the functionality wanted from it (though its taken a few weeks to pick up).
I'm lucky enough to have a duplex printer - which came in handy as there was no printed user manual with the unit.
I'm also used to GPS on a PDA with full colour United Kingdom 1:25K Ordinance Survey maps. I've had this sort of technology since the early noughties, so am surprised there is no mapping facility on the Forerunner (even very basic) on this unit out in 2009. I tend to run cross-country on routes I've never done before - it would be handy to have an idea of when I'm going off track. Having said that, the battery life is quite restrictive (3 or 4 hour long runs with me recharging it almost every other run). Perhaps mapping functionality would kill the battery life still further. On the plus side, there is some facility (as yet untried) to show a compass pointing the way to the end of your route.
Even with these downsides, it still does the main job for people in training - it tells you what pace you're maintaining, how far you've gone, heart rate stats, lets you run against an imaginary oponent and via download you can get various analytics information out of it. Personally, ticking off each mile and seeing how I'm faring with split times are the main use.
All-in-all, well worth it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
Simply super, 16 Nov 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
Absolutely love this watch.
I had one of the Nike+ sportbands - but it died (like so many of the first wave of these), so treated myself for my birthday.
Really like that you can upload onto own space at Garmin connect and choose to share or not. The watch really is not too chunky at all - no more than an average divers watch really. Maybe not suitable for wearing into the office everyday but perfectly acceptable.
Still havn't tried all functions yet. Best bits so far are knowing to a couple of meters how far I have ran (more than the sport+ used to record - but as that was not GPS not a fair comparison really). Being able to change activity type on the Garmin connect website (for each individual workout - I love the little pics that go with the activities) - this has meant I can also use it to record my walks and keep them separate. Exporting a route to Google Earth and playing back the route (this is just geeky but cool - my wife is a bit sick of watching, but I am still amused).
Bid bit - went running a few days ago and went for it - got a good sweat on and it rained, then at the end of the run the watch was unresponsive (I couldn't make it stop - which kind of ruined my time, stopped after approx 3 to 4 mins but then wouldnt respond at all until I had left it a good hour after which the outside dried. It then worked fine again. I think this is because the bezel got really wet - but just from exercise. I will be wearing it on the outside of my running top next time I go for a PB.
Improvements: It would be nice to have a 'challenge' section to the Garmin website to get more of a community going. You can set targets for yourself but I really found the nike+ model helped with motivation (when you could join groups to gain a joint mileage target for example.
Overall - this is a great watch and training aid - buy it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Not just for running, 10 Jan 2010
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
Unlike most people who get the Forerunner I am using this mainly for hiking (although I have run with it). I am training for the Oxfam 100km walks so this has come in handy to see my speed, distance etc, to judge how I am doing on various stages. The only downer(and I knew this when I bought it) is that it will only last for 7 hours of the actual walk, not the full 18-20 hours.
The watch itself is bulkier than a regular watch, but not too bad. I've walked today and am still wearing it while typing. It is ok to wear out as it isn't too obtrusive.
Set up takes a little while if you want to get the various training screen right. As other reviewers have said, prepare to use up some printer ink printing off the manual as it is vital you read it. When you are ready for a walk you'll probably need to recharge it, it is very annoying how quickly it runs out so charge it at all times.
Picking up satellites is fairly quick, although in areas like Canary Wharf the buildings obviously hinder GPS lock-ins and you get some funny results at times. In open spec like the South Downs it works very well, even in forest areas.
The information you get whilst out is fantastic, anything you want to know if there if you set it right, including heart rate if you wear the monitor. Uploading the data is great, especially being able to see your route on Google maps, it becomes a bit obsessive, which is probably the point as it makes walks/runs more interesting.
Overall, a pricey bit of kit but well worth the money if you use it regularly. Like others I just wish the battery life was longer (or you could hotswap the battery as you went along). And the bezel menu system can be frustrating, but you get used to it.
Highly recommended.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Great Kit!, 24 Sep 2009
This review is from: Garmin Forerunner 405CX Sports Watch (Electronics)
Great watch, worked well for me first time. Battery life is a little on the short side and the mapping through Garmin site is not very detailed, i.e. it doesn't have minor roads on it. All in all I'm very impressed with the watch, a great gadget to aid with training.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
