Garmin 310xt vs timex global trainer
Trying to decide between these two - I've got a gift card which needs to be spent on something fun. I don't need it right away, but there is a $50 rebate on the Garmin until 8/1. I actually was able to see them at the same time at REI over the weekend. The timex seems quite a bit larger to me, even though the spec sizes are almost identical - it just feels bigger on my wrist. I think the two devices do almost the same thing except the timex can only do 2 second capture intervals for power. Not sure if that's a problem. The timex comes with better software, but since I have wk0+, that's not really an issue. I won't wear either for a watch, my wrists are small and both are really big (my polar 625 is just barly useable as a watch in my opinion). I'd probably just go ahead and get the garmin, but i've heard so much about cracking screens. Does anyone know if garmin has done anything about that or if someone else has come up with a solution to protect it? I thought about using a screen protector like I use on my digital camera or blackberry, but it would probably come off. Thanks
Comments
Of course, IF someone can confirm that Garmin as remedied this issue...my thoughts don't matter anyway!
I think the garmin cracking issue has been entirely over blown. Seems very durable to me and there are a ton of them out there these days. The only "it dropped 6 inches and shattered" stories seem to have been very early on. I do not think that I would want to rely on either of them as my only power head unit. The garmin is the best garmin yet for running and has the benefit of being water proof and the ability to record bike data as a back up. I will likely buy the timex soon [just because I like to buy toys] and use it the same way. Once the ironman watch I am currently wearing has gps it will be awesome. I think we are several generations [of watches] away from that happening.
My 310XT has been dropped several times, once running through T2 I dropped it and kicked it as I yanked it off the bike trying to head out to the run. The only problem I have had is swimming with it, I think the reset button leaks a little so I dont swim with it anymore. It will freeze on me when I try to reset the time and I have to do a quick reset of the whole watch. It's probably one of the most used buttons and maybe I pushed a little too hard on it. Anyway a quick reset and it worked just fine. Overall I like it.
Now, even with no problems with the screen I still have some other gripes about it but Garmin has been slowly working in the right direction. First I kind of hated the cheesey quick release kit they offered, but their new quick release kit (uses the original orange band, new bike mounts) is much much better IMHO. Secondly, I'm on my second 310xt because my first one simply up and died one day and that was that. Garmin replaced it with a brand new unit for free, I only sent them the watch (per their instructions) and they sent me a whole new retail box with a new premium HR strap and everything.
Finally, I've been griping about the 310xt as a head unit for power meters for a while, Garmin has taken some steps to improve things, the new SW seems much more stable to me, the calibration feature has been improved, etc. One of the problems I had with it is that I simply wanted more data on the screen than just 4 fields. This didn't so much get fixed as much as I just figured out a way to get around it, which was by setting up my screens so that they automatically scrolled through but my key fields like power and cadence always remain in the same place on each screen, with complementary data flowing in and out on the other side. Right now, the only thing that I am really even upset about anymore is the fact that there are still no rolling averages for power like there are on the Edges.
In summary, I think that in time the Global Trainer could be a compelling alternative to the 310xt and I'm glad there is finally some real competition. However, I also half expect it to go through many of the same growing pains that the 310 has. If Timex handles them in a much more timely manner than Garmin has then it could be the way to go, but in the mean time it still seems to me that the 310 is the better bet.
I've dropped my Garmin Forerunner 305 numerous times, but it's constructed so as to have a rubber protective band around the faceplate which protects it from accidental breakage. The 310XT doesn't have this added protection feature and if it is dropped and lands on the edge of the faceplate it's going to break because it's glass. The 305 faceplate seems to be plastic, or possibly some sort of mixture of glass and plastic and the 310xt appears and feels like it's 100 percent glass. Possibly for watertight integrity? I'll provide close up photos via email of both the 305 and 310xt units side by side for comparison (unit size, etc) to anyone requesting.
I think the reason the faceplate on my 310 broke is that it must have landed on the corner of the faceplate (weakest point) where it has little protection. The crack was from the top left corner down to the bottom right corner. I think it landed just right. A bad break (pun intended). Other than that I haven't had any problems with the 310xt. I'm happy with it. I'm also happy with my 305. If it broke today I'd buy another one tomorrow.
@Bob, in case you haven't seen it, I did a short write up on the Timex: endurancenation.us.dnnmax.com/Commu...fault.aspx. Overall, it's pretty good.
For what it's worth, I've had a number of Garmins through the years, and have never had a problem with screen cracking.
Mike
I am not sure what the current feeling regarding the310xt is but I have had four of them in the last year due to various problems and the fourth one is dead now. Garmin has continued to send replacements under warranty but what a pain! It's a great unit when it works but I've been let down in two different 70.3 races this year when the unit just didn't work They have also died on training rides and the latest one died on the kitchen counter between workouts. I've bought the Timex Global Trainer and it's ok - not as feature rich as the Garmin and it takes forever to synch with the satellites. My buddies are giving me a lot of grief while we wait for the synch.