Garmin 010-00658-20 Forerunner 405 GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor (Black)

GARMIN Forerunner 405 ANT S Black GPS Enabled Sports Watch/ HRM. Garmin International is pleased to announce the new Forerunner 405 GPS enabled sports watch. This sleek sports watch tells you how far, how fast and when you are in your heart rate zone. The Forerunner 405 can be used indoors or out, when you are outdoors you can use the built in high sensitivity GPS receiver for your training, plus with the new touch bezel you can scroll through menus on the run. While indoors you will be able to use the ANT plus Sport wireless technology to connect to an optional foot pod to measure speed and distance when indoors. Users can upload data to Garmin Connect a new web based application which lets users analyze data with interactive graphs that chart their pace, time, distance and heart rate. The Forerunner 405 will be offered in two different colors black or green.

Garmin 010-00658-20 Forerunner 405 Features
* Round 4-Level Gray Fstn, 124 X 95 Pixel Display
* Accurately Tracks Distance, Pace & Calories, & Displays On Easy-To-Read Screen
* Ant+Sport(Tm) Wireless Technology Automatically Transfers Workout Data To & From
* Computer When Device Is Within Range
* Heart Rate Monitor

Garmin 010-00658-20 Forerunner 405 Technical Details
* Brand Name: Garmin
* Model: Forerunner 405 ANT S
* Receiver Description: 12 channel
* Connectivity Technology: USB
* Display Size: 1.06 inches
* Native Resolution: 124 x 95
* MP3 player: N

Garmin 010-00658-20 Forerunner 405 GPS-Enabled Sports Watch Reviews

I’ve been running with the Garmin 405 for several months now and love it. Given the mixed reviews here, I was apprehensive about getting it, but it really is a great training device.

Out of the box, it’s quite good. After configuring it and just getting used to the way it works, it’s much better. For example, mine is set to auto lap every kilometer and I mostly use a custom view with just lap pace and heart rate. That configuration works very well on, say, a Workout set up for 10K. Interval Workouts are also very handy and easy to set up. The possibilities are endless.

As I’ve progressed as a runner – first marathon this year, 3:52 at 41 years old – I’ve tried a variety of watches. First, a Timex Ironman, which I loved, but no Heart Monitor. Then a Timex Heart Monitor which I used with the Ironman (for the 100 lap memory). The Timex watches were stolen so next, a Nike Heart Monitor with the Nike+ Sports Band and Foot Pod.

The Nike+ Sports Band looks cool but is not very accurate, even calibrated. Changes in speed, hills, etc. will affect the accuracy of any foot pod system. Once calibrated, it tended to be about 3-5% off. Not the end of the world, but also leaves some doubt as to your real pace in, say, intervals or tempo training. The Nike+ website also is not great. It looks nice, but is hard to navigate.

Now, the Garmin 405. Likes:

1. Everything in one device – HR, pace, distance, elevation, laps.

2. Pace – I thought the whole GPS thing might be a bit too high-tech for a guy who loves the simplicity of running, but it is very, very nice to know your pace as you run. I use Hal Higdon’s training plans, which call for all kinds of runs, with warm-ups, intervals, tempo intervals, pace segments, etc. The pace feature makes doing these workouts possible without having a coach at your side.

3. GPS frees you from mapping out your route. You just run until it shows your distance is done. The Garmin Connect site then shows your map. This doesn’t sound so amazing, but it is very liberating. You just run wherever you want, explore your neighborhood, whatever. It transforms city running.

4. Auto laps. Great feature. Records all your details (time, HR, pace) for each lap automatically. You can review on the watch or on Garmin Connect.

5. The Garmin Connect website is good, not amazing, but complete enough with nice graphs and it’s easy to imagine it getting better.

6. The data seems pretty accurate, based on a track workout. In a recent 10K race, it recorded 10.2K, but some of that variation is certainly due to my weaving among the crowd.

Dislikes:

1. Battery life – with GPS enabled, it needs a charge every couple of days to avoid the dreaded “low battery” warning in the middle of a workout.

2. The USB stick for wireless transfer. It works, but Nike does it better. The Nike+ pop-out USB stick is a much simpler way to transfer data to the computer and a much better way to keep from losing the USB part.

3. It can take a couple of minutes to find satellites and loses the satellites on streets with tall buildings. This is a little disconcerting, but the software seems to correct for it.

4. You need the foot pod to use it for indoor training. One more piece of gear (and not cheap).

All in all, the Garmin 405 is an incredible training device. It is the best choice in the market. Nothing comes close to it. 5 stars.

I hope you find this helpful.

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Garmin 010-00658-20 Forerunner 405 GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor