- Forerunner 910 XT Triathlon bundle contains Forerunner 910XT Speed/cadence sensor Quick-release kit Premium heart rate monitor Bike mountsExpander strap cCharging clip USB ANT Stick AC adapterManuals
- Vibration alerts: set alerts for pace, distance and heart rate
- Firstbeat advanced heart rate-based calorie computation
- Virtual Racer - race previous bests or activities uploaded to Garmin Connectaccounts for varying speeds and realtimeconditions
- Wireless uploads to Garmin Connect to analyze store and share workouts GarminConnect.com Plus ANT+ wireless technology wirelessly connect to heart rate monitor GSC 10 speed/cadence bike sensor or ANT+enabled power meters
::::SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO BOTTOM OF REVIEW FOR UPDATES:::::
As of 02/12/2012---Detailed Analysis
Ok. I will try to make this review as detailed as I can for the limited amount of time that I have had the watch. So here it goes!
-From what I can tell, most people are only having luck being able to buy the watch from small running stores. Everyone that I know of that is buying online is EXTREMELY backordered. However, I have heard from DCRainmaker.com that Garmin is putting together a bigger team to meet the outstanding demand from this watch and will hopefully be on a standard production time frame by the time the Tri season really starts.
----My previous experiences with Garmin watches are as follows:
''I own a Forerunner 110 (and now the 910xt). My father owns a Forerunner 305. My mother owns a Forerunner 405. Their neighbor owns the Forerunner 310xt. As I am a college student, I have had to personally set up both of my parents'' watches due to the tech being kind of over their heads so I have quite a bit of experience with those watches. I have only very shortly messed with the 310xt.
''In my opinion, the 910xt is far superior to any of these watches. The 305 is definitely bulkier and doesn''t sit on the wrist nearly as comfortably. Furthermore, it is only water RESISTANT and not waterproof like the 910xt. The 405 that my mother has, as many of you already know, is basically a huge flop on Garmin''s side due to the finicky touch bezel so the 910xt well outranks that watch on a plethora of accounts. The 310xt is the closest in comparison obviously as it is waterproof like the 910xt but it lacks any of the true swimming capabilities that is making the 910xt such a hit. It is also a tad bit bulkier on the wrist and has bright orange accents. I don''t mind orange at all as I am in the Auburn University Doctor of Pharmacy program! However, the black color of the 910xt definitely looks very sleek and will go well with anything. I have already had quite a few compliments from my friends on how nice the watch looks.
----Now about the 910xt specifically:
==the watch turns on and off very quickly and gives you a battery logo on the shutdown to show you how much battery is left which is a nice feature.
==My ONLY gripe with the watch so far is that some of the buttons on the sides of the watch (not the start or lap buttons) can be a little difficult to press at times. It just takes a little more effort to press them in than it took on my previous fr110. Maybe this is a good feature to prevent accidental button pushes? I don''t know. But I have noticed it taking SLIGHTLY more effort to press the buttons in. However, I will state that it is STILL possible to press the side buttons during a run (to change screens perhaps) without having to put forth too much effort and sacrifice any type of energy during the run.
==the screen is very easy to navigate once you understand it. You do have to change the sport mode to alter the settings for that sport. For example, if you want to change your bike data fields, you first need to hold mode to change sport modes and THEN go to the settings menu to be able to access the bike settings. Other than that, everything is pretty straight forward.
==The watch itself is spectacular. As far as I have been able to stress the watch, I have not come up with any type of software problem. That is not to say that there are not any in the system somewhere, but I have not had the opportunity to use every single feature of the watch (as there are ENDLESS features) and thus have not found one yet. I don''t want to jinx it already but thus far it seems like Garmin did an outstanding job of getting this watch out there without any major flaws.
==I have used the interval capability of the watch and that worked flawlessly for me. I went to the track after having made up a workout on Garmin connect to upload onto the watch. However, once I arrived at the track I realized that I never actually sent the workout to the device! I was pissed. BUT, I went into the menu of the watch and was able to recreate my ENTIRE interval workout in less than 1 minute. It was awesome. The function worked very well for creating interval workouts. It asks how many times you want to repeat the interval and how far the interval should be (it also gives the option for time rather than distance for the interval as well). Then it asks about the rest period and whether it should be distance or time also. Furthermore, it lets you specify your "targets" for each interval such as Heart Rate, Pace, etc. I did not use the feature this time around so cannot comment on that specifically.
===The screen of the watch is more inset than on the 310xt which is a nice feature to minimize scratching on the screen.
Now for the interval workout, if you decide to have a warm up or cool down, you must hit lap at the end of your workout to start the actual interval sequence and it starts immediately when you hit lap. My interval was set up as a quarter mile on the track. As you get close to your marker, the watch actually gives you warning beeps that you are about to switch into your rest period. It typically beeped 5 times before one final (different) beep and vibration signaled the end of the lap. It did the same for the rest periods as well (mine were 200m recovery jogs). The one thing that I did not expect, however, is that the watch backlight comes on each time you finished one interval/rest period. This REALLY came in handy as I was running at night on a track with only one light fixture.
As a side note, there was one extra feature that I found to be QUITE handy that night on the track. The watch has a special feature during running mode only (and only once a workout has begun) that allows you to "tap" the screen of the watch twice to turn on the backlight. I say "tap" because in actuality you kind of have to slap your wrist. Not to say that you are really hitting your watch or that it''s difficult to activate the backlight, moreso just that a simple "tap" doesn''t quite do the trick. This feature was far superior to the idea of trying to hit the enter button on the side of the watch whilst running to turn on the backlight.
----Swimming Capabilities:
==for the most part, I haven''t been able to try out most of the features of the swim portion of the watch. I did one short swim workout just to see exactly how it all worked and to assure it was functioning smoothly. The watch, again, did exactly as promised. I set up my watch to a 25m pool and proceeded to swim laps. During a flip turn I tried glancing at the watch for distance but it wasn''t the easiest thing in the world. Definitely something that im going to have to practice. However, I did notice that if you look at the watch during a flip turn, you will actually only see your distance MINUS the last 25m. This is because the watch does not register the last lap until the entire flip turn/streamline process is over. In other words, if you are doing a long workout and don''t want to stop to look at the watch and try to glance at it during a flip-turn, if you have JUST completed the 1000m mark at that wall then when you look at your watch during the flip-turn it will only say 975m rather than the actual 1000m. This is not a glitch in the watch. It is just how the algorithm works for computing your laps and distance.
For any of you wondering, I did press a few of the buttons under the water such as the front start/stop and lap/reset buttons without any problems. I know sometimes it seems counterintuitive to press buttons on something while underwater for fear of letting in any water but I have not had any problems with it and the watch continued to work great.
Another side note on the swimming capability is that I realized that the strokes per lap feature actually only calculates the one arm stroke calculations. Basically if it says that you averaged 11 strokes per lap, then that means that it''s really around 22 if you count each arm as a stroke. Just thought I would throw that in there.
----Size:
==yes the watch is big. Much bigger than my previous forerunner 110. However, it is still without a doubt smaller than the 305 and 310xt. In fact, with the quick release kit installed on the watch whilst hooked up to the wrist strap, the 910xt is still about .05 inches shallower than the 310xt as is. The watch will probably still give most triathletes a problem when removing a wetsuit with sleeves but as mine is sleeveless I can''t say for sure but it does give me a few problems with just a standard jacket removal.
---Quick release kit:
==BUY IT. one of the smartest things that you can buy to accompany this watch is the quick release kit. The kit functions beautifully between bike and wrist. The 90 degree turn is very easy. I have noticed on my kit that the watch goes in and removes easier from the bike mount than the wrist mount actually. This is a pro and a con. I like that it''s stiffer on the wrist to avoid it being accidentally dislodged if it is hit during a triathlon mass start but it also adds some extra stress onto the wrist strap screws. When you twist it off, you have to twist pretty hard and it seems like this would eventually wear down the wrist strap pin and screws. However, I am talking more like years rather than mere months so honestly not too much to worry about.
==another plus of the quick release kit, however, is the ability to just pop the watch off before taking off a jacket or wetsuit. It is easy enough to pop off right after the swim and hold in your hand while taking off the wetsuit and popping it back on after that sleeve is done.
----Heart Rate Monitor
==upgrading from the old plastic hr monitor, this strap is great. Very comfortable and stays in place well. Tightens down quite a bit for even very petite persons as well (I tried it on my girlfriend who has problems fitting into the plastic one). It should be noted that Garmin has supplied the NEW version of the Premium HR strap that was just released this past summer. Yes, there are TWO premium hr straps, the earlier version having problems with spikes in data and such. So far, I have not had any problems with spikes in the data and the strap works very well!
Final Consensus:
Overall this is a spectacular watch with unlimited features. Any true triathlete or ultradistance runner (for the 20hr battery life and barometric altimeter) really has no other choice but to get this watch as an all-inclusive feature watch. It has everything you could possible need and want.
And again, I will state that so far I have not found any problems or software quirks in the watch and I have been messing with the history, data fields, workouts, etc continuously to make it the way I want it. This watch is nothing short of spectacular.
If I happen to discover any particularly cool features in the future then I will come back here and update this review. I will also update if I ever find a glitch in the system of any type. So until I update this review, you can safely assume that I have yet to find any glitch or problems with the watch. I am adamant about keeping updated.
I know this is long but I hope it helps you decide in whether this watch is really worth it to you. Any other information can be found by going to Garmin''s website and downloading the owner''s manual and reading it. It gives you all the features and how to execute them. And like I said, they all work (so far).
Good luck in your training and races this year and many years to come with this watch!!
::::UPDATE INFO as of 02/23/2012::::
-just to keep with being updated like i promised, garmin has just issued a software update today (2/23/12) to fix the following issues:
Changes made from version 2.30 to 2.40:
Improved calculation of instantaneous pace.
Fixed occasional watch freeze issue during pool swim.
Fixed potential dropout of speed/cadence data when using speed/cadence sensor and particular power meters when GPS off.
Fixed occasional problem of multisport activities containing pool swim not uploading to Garmin Connect.
Made improvement to reduce elevation spikes at beginning of activities.
-I have not personally experienced any of these particular problems in my watch but the update is still a welcome sight to see Garmin working hard to keep their software running smoothly!
also, just to let you know how the update process went:
---everything ran very smoothly without me having to intervene.
---once the ant agent sent the update to the watch, it did take between 5 and 10 mins for the watch to fully download the update so for those of you wishing to do this before your next workout, I would reconsider.
---however, once it was downloaded onto the watch, the actual software update on the watch took only a minute or two
---no personal data was changed/deleted during the update that I have been able to find which is definitely a positive as I know other 310xt owners have had this problem with previous software updates
NOTE: if you are still having problems with instant pace not being smooth after this update as others have mentioned, @Doug Bishop (another reviewer here on Amazon) mentioned that changing the data recording from "Smart Recording" to "Every Second" has helped him! Worth a shot for those of you out there who are still having problems with instantaneous pace! Furthermore, "Every Second" recording gives a more accurate data curve anyway. If it works for you then kudos to @Doug!
:::Feature Update and Problems Update as of 04/03/2012:::
--not much has changed with the watch since my last update
--however, I have noticed a few times that the screen on the watch has fogged up just a slight bit when it was cooler outside. I havent noticed the problem during really hot days at all but rather cooler days with direct sunlight. I have researched this problem and it does NOT denote a waterproofing issue in the watch but rather a failed attempt at putting the device together in a humid-less environment like it should have been causing minimal amounts of humidity to get trapped under the screen. Garmin does state this on their FAQs page regarding all of their watches.
--Also, I have had 1 instance in which I was cycling down a hill at approx 30mph and the watch randomly went into Auto Pause and then immediately Auto Resume right afterward. it didnt really affect the data since it happened so quickly but i just thought that i''d mention it. (as a side note i DO have my watch set to Auto Pause when stopped so more than likely this will not happen if this feature is disabled)
--the other point to this update on my review is to point out a feature of the watch that I have noticed after my workouts that Garmin does not mention on the product page or in the Owner''s Manual but that i find very nice and handy!
---->the watch has a feature called "Recovery Heart Rate" that comes up about a minute or two after a workout is STOPPED. When you are done with a workout, if you just leave the watch alone after pressing the Start/Stop button then in about 1 or 2 minutes(not sure which as i''ve never actually timed the delay) after pushing the button the watch will beep again and a screen with a "Recovery Heart Rate [BPM]" denotation will appear. Next to this message it will give you your exact heart rate when it beeped (i.e. 147bpm) and the change in beats per minute that occurred when you stopped the activity. For example, you might see: "Recovery Heart Rate [147]--[30bpm]" Basically what this screen is telling you is that from the moment you pressed stop on the activity, the watch has been counting down to approximately 60 seconds later and states your current heart rate and the change in heart rate that you have experienced (effectively showing you how in shape you are or how hard your workout was because a wider recovery parameter (i.e. 60bpm rather than 30bpm) denotes higher fitness). In other words, when you stopped the activity, your heart rate was at 177 bpm (not sure if this number is the exact number EXACTLY WHEN you press stop or if it is the Average heart rate from the activity) and in 60 seconds it fell to 147bpm.
--the trick to being able to utilize this feature is to NOT save/reset your activity immediately when you are done as this will void the algorithm to calculate the recovery heart rate but rather just leave the watch alone for a minute or two
--I just thought I would share this information because (as far as I have been able to look) Garmin does not mention this feature in any of their manuals nor on their product page but I think that this feature is really quite useful and should be shared!
Software UPDATE Version 2.40 to 2.50 Information:
Latest release date: June 11, 2012
Changes made from version 2.40 to 2.50:
Fixed several problems causing shutdowns during biking and running activities.
Corrected several instantaneous pace calculation issues.
Major modifications and additions to Bike Power functionality:
1. Improved support for power based workouts.
2. Added new power metrics (Training Stress Score (TSS), Intensity Factor (IF), Normalized Power (NP), kJ).
3. Automatically modify power zones when functional threshold power (FTP) changes.
4. Improvements to power sensor calibration process.
5. Added support for left right power balance.
6. Added support for 3, 10, and 30s power smoothing.
Improved accuracy of distance calculations for pool swim.
Rest times are no longer included in the average pace calculation for pool swim.
Distance alerts for pool swim will now occur during the last length before completing the configured distance.
Swim distance alert will now reset after pressing lap button.
Corrected issues displaying history for open water swims.
Improved calorie calculations during swim mode.
Corrected issue with barometer calibration improving initial elevation readings.
Corrected issue where sudden changes in the elevation could be observed on the watch.
Fixed problem with auto-scroll that could potentially cause a device malfunction.
Added ability for the user to enter ANT+ IDs for all sensor types.
Added sensor details page for all ANT+ sensors.
Prevented HR alerts from occurring when user was in the correct zone.
Improved accuracy of battery charge information.
Improved foreign language translations.
--As you can see there are a NUMBER of updates this time around! I''m excited that some of my little quirks that I''ve had with the watch (particularly with swimming calculations in a pool) are now finally addressed! Can''t wait to try out the fixed distance alerts!
--The update took nearly 20 minutes to download onto the watch from the ANT agent but once it downloaded it only took about 2 minutes to install with no problems!
In all honesty, this is the main reason that I bought this watch to begin with: it has built-in ALL of the hardware that is required for it to be the watch of all watches. Only minor software updates across time are needed to make this watch flawless and I plan on having this watch for quite some time. Glad to see Garmin on top of their game with this software update!
Buy Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS-Enabled Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor (Triathlon Bundle) Now
I sold my 310XT knowing this watch would be great. I heard a lot of people state they would wait for the next gen. That isn''t how it works as the hardware isn''t'' really changed there''s just a firmware update offered to fix any bugs. I''ve used this watch for the swim, bike, and run multiple times now and have to say that it''s well worth the money. First, the swim.... The information it gives you is insanely accurate. I found the fact that it knows when you''re taking a rest and when your working is great along with the fact it gives the lengths, stroke count, efficiency rating and much more. All great stuff that isn''t really offered on a GPS unit. As it is winter I have yet to use it in open water. The only downside that I can see in the water is that if you''re doing kick sets without using your arms it doesn''t count it as I think that the gyroscope or whatever they use recognizes the motion of your arms. Maybe there will be a fix for this, maybe not. Either way that''s not a big deal. The bike is about the same features it''s always had and it all works great. The problem is the run. For me on the run the most important things are the pace, hr, distance, time, and cadence. The time, distance, and hr all work great. However, the pace is horrible. It''s all over the place. For whatever reason Garmin didn''t put the normal smoothing in so it reads 4:50 per mile then 10:15 per mile 2 seconds later. It jumps all over like this constantly and is quite annoying. You can put it on average and that works fine but that doesn''t give a up to the minute readout and doesn''t help very much especially the longer you get into your run. The footpod helps but you have to calibrate and then remember to always put it on your shoe which is annoying. Plus the footpod is super slow in updating your cadence and that''s a down side too.
All in all I would still recommend the watch even as is. The swim information alone makes it worth it. I would like to see a firmware update fix the foot pod issues and the pace issues but other than that this which is about as solid as it comes.
Read Best Reviews of Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS-Enabled Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor (Triathlon Bundle) Here
About me:
Ultra runner. Put in lots of miles both on roads and trails. I don''t use the watch for swimming or cycling so I will make no comments regarding those features. I have owned the first generation Forerunner, a 205, 305, a Globalsat G-Sport 625M, and a Timex Run Trainer GPS.
The Good:
As a runner who routinely does runs which last in excess of 8 hours, I need a GPS watch with plenty of battery life. The 910XT claims 20 hours with GPS turned on; although I never fully drained the watch, I can vouch for it having a solid battery. Also, the backlight on the device is extremely bright--brighter than any other GPS watch. The form factor is an improvement over previous generation Forerunners. Built-in altimeter.
The Acceptable:
The customizable fields remain virtually unchanged from previous Forerunner models--not a problem for me, but don''t expect revolutionary new features in your data fields for running. The unit has a vibration feature--this is beneficial since the "audible" alarm feature quit working consistently within a few months of using the device (like both the 205 & 305 were prone to do). Still uses ANT+ for syncing; would have liked to see a WiFi and Bluetooth solution as well.
The Bad:
The Garmin Forerunner 910XT almost assuredly contains flawed hardware; Garmin pushed the release date back by months (missing the Christmas season) and then rolled it out only in limited quantities admitting that there was a hardware "issue" although they never would state what it was. From the moment it was released users (myself included) began to experience a consistent set of problems with the device, yet Garmin refused to engage users on their forums or provide info on the status of firmware updates. It took them approximately 3.5 months to release the latest firmware (2.50) but they failed to fix the most serious problems--and those are some of the most fundamental for the device. I highly recommend anyone considering buying this device to read the 910XT forums at the Garmin site for the most up to date information regarding user experience. Since I don''t cycle or swim, I will not comment in-depth on those issues, however I will note that countless cyclists have reported that the device shuts itself off when using the bike mount. As a runner, I have personally encountered a few problems, two of which I consider very serious. First, the "instant pace" feature has never worked well on the 910XT; the latest firmware update has addressed this problem somewhat, but it is still not fixed. This is inexcusable since it has worked in every other generation of the Forerunner series. More importantly, however, is that the unit will turn itself off if you are running a "course" uploaded to the device. As mentioned previously, the unit also shuts itself off at times whilst cycling. Garmin was alerted to this problem by scores of customers from the first week the device was released; the newest firmware fails to fix it leaving me to conclude that there is a hardware/design flaw that cannot be overcome with firmware. Also, the mapping feature included as part of the course is seriously flawed (whereas it had worked perfectly well in previous generations); the redraw/refresh rate of the maps is horribly slow; the maps will often disappear from the screen whilst running as well.
Other Thoughts:
Anyone considering purchasing the 910XT is most likely a serious athlete well acquainted with Garmin''s Forerunner line. Although the Forerunner line has been highly regarded, the 910XT shows signs that the hardware isn''t up to par with the myriad tasks it is trying to accomplish. If tons of users are reporting that the 910XT shuts itself off in mid-workout (both cycling and running) and after 3.5 months of waiting for firmware updates the issue still isn''t fixed, you have to really be dense to believe that it''s a minor problem.
I highly suspect that Garmin will release an "improved" version of this watch (much like they did with the 405CX line)that fixes many of the problems (with new hardware). Until then, my advice is to purchase the 310XT as a suitable substitute or just wait. And whatever you do, check the Garmin forums for updated issues prior to committing to buy this device--the 910XT isn''t a gamble worth taking with your hard earned money.
Want Garmin Forerunner 910XT GPS-Enabled Sport Watch with Heart Rate Monitor (Triathlon Bundle) Discount?
Have been using the watch for a week now, found that the Chicago Garmin store had a few in stock (they always sell out when they get them, so call ahead).
Have owned the 305, 310, and now the 910. I used the 310 for triathlons, actually found the 310 was pretty good with the latest update for mapping a swim. That said, the 910 rocks! Here''s what I''ve found useful so far with it:
* Size is not just significantly smaller than the 305 and 310, it really has some measure of style as well. Also, it just feels like a solid watch and I think the black looks excellent.
* The watch band is much easier to use than the 310. There are a larger number of slots to use to fasten the band, so it feels like it fits better to me. They also provide a watchband extension if you need to wear it over some sort of bulky garment.
* Can''t tell on battery life yet, but over the week of regular workouts as well as leaving it on overnight only depleted 23% of the battery.
* For swimming, the watch is amazing! It counts laps/intervals/strokes/distance per stroke/SWOLF score/efficiency (normalized value to make various types of swim workouts comparable)/stroke type with what for me has been complete accuracy. I had the Finis Swimsense watch and ended up returning it due to fogging and hard to read screen. The Garmin screen is easy to read, either out of or in the water. For swimming, it has both a lap pool and open water setting.
* It as a barometric altimeter built-in, so does elevation correction as well.
* A number of other software enhancements are nice: Virtual racer/training effect/run-walk setting.
* I use a Garmin Footpod and Speed/Cadence sensor as well.
* Immediately paired up with the Ant receiver I already had plugged into my computer, simple to set that up.
I''m quite pleased with the watch and so far it looks like they''ve done a very good job with the initial version of software. I was impressed by the software updates they did with the 310, so be interested to see what they do with the 910.
Excellent watch, highly recommended.
Tom
As many have already written this watch has software issues. It does not display pace accurately. There''s absolutely NO EXCUSE for Garmin releasing a training watch that doesn''t know a person''s pace. That''s the sole reason this is getting a one star rating. On top of this, it is a simple software fix that they have still failed to make.
There is a simple work around: don''t display pace and instead display lap pace. Lap pace has no issues and accurately describes your current pace. All the other pace features also work. Lap pace, ave pace, last lap pace are all accurate. The fact that everything else works fine shows to me it is just a software issue that Garmin could pretty easily fix if they bothered to spend 10 minutes on the issue. I probably would have given it four stars without this issue.
Why I really, really like this watch:
I bought this to supplement/replace my 405CX
The display is bigger and better. You can display four metrics at a time across four screens so 16 metrics. The font is BOLD and easy to see even in tough conditions. While working out, you can hit the down or up arrow to more quickly get the screen you want to see. Also, even at its smallest, the font is bold and readable even to old eyes that don''t see up close so well. The font describing each display is too small for my eyes to see when I have contacts in. So, I need to memorize which spot displays what. Still, this is sooo much better than the 405CX. On that watch, I can only see the big middle display with my contacts in.
The watch vibrates alerts. This is awesome!! I hate watches beeping at me and in loud conditions I would miss the beeps. I much prefer the vibration and I just turn off the audio alerts altogether. Also, the watch now alerts you (via beep or vibrate or both or none your choice) when it has a GPS lock. The 405 never did this. Awesome improvement.
The battery lasts forever. Well probably not forever but you can use it for an entire day with GPS. The manual claims 22 hrs I''ve yet to use it up when I started fully charged. The 405 claimed 8 hrs but it was really more like 6. Also, the 910 can be turned off so you can NOT waste the battery during travel time to your work out starting point.
It shows your recovery heart rate about one minute after you push ''stop'' if you don''t do the reset count downtime. Someone else mentioned that here. It a wonderful feature and not mentioned at all in the promotional material or users manual.
No touch bezel. The touch bezel in the 405 and 510 is a miserable feature. It has a life of its own in humid conditions which pretty much describes most of the heavily populated USA during most of the months of the year folks train a lot outside. The 910 completely relies on pushing buttons so now it only does things when you WANT the watch to do something. Also, the start/stop/lap/reset buttons are on the face of the watch. Everything else is on the sides. This keeps me from accidently hitting the wrong button when I don''t mean to.
GPS programming seems smarter than the 405 / 510. With the 405 or 510 if you stop your movement and forget to hit stop on the watch it will keep adding distance. (For example, you can sit on a bench for a 15 minute break and it will add 0.5 miles to your distance.) I think this is because of GPS not knowing your exact location so it keeps seeing you as 10-20 feet from the last place it thought you were and keeps adding this up even though you are not moving. The 910 seems to do a lot less of this. It''s still adds a bit of distance but over a 15 minute break it might be 0.05 miles instead of 0.5 miles.
Other things to note:
This watch is NOT smaller than other Garmin watches but it does stick out from your wrist less but to make up for that it is wider and taller. My guess is that it weighs pretty much the same. If you have a tiny wrist like mine, it can actually be a bit too big for your wrist. I got the cloth strap this makes that issue much better.
I have not used it for swimming and I don''t think I''m going to. It''s not worth the risk if there is even a chance of screen fogging.
The manual not very useful. It doesn''t show all the features. It is close to unintelligible. If I hadn''t already had the 405 and was sorta familiar with how Garmin watches were organized, I''m not sure if I could have figured this out. Garmin''s online help is no better.
Hint for female users: I skipped the heart rate monitor that came with the watch and instead got the original plastic hr monitor. I take off the strap and just place the main plastic part inside to top of my bra. It works great this way and is much more comfortable than having a strap wrapped around me and much easier to get in and out of and you don''t have to find a private place to do it. I''m not sure if this will work for all women but it might be worth trying if you hate have a bra, HR monitor strap, plus shirt all binding around you like I do.
ETA 04-Jun-2012
I have found that lap pace isn''t accurate either. Very disappointing. My latest work around is to reduce by lap distance to 0.25 miles. Last lap pace is accurate so by setting my laps as a very short distance, I''m getting constant feedback on my pace. Still, I think for a serious training regime, this wouldn''t work. It''s close enough for me.
(When I say not accurate, I mean not remotely accurate. It will show my pace as 10 minutes slower than I am going and it will stay that way for a full lap. Only when the lap is complete it then shows total time for the lap correctly. It''s not 5 minutes fast for half the time and 5 minutes slow for half the time. It''s just off all the time and usually shows me as going at a pace 5-10 minutes slower than I am actually moving.)
On the a positive: another feature I''m really, really liking is the ability to manually scroll through the metric screens. I now set the screens to not scroll at all. I just use the up and down button and they get me to any screen I need. It''s very nice for when all I care about is say, my heart rate. I just leave it on my HR screen but if I happen want to know my distance, then I can scroll to that screen and then back to my HR screen.
I''m also really, really still loving the giant display numbers. I can read these in any conditions. Rain, darkness, poor light, as I''m moving fast and don''t have time to hold my hand still, etc.
ETA 09-Sep-2012
Garmin''s support website has a post from 16-Aug-2012 that claims to have fixed the pace issue with a firmware update. I''m downloading it now. I''m planning an 11 mile hike today. I will post again if this fixes the issue.
See Garmin''s site > tech support > search on 910 > search on ''pace issues.'' Sorry, amazon removed the url.
BTW I''m still using the 910 over the 405 despite the pace issue. The display and button functionality/placement of the 910 is just so superior to the 405 that it''s worth the pace problems. I took my lap distance down to 0.10 miles so I get near continuous feedback on my pace that way.
Update 10-Sep-2012
The pace issue does seemed to be fixed!!! Or least, highly improved. The pace keeps nice and steady. It takes a few seconds of a changed pace for the watch to pick up on it which seems totally reasonable. Clearly there needs to be a lot of smoothing for the math equations seeing as GPS accuracy is only 15-20 feet and it only takes a reading every few seconds. Downloading the update is odd and I wasn''t 100% sure it took but it does seem to have. My watch now displays my version as 2.6.
Upping my stars to five.
Great bag! Very roomy for all of my son''s wrestling gear. Wide and thick shoulder straps. Sturdy material and as big as the Nike duffle bag he was using.
