Customer Reviews:
 It works good but could be better November 8, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
I might be asking too much. This Garmin 205 is all right but it can't seem to satisfy my needs as I am always on the go, by foot, walking my daughters to school or pre-school. I would actually give it a 3.5
1) I forget to turn it on when I leave
2) I forget to turn it off when I come back
3) When I use it next, it won't turn on because the battery is dead from leaving it on
4) Pain to always have to recharge the battery every day or so
5) It doesn't seem 100% accurate for the distance walked because it gives me a different value for the same path taken
6) It died on me in less than a month but Amazon was great to work with and they exchanged it without a question.
 Must-have product for runners, cyclists, triathletes of all ability levels November 6, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
What a great device this is! The owner of my local running shop recommended it as a way for me to really pinpoint my pace and distance on my daily running workouts. It does all this and more -- I haven't even scratched the surface of what it can do! And you don't have to be a hardcore athlete to justify owning one of these-this is an earlier model so the price is very reasonable (and personally, I didn't need the heart monitor or other bells and whistles that jack up the price on newer models). If you are just interested in setting goals, mapping routes, monitoring distance, and/or really understanding your mile by mile pace, this is the device for you. You can set it up to gauge distance x pace or distance x time or time x pace. You can set up intervals (e.g., mile increments) that will track your average time and pace for each one and alert you when you've finished an interval. You can set alarms that let you know when you exceed or go below a certain pace. You can run against a virtual runner. And if you take it to an unfamiliar place (e.g., on vacation) you can use it to map out a route or determine how far you've gone to reach your distance goals. It saves a history of your workouts for comparison and you can upload the data to your computer for further analysis (haven't done that yet but will in the future). Although not applicable to me, it also has a multi-sport mode that can be used for triathlon work (biking and running components) or even other types (e.g., cross-country skiing), with all the appropriate programmables to get a full gauge of each component. You can use the device for just cycling or walking too. The instructions are pretty straightforward and it's easy to get up to speed with it. It is extremely comfortable to wear and the display is easy to read (I can read it along the way without my glasses). There's a backlight too. There's a straight GPS component too so you can use it to retrace steps or get to a destination. The only downside, which I think is inherent to any GPS system, is the satellites take a few minutes to load each time and you really need to get away from buildings and trees for effective loading. But the upsides of the device so outweigh that minor inconvenience! I have been recommending the Forerunner to all my athletic friends.
Mostly Positive November 3, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have not had any problems with satellite reception or accuracy. The menus offer a tremendous number of display options--too many for a simple wrist-worn device if you ask me, but I suppose someone must be interested in all that stuff.
A couple of times I have turned the unit on several minutes before a race or workout to allow it to locate the satellites and when I got ready to start the timer, I found it was already running. I'm guessing that I must have inadvertently brushed the start button against my leg or hip while waiting for the race to start. Seems like it shouldn't be so easy to activate the timer. On the other hand, I sometimes have to push on the mode button five or six times with extreme force to get it to activate. I have an uneasy feeling that the button will one day stop working altogether.
The included software, Garmin Training Center, will be adequate for most people for viewing the data and graphs of the data. However, the map database used by the Training Center is a joke, since it only shows major highways and thoroughfares. Fortunately, the software allows you to view the route on Google Earth--a huge improvement.
 Most likely the the Garmin is great but... November 2, 2008
0 out of 6 found this review helpful
I am sure that this is a great product, but I never received the shipment from Amazon. When I didn't receive the USPS shipment, I called Amazon and they promised to send another Garmin. Then, they informed me that the product was out of stock, so they would have to refund my money. I still don't have a Garmin, so I will be buying it elsewhere.
Great Watch November 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I run anywhere from 10-15 miles per week and love to run outside. Also, I like to run 5k races and am currently training for an 8k and am considering a 1/2 marathon. With the Garmin 205 I am easily able to keep up with my pace, how far I have gone, and my total time. The watch has several other features that I have not attempted to use. The only drawback I have found is when running in a downtown area. The GPS sometimes goes in and out, but otherwise I have not had any issues. I have definitely been able to train better and with more purpose using the watch. It was definitely worth the price that I paid for it.
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