| Products Electronics & Photo GPS Handheld Garmin Forerunner 305 | Satisfaction | Experience | |
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| Name | Date | Helpfulness | Review | Overall satisfaction | Ease of use | Quality of Manufacture | Durability | more... |
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| Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-23 | | Garmin Forerunner 305 is an Excellent Product | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | My buddy had one of the first gen Garmin GPS training watches and I used it for XC skiing training. It was useful an accurate but bulky. The 305 has an optional training heart monitor which I use and some other things that I did not get. The 305 is like a large oversized watch. On my wrist, which is stocky, the size is ok. Might be too big if you are 110 lbs. The use of this item as a training item is excellent. It has many programs for training and will take some time to implement all of them. It is useful within minutes of initial use if you stay with biking, running, and distance, time, laps, and calorie counts. It interfaces with computer. I have an Apple Mac and as of January 2008, interfaces with Mac in addition to PC. It is simple and requires no extra fooling around to get the program to work. The same cord is used to plug into power adapter and recharge. This item rocks. One of the few products that I own that has absolutely no downside. Have fun. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-21 | | Exceeded Expectations | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I delayed buying the 305 because I really wanted a GPS watch that could report cadence. I considered the Polar RS800G3, but it was more than twice the price and not as easy to use. I considered waiting for the Forerunner 405, but I was starting a new season and didn't want to change running logs mid-season. So, I bought the 305 for less than $220 and added the foot pod ($80) a week later. I planned on using the foot pod for indoor workouts. My first run with it was on the treadmill. Although the distance reported differed slightly, it was fairly close without calibration. When I downloaded the data to my computer, I was surprised that it had recorded cadence! But I pessimistically assumed that it wouldn't work when the GPS was in use. My next run was outdoors, and to my surprise the 305 recorded cadence AND GPS distance at the same time! I was even able to change the display to show cadence during my run. That's how easy it is to configure! This watch greatly exceeded my expectations! I strongly recommend it for any serious endurance athlete! | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-03-18 | | Garmin Forerunner 305 a winner | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have loved using this since I received it. I am still finding new features to use. If you are doing intervals and/or heart rate training I would highly recommend this. I many times run in the dark so it is nice to set the alarm to beep at a certain distance and then I don't have to keep looking at the watch. At the distance I can either hit lap to see my time, or you can have it automatically record lap data at certain distances. Being female I have very small wrists and have had problems with many watches. I was worried this would be too big, and while it is large it fits very comfortably and I hardly notice it is there. The only draw back is that I can't wear it in the pool and that I won't be able to wear it in triathlons because it is not waterproof... if this one breaks I am definitely buying another. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2008-02-24 | | MAC COMPATIBLE FINALLY! | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | Garmin Training Center recentlty released the free download for MAC OS users. Great product, has completely transformed my workouts. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-12-23 | | A satisfied Mac user | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | This is a great product. It works as advertised. I am a Mac head and the software works well with OS X. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-08-28 | | Best adittion to my running passion | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have been running for many years with little more than my stopwatch. After talking with several people in my running club, including some Boston qualifiers, I decided to buy a Forerunner 305 over all other brands and models. After one month of use, I'm very glad I bought it. It's changed the way I run but more specifically the way I train. I'm able to pace myself much better and finish workouts at the right level of exertion. The map of each run is so cool and getting the information downloaded to my PC is extremely easy. The software that comes with it is also fairly user friendly allowing one to see and compare the information in several different graphs and charts. I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking to reward themselves with a useful gadget. And if you want the freedom, you can always leave the Forerunner at home, however, I'm finding it more and more difficult to leave it behind.
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-08-16 | | Great device for running | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have been using the Forerunner 305 for the past five months and can't imagine how I got along without it. I primarily use the unit for my running, which has improved dramatically. This is because the unit allows me to easily monitor a wide variety of items on three screens that can be customized to each show four items. My first screen shows total time elapsed, speed in MPH, total distance and heart rate. My second screen shows the time for my current lap, the time for my last lap, the lap distance covered so far (I set a lap to equal one mile), and again heart rate. My third screen shows calories burned, time of day, paused time and sunset time. There are many other combinations available. For me these settings have enabled me to improve my running by giving me an accurate picture of how I am doing. I can then download each run onto my computer and compare my progress from week to week. The Garmin software is primitive, but is suitable for my needs. There are more sophisticated software alternatives that you can read about in other reviews. I have been able to get a GPS signal even on completely cloudy days, and have not lost it when running through paths with lots of trees. The heart rate monitor readings do not "bounce around" like they do on many execise monitors, but rather are always steady. This enables accurate heart rate monitoring instead of bouncing around 10 or 20 beats at a time. As a separate accessory you can purchase a footpod, which is a transmitter that attaches to your sneaker so that you can use the 305 indoors on a treadmill, which I do very often during the winter months. The unit itself is not bulky to wear, and feels pretty much the same as wearing a watch, though of course it is somewhat larger. When running I especially like the auto pause feature, which stops the time being recorded for laps and records the time standing still, such as a rest stop or waiting for a traffic light to change. This is far superior to manually stopping the timer, because many times you resume running and forget to turn the timer back on. My one minor gripe is that there is no auto off feature, so that if you forget to turn the unit off, you will drain the batteries. Overall I highly recommend this unit and have not had any problems with downloading my data or installing software updates.
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-07-17 | | Great for pushing your training and not overdoing it | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have been running for about 3 years and, although I have succesfully completed a couple of marathons and several halfs, I have always had problems keeping my effort to the right level (usually overtraining in terms of pace for a given distance). The 305 has proven to be a great partner keeping me in check on my runs. I have been gauging effort based on heart rate and it has allowed me to push my training while making sure I do not overdo it and risk injury. I have been able to increase my milage and I feel much better than in any other of my training cycles. The HR monitor works very well as long as I moisten the sensors with water before I start. The strap is comfortable and has not caused me any problems so far. The GPS seems to track much better than my old FR101. The software is great for single run analysis but I found it to be a bit disfunctional as a general running/training log. Overall, this was a great investment; I highly recommend it.
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-06-16 | | Good product when you get a working model | 8 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | The first one that I received was defective. The Enter key kept getting harder and harder to push until it quit working altogether. The heart rate monitor came with a dead battery. Even after replacing the battery, the watch would not pair with heart rate monitor. The Second one I received work wonderfully and I am enjoying its functionality. However I am starting to wonder about Garmin's quality control. I have recently received the cadence sensor and it too is defective. I am awaiting its replacement.
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| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-06-08 | | Excellent for most of my workouts | 8 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I use this neat little gizmo for biking and running. For running, I'm not aware of any other way to get accurate pace information for a course that includes substantial up- or down-hill sections; I think the closest contenders are accelerometer-based pedometers (like the popular Nike/Apple one), but my wife's experience is that these don't always work well if there are changing grades. Plus, the ability to record heart rate information and match it up with speed and elevation is pretty neat. For biking, the speed information is probably slightly less accurate (and updated slightly less frequently) than a standard cyclometer, especially for rides under heavy tree cover, but I rarely really care _exactly_ what my speed is at any given moment, and the Forerunner provides plenty of accuracy and temporal resolution for my needs. My favorite feature is the ability to "race against yourself": I have programmed in a few standard courses, so when I go out for a run or a ride I can compare my current performance to my previous one: "at this point in the ride, I'm 67 feet behind where I was last time." This is a great motivator, especially when I'm just not in the mood to go hard: I can't stand gradually (or quickly) falling behind my previous pace, which after all I know is within my power, so I push harder. I really like this feature. I also like the ability to customize the various displays. For running, I like to see lap time, lap distance, and heart rate on my main screen; for biking, I like current speed, lap distance, and heart rate. On the secondary and tertiary screens (selected by a single button push), I display total time, total distance, average heart rate, and so on (up to 4 variables per screen). Uploading the data to a computer is a snap, and although I don't do any sophisticated analyses I do like to look at my heart rate versus time (for example) to see how much time I spent at various heart rates, and how the tough sections matched up to my location on the course. There are a few limitations, though. (1) The GPS accuracy for elevation does not seem to be sufficient to give a reliable estimate of grade (i.e. slope), at least not enough to be useful in the course of a bike ride. I had hoped to gradually learn to recognize different slopes and what they mean to me in terms of effort, but in fact the gizmo sometimes says I'm going slightly uphill when I am going slightly downhill, and such. It's fine for things like total elevation gain, but not accurate enough on a second-by-second basis to be useful for grade. (2) The GPS accuracy for horizontal distance isn't good enough to free me from the track for sprints. From my experience, on my track a lap can be measured as anywhere between 390 meters and 440 meters, which gives an impression of the level of accuracy. For a longish course, the distance will be accurate (or pretty accurate) because errors will cancel out over time, but if you are just out for a jog (not on a track) and want to do a 200 meter sprint, and you aren't willing to tolerate a 5% or 10% distance error, then this isn't going to do it for you. But that 10 or 20 meter error is utterly trivial if you're running a mile or a few miles, so for most circumstances this is not a problem. The computer software that comes with the Forerunner is pretty rudimentary. It allows you to display heart rate as a function of time, speed as a function of time, distance as a function of time, or anything else as a function of speed, but not (for example) heart rate as a function of distance or heart rate as a function of speed. (When you choose to see "speed versus distance", it overlays a plot of distance versus time on a plot of speed versus time). It also makes odd choices for plot intervals, so each tick mark might represent 53 feet or some other inconvenient interval. And the maps included with the program show only the really major roads, so most of my road rides and all of my off-road runs just show a bunch of points off in the middle of white space. There are online services that remedy this, so that one can see a route overlain on a detailed map or satellite photo and such, but these cost extra. There is lots of room for improvement in the included software, and the inherent GPS limitations might sometimes cause problems, so I'm not quite giving this product the highest possible ranking. But it's very good. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-04-22 | | Heart Rate Monitor Makes the Difference | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | If you are interested in the GPS aspects of the device, you can read the other reviews--like they nearly all say, the 205 and 305 are excellent. I wanted to specifically point out how much improved and how accurate the heart rate monitor and strap are over the previous version (Forerunner 301), as well as how favorably the 305 HRM functions in comparison to the benchmark Polar monitor. The 305 has not dropped my heart rate once in nearly three weeks of daily workouts ranging from one to two hours. I have and have used the 301 for the better part of a year, and continually had problems with interference, which caused extended data dropouts and extremely high, inaccurate readings. The 305 is nothing like the old 301, which is reason enough to purchase if you require a solid HRM with your GPS data. A side benefit--it's accurate! I've compared it with my Polar Accurex monitor, and it's dead on. If anything, the Polar updates a bit slower than the Garmin. All in all, a huge improvement, and a great product. Highly recommended. Also, as a number of other reviewers have said, get the SportTracks software. It's free and it will greatly enhance the viewing of the data from your new ForeRunner 305. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-04-04 | | Good but Big | 8 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | As a woman runner, I found the 305 a bit bulky for my wrist. It was bigger than I imagined it would be from the photo on the box, and from reading other reviews. This thing is definitely bigger than a regular sports watch. Also, the flat underside part of the watch has a distinct "v-shaped" angle (where it is designed to rest on the charger), which makes it sit on my wrist a little awkwardly, facing slightly more toward the ground than toward my body (I keep feeling like I need to twist it so I can see the watch face better). However, when looking at the overall size and mechanics of this thing, I always have to keep in mind that it has GPS capabilities, which I suppose isn't something Garmin has been able to make "lady-sized" and compact... yet. But I'll definitely be interested in an upgrade when they do! I love that I can monitor my running pace with this watch, and the "virtual running partner" function is great. I have trouble motivating myself to run sometimes, and this helps a lot. The heart rate monitor also keeps me from "cheating" and exercising at a lower level than I could be. I haven't had much trouble with the GPS finding satellites, though a couple of times it took over a minute for the satellites to be located. Not sure if it was clouds, or if the location was at the edge of a "dead spot." In any case, both times this happened, the watch eventually came online, after some prolonged waiting. As far as monitoring your running pace goes, it seems like there is a slight "lag" between what the watch displays as your running pace and what you are actually running, but the delay doesn't seem too bad to me. I am mostly interested in my overall average running pace at the end of my run, anyway. Overall, I am very happy that I bought this. I feel that it is really helping me monitor my progress and performance in my half-marathon training program. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 8 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-03-27 | | My most beloved possession | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I got the 300 last year, and loved it. Since I bought it after the 305 came out, the price was right and in spite of some of the harsh criticism, had NO problems with it. Granted, the receiver had trouble occasionally when surrounded by heavy tree cover or high buildings, but it was generally very reliable and since I had used GPS in my profession (Trimble backpack unit) my expectations for accuracy in a little watch unit weren't very high. I noticed that there was a rebate on the 305, and happened to peek on Amazon and was amazed at the price. Was able to sell my 300, and with the rebate it cost about $10 more than I paid for the 300. Whoever designed the 305 is a GENIUS. My only real complaint about the 300, the flimsy little rubber gasket for the port, was solved with a cradle...so no moving parts or worrying about making sure it's sealed so sweat/water won't get in. Its sensitive receiver recognizes the satellites in a fraction of the time. I like the watchband much better than the velcro band. And honestly, while still large, the 305 is so much cooler looking (not that I care). I started running again 2 years ago (after a 15 year hiatus), and I think Garmy has made the difference for me--an ever ready running companion. I just love the data and the graphs too. It allowed me to really get a clear picture of how to get the most out of a run and how to keep challenging myself without pushing too hard. I think I would have slogged along at 11:00 min miles forever without it, and probably would have given up. I ran my first 1/2 marathon, and am going to run my first marathon in October. I am looking forward to exploring more of the features for training. It was such a treasure on my trip to Europe last year, running is such a great way to really see an area. I just started it and ran, didn't have to worry about getting lost, or how far to go....just used the map to get back to where I started. I try not to be too attached to things and am not one to get the newest, coolest gadget when they come out. But this is a tool that really brought out my inner runner (and data geek), and for that I will be forever grateful. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-03-21 | | Mac computers now supported! | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | Garmin has released Training Mgr for Macintosh as of Feb 2007. Works on intel and non-intel macs running OSX. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-03-06 | | Has changed the way I run | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have had the 305 for about 6 weeks and am very pleased with it. It is my first GPS watch and has exceeded my expectations. I had read the concerns with the altimeter and agree, it does not provide useful or accurate information so no surprises there. The real issue for me was how well it would measure distance. I have found it to be very accurate and reliable. I have several runs that I have clocked with the car and measuring tools on Google Earth; the Garmin hit my mile split expectations anywhere from spot on to 20-30 feet from what I believed the true splits to be. At the end of the 10 mile run I was also within 20 feet of expectation. So maybe one mile measures a few feet long, another a few feet short, but cumulatively it was right on my prior expectations. The heart rate monitor does jump around a bit on pulse rate but once I settle into a run it seems more reliable and is certainly useful. I have found that if I put the chest strap on a few minutes before running I don't get the wild initial readings when I start running. As to my headline that it has changed the way I run, because the distance measurements are so accurate the Forerunner has freed me from the old measured courses I have run for years. Instead I just take off wherever I feel like going with complete comfort as to splits, pace and distance (and yes, I am one of those who really cares whether I ran 5.00 versus 5.25 miles when calculating my pace). I set the watch to ring at each mile so I can simply glance down and figure my pace. It is also great when traveling as you can run any distance accurately without any planning effort. I also enjoy downloading data to Sporttracks (third party free software) to see my runs overlayed on a map. Often it maps so accurately it will clearly show which side of the street I ran on and where I crossed from one side to the other. Running has never stopped being fun, but the freedom this device has afforded me has added a new element of enjoyment. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-01-21 | | Sweet little device... | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I got this critter for Christmas, having asked for it, and am increasingly impressed as time goes by. Yes, you have to take a minute or so to allow the GPSr to aquire the sats but it is a GPS accruate receiver. Hello? I find that I turn it on and set it on my car or nearby while I do a little pre-stretch or get my iPod ready to go and it's ready when I am. I've been through the manual and still find new cool stuff. Admittedly a Tri geek, I like all the available data. The functionality of the training software that comes with the unit is great. All the info I want is dumped onto the computer. Graphs, averages, elevations, HR, Speed, Pace, Cadence(extra sensor), etc. Set up courses you do and race yourself. Multisport capability during the same workout for triathletes. I could go on and on. I am doing the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in June and found the run and bike courses available for download on their site right to my computer and the F305. I can see the course and especially the elevation changes. Cool. I love this thing and it seems to be accurate as well. I've been using the Timex bodylink and will definately stay with the F305. My only minor complaint so far, I'd like a wrist mount that would stay put when I rotate the unit on my wrist for the bike part of races. Like I said, very minor. Highly reccommended. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-01-11 | | Excellent running and biking companion | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I live in Colorado. I have found the 305 to be an excellent tool and an excellent companion in my fitness pursuit and enjoyment of my running and mountain biking activities. There are so many ways you can use this device to make your walk, run, or bicycling for each day more interesting. A great motivator. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-01-10 | | Love It....Delivered as Promised! | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | What a deal...I was concerned about how low the price was...but everything works as the much as the pricy one in the store. Delivered fast..and as promised! A runner. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2007-01-09 | | This is a great unit. | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | I have been using technology to track my exercise progress for several years now and when the old unit I was using died I started looking for something to replace it. That's when I discovered the Garmin Forerunner 305. This has all the advantages of anything I've ever used and none of the disadvantages. Because it works in any outdoor location I'm no longer confined to places that I've measured. I can run anywhere and know how far I've gone and even what elevation changes I was challenged by. It is highly accurate over any distance, and when combined with the free internet service that comes with it or with Sportstracks software it is possible to chart your progress in ways that I've never been able to do before. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to run, walk, or bike and know how far they have gone and how many calories they have burned. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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| | | | | | | Amazon.com customer | 2006-12-24 | | Great product that does what it says-- if you update software | 10 | NR | NR | NR | | | | Helpful? | Just purchased the FR 305 last week and have done 10 runs on it so far. I must say I was skeptical after reading many of the negative reviews, but this product has performed nearly flawless. The thing you MUST do prior to using it the first time is go to the Garmin website and download the latest firmware, unit software, USB drivers, and Training Center update. I did these before I even charged the unit and it has performed great. I'm not sure if the new firmware and software updates fixed problems people were having, but my heartrate was spot-on, my elevation in my area of Alabama was VERY close (not exact by any stretch, but within 25-50 ft of nearby benchmarks), and the satellite lock-on and reception has been PERFECT (even with 2 runs in a wooded area of pine and hardwoods). The pace issue people were having is still there, but mine was way less of an issue than others. My fluctuations only ranged about 1:00 or less and my overall average pace at the end of the runs was fairly close to my estimate (I'm a 7:00/mile runner, and the FR 305 was showing anywhere from 7:00/mile to 8:30/mile averages--not bad). As for the "gold" contacts on the back of the unit, if you just make sure you clean them after each workout and dry them off well before placing on the USB charger, there are no corrosion issues (so far). The only negative item I can think of is the overall size of the display screen--it's a little difficult to gauge your data when running because of the small font and numbers. However, I think Garmin did the best they could considering they had to pack a lot of nice features in a wearable GPS system. Overall, my experience with the FR 305 has been outstanding and the item does exactly what it is supposed to as long as you follow the manual, update all firmware and software, and clean the unit as per the manual. Good luck and keep running. | Satisfaction | Score |
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| Overall satisfaction | 10 |
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