Garmin Forerunner GPS Series
RUNNERS, BICYCLISTS and TRIATHLETES that want to IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE
NOW CAN with cutting edge technology and simplicity.

 

    Garmin Forerunner Comparison of 305, 301, 201 & 101
Forerunner 101  
Forerunner 201  
Forerunner 301  
Forerunner 205  
Forerunner 305
Receiver   12 channel   12 channel   12 channel   High-sensitivity GPS receiver   High-sensitivity GPS receiver
Lap History   Automatically records up to 5000 laps by day or week   Automatically records up to 5000 laps by day or week   Automatically records up to 5000 laps by day or week   Automatically records up to 1000 laps by day or week   Automatically records up to 1000 laps by day or week
Number of Waypoints   100 100 100 100 100
# of Routes / # of waypoints per route   N/A   N/A   10 / 125   50 / 100   50 / 100
Battery Life   15 HR (2AAA)   15 HR (Rechargeable lithium ion)   14 HR (Rechargeable lithium ion)   10 HR (Rechargeable lithium ion)   10 HR (Rechargeable lithium ion)
Display Size   1.44" W x .92" H   1.44" W x .92" H   .92 x 1.44   1.3" W x .8" H   .8 x 1.3
Display Type   Black & White LCD   Black & White LCD   Black & White LCD   4 level Grayscale LCD   4 level Grayscale LCD
Display Resolution   100 x 64   100 x 64   64 x 100   100 x 160   100 x 160
Standard GPS Antenna   Built in patch   Built in patch   Built in patch   Built in patch   Built in patch
TracBack Mode   Back to Start mode   Back to Start mode   Back to Start mode   Back to Start mode   Back to Start mode
# of Tracklog Points   5,500 5,500 25,000 13,650 13,650
Unit Weight   2.6 oz.   2.75 oz.   2.75 oz.   2.72 oz.   2.72 oz.
Audible Alarms   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
Waterproof Standard   IPX7   IPX7   IPX7   IPX7   IPX7
Heart Rate Monitor   No   No   Yes   No   Yes
Cadence Sensor   N/A   N/A   N/A   N/A   Yes (optional)
Unit Dimensions   3.3" W x 1.7" H x .9" D   1.7 x 3.3 x .7   1.7 x 3.3 x .7   2.1" W x 2.7" H x .7" D   2.1" W x 2.7" H x .7" D
Backlit Display   Single level   Single level   Single level   Single level   Single level
Training Software   N/A   Garmin Training Center™ and MotionBased™   Garmin Training Center™ and MotionBased™   Garmin Training Center™ and MotionBased™   Garmin Training Center™ and MotionBased™
Virtual Partner   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
AutoPause   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
AutoLap   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
Pace Alert   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
Time/Distance Alert   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
Interval Training   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
AutoLearn   No   No   Yes   No   No
AutoScroll   No   No   Yes   Yes   Yes
Multi-Sport   No   No   Yes   Yes   Yes
Advanced Workouts   No   No   Yes   Yes   Yes
Voltage Range   1.8 - 3.0 volts   4.5 - 5.5 volts   4.5 - 5.5 volts   4.5 - 5.5 volts   4.5 - 5.5 volts
Waypoint Icons   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes   Yes
MSRP   $114.27 $160.70 $214.27 $267.84 $376.91

Form meets function with Garmin's next-generation, sleek and stylish line of personal trainers — the Forerunner 305 & 205. Don't let their good looks fool you. These taskmasters will continually push you to do your personal best. The Forerunner 305 combines all of the popular features found in the 301 along with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver, new courses feature, and robust ANT wireless heart rate monitor for optimal performance.

Designed for athletes of all levels, this running partner and personal trainer has one goal in mind — a better you. It continuously monitors your heart rate, speed, distance, pace and calories burned so you can train smarter, more effectively. It tracks your every move with a super-sensitive GPS that even works on tree-covered trails and near tall buildings. Receive a detailed post-workout analysis on the PC with included Garmin Training Center® software.

The Forerunner 305 keeps you on track with innovative features including:

* New! Sleek, stylish, lightweight design that "wraps" the GPS antenna around part of the wrist for a better view of the sky, improving reception during training
* New! High-sensitivity GPS receiver provides faster acquisition times and improves tracking under trees and near tall buildings
* New! Robust ANT wireless heart rate monitor with softer, more comfortable chest strap and superior battery life eliminates cross-talk with other devices to reliably measure and send heart rate data, and helps you train in your zone
* New! Customizable screens let you view up to 12 data fields on 3 data screens for immediate feedback on the information you need most when training
* Multi-sport capability lets you seamlessly transition between sports without resetting the unit, so you can use it for running, biking, and more
* Easy to use — no calibration required. Just turn it on and go.

Customize your Forerunner 305 to get the most out of your training. To help you achieve your personal best, the Forerunner 305 includes the following smart features:

* New! Courses feature lets you download recorded courses and compete against previous workouts
* Auto Pause® pauses and resumes training timer based on a specified speed so you never have to start or stop the timer
* Auto Lap® records lap data when you reach a specified time, distance or position so you never have to punch the lap button
* Virtual Partner® lets you train against a digital person at specified time, distance or pace goals
* AutoScroll cycles through data pages during a workout

New! Train indoors and still track your distance, pace and calories burned with the optional Foot Pod accessory. This wireless sensor attaches to your running shoe and transmits distance and pace data to your Forerunner 305 for those times when GPS reception is unavailable.

Monitor your pedaling cadence as you ride with the purchase of the GSC 10. Like the heart rate monitor, this self-calibrating, wireless speed/cadence sensor uses the same robust ANT wireless technology to reliably measure and report your pedaling strokes per minute.

Included Garmin Training Center software helps you tailor workouts to meet specific goals and objectives. Create your own workouts or use workout templates included on the CD. Interactive analysis tools let you chart performance overlaid on a map.

You can also analyze your Forerunner data with Garmin's web-based application, MotionBased.com, which provides in-depth analysis of your workouts, online mapping, and route sharing to take your training to the next level. Endurance athletes can use the Forerunner with TrainingPeaks.com, an easy-to-use web-based training system designed to help athletes train for any event.

Best monitor, February 21, 2007

Garmin Forerunner Customer Comments


Reviewer: Oscar Villagran
(REAL NAME)
very good, useful, a lot of data recorded, great for keeping track of your improvement.

allround user, February 20, 2007
Reviewer: Dr. Franz C. Amler "frankieboy" (Austria)
(REAL NAME)
the forerunner 305 is a fine device for running ,skiing and mountainering.It served me well in several outdoor activities without any failure.I can strongly recommend this fine item

Great product, February 18, 2007
Reviewer: S. Strickland (NC)
(REAL NAME)
I have used the forerunner 305 for about a week now and its great. I've checked my HR manually and compared it to the forerunner several times and its within 1 BPM! It normally takes it about 30 to 45 sec to find a sat fix @ my location.I've ran in thick woods and it works great with full signal. I've also set the auto-lap for .25miles and it beeps when I reach .25miles and changes the laps for me, I don't have to keep up with anything with the forerunner it does it all for me.I think its a great buy.

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my Garmin!, February 13, 2007
Reviewer: L. Davis "Heart Rate Freak" (Dublin, Ireland)
(REAL NAME)
I love this product. It is amazing. And it is by far superior to any other heart rate monitor out there. It stores your workout history, just in case you're not in the habit like me of downloading it after every workout. Heart rate training is the only true way to measure our level of fitness. The Garmin is accurate and provides everything you need to know including time, laps, pace, current heart rate, average heart rate, calories burned, distance. It's absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend it!

Super cool, February 12, 2007
Reviewer: N. Van Buskirk (Seattle, WA)
(REAL NAME)
This is a GREAT product. Great motivator to speed you up when you see your pace is slower than you want, accurate heart-rate monitoring (wet the contacts first). I haven't been on the same run twice yet, but I'm looking forward to using the virtual running partner to race myself. Great way to get back into running for me.
MotionBased website enables you to send all data in a matter of seconds and gives you countless graphs and information regarding pace, heart-rate, elevation etc. throughout your run.
It does take 1-2 minutes to acquire satellites, but you can just stretch out for a couple minutes before your run and your golden. Battery life is fine for me, I've run six times for about 1/2 hour each and it still says it's full (est 10hrs).
Great overall product I'm never running without it again!

Forerunner 305 software now Mac compatible, February 9, 2007
Reviewer: Cook in the outback (Moab, Utah)
I've owned the 305 for a couple of weeks now and have found it to be quite a motivator. I was a little disappointed that the training software was for PC's only. Then I went to the Garmin site and saw that as of late Jan. 2007, Garmin has a 61 mb download for making the training software Mac compatible. Haven't used the heart-rate monitor strap yet but have a friend (who recommended the 305 to me) who uses it regularly and says it's great and comfortable. If you're near Moab, Utah you may just see my dogs and I out somewhere walking, and wearing our Garmin.

the best in it's category, but that doesn't mean there's not room for improvement, January 28, 2007
Reviewer: J. THOMPSON (Ohio, USA)
(REAL NAME)
The Garmin Forerunner 305 has changed the way I run. Instead of spending time planning and measuring routes, I just put on the chest strap and watch. It does take anywhere from 2-10 minutes for the GPS to locate you and during that time you have to remain relatively still. Another complaint is the updater software is cumbersome and unreliable and the watch is somewhat difficult to use. You will spend plenty of time in the instruction manual if you plan to use advanced features, but once you overcome those obstacles you will be very pleased with what the watch can do. I'm very happy that I made the purchase. I've never owned a heart rate monitor or gps before and recommend one to runners of all levels - I can't say for certain that there's not a better gps/heart rate watch out there. Although I did my research before purchase and this was this highest rated one at the time. There certianly could be something better soon, but for now I'm happy with my Garmin 305.

I love the Garmin 305!, January 27, 2007
Reviewer: M. Hunt (Durham, NC USA)
(REAL NAME)
I've had my Garmin 305 for more than 6 months now and I absolutely love it! It's helped me train and finish a marathon. It was a wonderful help with my 20 weeks of training. I programmed it with my interval training sessions sessions -- it was very, very easy to program my different training sessions (for example, run 4 minutes/wal 1 minute). It also helped me when I got lost on my long runs -- I went from running 3 to 4 miles at a time to running 20 miles (that was my long run) so I got lost. With my Garmin 305, I marked various locations and it directed me back to them so I could find my way home.
I would not have been been able to train for my marathon without it! OK, maybe I could have, but it would have been a lot less fun, a lot harder, and I would have gotten lost.
One more thing -- I'm a pretty small woman, and even though the wrist unit is pretty big, I found it pretty comfortable to wear.

Complicated but delivers, January 23, 2007
Reviewer: E. Kemp "65 marathons and counting" (Chapel Hill, NC)
(REAL NAME)
The Forerunner delivers on all the advertised benefits and more. It is complex and takes some work to learn...set up like a computer rather than a time piece. Remembers all details about each run...time, pace, elevation, heart rate, etc. for each lap and even gives you a graph showing each as a function of distance.
Only knock is the need to experment and learn. The owner's manual is helpful but not complete.

Garmin 305, January 21, 2007
Reviewer: Laurence V. Burns
(REAL NAME)
The unit provides excellent feedback on workouts. Easy to use and even I have little difficulty uploading data to my computer. Heart rate and data seems to fluctuate.

Forerunner 305 Features:

* GPS: High-Sensitivity SiRFstarIII™ architecture
* Wireless: Communication between system devices via ANT protocol
* Weight: 2.72 oz (77 grams)
* Display (WxH): 1.3” x 0.8” (33mm x 20.3mm)
* Physical size (WxHxD): 2.1” x .7” x 2.7” (53.3mm x 17.8mm x 68.6mm)
* Lap Memory: 1,000 laps
* Battery Life: 10 hours (typical use); rechargeable lithium-ion battery
* Waterproof: IEC 60529 IPX7 standards (submersible in one meter of water for up to 30 mins.)
* Alerts: Time, distance, pace and heart rate

* Heart rate monitor features: Physical size (WxHxD): 13.7” x 1.4” x 0.5” (348mm x 35.6mm x 12.7mm)
* Transmission range: approximately 3m (9.8ft)
* Battery: 3 years (1 hour per day)/CR2032 (3 volts)
* Weight: 0.74 oz (21 grams)