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| Product Reviews from Amazon.com (Rating System 1 to 5) |
| Review | Rating | Last Updated | not worth the money
I bought it in dec 2005 for Xmas. I have been using it 3 to 4 times a week when paddling, ie 6 to 10 hours a week.
<br />It takes forever to acquire sattelites, whatever the weather is... The heart rate displayed is sometimes fuzzy.
<br />I never managed to use the trainig center software. It just doesn't detect the gps unit when it is plugged to the computer. I tried to install this software on 3 different PCs : one with Win98SE, the second with WinXPFamilySP2 and the other with WinXPProSP2. I installed the usb gps drivers updates, the new version of the Trainig Center and i even updated the unit sofware... When I mailed to Garmin to ask for help and/or info the only answer i got was "make sure the unit is connected to the computer when you run the software" !!! Do they really think their consumers are so stupid ?
<br />Today, my forerunner301, just six month old, is not working at all. Impossible to switch it on, and when i plug it to its charger, i don't get any message on the screen.
<br />I am very disapointed. Hope the 1 year warranty is not a lie... | 1 | 775 days ago | Excellent Training Aid
I purchased this about 3 months ago to help me keep track of my fitness level and to help me push new goals. The GPS is extrememly accurate, when I run on a marked coarse the 301 is right on the money. The only issue I have had with the GPS is that sometimes it takes a while to acquire the signal, but I have worked around it and I just turn it on while I'm doing my stretches, by the time I'm done stretching it is ready to go. I have had no prolems with the heart rate monitor as several other reviews said they had, once it has the signal it doesn't lose it. I also use this on my Bike, and it has accuratly gauged my rides of 70 to 80 miles without incident and only minimal GPS loss through heavy trees.
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<br />The only flaw with this model is the software. On days that I can't run outside and I have to run on an indoor track (GPS obviously doesn't work indoors), so I just time myself and use the heart rate monitor portion. The unfortunate thing is that it doesn't record your distance without GPS and the software will not let you enter the distance traveled if you want to keep a record of it.
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<br />Other than that one flaw, this is an excellent training aid and everyone I have let borrow my 301 has purchased one of their own. I don't know how I ran without it before! | 5 | 775 days ago | great running motivation
Works almost perfect, no problem with satelite reception, HRM.
<br />All bad review are results people don't understand how GPS working.
<br />Have it for a month already and love it. | 5 | 775 days ago | Lives up to expectations - and more!
I waited a couple of weeks before reviewing to be sure I had a good sense of how well this device performs over time. So, here are my impressions.
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<br />The Garmin Forerunner 301 is great!
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<br />The GPS is very accurate. One time I used it while driving in my care and it measured my distance to work at 17.5 miles. I then went to an on-line mapping/routing program, and give it the same path. It returned a distance of 17.5 miles!
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<br />Battery life is amazing. It re-charges in less than 4 hours, and then it is good for 13-14 hours. I have never run out of battery, or even come close.
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<br />First, it is very comfortable to wear (I recommend, though, not wearing it on bare skin but over a shirt sleeve, as it won't get sweaty this way). The strap is strong and comfortable, and once on you don't even notice the device is there. It feels strong too, although I don't want to try it, it feels like it would survive drops very well. The screen is recessed, therefore making it quite protected.
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<br />Displayed info is very intuitive, LARGE, and customizable. When it first arrives it is set up for pace (minutes/mile), but I changed it to speed (miles/hour). It also allows using metrics (km/hour).
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<br />I use it mostly for bike rides, and to figure out best routes to drive to work. I therefore separate these two into two sports: Biking and I use Running for the car. Thus, I can keep these datasets separate. I record bike rides, which includes altitude, grade, speed, position, and heart rate. Later the included software can be used to analyze the session (note: the included software didn't work when first installed, but the lastest version found on the Garmin website worked the first time and flawlessly since, FYI, I have a Windows XP pro system).
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<br />I've read some complaints about the heart monitor. Well, I've had 4 bike riding sessons, and it workd great on the first two. Then, it worked very intermitently on the 3rd. But, I fi | 5 | 775 days ago | Working great for my exercise
I was concerned about this product because of the negative reviews and particularly about the heart monitor. But I received it the next day after ordering from Amazon - whose service continues to get better for me - and I immediately charged the battery and then set up my profile.
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<br />The next morning I used it for the first time and the heart rate monitor worked flawlessly for me. The GPS was exceptional as well. The heart rate monitor worked as well or better than my trusty Polar and they agreed with each other, too.
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<br />The only negatives I experienced were: 1) that the unit seemed a little bulky to me at first but I gradually became accustomed to it; 2) the lap button is near the start/stop button and I run in the dark so I had a bit of trouble with laps. I think I'll get the hang of the buttons soon.
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<br />Also the Training Center software did not work and I had to download the latest version from the web site. But I like the training center software just fine for my needs.
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<br />I would recommend it. | 5 | 775 days ago |
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