Garmin Forerunner 225

As a creature of habit, I was very reluctant to swap my antique Forerunner 205. This was despite the charging cradle being broken (elastic band solution), my dog having chewed the screen and it being the size of a small house! However... I finally took the plunge and after a bit of research, I decided on the 225 - not the cheapest Garmin model out there and certainly not the mot expensive. In fact, the key factor in me deciding on the 225 was the wrist-based heart-rate monitor, I've never got on with chest straps and thought that getting heart-rate obsessed might be another string to my bow. I've been using this watch for a few weeks now and I am kicking myself for not upgrading sooner, it is absolutely fantastic. The good: - A lot smaller than the 205 (but then again a house strapped to your wrist would be too) - Picks up GPS satellites instantly, still something of a novelty, to be honest! - Nice and responsive menu system, v quick - Vibrate alert is decent (you can tell I've been used to using an old watch!!!!) - Heart rate monitor seems to work perfectly - I use it for running and squash (who knew I could get to 200 BPM in the latter) - The auto-Bluetooth upload is spot on - works perfectly every time - Watch looks good - decent design - strap is nice - Who knew that step counting would become such an obsession - the watch does that too if you want it to - Battery seems last ages The bad (really scraping the barrel here) - I am a stato (obviously) and noticed on a recent run that the pace displayed on the watch didn't seem to alter very often (it's rare I run a very flat pace) - i.e. it lags behind or doesn't catch up. I understand through doing some research that this is due to the way the watch records its data. It records data points every 7 seconds or so, which sometimes doesn't pick up pace changes (I expect). This doesn't seem to impact the data when uploaded to Strava/Connect but might be annoying for people during the run. On the 205 it was possible to switch the data recording type (the more points you record the more battery is used up and the quicker the memory is filled) - it's a shame the 225 doesn't have the same facility. - No VO2 max - which is a shame I am sure working it out would be possible with the data the watch gathers Anyway, overall I absolutely love this watch - one of my best ever buys. Looking forward to getting plenty more use out of it going forward.

I was a bit skeptical about its GPS performance compared to using a smartphone with mobile internet but, it seems to work well. Granted, most of my runs are in open areas with single story buildings instead of skyscrapers. It's not too far off from what my smartphone tracks - about 0.3km off. Route mapping can be a little funny sometimes but not so bad that the track jumps streets away. Heart rate seems to be -20bpm off from my actual HR but, this is usually the case with most optical HR sensors like this. In comparison, the Mio Fuse I used before this is around -10bpm. There are a lot of settings you can toggle on/off such as pause when standing still which makes it greatly customisable. Once you complete a run, it shows any records you've broken which can be a nice motivator. As the name "Forefunner" suggests, it's for running only - you can't select any other kind of exercise on it. Outside of that, it does let you track sleep and daily steps but, won't constantly track your heartrate. Physically, I think it's designed really well. First off, I've got a tiny wrist (15cm) but it's got enough room to support even smaller than that. The screen has an optional button to manually toggle the backlight but, you probably won't need it if you're running in daylight. Unlike most digital screens, the display is actually brighter when light is shining on it, similar to some old Nokia phones! Operation is very nice and simple too. Up/down buttons to navigate menu, then two separate buttons to confirm and move back. One gripe I have is that you can't sync the data with the smartphone app without turning on tracking mode which in turn, turns on the green lights that track your heart rate. App itself isn't very pretty looking but gives you a lot of information such as heart rate, elavation, cadence, route and even the weather during the day. This can then be further summarised to see how far you've run in total for the week or month too. No fun looking achievement graphics even though it keeps track of your top records and it would be good if it colour coded the route you ran like Mio does showing where you slowed down. I also had problems syncing with my LG G3 when I had to quit the app and try to re-sync again. It's probably easier syncing up records by installing the PC software and plugging in the watch, really. If you don't like the app, the data is stored in raw text form so you can analyse it yourself or use some other third party app for analysing. Bottom line is the GPS works on most days but, if you want accurate GPS route and distance tracking even in densely packed areas, you'll want to stick with a smartphone that has a mobile internet connection and pair it up with a dedicated HR tracker.

Good watch, but let down by the HRM. First the good. The gps lock is quick enough in about 1 minute, then your ready to go. I like the large displays when running that are easy to read. Now the bad. This has to be one of the chunkier watches out there. It's really thick on your wrist and wouldn't sell so well if you could see a side profile before buying. The built in HRM is the weak spot in this item. I get wildly variable results depending on where you strap it to your wrist. At best it gives a guide, just don't believe the figures.

My New Years resolution was to get fit and taking up running is part of that goal. Now I love a bit of technology, and anything that can turn a middle aged 40 something from couch potato to being able to do a 5K in a reasonable time is worth a try. First off this watch does not weight too much, the size is perfect for my wrist and the rubber strap doesn't irritate. It looks pretty stylish in black. The various menu options are navigated by 4 buttons in each corner and it works well. It comes with a cradle charger that has to connect to a USB. I would have liked to see a normal plug charger included. I think there are some third party products coming soon here. The watch is waterproof, so can be used in swimming but don't think the heart rate monitor works in this scenario, so it would basically just measure your training time. The GPS takes anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds to find a satellite and vibrates once its connected. There is the Garmin website and phone app (I'm using the iPhone version) and there are pretty good. The iPhone app is getting regular updates and the level of detail showing your exercise results is high, with the usual average mile times, min max heart rate, cadence, etc. From the website, you can pick and download training plans into the app and that helps to motivate you and remind a run is due. For my requirements, I'm training with the hear rate monitor to get into the required zones. Its easy to glance at the watch and see if you are working at the right level. I don't know how accurate the heart rate monitor is, but the led lights on the back of the watch shine onto your skin and measure the flow of blood. For my needs, and most peoples, this is good enough. A nice touch is that if you've had a really great run, perhaps done a fastest mile, the watch vibrates and notifies you've earned a badge. Battery life has been pretty good. I do 3 short runs at the moment, 30 to 40 minutes per run over a week and the battery easily lasts the week. I switch it off in-between as i just use it for running and not tracking my activity or sleep patterns during the day. Obviously the battery life would reduce significantly if used 24x7, but you can switch the GPS off down in one of the menus - I've suggested to Garmin that they make this menu option selectable at the top level menu maybe. I've not had any issues so far, the watch, the phone app and web site all working well. Overall, the biggest benefit is that this lovely little bit of technology has got me running and still running after 2 months. I'm working through the training plan and aim to do a park run 5k soon. A perfect mid-level watch with all the functionality one needs to monitor your training.

Terrible piece of kit. I battled with the charging connection, from day 1. It now, after only a few months, discharges the battery quickly, and switches itself off, and I can only get it switched on again, by battling through the charging process, even though there is still some charge left. No wonder this product has a no return policy on it. Into the bin it goes, money wasted.

it is everything the product is described to be. I gave it only 2 stars because after 6 months of moderate usage, it stopped syncing with my iPhone, or with any iPhone for that matter. The bluetooth just died. I will mention that I took extra care of the watch, because i love de it so much, great product. I never expected to have any problems with it. Also, the charging connector is a mess. Every time, but every time I connected it, I connected it wrong. (If you connect it wrong will not snap into place, so it will not charge). The connector is made by idiots and it has a very poor connecting clip that never ever fit the watch. For 235 they change the connector and the way it charges. PS. the connector has nothing to do with the 2 stars or the bluetooth problem.

I hunted reviews, it took me a year atleast and my requirements were:- * Heart rate monitor built in (no chest strap) * Heart rate zones displayed during exercise * GPS (so I don't need my phone strapped to me) * Wireless upload to Strava via phone Bonus requirements * Calories burned * Sleep counter This watch has them all but let me start with the watch its self. This watch looks really smart, it is big althought he lady version is a smaller unit. I wear it to work and it doesn't look out of place. The face is large, high quality and easy to read. I have around 8 watches so I know a decent watch when I see it. The strap is wide and grippy, so no slipping when you're working hard and sweating alot. The watch is easy to use with 5 buttons around the sides of the watch. The red button on the right hand saide (as you look at the watch) sets the watch ready for exercise and anothe press starts the watch recording your vitals. I use it or runs but also wear it in bed to track my sleep. Its quite an eye opener (no pun intended) when you see how little deep sleep one gets on an average night. On a run its really handy, there are 3 screens to look at during a workout and they can be edited very easily. I often have time, distance and average HR displayed. It will vibrate when you hit the markers you set whether its 0.5/1km or miles. I like to run with the display showing HR zones as it does in the advertised image on Amazon. That way I can see I am running at the required pace. Run by your heart. That way you know if you're kidding yourself or not. They only negative I have is my skin seems to react a little to the back of the watch face when I wear it. I am not sure if its the light that is emitted from the back of the watch (to track HR) of if its the plastic its self. I have persevered and I think it is becomming less of an issue but something to consider for those with delicate skin. Although I have never had an issue with anything else before as far as skin irritiation goes with watches or clothing. Overall I am really happy with this purchase. Its not cheap - but the best kit isn't. I would buy this again if someome pinched it from me and I would recommend to a friend. But if you want to track runs but are not too bothered about the detailed data output then opt for the cheaper versions that dont have the bells and whistles for will track runs (distance and time).

I found this the best Garmin so far. Out of the box its partially charged so it went on to charge fully. No plug on the charging cable but that is not an issue if you have a chanagble plug or can charge from a PC. There is a quick start guide but really its quite simple to use So do the setup on height weight units etc and press the top right button and is says 'run' - obviously need to wait for the satellite to be picked up but its quicker than previous models. When running thr display is easy to read for distance and pace, but being able to to page forward to the Heart Rate Monitor which is built in , rather than a strap is a huge incentive to push harder - I mean who wants to run 'Easy' ? Well, I do sometimes but its noticable that on normal routes my times are already faster There is a back light as well and there is also blue tooth connectivity to my phone - so I installed Garmin Connect so that history data can be loaded from the watch to Garmin - and then automatically onto Strava for sharing with running club members Battery life ? First charge has lasted over a week with 5 runs recorded so no problems there for now Its quite sylish as well and fine as your normal watch - especially as it doubles as an activity monitor for steps and sleep etc - so if my Nike Plus band fails I will swap to that as well ..

... für den Anfänger, sowie für den fortgeschrittenen Läufer. Und das Beste zuerst: Kein Brustgurt mehr. Abtastung der Herzfrequenz am Handgelenk funktioniert gut. Die Uhr ist nicht zu groß, leicht und gut zu bedienen. Während des laufens werden die Geschwindigkeit, die zurückgelegte Strecke und die gelaufene Zeit angezeigt. Sehr Positiv: Herzfrequenzanzeige mit farblicher Anzeige. Die Satelliten werden schnell gefunden. Die Verbindung ist stabil auch bei dicken Wolken und im Wald. Das Einrichten der Uhr war einfach und ging recht schnell. Garmin Connect einrichten und los. Über Garmin Connect werden zig Daten angezeigt, wie z.B. die gelaufene Strecke, die Pace, Herzfrequenzen, man kann Läufe mit einander vergleichen und viele anderes mehr. Finde ich persöhnlich sehr motivierend Das runterladen der Daten von der Uhr über ein USB-kabel nach einem Lauf ist kinderleicht. Sehr gut ist, dass der Akku der Uhr mit dem selben Kabel aufgeladen werden kann. Man kann über Garmin Connect, wenn die Uhr angeschlossen ist, noch Einstellungen an der Uhr ändern.

excellent

Après avoir comparé plusieurs modèles de marques différentes, j'ai franchi le pas et osé acheter celle-ci. C'est ma première montre de course et je ne regrette pas mon achat (avant j'utilisais juste mon smartphone avec une ceinture cardio) Premier élément qui m'a décidé : l'absence de ceinture cardio. Je n'étais pas certaine que ça vaille la peine de mettre plus cher pour avoir le cardio au poignet eh bien, après coup, je confirme que si, ça en valait vraiment la peine ! C'est quand même plus agréable de partir courir en ayant juste une montre à mettre, plutôt que de devoir penser à attacher sa ceinture (perso, j'avais tendance à l'oublier très souvent et ce n'est qu'une fois toute équipée que j'y pensais...) Concrètement, cette montre est un concentré de technologie et d'efficacité. - mise en route très facile, il suffit de suivre les indications du guide de démarrage rapide et on parvient à la prendre en main très facilement - quelques paramétrages à faire pour renseigner son profil. Là encore, très simple. Puis on choisit les champs que l'on souhaite voir apparaître à l'écran pour la course à pied, sachant qu'il y a 2 écrans de données avec chacun 3 champs d'informations. Cela permet d'avoir un nombre suffisant de critères de course (vitesse, distance, calories, FC, chrono, allure...). Ensuite on enregistre ou pas sa course, c'est au choix. - moniteur cardiaque efficace. On peut indiquer sa Fcmax et celle au repos, ce qui permet un ajustement plus précis de son rythme à suivre pendant l'effort et donc de courir intelligemment en ne dépassant pas une certaine zone de FC. C'est le meilleur moyen de progresser, j'en ai pris conscience dès ma première sortie avec cette montre. - elle permet aussi de compter ses pas au quotidien, de visualiser son rythme de sommeil et de voir son rythme cardiaque en temps réel à tout instant. Fonctions intéressantes, même su ce n'est pas ce que je recherchais en l'achetant. - le couplage avec un smartphone se fait très facilement (pour ma part, LG G3) et en quelques secondes via le bluetooth. Une fois l'application garmin connect installée sur le mobile, les données de la montre sont transférées automatiquement sur le mobile, la synchronisation se faisant instantanément. On peut ensuite retrouver toutes les infos sur le site de garmin connect après avoir crée son compte. Facile, intéressant et vraiment opérationnel. - le GPS fonctionne très bien. La montre s'est repérée très vite, en quelques secondes seulement, et je n'habite pas en ville ! - l'écran semble sombre au début (sans le rétroéclairage) et je craignais de ne pas bien voir les données en sortie, mais je me trompais. Pas besoin du rétroéclairage quand on court (sauf la nuit bien sûr) on voit parfaitement l'écran à l'extérieur dans des conditions normales de luminosité. - Il faut en effet bien serré la montre sur le poignet mais pas de façon exagérée non plus. Un serrage normal et ajusté permet d'avoir le cardio sans problème. A noter : même un petit poignet comme le mien peut porter une montre comme celle-ci (mon poignet mesure 15 cm). - concernent le look, j'avais quelques réticences au début dans le sens où j'aurais préféré une montre plus colorée, mais au final, même là, je ne suis pas déçue. Oui, elle est noire, un peu grosse, mais elle fait quand même classe au poignet. En conclusion : avec cette montre, je vais pouvoir courir intelligemment en suivant le bon rythme cardiaque adapté à mon âge et donc progresser plus rapidement en ajustant ma vitesse de course à ma FC. Je suis très satisfaite de mon achat, l'investissement valait vraiment le coup. Et surtout, quel plaisir d'avoir juste à regarder son poignet pour suivre sa course en direct !

Ottimo orologio per gli amanti della corsa. Collegamento ai satelliti molto veloce, funzioni di pausa automatica nella corsa abbastanza precise, sensore del battito cardiaco preciso. Possibile programmare allenamenti ad intervals. Comodissima la sincronizzazione bluetooth tramite cellulare. Non il migliore fitness monitor, date le dimensioni che non lo rendono comodissimo da indossare durante tutta la giornata (questione di gusti), ma le funzioni contapassi e monitoraggio del sonno (gestibili tramite software Garmin Connect) sono precise. Garmin Connect non è il miglior software che abbia utilizzato, ma svolge il suo lavoro senza dare difficoltà di sorta, inoltre la possibilità di collegarlo a servizi come Strava rende possibile un più dettagliato monitoraggio delle attività. Purtroppo manca di una modalità "bicicletta".

Después de 5 años con el 210, que ha dicho "basta", me he hecho con uno de estos. No soy un gran corredor (ya tengo una edad), suelo hacer salidas de 6-10km. Comparado con el 220: - es mas ligero, y sobretodo maleable. También tiene la sensación de plástico barato, pero creo que es por el peso. Con el tacto de los botones, esta sensación no está; - Me encanta el GPS, los capta en 5-10 segundos (comparado con el anterior, que tardaba 2 o 3 minutos); - la monitorización de pulsos es inmediata, siempre y cuando no lleves el reloj suelto (que no exista 1cm entre el reloj y la muñeca, vamos); - solo por no llevar cinta cardio, merece la pena el extra de precio; - además (pero no lo he probado), lo puedes programar para hacer series (fartlek y esas cosas), y te avisa vibrando. Lo que sí he probado es la vibración, pues me avisa de cada km, y si me paso del umbral de pulsaciones. - como "pero", al tener tantas cositas, el menú no es que sea difícil, pero no es evidente. Especialmente si el anterior solo tenía tres pantallas... este tiene un montón! Al precio al que está actualmente (ha bajado recientemente), creo que es un reloj a tener en cuenta, y que yo recomendaría.