Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor
by Garmin
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Garmin Forerunner 405 Wireless GPS-Enabled Sports Watch with Heart Rate Monitor
Customer Review: Disappointed--305 is Better
Summary: 1 Stars
I did a lot of research on both the 305 and 405 before I purchased the 405. The deciding factor was the price, I actually got the 405 cheaper than the 305. Also, since it was the newest unit, I thought it might be better than the 305--I was wrong!
I used the 405 for over a year and had problems with it from the start. First, let me say I read the manual and sat with the device customizing it--this took about 2 hours. Any time I wanted to change something on the watch, I had to pull out the manual and spend some time with the watch. The menus were difficult to navigate and not very intuitive. I had my husband, a computer geek, try it out and even he was frustrated. As many reviewers have stated, the device doesn't work with wet/sweaty hands. This was incredibly frustrating when I needed to know what time it was and couldn't get off the training screen. I'd often forget to lock the bezel after I started my run, then my shirt would touch the watch and the timer would stop or flip to another screen--which I couldn't change (wet hands). I can't tell you how many runs didn't get recorded. When the watch worked, I did like the data it provided and it seemed to synch up with the satellites quicker than my 205. It also had less erroneous data and worked better under tree cover.
I usually run 3 specific days in a week, so I could plan ahead and make sure the watch was charged the night before. This was ok as long as I was never spontaneous, then the watch was often dead when I wanted to run. I almost had my Forerunner 205 repaired to use as a backup watch when I found the 305 dead. An On/Off switch is such a valuable feature! Yes, this watch is smaller than the 305, but as a woman, it's still too big for me to wear on a daily basis. The ANT stick worked on and off. I finally resorted to having my husband call Garmin's technical support and after an hour or so on the phone, they finally were able to get it to work. The bezel got to the point of only working from time to time with dry hands, so I gave the watch to my husband to see what he could do with it. He asked me why I had put up with this watch for such a long time given all the problems and frustrations I had with it. That was what I needed, I bought the 305. The 305 is bigger and heavier and tends to slide around a bit on my wrist, but since I wear it only for running, I can bear it. The data seems as reliable as the 405 and synchs up in about the same amount of time. The biggest advantage for me is the On/Off switch. I know how much battery life is left at the end of a run and I know that is how much will be there when I start the next run--no guessing! I've customized the screens and can easily navigate between them at a touch of a button. I don't worry about losing the small ANT stick anymore when I travel, as the charger/data cable is larger. The watch actually works like you would expect--WELL!
For me, the 305 is a much better device than the 405.
Customer Review: The best
Summary: 5 Stars
This watch is just what I wanted for my marathon training. It helps to keep a great record of all my runs and the times to help me improve. I really like this watch, it is everything and more than they said.Customer Review: Camoflaged excellence
Summary: 5 Stars
Appearing to be the common $49 jogging watch, this Garmin does more. The GPS is the extra that costs $2000 on a car and so much less on this watch. Fantastic for the distance jogger or the walker who gets disoriented :) Recommend for the guy who wants everything at his finger tips.Customer Review: Poor device
Summary: 2 Stars
As the title implies, this is a poor device. I use it for biking, and it's just more trouble than it's worth. If it touches something, the display changes. If you sweat, the display changes. If you look at it funny, the display changes. But my real problem with this thing is that it can't hold a charge. I've done everything I can to limit the power usage, but anything longer than a 4 hour ride and it dies. I travel for a living, and I take this thing with me, big ol' charging bear claw/power adapter and all. Yes, I turn off the GPS. And it still won't hold a charge overnight. If I don't re-charge this thing EVERY SINGLE DAY, the charge will be 0% when I want to go to the gym. All it's doing is operating in watch mode, and it can't last a day. I'm just about to the point of leaving this thing home when I travel and saying to hell with it. I think I'm gonna start looking around for something else. Customer Review: Disappointed by Garmin ... AGAIN
Summary: 2 Stars
I had the brilliant idea of using one device for collecting calorie data from stationary workouts during the winter, and gps/calorie data during the cycling season.
WRONG!
I wanted to upgrade from the Forerunner 305 because Garmin refuses to pay the royalty to Polar to calculate calories burned from heart rate. Instead they use some wacky algorithm that uses your weight, age, pace, distance, and apparently the phase of the moon to determine a value which is just plain wrong when you are moving, and zero when you are sweating like a madman on the stationary bike in the basement.
So I decided on taking a chance on the Forerunner 405 after searching the reviews and after talking to some (uninformed) salespeople. Thus was born the title to this review: "Disappointed ... AGAIN". They obviously decided to use the same error prone algorithm in the Forerunner 405.
Now I have to trudge through the slush over to City Sports and get a refund. Ok - not a big deal, but I was looking forward to doing some training this holiday season, not standing in line waiting to deal with some poor bleary-eyed sales clerk.
At least I had a chance to try out the touch-bezel feature. My first impression of this feature is that if you are familiar with an iPod you will 'get' this concept quickly. All others will be condemned to a bottomless pit of frustration. Obviously I will not have the chance to field-test the 405.
Well, here I go through the slush to get my refund ...