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 On: 2009-09-26
It is a fantastic help to help to run better and better. I strongly recomend this purchase.
 On: 2009-09-20
- Functions: generally impressive, and with footpod data output is great
- Looks: great
- Quality: After about a year, I have now been through 5 watchbands, and all but one broke at the same place: right where the clasp is secured by two loops. The other watchband was apparently degraded by wearing it exactlly 3 times (3 hours in the pool) and broke at one of the eyelets. This is obviously a huge design flaw for a $300-400 running/sports watch
- Useless as a true multisport watch. Absolutely cannot be used for swimming. Id be cautious even wearing it in the shower as soap seems to degrade the rubber.
- The watch face sits high and bulky on your wrist and therefore is prone to be scraped. The bezel edges simply do not withstand any abuse. There are now more chips on my bezel than silver paint.
 On: 2009-09-17
I read many of the reviews and very good feedback from booth (and accurate) good and bad reviews. Ive been using the product for a year and love it as in other posts it is an incredible training tool. I travel a lot and nothing is better than just leaving the hotel and knowing very accurately how far you have run. The website is great and there have been many improvements in the last year. It is great to look back and see where I have run on google maps - integrated in the website.
The good - once you make some simple adjustments to what you want to see while running its great. There are many different data points to choose from. If youre serious about purchasing the device I would browse through the owners manual. I did have similar problems with the bezel - it constantly gets hit while running with your shirt or your own wrist etc. I just lock it when running and no problem. I havnt had any problems syncing it with my computer and once you get the data in there it very cool to look through a years worth of data.
The bad - yes it sometimes takes a few minutes to acquire the satellites, Ive learned to live with that and when it is very overcast the gps is not as accurate. The screen is small it is hard to "play" with it while running - as I said a I made the adjustments to what I wanted to see in three screens and it automatically scrolls through and I am now know where to look for the data I want and the bezel is locked, I wouldnt want the device any larger than it is. The bezel functionality for me can only be used while not running.
Bottom line this is a great device that has some quirks that you can easily get used to. For the most part it is very accurate and has a great website to store and analyze your data. I would highly reccomend.
On: 2009-09-14
Unbelievably good watch, slim and does so much, like download my run on my Mac, and watch it on a google map, keeps me very motivated to continue my running program
On: 2009-09-09
Ive had this watch a little over a week now and love the watch.
I have to agree with the reviews that say the bezel is hard to use, however you do not need to use it while running. Start, Stop & Lap are done with the buttons, not the bezel.
Cant switch between displays, but you can completely customize the 3 data fields on the display.
Also you can set the watch to auto scroll through the 3 screens.
Light is on the bezel, but even that can be setup to go on automatically when you take a lap.
Accuracy is great. I used it for the USA 20K national championships (a course that Im sure is very accurately measured) and the final distance was 12.45 miles. All the mile splits were 9.98 - 1.01 miles. The extra 0.5 was between the 12m marker and the finish. I also used to for and out & back course 2x and the distance was exactly for both runs, and the splits were accurate as well. I used to have the nike bodylink GPS and that was always giving different distances for the same course.
My only complaints are:
1) when taking a lap, time for the lap is displayed. Id like this to be a fully customized 3 field display like everything else.
2) when reviewing the lap data you cant see the running time. Only the lap time.
Overall I highly recommend the watch.
On: 2009-09-05
I had all the forerunners and this 405 is the best, easy to use, small like an ordinary watch and gives you all the data you need for your running activities.
For the first time it is difficult to learn how to access the different "windows" because it is based on touch, but with a few tries it becomes easier
definitely I would recomend this producto to every runner.
The only disadvantage is that it has only 8hs of battery life under use and then it is not recommended to trekkings mainly if the place has no eletricity to recharge the watch
 On: 2009-09-01
I had the 305, and despite reading some negative responses here, couldnt wait to get the 405. And, like many of the others writing in, have been very disappointed. The bevel is a frustrating addition - I have spent a lot of time pushing it trying to change the menu. No problems with accuracy, but the battery dies constantly in mid-run.
I hope the 505 goes back to a push-button menu, and that they bring in actual customers for feedback prior to releasing the next generation. This is a step in the wrong direction for Garmin.
On: 2009-08-30
My experience with the 405 is really hard to describe. It is a great product when it works but absolutely frustrating when it does not. Several problems have occurred for me that made me want to post this review. First, no gripes on the bezel, operation, etc. However, the problem with mine is that it has often frozen during runs and needed to be re-booted. The watch continues to track time, but not distance, the pace drops and the satellites are obviously no longer being tracked. The last few re-boots (and yes, there have been many to keep it functioning, during runs, even) have resulted in strange test screens and now the watch is no longer recognized by the ant device and will not pair. So, if you are lucky to get one of the good ones and it functions, then great, but if you are as unfortunate as I am to have gotten a defective product that you are constantly trying to keep working, you will soon be frustrated and wishing that you had just gone for a run and never heard of a forerunner 405. As I write this, I have been trying to get the watch to function properly for longer than the time it takes me to run the ten miles I had planned, prior to my watch failing to transfer data, my fruitless searches through the manual and online and finally my resignation in writing to customer service. Ill see whether Garmin stands behind this watch, but many other reviews dont give me hope on their customer service. I have had it less than a year, but still, I think you are taking your chances when purchasing one and you might want to reconsider. Regardless, if you decide to go forward keep your receipt and if it freezes in the first 30 days - even once - take it back.
 On: 2009-08-28
Really like my 405 and wouldnt want to run without it. However, during my past couple of runs Ive had it "freeze" up and switch to the time screen and when I touch the bevel it wont scroll. Called tech support and they said unfortunately that is a problem. I told them that I run with some other people that have the watch and they dont have the issue. They had me turn the sensitivity from medium to low and said if that doesnt help I should turn on auto scroll and then lock the bevel because this happens when it gets wet. I dont know about you, but I do sweat when I run. I dont like having to put it on auto scroll because when I look at the watch when I run I want to see what I want to see. Well see how turning down the sensitivity works.
On: 2009-08-17
How I said in other e-mail, Id never receive the item.
Im no longer in USA.
Other way you can send to me in Brazil.
My adress is:
Nelson Ferreira da Costa Filho
São Luis street, 144/ Ap 1502
17.501-410 Barbosa
City of MarÃlia, São Paulo state, country Brazil]
If its possible this way please contact me.
Nelson
On: 2009-08-12
Gave it a four because the description said it would come in the original box and it didnt.
On: 2009-08-11
Ive struggled with my Forerunner 405 for a year now. I have never spent so much money for such a terrible product.
Ill begin with its second-most annoying feature: it cannot be turned off. You may be done with your run, but its not done stubbornly insisting that it display the time, thereby sucking its battery dry so that for your next run its going to be stone dead. So you have to hook it up to its charger every time youre done using it -- which creates an "energy vampire" and (Im guessing) degrades battery life.
And now, the most supremely irritating feature: the "touch bezel". It is reason enough for everyone to avoid this product. It is a ridiculous interface designed by clueless techies. The touch bezel accepts commands from ghosts -- so that, while running, it will inexplicably switch screens away from the one Ive selected (say, heart rate) to one I couldnt care less about. Then as I am putting myself at risk of a dangerous stumble, I poke furiously at the damned thing to get it to switch to the screen I want and it IGNORES my poking completely. Finger too sweaty? I try to dry it on my shirt. My touch is too long? I try shorter. Too short? Longer. I shouldnt have to be struggling with an expensive gadget while I am running.
Boy, did I get hosed on this one. Dont make the same mistake. Oh Garmin, will you buy it back from me? Give me a full "store credit" and Ill buy one of your products with real, solid buttons.
On: 2009-08-03
great watch, highly recommended if youre a serious runner. I was a complete novice and have found it very useful as a training tool and also a motivator! Expensive but if you are going to use it on a reasonably regular basis then its worth it.
On: 2009-07-13
I purchased this last week, and have used it for a couple runs and a nice long walk. So far, its a spectacular device that has helped me tune my runs, average my times, and track my fitness with data to back it up. Its huge to be able to track run distances, paces, AND heart rate all simultaneously in order to best improve my routines.
The good:
- The heart rate monitor and Ant+ devices synced up on the first try without any problems at all. This is huge, as it seems Bluetooth and related technologies always have trouble marrying.
- It works even in the city, with buildings around. I used it on a run through downtown yesterday, and it kept my exact track. Pretty accurate with large buildings at every angle.
- Simple to read face, and easy to switch between views. Its currently set up to read heart rate on one screen and pace/distance/time on the other. One small tap and it changes. Great!
- Wearable outside of running! I cant stress this enough - though it is a little bulky, it looks NORMAL! You can wear it as a daily watch and not feel like some kind of freak with a huge sports watch / Dick Tracy cameraphone watch.
- Works even when I sweat. Contrary to several other reviewers, Ive not had a problem using the bezel even when I sweat. I sweat like a horse, so if I dont have the problem, Im surprised others do.
The bad:
- The charger is a bit cruddy- it can be a pain to make sure the holes line up perfectly.
- Carrying a charger and a separate stick for computer connections is kind of a pain - Id love to see them combine the two
Overall, I give the Forerunner 405 very high marks. It has made me WANT to go out and run, which is key for a lot of folks. I can track my goals online and work to meet them. I love it.
On: 2009-07-10
First let me say that I have no experience with the Garmin 305 so thats why this review is unbiased and will hopefully be helpful to anyone who has read the bad reviews from previous 305 owners or people that dont read the manual.
I almost didnt buy the watch because of all the bad reviews but I did and its been awesome and Im going to list a few common concerns from other reviewers and solve the problem for them since they didnt read the manual.
1. The bezel touch wheel is great and you can lock it while running by pressing the two buttons on the side at the same time. No need to use while running if other settings are setup correctly.
2. People complained about limited data showing on the display, however if you go to the Data Field settings in the watch you can display a total of 3 different displays with up to 3 different items showing on the screen (35 DIFFERENT TYPES OF DISPLAYS.) Basically with the heart rate screen and virtual partner screen you could have a total of 5 different screens scrolling at one time.
3. Another important feature is the "Auto Scroll" feature that when turned on will flip through the different screens while running (without the need to touch the bezel screen)
4. Auto pause whichs stops automatically when you stop for any reason and begins again when you start back up.
I hope this review is helpful because I think that this is the ultimate running watch for anyone who wants a complete package watch with everything.
On: 2009-07-07
As many of you, I got really exited about this product. GPS on my watch, and looks like a watch !? wow!
First the GOOD:
Got to say, I wear it every day, and when I run it does it the job. I use a tie at work, and the sporty-serious watch look makes it a good option for a 24/7 accessory.
The BAD:
When you get sweat on it, the bezel is almost unusable, think about using a sweat-band for this. The gray bezel gets scratched really really easily, making it look AWFUL. The rubber band also gets little rips, for a $300++ watch I would expect a better build. It sometimes takes about 10min to get GPS signal. The Garmin software is a SOSO.., .. no bluetooh? jmm some serious work should be done on the watch-computer relation.
FINALLY:
Is not great, but an ok watch. If i find a good replacement (even if of a another brand), i would go for it.
/felipe
On: 2009-07-01
I have used the 205 for two years and have enjoyed all the functions but it lacked the HR function. I was fortunate to have a 405 provided to me due to my current job so while the bezel is absolutely frustrating I do not mind since I did not pay $399.
If I am running, I set up my screen to show HR, Avg Pace, and distance. I push start, take off running and then push stop at the end. The watch is absolutely perfect when used in this manner.
For the people complaining about the pace jumping around, remember it is a watch receiving GPS input so it will not update as quickly as a vehicle gps. I stopped using that function and set up Avg Pace per distance (1 mile), this works much better and does not jump around.
I workout based off HR so I have no need or desire to cycle through screens while running or cycling.
Bottom line, it is a great tool if you are a start/stop runner/cyclist but if you want to move through screens while exercising it is not the watch for you due to bezel issues with sweat.
On: 2009-06-29
For its size, the Garmin 405 do the job with honor! The GPS is precise and the internet service integrated with Google Maps is perfect! The signal is strong and reliable. Heart monitor also works great, with a little delay to get the right pulse. If you wet the sensor it will be much faster.
On: 2009-06-26
I very much enjoyed having acquired my garmin monitor the site amazon. The delivery of the product, the time was excellent. Congratulations Amazon.
On: 2009-06-25
Summer humidity is in full swing here on the East Coast and my Garmin Forerunner 405 is proving to me that all the bad reviews Ive read about it are indeed accurate.
Without fail, the watch switches screens on me about 15 to 20 minutes into a run. Not only does it switch screens but it freezes on this random screen, usually a compass reading. Not only does it switch and freeze, but it begins to beep continuously. This can be somewhat embarassing and its without a doubt frustrating. The WORST aspect of the 405 is that, once it has frozen, I cannot stop the timer until it has dried. Therefore I cant use it to time my finish in races (unless I stop to dry it off for 5 minutes before crossing the line).
Unless you live in a desert or dont sweat under strenuous exertion...leave the 405 on the shelf!
On: 2009-06-17
I love GPS devices, and when I heard about the 405 coming out, I figured that it was worth a try to replace my Edge 305 when it came to jogging and cycling. Well, not everything seems to go according to plan.
Pros:
1) Fast signal acquisition. I didnt have a problem getting a signal, even in the middle of downtown Chicago (sure, it took a bit longer, but it got there). The tracking and accuracy was pretty good.
2) The size. It looks like a normal watch and doesnt stand out like the Garmin Forerunner 305 does.
3) The virtual partner. Hes my friend when I ride, although I dont have a name for him yet. Its a good way to duke it out with someone while on a solo ride when youre bored.
Cons:
1) The UI. I like the idea of finger swipes to change from menu to menu, but it sucks when youre on a run or ride.
2) The ANT stick. Sure, its cool to sync wirelessly when you walk in a room, but why not just a generic USB cable? It takes more work than necessary to get my watch to force a connection to my PC.
3) Land navigation. I thought, hey, GPS watch - maybe I could make this be a geotracking toy. Well, I thought wrong. Its good for recording where you are and where youre going - providing you input the stuff beforehand - but you cant bring up a latitude/longitude on the watch, or have it function as a compass. If it could do these things, it would totally kill the Suunto X10.
4) The watch strap could be a bit bigger (this will barely fit on big guys.)
I was never able to get it working with my Garmin Cadence meter for my bike (I couldnt get it working on my Edge 305 either, so its a wash). It worked just fine with the heart rate monitor, and it was cool to see the metronome at work.
Overall the watch gets an "eeeh" from me. Im ambivalent towards it. Part of me wishes I would have saved money to get the Forerunner 305 instead (ugly, but it worked.) But this watch could be so much more, provided Garmin wanted to expand upon this watch.
On: 2009-06-14
Bottom line up front: I wear this watch every day, and it meets my form, fit, and function.
I have only owned a Timex so I cannot compare the 405 to the 305. However, I will say that this watch meets all of my requirements of having to train on my own and without a coach.
I read through all of the reviews before I finally decided to purchase this watch. I almost purchased the 305 after reading all of the reviews, but decided to take a chance with this watch. So let me address my experience of using this watch for the past 30 days in regards to specific comments made in other reviews.
Bezel- I must say this was one of the things that concerned me the most. A lot of reviews stated you could not use the bezel while your fingers were wet. In my experience this is a non issue. If take the time to set up the watch, then you should never have to mess with the bezel. I have set up three screens that my 405 scrolls through while Im running, much like what you see on a treadmill or stationary bike. Garmin gives you the choice to customize these screens with over 40 different information fields. So Im able to see my over time, distance, time of day on the first screen. The second screen I set it up to show my current pace, and overall pace. The last screen shows my current heart rate and avg hart rate. You can even set how fast or slow the 405 scrolls through your customized screens. So for me there is no reason to even touch my watch while Im running unless to record a lap or to stop/start the training session. If you have bad eyes then you can select only one output to be displayed on the screen so it takes up the entire screen. You can select one to three outputs to be display on a screen. I really enjoy this functionality, because I can customize it, and have changed it for different types of training. Of course you want to do this before you start training. Who wants to mess with their watch during a training session?
GPS- It takes about 3-5 seconds for my watch to acquire a satellite signal. Additionally, my 405 is able to continue to track satellites while in a large canvass tent. I dont have many tall trees where Im at, Bagram Afghanistan, but it seems to be able to track a GPS signal pretty easy. I have not taken a ruler out to measure the accuracy of the GPS, but it gives me a one mile signal at a one mile marker. So it is close enough for me.
Watch Band- I can understand the complaint regarding the watch band. Unlike other watch bands that are flexible up to the face of the watch, the 405 is hard plastic about 1" on the top of the face and 1.5" on the bottom of the face. For a small wrist I can see why this might be uncomfortable. The reason for the hard plastic is to give a good location for the GPS antenna to receive the signals. Im 58" 190 pounds and the watch fits my wrist fine. Like I said before, I wear this as my everyday watch now. For a female the black 405 might be uncomfortable. I think Garmin has created a green 405 specifically for smaller wrist.
Water in the face of the watch- I wear my watch when I take a shower, and have not had any issues with water or condensation under the face of my watch.
Battery life- I ran for an hour and half today on a full battery. The battery is now at 75%. I think the manual says you can get 5 hours of GPS training with this watch, and over 100 hours of regular use. It takes about 20 minutes, at 25% battery, for the watch to charge back up to 100%. Compare to other GPS devices I think this is par or above par for a GPS device of this size.
My favorite things about the watch
You can set up specific training. You can set up a tempo run with specific pace times. The watch will alert you when with specific beeps if you are going to slow, too fast, and when you are in the training zone. Basically you can set you any specific training you want to do so your coach... I mean the 405 can guide you through the training.
The garmin website is nice. You can download all of the training runs to the gramin website. My wife can check out the training that Im doing half a world way. See loves using the satellite map to see the terrain Im running in. I did have an issue were the watch would download the training information to my computer, the Training Center program, but would not download to Garmin Connect. I sent an e-mail to Garmin and receive a response with the fix within 48 hours. I followed the instructions and the problem was fixed.
Things for Garmin to consider in the development of the 505.
- A countdown timer. This is what I miss the most of my Timex. There are things I still need a countdown timer for an everyday watch, like how long to down a beer.
- The time default screen. It needs to show the day of the week and date. You have to push one of the select buttons to see the time and date screen. The time and date screen should be the default screen.
- Combine all functions of the Training Center and Garmin connect together. Garmin connect is more astatically pleasing and I prefer this to the Training Center program, but I can only create training programs on garmin connect.
Bottom line if you take the time to learn the 405 and set up your training screens then you should not have any major issues. Expect to spend about an hour to learn how to set up the 405 for your specific training needs. Once you set it up then you are good to good and should only need to adjust for different training i.e biking vrs running.
On: 2009-06-08
Well to start off this review I like many others were very hesitant about purchasing this item due to alot of negative reviews. For me it was very hard to spend $350 on an electronic watch, but I am so glad that I did. I have been training with the nike + Ipod software and I will never look back. The nike + would sometimes be off by over a mile!!! Not this watch!!! When I recieved the product from amazon I unboxed it and the ant usb stick was broken so I called amazon and they 1 day shipped a whole new watch to me and told me to take whatever I needed out of the new watch in order to make my watch work!!!! Awesome customer service!!! I dont understand why so many people have so many issues locating satellites. I can locate one in about 10 seconds sitting inside my apartment. I took it hiking with me over the weekend in the deep hills and woods of Indiana on a 10 mile hike and lost the sattelite signal probably twice, but the satellites were able to track the lost distance and figure it into the total. The Garmin Connect software is alittle confusing at first to figure out, but once you get it going it is a very helpful training tool!!! I have very small wrists and it fits fine. I would highly reccomend purchasing this watch!!! You wont be dissapointed!!!!
On: 2009-06-06
The one-star reviews baffle me. If my 405 didnt work whilst I was sweating, Id send it back! That would be like an oven not cooking when its hot! Ive logged 1000+ indoor and (mostly) outdoor biking/running miles on mine, and yes, Ive had problems with the uploads, but I figured them out. The solutions werent always intuitive, but worth the time. Ive found the folks at the help desk to be responsive when you can describe your problem (it doesnt upload is not descriptive enough for anyone to be helpful!) One-star folks, return your watch and buy a sundial.
On: 2009-06-04
I am an avid fan of Garmins GPS devices for use in cars. They are very small, have loads of features and usually work flawlessly. The Forerunner 405 is another matter altogether. For one thing, it takes forever to locate satellites. Not good for someone who wants to come outside and start running immediately. Maybe its because there are a lot of mature trees in my neighborhood, but so what ? If it doesnt work, it doesnt work. I also think the user interfaces are about as complicated as they can be. Try changing between them, let alone understanding the data, while running at an 8-minute mile pace. It virtually cant be done. I think this is one of those cases where technology has reached the Peter Principle. Garmin should stick to what it does best...making GPS devices for cars. I returned this after just one use. I have enough frustrations in my life that I have to deal with. I dont need to pay $350 to aquire a new one.
On: 2009-06-02
I had been looking to buy the Forerunner 405 for some time, but was reluctant because of all the bad reviews on here. I had the Nike+, which was terribly inaccurate and quit working after a couple of month. I went ahead and purchased the watch, ignoring the bad reviews.
First, I read reviews that said the bezel is hard to use. No, its not. You have to sit there and play with it to learn how to use it. When it goes into sleep mode, its not responsive, so you have to hit one of the side buttons a couple times to wake it up. Not a big deal. Personally, I sweat a lot, and have not had any problems with the bezel not responding when I run. It has never locked up on me either. You can adjust the sensitivity of the bezel. Its preprogrammed on medium and I havent had any problems with this setting. People complain that the bezel is easy to hit accidentally, thus leaving it on and draining the battery, or whatever they complain about. You can lock the bezel so that this doesnt happen. If you lock the bezel and this still happens, then dont throw it in a gym bag or somewhere it can get knocked around. Personally, I wouldnt be throwing my $300 GPS-enabled sports watch around anyways.
For the people who say that its not accurate, I have had no issues with its accuracy. Actually, I think its very accurate. I was worried about it picking up satellites because when I had satellite radio in my car, it would frequently lose signal on a road that I run on. The Garmin has never lost signal during my run, and I live in WV and my route is right near mountains and trees. For those who complain about the way it displays information during your run, you can program it to show you what you want, and you can turn off autoscroll so that it stays on the one display. If you want to see the next page, just tap the bezel. Its really easy. I found that having 3 items on the page was too crammed and small to read, so I changed it to only show 2 items. I have it set to show my pace and distance.
For those people who complained about how long it takes to pick up a satellite signal, yes it may take a couple of minutes. Do some light stretching while it acquires the signal. For those complaining about the battery life, I ran 14 miles with it over the course of a week and it got down to 38%, so I threw it back on the charge just in case. Its simple to check the battery life, so check it now and then, and if it gets low, charge it. Just like you charge your cell phone every night or every other night. Just be sure to turn the GPS off after every use to save the battery.
Somebody complained that it doesnt read a steady speed/pace the whole time. No, its not going to read that you are running a 10:30 pace exactly the whole 5 miles you run. Naturally, you are going to speed up or slow down and not realize it, and lets face it, its a tiny electronic GPS device and may not be 100% in tune with every step. Mine will generally bounce around 15-20 seconds above or below my goal pace. What matters to me is that I know within 15-20 seconds what my pace is exactly when Im running, and at the end it gives me very accurate pace averages for each mile. I have had no issues with transferring my data to the computer. The ANT stick quickly links to the watch, and it may take a minute or so to download. The software does what you need it to do. If you need something fancier, theres more software out there. Lastly, this watch is large. For the men that may not be a problem. I am female and I found this watch to be rather large, and I am not a tiny person. This isnt a watch that a female can just wear fashionably. If you think this is a small sports watch, its not. But, the strap has plenty of notches to adjust to just about any size wrist.
Im sorry to complain about other peoples experiences with the watch, but I just dont understand how they are having these issues and I am not. The issues that some complain about seem to be easily resolved by simply becoming more familiar with the watch or thinking ahead a little. This isnt a watch you can just throw on and run with right out of the box and it be perfect. It is highly customizable, and everybody is different. Once you customize it how you like it, it is a very accurate, useful tool to aid in your training. I am saddened that the negative reviews almost prevented me from purchasing this item, when it has been the best purchase I have made in a long time. I love this watch and highly recommend it. If you are not good with electronics, then maybe this watch isnt for you.
On: 2009-05-30
It took a couple of runs before I got the hang of it, and Im still learning more of its features. What I want to know is at my wrist at the touch of a bezel or button...good running buddy.
On: 2009-05-27
I had asked for the 405 as a present & had second thoughts based on the negative reviews. Fortunately my wife had already purchased it... Im glad she did. Ive been training with it now for the past 5 months & believe the negative reviews that I read must have been about some other watch. Ive never take the time to write a review - ever - but thought I needed to come to the defense of this product. It fully exceeds my needs in my marathon training (I dont use it for other activities so I cant help you there). First, Ive found running with a GPS device to be very liberating... not having to map routes, being able to know your exact pace & distance, etc. I ran a 1/2 marathon last month & it helped tremendously with pace. I was concerned with the reports about the touchiness of the bezel - especially when wet - but I simply set it to autoscroll, lock the bezel, & never had a problem. It finds satellites quickly enough - just enable it while you are warming up. Battery life has been more than sufficient (remember to disable GPS when youre done your activity). The software interface is relatively painless. The only problem was when I had to re-load my operating system on my laptop, it couldnt see the ANT USB. There was a quick-fix on Garmin support that solved the problem. One final comment; my training buddy the other day actually thanked my wife for HIS present - since he benefits from it so much everytime we train toghether!
On: 2009-05-26
I gave this Garmin 405 to my wife as a gift for the Mothers day. She loved it and uses it on every race that we go. It is excelent.
On: 2009-05-11
I hesitated to buy this because of the negative reviews I read, but went ahead and bought it from a place where I could return it if not satisfied. I will most definitely be keeping the 405!
I have had this watch just over a month now and it is just great! I wanted to have something to give a measure of miles in areas where I couldnt drive or bike the distance before running. Now I use it every time I run, hike, or bike. I went out of the country a few weeks ago and I used the GPS to get record the mileage of my runs, as well as tell my altitude. Last weekend I ran my first Half Marathon and I was able to use the 405 to pace myself so I didnt head out too fast and burn out too early, I downloaded the race into my computer, I got my splits, I saw a map of where I ran - its amazing!
As for the negative reviews, I have not experienced any of the negatives - it took a little getting used to, but I dont have another Garmin to compare it to, so I think it was just me getting used to the unit. I LOVE the touch bezel controls, have used it in the rain, and used it when Im sweaty and dont have problems with the bezel not functioning. When I was out of the country, I never took it off and wore it in the shower, while washing my hands, while working, it was just fine. And everyone who saw it said, "Wow, thats a cool-looking watch!"
One thing about the accuracy that other reviewers have mentioned: the only problem I had was when I was in Central America and the GPS took a while to find the satellites - I was impatient, since I was on a tight schedule, so I started the training feature without waiting for the satellites to fully load, and the watch told me I was running a 16 minute mile (I KNOW Im a little faster than that!) but the next day I waited for the GPS to find all the satellites and it worked just fine. Every other time I have used it, I have had no problems with the distance measurement accuracy (and I have known routes I have measured many times, plus the Half Marathon course) and every time I use it it is dead on.
I have recommended this watch to several other friends and they have had the same reaction as I did - it is just an amazing piece of technology that makes a workout just that much more fun, and it is so good-looking, people think its a regular watch (for the sake of security, let them go ahead and think that!)
On: 2009-05-04
I was hesitant to try the Garmin 405 due to the previous reviews that seemed to be against it - BUT, I am a gadget nut and when at the REI sale it was marked down to $259 - I could not resist.
I run average of 8-20 miles per day and limit myself to tracks/paths that are marked so that I know my distance. I am on the smaller side and didnt want to wear something as big as the previous models (305 and 205). I even tried the Nike+ but found it very unreliable and burned through two of them (when the second one wuit working I gave up).
After easily setting up the watch and installing the software, I was out for my first run that afternoon and logged a very accurate 13.5 miles (it was beautifully sunny and I used a known route) - the distance was spot on. Now I have the freedom to run whereever and know EVERYTHING! Pace, HR, distance, elevation, etc. I ran through open skys and forest canopy without hiccup.
The bezel and menus are easy to use! The watch I am wearing all day as a normal watch as well.
The software that tracks your runs gives you a map of your run and all your variables graphed out. I am looking forward to continue to train with AWSOME watch.
(I usually never write reviews but if this influences just a few that this really is a great watch then I will be happy)
On: 2009-05-04
Ive been using the 405 since December. A few observations:
1) Its not small by watch standards, but insanely small by GPS standards. I recommend checking one out at a store to see for yourself. You wont even notice it when running. This is a big plus -- You dont want to look like youre heading to a Star Trek convention when jogging.
2) The watch has a touch sensitive bezel (the ring around the face) which is a bit temperamental. It works, but not as easily or as obviously as two more buttons could have been.
3) The GPS is really accurate. The tracks will easily show which side of the street you ran on.
4) The GPS locks on quickly. This is a big deal and Garmin did a fine job here. Nobody wants to stand around in a 39 degree rainstorm waiting on their gear.
5) The Garmin Training Center software that comes with the 305 and 405 is mostly lame and has annoying bugs. It will keep basic statistics and draw graphs of your pace, altitude, heart-rate, and a few other bits. The stats are useful - I like hitting each 100 mile increment for the year. The cool feature is the ability to see your path in Google earth. Fun, but you obviously wont keep using it for the same old routes.
6) Absolutely get the heart-rate monitor option. Its my first experience with a heart rate monitor and I found it insightful to gauge the physical stress from jogging with heart rate. Up hills and down hills show up loud and clear in your heart-rate.
For reasons I cant quite put my finger on, the 405 is an extra motivation for me to get out there. That counts for something.
One final bit: My wife dropped mine and put a dent in the bezel. After that, the screen was permanently blank. Im not sure if this means theyre overly delicate, but Im taking extra care just in case.
Ill add a well earned plug for REI, who replaced my dropped and broken 405 with zero hassle. I didnt even miss a jog!
On: 2009-05-01
Im sorry we bought this thing. The GPS seems mostly useless; It never calculates milage correctly (it overestimates) and it takes more than 20 minutes to find satellites in the first place. It runs out of power way quicker than what the manual says, and is pretty much useless for a longer workout. Avoid!
On: 2009-04-30
I did some research and found this to be everything I cold ever want. The only down fall is that it is not waterproof so you cannot swim or even wear it into the shower to clean. I would buy it again.
On: 2009-04-29
OK. Let me just say that its not perfect. Once or twice since I started wearing it six months ago, it went on the blink until I resynched it. I cant explain why - maybe it was full of info? Also, sometimes Id like better control over the data.
Overall, however, its great. I like to go running wherever, until I reach a desired training distance. This watch is perfect for this. Its got a decent profile, synchs to my computer automatically, and I can view runs in Google Earth. Meets my needs.
On: 2009-04-24
The GPS functions on this watch are superb. However...the bezel is over engineered and is actually less useful than an ordinary button. I agree with other posters who say the bezel is hard to use while running - it is. When you are running you do not have time to tap several times on the bezel to change screen. It is very frustrating and they should have programmed one of the buttons to change screen. A crazy design decision. A button works 100% of the time for everyone - the bezel doesnt.
Also my watch strap broke after I yanked it through my racksack straps. The strap is held in place by a flimsy pin. It doesnt feel sturdy to me.
But after all that, its still a great tool with many useful data fields. I just feel they went too far with the fashion design and the bezel. Also the fact that the predecessor 305 could display 4 fields and the 405 only 3. Might be an issue if you have poor eyesight.
On: 2009-04-16
I bought this watch and I am using it and the watch is great. Things that I would recommend to change are the bezel is quite useless when you are running it does response as much as you want. Also I cannot believe how the Garmin team create a sport watch that it is not water resistant.
On: 2009-04-13
This device is difficult to use and the users manual is incomprehenisble. The controls are impossible to use while running, and difficult to set up while sitting in front of the computer. A classic example of a device that has many advanced features while being completly useless for its intended purpose.
On: 2009-04-10
I have owned this device for almost a year and use it four or five times a week. Mostly I use it on runs, but also when cycling. It is fantastic.
Other reviewers have already mentioned most of the great features, but one that Ive been using lately and thought Id highlight is the ability to use the software to program workouts. For example, you can program a customized interval run with a warm-up, a series of intervals followed by recovery periods, and a cool-down. The watch beeps to let you know when to start an interval, and beeps again when youve completed it. (The same goes for the warm-up, recovery period, etc.). You can also set a specific heart-rate or pace target for each stage, so you know if youre on target. (Again, the watch will beep if you exit the desired pace/heart rate zone for the stage.) When you finish the workout, the data transmits wirelessly to your computer, and you can see your stats for each stage of the run, such as lap time, average pace, average heart rate, max heart rate, etc. It also keeps track of the totals for the full workout (and your totals for the week and month).
As for the negative reviews, I would agree that the device has its quirks. The bezel can be sensitive (I have to keep it locked while I run with gloves or long sleeves on, or else it goes a little nuts), and you need to read the instruction manual to fully appreciate all the features. But if youre willing to read the manual, you will be very happy. The pros outweigh the cons, and it is definitely worth the price, especially if you are a bit compulsive about planning your workouts and tracking your stats - as I am!
On: 2009-04-04
bought this watch for my bday in mid march. didnt actually want it bec i thought there was no mac support yet. but after seeing that there was indeed os x support since late feb i bought it. turned out great. i really love this watch. the touch bezel is a bit cumbersome but i just lock it before my runs and i am good to go. mac software is fine and there are a lot of 3rd party apps for os x (trailrunner) that really give the garmin more in depth analysis for your training.
On: 2009-03-31
The range of reviews almost cared me off but I purchased anyway. Have used it for a week and so far none of the problems listed have occurred for me - works 100% as advertised.
Really enjoy the accuracy and output. Fun to see the data on the web.
I would recommend it.
On: 2009-03-30
What is this, the third or fourth iteration of this device, and Garmin still steadfastly refuses to make it Mac-compatible? This after theyve finally - finally - made the POI uploader and various of their other GPS projects work with OS X?
Hard to believe. And extremely irritating, since I really want one of these but Im just not gonna buy something I cant run without installing a copy of Windows on my Mac.
On: 2009-03-30
First off, please read the manual before using this watch. There is a bit of a learning curve but once you know it inside-out and are aware of the caveats, youll find this watch to be an awesome investment.
Looks: This watch looks awesome. I tried on both the FR305 and the FR405 and the FR305 looks like a brick on my wrist. Thats not to say this watch is small. The FR405 is pretty big and probably too big to wear out in public when youre not exercising. You could probably get away with it but Ill explain why you cant in the next section...
Comfort: Its not exactly a comfortable watch to wear and this is why I gave the watch only 4 stars. Part of the wrist band is hard and not flexible. This can make it uncomfortable to wear if you dont wear it loose. I dont mind wearing it loose and it never bothers me when Im running but forget about wearing it out in public. If youre wearing a jacket, like even a fleece, its hard to put your hands in your jacket pocket because the watch is still a bit bulky. Still, the most important part is, its comfortable (for me) when Im running and thats all that matters.
Functionality: Works perfect. Sure, you need to give it a little bit to warm up and obtain a GPS signal. What I do in the morning before my run is put the watch up on the window sill and go do my morning routine. By the time Im ready to head out, I grab my watch and its already obtained the GPS signal. Other times, I take my time to stretch for 5 minutes and usually by the time Im done, its ready to go. Theres only been a few times where I kind of had to walk around like a dummy before I was able to run. Ive never had a problem with it losing signal at all! Surprisingly, it works well at the track too! And if youre worried about the touch bezel not working when your hands are wet, I havent had that problem yet but hey, its written in the manual. If you read through the manual, youll see that but if you didnt, dont say I didnt tell you. My suggestion is to just play with it for a few days and youll figure out what you can do and what you cant do, and also youll learn what works well and what doesnt.
Complaints: I guess the only complaint I have other than the comfort issue is the alerting. I have setup workouts that require me to stay in range of my pace. Lets say I want to keep within a pace of 8:00-8:10, I expect it to beep whenever I run too fast or too slow. It does initially when I start my workout, but for some reason after ive been running for awhile, it stops alerting all together. I may need to go back to the manual to see if this is normal or contact Garmin and see why this is happening. Id understand if the alerting calms down a bit after youve been running for awhile maybe to account for hills and other things that may slow you down. Or, maybe theres a way to tell the alerting to beep when youve gone out of your range for too long? I dunno...
On: 2009-03-29
I am a young tech savy person who has never seen a more confusing piece of technology. I absolutetly would not recommend this product.
On: 2009-03-19
A little pricey, but a very nice sports watch. Barely bigger than a regular watch, and with tons of options. I havent figured out all the options yet, but I found all the options that I was interested in for my marathon training. The rest Ill figure out over time. However expect to spend some time to figure out how to use the watch.
On: 2009-03-18
I was searching for something to replace the Nike+ system I was using to track my runs, and I knew the only thing more accurate than an accelerometer-based system was one with GPS. I did a lot of research online, reading review after review, and ultimately decided to go with the Garmin 405. I was VERY hesitant after reading some bad reviews about the device, but I decided to give it a shot anyway and leave it to my argumentation skills to get me out of the restocking fee if necessary (purchased at Best Buy). Let me start first by saying I purchased the model without the HRM, which I do plan on getting in the future.
The main concern for me was accuracy. Would the GPS signal go in and out leaving parts of my run without any data? How accurate would the pace be? The first two runs I used it on I tested these things, and it did wonderfully. The first run was 3.70 miles according to the watch, and according to my cars trip meter, it was indeed 3.7 miles. That was on a very cloudy day (dont know if that affects GPS or not though). Next I took it on a run that I knew to be 3 miles, and again, the Garmin was right on the money. When you turn on satellite mode in Garmin Connect for the map, some drift is evident, but it is only on the order of 10-20 feet or so which is quite reasonable and doesnt happen very often. People seemed to be complaining about the touch bezel and user interface more than anything, however.
The main gripes with the bezel seem to be that it is difficult to operate the circling of the bezel while running. Im not sure why this is an issue, because the only thing you need to do in training mode (when its actually tracking you via GPS) is tap the bezel to switch from screen to screen (or just use AutoScroll, which I use, and find I never have to touch the watch during my run). Others complained that the menu system is confusing and even when not running the bezel isnt the easiest thing to use. It took me a day to get used to the menu system, and Ive put away the manual for it (I rather like the touch sensitive bezel). It isnt the most intuitive user interface ever designed, but its done pretty well and shouldnt take too long to get used to. If you can operate an iPod, you shouldnt have too much trouble operating this watch.
Im glad that Garmin added Mac support, because I couldnt even consider this to be the watch for me if it didnt work with my computer. Uploading and subsequently analyzing my runs on Garmin Connect with all the graphs and Google Maps is really, really cool. It keeps me motivated and I love having something tangible to look at after a run.
The great features of the watch are these:
- Only takes around ~10 seconds to acquire a GPS signal at the start of the run (my Garmin car GPS takes 2-3 minutes)
- Automatically transfers new runs to your computer wirelessly when you get within range of the ANT stick
- Looks like a normal watch
- Have not experienced any discernable signal dropout whatsoever
- Dont need to fiddle with the watch during my run at all. Just hit Start and then I just glance at it every few minutes to see how Im doing, and hit Stop when Im finished
- Virtual Partner is awesome. Keeps me on pace
- Can run in the rain with it
- Autolap is great
- You can transfer courses from other runners in your area from Garmin Connect to your watch, and when you run their course, you can see how good youre doing compared to the person you got it from. Its like you are racing them!
- Garmin Connect is terrific. The importance of Garmin Connect can not be understated. It keeps me motivated, and the site is surprisingly polished and well designed. Great job by the guys at Garmin on that site, and it only looks like its going to improve.
This is my first GPS watch and it has definitely exceeded my expectations. I would recommend this watch to my friends and family.
On: 2009-03-14
If youre an avid runner, this watch is amazing for long runs - it details your pace as your running and summarizes the stats for your workout, which it will upload to your computer via a USB data stick. It is one of my favorite toys!
On: 2009-03-10
What a remarkable disappointment. After using the 305, which is so easy and reliable, this watch is infuriating. The bevel menu operation is temperamental, the two buttons on one side are constantly getting pressed and doing things you dont want and it was so difficult to set up and learn. And I think, for most people, that is going to be the main issue. You need to practice to learn to use this watch and learn its quirks. If you havent bought one, dont. Its not worth it. Get a 305 instead.
On: 2009-03-05
I highly recommend saving your money and waiting for the next generation. Unless you dont sweat and dont exercise in high humidity, the touch bezel will only work sporadically for you. Plus, the battery life is very poor. I went through 2 of these before finally giving up and going back to my 205.
On: 2009-03-04
I researched this watch for a few months before buying it. I am a casual runner, between 3-8 miles on a normal run at school. I am trying to get ready for the St. Patricks Day Parade Run here in St. Louis, a 5 mile run. I thought this watch would actually get me motivated to get outside and run! Boy does it! I ordered from Niagara Cycle Works and they had it shipped to me in a week (and it was the lowest price I could find for the watch and heart rate monitor together). Here are the pros and cons of the watch and also a few things that worried me about other reviews that made me hesitate at first but now Im happy I didnt:
Pros:
-Keeps elevation, distance, pace, speed, and heart rate with the heart rate monitor all stored in the watch until you download it.
-You never have to plug it into a wire to download the information to your computer.
-Automatically uploads to your garmin account online
-You can share all of that data with friends and family online and even pick up a course from a fellow runner
-Displays everything clearly on the watch for you as your running, automatically scrolls through the screens
-Fairly long battery life (Ive charged it twice since Ive had it, but recently ran 5 miles on two separate occasions, used the back light for an extended period of time and used the watch for 4 other days and am just now charging it again)
Cons
-The alarm on the watch is stupid (I used it one morning just to see what it was like, never again. It is a very loud, high frequency screeching that you do not want to wake up to)
-Cannot lock the current screen while in scrolling mode
I went and ate breakfast trying to think of anything else that was bad about the watch and couldnt come up with anything. Here are a few of the reviews that scared me before buying the watch:
-The watch takes a long time to find its position
*If you start the training mode while your stretching (which you should do every time your run) it finds its position within a minute up to three. The average warm-up/stretching routine lasts about 5 minutes or so.
-The bezel does not work when it gets wet
* I do not know how bad those people sweat while running, but I have never had sweat on my fingertips. I usually use my shirt to dry off my hands or fingers before hand and have never had a problem with changing the screen while running.
-Hard to navigate through the screens while running
* Im usually trying not to pass out when Im on a long distance run and not fooling around with adjusting my pace speed or what I want to show up in each screen. ***What I did not see in any of the good reviews and noticed people complaining about was that you were stuck in the same screen while your run. I dont know if they did not take the time to figure out how to get the screens to scroll while you run, or just wanted to complain. I have my scroll set at a medium scroll rate which changes the screen every 5 seconds or so. I have my current run time, distance and heart rate on one, lap time previous lap and calories burned on the next, the virtual partner on the following, and the chart shown in the picture with my heart rate on it on the following. If I am running on a course that I previously ran it also shows me running against my previous pace and how far ahead or behind I am. Like I said before, it scrolls for you and if you need to advance to the next screen you just tap the bezel and it advances.
-The elevation is off
*I found this cool website through facebook called RunSaturday that will take your 405 data and put it on their website. When I was review the data on there it puts it in a more clean, color coordinated fashion that shows you how high or low you are in a course. When you look at the height data on that site it matches up extremely closely. I will admit that the garmin software does not do this information justice.
-The virtual partner is way off
* I havent had this problem yet. As I stated before, I did not know that I could run against myself from a previous day and it would keep pace with me. I thought that was pretty flippin sweet. It flashes at you if your behind and if your lap pace is behind your previous runs it will flash when it gives your lap time.
I will try to come back and add a few more things in the near future if I find anything wrong or cool about the watch. I have told everyone I know that the watch was well worth it and am trying to get several of my friends to buy the watch so we can all compete against each other. I would recommend this watch for probably the younger generation because it is a tech device that has a lot of bells and whistles that the younger kids tend to enjoy, myself being 23. I think the people that have given bad reviews for this watch are older and not as familiar with tech gadgets like the I-pod or I-touch. If you love those two items you will love this watch!!! Now go run!!
On: 2009-03-01
I spent a lot of time reading about GPS units on the market today. After considering many possibilities I chose to get the Forerunner 405. I really liked the idea of being able to monitor my own training and get some traditional GPS function like marking points of interest so I can share the coordinates with friends. So, I shelled out $340 for the package that came with the heart rate monitor and the ant-wireless stick. I charged it up and made sure it connected wirelessly. Everything seemed good to go. Then I tried to put it on my wrist. I am an average sized male. Im in the military and keep myself in pretty good shape. However, the Forerunner 405 would not fit comfortably on my wrist. I thought I had it resolved when I moved it to the second to last notch but then the buckle would just flop around. I could not believe that I just spent $340 on a watch that wouldnt fit me. I guess the marathon runners that Garmin had in mind for this product have a smaller average wrist size! This was an incredible disappointment. I took it back to the store instead of going running that morning. I think I will try my luck with the Suunto X10 Military GPS watch. The Suunto X10 is slightly more $$ but it seems to be a better overall device anyway.
On: 2009-02-20
I bought the 405 because I train with heart rate and started running more outside again. I thought the GPS would be nice.. I actually hated the touch screen thing, it would activate all the time by itself and the screen would fade in and out. The battery was horrible. I actually returned it and bought the polar ft80. Havent looked back since.
On: 2009-02-17
like the size but using this thing is very very frustrating. Have lost all data due to travel that accidentally drains battery when something in suitcase hits both buttons at same time, have accidentally re-started timer many times after a run trying to lock bezel only to have the run time diluted with the sit down stretch speed averaged to total, and good luck trying to figure out the interface without being the person who designed (nothing seems repeatable, more accidental), too many useless features when its just not good at a basic run timing. And lets not forget the goofiest recharger clip Ive ever seen - if I need that to recharge, why not make it be the mechanism to download the time (what purpose does a wireless transmission serve?)
On: 2009-02-13
This product is a case study in how NOT to release a product. My girlfriend gave it to me as a present and if it didnt break her heart Id throw it away immediately. Here are my two biggest issues:
1. No Mac support at all until 2/9/2008. Good thing I got it for Christmas. And the box said NOTHING about compatibility issues, so guess what? I opened it and now Im stuck.
2. Mac supports comes out, but.......data transfers from the 405 to the ANT Agent but then the ANT Agent cant transfer data to the Garmin Connect servers. So the whole process is pretty much worthless. You still cant see anything.
Garmin should be ashamed of themselves for such a shoddy release. Anyone who thinks this is a half-way serviceable cant be very honest. Dont believe me? Google "Forerunner 405 Support". Stay away from Garmin, I learned my lesson the hard way.
On: 2009-01-27
Gotta tell ya - Im not all that happy with the 405 as a runners training watch. I need something to keep me on pace but the 405 just does not provide a stable read-out over short distances. The current PACE is not reliable within +or- 1 minute/mile! Its quite useless as a runner. The LAP PACE is more reliable since it has a larger distance to measure speed over. So I have resorted to setting the auto lap feature to a 1/4 mile distance and at least getting a fairly stable display of my LAP PACE.
Ive also had wildly out of control HR measures. I am very accustomed to wearing a HR monitor and know this is not operator error. My heart rate certainly did not peg at 230bpm over 5 miles as the device seems to claim. This problem seems to be a real bug in the software somewher.
Finally the touch sensitive bezel is cool - until it starts doing stuff you dont want it to do while on a run. Its sensitive to water and inadvertant touches and simply is annoying as heck.
DON"T BUY THIS WATCH if you are a runner. It frankly is Automobile technology that just isnt ready for the precision of athletic training; at least the kind of training done on foot.
On: 2009-01-26
Ive been using the 405 for 6 months and I dont have any complaints. Watch works wonderfully. The HR monitor works better than my Polar. The GPS is very accurate.
The bezel works great. If I am really sweaty, I have to wipe my finger before trying to scroll. But I never need to do this. Just a touch can switch screens when in Training Mode.
I can even use the touch bezel with my running gloves (brooks, defeet, and Louis Garneau biking gloves.).
I did wash the usb ant device stick and killed it. I need a big bright ribbon on it so this doesnt happen again.
I still have not figured out how to do multiple workouts without downloading after each one. Ill have to read the book for this.
I cant believe I waited this long to buy a garmin.
On: 2009-01-24
I did not have a 305 or other GPS watch before the 405, I upgraded from the Nike+ iPod based tracker. I love the 405 with the HRM, its easy to use, surprisingly reliable (distance, satellites, bezel etc) and doesnt look like a cellphone strapped to your wrist like the 305 does.
I use this for both outdoor running and hiking, and while battery life could be better for longer runs or hikes, so far this has been a pure joy and an immense motivator to get me out there to run. Also, the Garmin Connect website is pretty good, if a little slow at times, but I love the mapping feature and going through the stats after every run. Only improvement would be a temp gauge and a real altimeter, but that might be overkill for most people anyway and hard to do in such a small watch.
At ~ $350 this isnt cheap, but a great daily training tool.
On: 2009-01-22
Based on user reviews (on Amazon and other blogs, web pages, forums, etc) I was extremely hesitant to purchase a Garmin 405. Many of the reviews outlined possible pitfalls and headaches that I was not prepared to deal with on a daily basis just to keep a log of my training. Prior to receiving a Garmin 405 this past Christmas, I had used plenty of their products in the past with little or no worries. I was a little dismayed by what I read about the 405 based on my past experiences with Garmin. I was content to believe the reviews and discard the hype and abandon the idea of using a 405 altogether. Let me tell you what ultimately changed my mind.
In November I ran a marathon in San Antonio. I had all but completely talked myself out of ever getting a 405 and was looking around the expo at other heart rate monitors and gadgets that could help me track my training progress. As I was making my rounds, I realized that Garmin was there. I expected to see only sales people but was pleasantly surprised that the company had also sent several of their engineers and designers. Not wanting to miss an opportunity, I walked up to their table and challenged them with all of the problems and issues that I read about. Im not going to refute the other reviews on this page on a line-by-line account, but I can tell you this with reasonable certainty: 95% of the people that are discontent with this product didnt do their research before buying a Garmin. The technical manual on this product is available for download for free on Garmins site. So is their software (just in case you want to poke around and see what it looks like, obviously you cant really do anything with it without a Garmin). Many of the "bugs" theyre experiencing arent bugs at all, but user errors. There is definitely a learning curve associated with using this device. Isnt that always the case any time you introduce a new element into your training? The good part is that the curve isnt that steep. I had mine up and running in less than 15 minutes after opening the box. It found a satellite signal within seconds and Ive never had acquiring one ever since. Ive run with this watch in several states and in urban and rural environments. Its been on the road and off-road with me and Ive had no problems. Its accurate and very easy to use. The touch bezel works like a charm and Ive never had an issue getting the data I need from it (even while on a 20+ mile run). The battery life seems to be good and I love all of the functions. Ive even used it with the foot pod and bike cadence sensor with no problems. Garmin really did do a good job with this product.
I will only offer this final thought as a word of caution on any training device. Judging by the reviews, some people are looking for something that will catalog everything with 100% accuracy, 100% of the time. There is no such device in the world, but Garmin comes really close. The gadgets and gizmos that are out there for fitness and training today are simply tools. No serious athlete would stake their entire training plan on one device or gadget. Still, I think that Garmin has created one of the most reliable products out there for the functions you get. There are more accurate tools for measuring pace, power, etc., but if youre looking for the GPS functionality, Garmin is the smart choice.
On: 2009-01-17
Ive had my watch for 8 months now and all of the functionality claims live up to expectations. Some reviews I read gave the watch low rates in this area, I have not experienced these issues. I think you really have to consider the regional area that you live in on how well the link with the satelite connections will perform. Several reviews that critcized the watch for this where in the UK or outside of the US. I travel through out the lower USA and regularly run when I am on trips. One downside is the lack of durability of the watch case and bevel. I was moving some boxes this week and noticed the bevel and case easily scratch and dent more so than a regular watch. Would I buy this watch again? Yes, It does what it claims for me. I didnt purchase it to wear every day.
On: 2009-01-16
Ive tried to use the forerunner 405 indoor and Im very bummed that it does not calculate calories bc, apparently, it needs speed/distance to calculate calories... this is silly beyond belief that Garmin could make such mistake. The most reliable measurement of caloric expenditure is though heart rate !!!
This makes the FR 405 useless indoor.
Id liek to know what kind of lame engineers work at Garmin to have such a bad calorie calculation algorithm....
On: 2009-01-14
I bought the 405 after my 2.5 years old 305 fell apart last week. The upper part of the watch with the screen separated from the wrist strap. Ive had the 201, 301, and 305 previously and liked each new release more and more because of the improvements. The GPS reception improvement between the 301 and 305 was like night and day. The 305 didnt have any problems poor gps coverage areas like trails. So now to the 405. I like the new smaller form factor and the wireless data transfer. It has most of the functions of the 305. One thing its lacking is the pace smoothing function. During my run, the reading for current pace skipped around quite a bit.. One second, the watch read 5:40 min/mile and the next second, it would read 10:40 min/mile. Because the 305 still worked with the assistance of tape to hold it together, I wore them both on my 16 mile run this past weekend. The 305 was reading was .13 longer than the 405. I decided to return the 405 and pay the standard $99 Garmin repair fee to get my old 305 fixed.
On: 2009-01-12
Ive used the Forerunner 305 in the past. It is an excellent GPS enabled sports watch/HRM. Sorry I didnt stick with the 305 when I bought a new foot-pod based/HRM. But I didnt and after a year of waiting and after saving the big bucks for the new and exciting Forerunner 405, I couldnt wait to get back to the GPS-based training world. How disappointed I am to realize that I spent major dollars on a tool that has some serious flaws. I like Garmin, but I am really surprised that this went to market with the many user-reported flaws that are out there. Shame on me for not reading them first! Im boxing up the 405 and sending it back for a 100% refund tomorrow. Yes - I just ordered a NEW 305 to replace this stylish bugger!
Problems: the 405 doesnt respond to wet (can you say sweaty) fingers! That bites! And the motionbased user forum has several user complaints about screen malfunctions, etc when the unit gets wet from a rain, etc. Never had that problem with the 305.
The alerts dont function properly. I used the Training Center software to create my running workouts for distances and pace zones. When I first start my run, the 405 alerted me that I needed to speed up and shortly thereafter alerted me that I was within my zone. Thats that last I heard from it. Even when I would slow below my defined pace zone while ascending a hill or exceed the pace zone when descending a hill, the 405 was silent. No audible alert or visual message was given to speed up or slow down as the case may have been. I called Garmin and we walked through all the settings that I had gone through to establish my Pace Zones and create a new advanced workout. We all agreed that the 405 should be alerting me when outside the defined zone for the workout. They concluded they would have to escalate my problem to their engineering group to see if we were missing something. Hmmmm.
I cannot wait to get my new Forerunner 305 tomorrow! If you are looking for a great and accurate GPS/HRM training system, save some money and buy the Forerunner 305!
On: 2009-01-12
A lot smaller and lighter than the previous version. GPS works just fine. Nice display and scroll bezel. Best GPS running watch available in the market today.
On: 2009-01-09
I was concerned after reading some of these reviews but decided to purchase anyway. This product is exceptional and greatly exceeded my expectations. The mileage accuracy is within 1% of my routes measured on bicycle. I have not had any signal blockage issues related to trees and I live in Oregon. Moisture on the bezel has not interfered with navigation of the screen. I had a Timex Ironman before and with normal vision, all numbers are easy to read WHILE running, and easier than the Timex. I have programmed 3 data elements on each screen and let the watch "autoscroll" so Im not having to play with the controls. It takes under a minute to find the satellites at the start when I go outside...no big deal, fix my shoes, strap it on and ready to go. Works well sub 32 degrees. Love the elevation and percent grade data on the hills! Best of all: the HR monitor/strap and the automatic data upload into Garmin connect. I had tried Polar before and never really had success with HR monitors...poor contact, dropped signal, irregular performance, but this has worked perfect every time from the start! Different technology? Unfortunately, strap signal not picked up by my Landice L8 treadmill. The workout data automatically gets pulled into computer, and the Google map of your route is wonderful. One caution would be to try on the rather stiff wrist band prior to purchase. Might be uncomfortable if you are a very big guy. I am average size and have no problem.
To sum, I never had any of the problems mentioned on the other reviews and give this item a very resounding double thumbs up!
On: 2009-01-08
Well, I now own both the 305 and now the 405. I really liked my 305 but what I couldnt stand was how extremely large and bulky it was. I am a petite female 5 feet tall and 115 lbs so running with the 305 was like running with a brick tied around my wrist, . . so obviously when they came out with the 405 I was excited. I first saw it advertised on one of my womens fitness magazine, on a woman, and I thought "Of course they come out with a sleeker version only months after I dished out some serious $$$money$$$ for the 305." Well, all compalining aside. I got this as a present from my wonderful husband who has now adopted my old 305. Okay so the good
This one has a few more features than the 305 the obvious, . . counts calories, has a compass that can help you navigate around new roads or trails, goes into power save mode, has a face light. You have the option to program the watch to stop when you do, great for when you have to stop and tie your shoe or wait for a light. It also has a virtual racing partner which helps to increase your speed time. It also automatically transmits your information to your computer once you get within a certain range. With an optional foot pod you can take your workouts indoors on the treadmill. Now I know that this thing can do more than just what Ive listed. These were just the obvious features that I have played around with since I got the watch only a few days ago. Now the bad. The touch bezel is nice but I prefer buttons, . . .I just prefer buttons. I would prefer them on my IPOD too but I guess it just wouldnt be cool enough. I just find that putzing around with a touch bezel while running is not exactly the easiest thing to do. Luckily I pretty much just push start and run. This biggest con to me is the weight and the comfort of this watch. I guess it is really hard to make a watch that fits comfortably around a man and a womans wrist while still having the capability of GPS. Im sure that as I type this review Garmin is designing a new generation watch that will be the size of a IPOD shuttle that can withstand wind, rain, jungles, wild animals and has a hidden army knife and voice activated options, and fits so comfortably around your wrist no matter what size you are. All joking aside for a woman this watch is bulky. Big and bulky and down right uncomfortable. The photo ads with women wearing it are very misleading! Heck at least it looks like a watch and not a 5 lb brick. Overall, Im happy with it. Do I reccomend it, . . . yeah I would have to say yes. I love to trail run, and run around my small little Napa country side. Im no super duper marathoner, heck I never run more than 20 miles a week. I run because I love it and having my Garmin 405 makes running all that more enjoyable.
Update****okay, I ended up returning my 405 what exactly does that mean, . . well I gave up trying to figure it out. The user manual is small and pretty self explanatory-their website is better but Ive used it for 2 weeks now 6 times and every single time the watch would stop on me. Yes, Ive checked my settings. This is truly irritating since it sure as heck defeats the point of measuring my distance and time. I also noticed that it would happen when I was in a really wooded area or when my ipod would get to close. I dont know if that has anything to do with it, but heck I wore it on all my usual runs and if I cant use it during those runs then this $400 toy pretty much defeats the purpose. Hey, if you can get it to work it is a very nice watch with a heck of a lot of features. It IS possible I just got a defective one but exchanging it is just not worth the head ache.
On: 2009-01-06
this is a fabulous training tool. easy enough to use - even for the computer challenged. tech support is great too. you can use it as simply a watch, a heart monitor,a great pace setter or have all the information scroll continuously thru out your work out. then simply insert the ant stick and study your workout information to better define your next training effort.
On: 2009-01-05
I recently got into jogging and decided I need a new watch to time how long my laps are taking. Being the nerd I am, I went hog wild and ended up with a full blown HRM, GPS and stop watch. Overkill? Certainly! Do I love it though? Of course! That said, I have a number of reservations that keep me from giving it 5 stars.
The bezel is finicky, requiring very exacting presses. When Im at rest I dont always get it to behave as I would like. When Im running or biking, forget about it. How can I be expected to subtlely press the bezel? Some times Ill touch the bezel and nothing will happen, other times itll take the wrong action. For example, I wear a biking jacket that seems to trigger the watch to think I hit the bezel when I didnt. Work around is to lock out the bezel while riding. UGH! A similar problem with pressing the lap button. I thought the lap button didnt work for the longest time, until I realized I was touching the bezel then the lap button. Silly me. The bezel is a neat idea, but it doesnt work for something you need when exercising. I think Garmin should replace it with a button or two.
Transferring data to the PC is extremely slow too. Data from a 40 minute bike ride took 2 minutes to download. Come on! And wheres the Mac support? Having to use boot camp or Parallels/Fusion isnt a real option.
On: 2008-12-11
I bought the watch on July and although it works great I have experienced software problems such as it freezing up. Garmin told me the problem could be fixed by upgrading the software. They promised to have software available for the Macintosh Computer by this Fall and now say Winter 2009. If you use a Mac DONT buy the 405 until they have the software for the Mac which might be never. Also if you call Garmin Support plan on being on hold for at least 30 minutes.
On: 2008-12-02
This product has so much potential. As far as I know, it is the only one with built-in GPS (no extra device required like polar) and HRM and all the stuff you would need. I continue to use it even though there are two pretty major issues that need to be addressed.
1) Battery Life. I do long distance triathlons including ironman and the watch just does not have the battery life to go the distance. It should easily be able to do 12-16 hours and it does not even come close. I have had it die during a sub 5 hour 1/2 ironman which is beyond frustrating.
2) The user interface is horrible. Sure, it is elegant, but it is not usuable. It is very difficult to do the scrolling around and you always accidentally select something. Luckily you dont need that mid-workout, but in order to get battery life you need the GPS off when not using - trying to do that between swim, bike and run (GPS ON, GPS OFF, GPS ON) is impossible. The interface also does not work AT ALL when wet or you fingers are cold and/or sweaty. I dont know why they dont have simple buttons with a little scroll dial.
Too bad since the device is almost perfect.
On: 2008-11-26
I originally ordered the 305, but it was so big and awkward looking I returned it. Against some of the less than stellar reviews of the 405, I bought it anyhow. I love it. It just looks better, is lighter, and does not feel like a PDA on your wrist. Granted, the touch dial takes some getting used to, but chances are you are a gadget person like I am, and once you get it wired, its pretty user friendly. I am bummed that the MAC compatibility is not handled yet, and their support team is fairly unresponsive on this point. When I asked about it their websites statement that the mac software would be out in 4th Q 2008, they simply apologized that they did have a firm date for this. When I asked for clarification as to if they would meet the 12/31 deadline, they had no response.
Overall, Im glad I bought it. I have had no accuracy problems with GPS and the battery life is better than my iPhone. As long as I do not do any 40 hour runs I should be fine, and there is no risk of that happening.
On: 2008-11-16
When I was trying to decide between the 305 and the 405, I read every single review from a couple of different websites...it seemed that there was a lot of negative reviews on the 405, but also some hidden gems that make regular use of the watch a pleasure. I was shocked by how much Mac users seemed to hate the thing...since I own a Mac I knew I was going to have to work a bit harder to get the data to my Mac. For me, the deciding factor for the 405 ended up being the usability of the watch as an actual watch....it does look pretty sharp...and for $350 it better get more use than for an hour a day on a run...
Here is what Ive seen with my own use over the last couple of weeks:
The set up on my Vista PC was actually pretty simple...I followed the directions to the letter and went to the Garmin site which helped me get everything set up pretty quickly. There are some pretty good directions there...I cant see how anyone could screw this up honestly...but it seems that some folks have had trouble with it...I was able to update the firmware right then and that went well also (just be patient as it seems to update one firmware version at a time and not all at once)...
Once I got my PC all set up, I downloaded Trailrunner on my Mac...which supports the .tcx files of your runs that you can export out of the Garmin Training Center software (which really isnt good)...I dont know if there is a similar software package for the PC, but since I rarely use my PC, I really didnt take the time to look...
After I got done with some runs, I came home and was amazed at how easily the Ant+ stick picked up my watch...it even picked it up once when I left the watch downstairs...which I thought was pretty cool (but I havent tried to see if I could do it again, I just bring my watch upstairs)...I would assume that if you have your watch in the same room as your computer it would pick it up pretty easily...
From this point I really wanted to get the data back on my Mac and into Trailrunner...and this seems to be the difficult part for most Mac users (the Garmin site says to get VMware and run it through that way-which is insane, but some might not have a PC box in their house like I do, so it would be the only way at this point)...What I end up doing is importing the data wirelessly, then pull it into Garmin Training Center...then export it as a .tcx file which I email to myself and pull up from my Mac...then save it to a folder and "open" into Trailrunner from there...sounds like a lot, but takes maybe 5 minutes at the most...and the newest version of Trailrunner is awesome...
I also have seen some reviews where the watch is not responsive to the bezel touching...what I ended up figuring out after watching the video on the Garmin site, is that when the watch is in powersave mode you actually have to wake it up before it will respond...which can be done by clicking either side button...then the bezel responds to touch etc...this is really a much cooler feature than you would think...it really helps avoid draining the battery during regular "watch" use...
As far as getting going on runs and using the HRM...it picks the HRM and Satellites up really quickly...which is surprising based on what Ive seen in some reviews...it actually picked them up while I was in my house...and as of yet, I havent had any trouble with using it on my runs...it shows my Heart Rate in huge numbers and the first screen shows pace/total time/total distance big enough that I can see it while on the move...I dont really need it to do much more than that as I am not what you would consider a fancy runner at this point with sprints or crazy heart rate work...I just have it auto-lap my time at a mile and call it good...
The GPS has been darn near 100% accurate so far (I live in Houston TX)...and everything that comes through on Trailrunner is also within 1%...
I took the advice of one of the reviewers and bought it from a running store in our area that is known for good customer service (Lukes Locker in Houston) and they have a 30 day no questions asked return policy that covered me in case anything crazy happened...I was nervous with all of the complaints about it not working when wet...but that hasnt happened to me yet (I even licked my fingers to see if anything strange would happen and nothing did)...
I really like the watch and would hope anyone considering it would really do their homework...I really like the watch and give it a huge thumbs up!
*UPDATE*
Garmin just released support for Macs...and after using it for about two weeks - it just blows away the Windows version. My Windows PC was never able to sync with Garmin Connect automatically...the Mac version does it without a hitch. The interface is better, it is way more stable, and it actually does what is intended. The Garmin Training Center for Macs is about the same as the Windows version - nothing special, but it gives all the info you would need for your runs or workouts...
Ive used the watch for almost 8 months and have had no problems...its still as reliable as when I first got it and I still think to myself after literally every run, "What an awesome watch"...
On: 2008-11-16
When I was trying to decide between the 305 and the 405, I read every single review from a couple of different websites...it seemed that there was a lot of negative reviews on the 405, but also some hidden gems that make regular use of the watch a pleasure. I was shocked by how much Mac users seemed to hate the thing...since I own a Mac I knew I was going to have to work a bit harder to get the data to my Mac. For me, the deciding factor for the 405 ended up being the usability of the watch as an actual watch....it does look pretty sharp...and for $350 it better get more use than for an hour a day on a run...
Here is what Ive seen with my own use over the last couple of weeks:
The set up on my Vista PC was actually pretty simple...I followed the directions to the letter and went to the[...] site which helped me get everything set up pretty quickly. There are some pretty good directions there...I cant see how anyone could screw this up honestly...but it seems that some folks have had trouble with it...I was able to update the firmware right then and that went well also (just be patient as it seems to update one firmware version at a time and not all at once)...
Once I got my PC all set up, I downloaded Trailrunner on my Mac...which supports the .tcx files of your runs that you can export out of the Garmin Training Center software (which really isnt good)...I dont know if there is a similar software package for the PC, but since I rarely use my PC, I really didnt take the time to look...
After I got done with some runs, I came home and was amazed at how easily the Ant+ stick picked up my watch...it even picked it up once when I left the watch downstairs...which I thought was pretty cool (but I havent tried to see if I could do it again, I just bring my watch upstairs)...I would assume that if you have your watch in the same room as your computer it would pick it up pretty easily...
From this point I really wanted to get the data back on my Mac and into Trailrunner...and this seems to be the difficult part for most Mac users (the Garmin site says to get VMware and run it through that way-which is insane, but some might not have a PC box in their house like I do, so it would be the only way at this point)...What I end up doing is importing the data wirelessly, then pull it into Garmin Training Center...then export it as a .tcx file which I email to myself and pull up from my Mac...then save it to a folder and "open" into Trailrunner from there...sounds like a lot, but takes maybe 5 minutes at the most...and the newest version of Trailrunner is awesome...
I also have seen some reviews where the watch is not responsive to the bezel touching...what I ended up figuring out after watching the video on the Garmin site, is that when the watch is in powersave mode you actually have to wake it up before it will respond...which can be done by clicking either side button...then the bezel responds to touch etc...this is really a much cooler feature than you would think...it really helps avoid draining the battery during regular "watch" use...
As far as getting going on runs and using the HRM...it picks the HRM and Satellites up really quickly...which is surprising based on what Ive seen in some reviews...it actually picked them up while I was in my house...and as of yet, I havent had any trouble with using it on my runs...it shows my Heart Rate in huge numbers and the first screen shows pace/total time/total distance big enough that I can see it while on the move...I dont really need it to do much more than that as I am not what you would consider a fancy runner at this point with sprints or crazy heart rate work...I just have it auto-lap my time at a mile and call it good...
The GPS has been darn near 100% accurate so far (I live in Houston TX)...and everything that comes through on Trailrunner is also within 1%...
I took the advice of one of the reviewers and bought it from a running store in our area that is known for good customer service (Lukes Locker in Houston) and they have a 30 day no questions asked return policy that covered me in case anything crazy happened...I was nervous with all of the complaints about it not working when wet...but that hasnt happened to me yet (I even licked my fingers to see if anything strange would happen and nothing did)...
I really like the watch and would hope anyone considering it would really do their homework...I really like the watch and give it a huge thumbs up!
On: 2008-11-10
I have used this watch since August and at first I was really impressed.
Pros:
1. Awesome website to track progress.
2. Very motivating to see how you improve performance over time.
Cons:
1. You will have problems connecting to the Garmin website about every 6th time.
2. The GPS will not work about every 10th time - for some reason it has problems connecting to the Satelite
3. The GPS will not always be accurate
It is a start, but I believe this is version 1.0 for this style and I would wait for the next verson.
On: 2008-11-09
The touch sensitive bezel is the downfall of this watch.
it completely stops functioning when the slights bit damp/wet - like at the end of any workout. Ive also had multiple experiences when not only the bezel is non-functional, but also the 2 buttons dont function when damp - which is surprising because these should be mechanical.
The Buttons are used among other things to stop/stop/lap and lock/unlock the bezel.
While running, the data is great HR monitor accurate and sensitive, pace and GPS functions just fine. The auto-lap feature is particularly useful. The configurable display fields are handy for different activities (I wore the watch on a bike trip and you can configure the display to show things like grade etc..). Multiple displays are handy , but you tend to configure one for each activity and leave it set to that display.
A Huge Huge downside is the lack of Mac compatibility. I purchased the watch in May, was told by the store that it was compatible. I found out later it wasnt and a Mac connectivity program was promised for November. The latest word is Jan 09 - it cant be that hard to do.
Battery life initially sucked - updated firmware have improved this - with the original firmware , I got 4 hours of GPS/HR function and then it died - in the middle of a Marathon.
knowing what I know now - I would not get this watch or recommend it - you dont want to worry about not being able to stop your watch or look at the results at the end of a workout.
The watch has also completely locked up on me - although now I know how to reset it - hold both buttons down for 6+ seconds and follow the instructions on the face.
for Mac users - until they come out with the Mac "ANT" software - you cant upload your data to your computer , or update the firmware , unless you borrow someones PC or go to a Garmin store.
On: 2008-10-30
I would recommend buying the Garmin Forerunner 405 as long as you dont sweat when you run/bike/workout. However, if you are like me and sweat when you take part in these activities: DO NOT BUY THIS WATCH! Yeah, youd think that Garmin would have tested their watch on actual runners, but apparently not. Once you start sweating the watch starts "freaking out." It beeps incessantly for no reason. You can no longer switch between the screens because it totally locks up. This is not an isolated incident either. I took my first Forerunner 405 back for the same reason and foolishly tried another one. Same result. Moreover, Im not so sure it keeps very accurate distance. Ive run on a number of marked trails and even tracks and the watch is always 5-10% off. At least the watch looks cool and works great when you are sitting on your couch. All in all Im very disappointed in Garmin and wonder how they can look themselves in the mirror when they are charging $350 for a watch that doesnt work.
On: 2008-10-29
Unless willing to pay top $ for an unfinished product.
The list of issues I ran into:
1. The altitude and elevation gain/loss data is completely off. For example, once I ran an almost flat loop 7 times, yet the website shows that I have climbed 5,352 ft. during this run. That is impossible. Equally surprisingly, the elevation curve shows no pattern; I would have expected to see an elevation pattern repeating itself 7 times.
2. The Garmin Ant Agent application is in the habit of crashing on my computer from time to time. This uploads the data from the watch to the Connect website.
3. If the Garmin Ant Agent misses uploading one workout to the Connect site I can find no way to manually upload it from the watch. According to the documentation, one can force-upload all workouts, but Im wondering if that will not overwrite the already uploaded ones.
4. The Pace and Lap Pace functions are so off that one must not rely on them. This means that you have no idea on how fast youre running.
5. One cannot press a key to manually record a lap (the Auto Lap/Lap Press Only function does not work).
6. The automatic lighting of the screen in response to key presses and alerts works only sporadically: it does not work for approximately one hour into the run. As I start my workouts before dusk, it means that I see no alerts while it is dark outside.
7. After Ive upgraded the watchs software to version 2.3, I could no longer access the watchs second time zone: if I enable it from the settings, I stop seeing the first time zone.
8. The Connect website is amateurish and seems to be eternally "under construction". Is this mentioned anywhere in the marketing documentation?
9. If it rains, the bezel does not work: it does not take user input and flips screens randomly.
10. The support staff is totally unresponsive: I did fill out two complaints on the website and I have heard no response.
Please note that I did not use all the functions this watch offers, so chances are there are more bugs that I did not run into.
On: 2008-10-27
Im very impressed with this watch. It have all what you want. And even better is the software to view your stats and your performance.
If you can afford it, theres no option that compares to this watch
Pedro Urbina
On: 2008-10-24
I was a little nervous making this purchase having read many of the reviews here on amazon and elsewhere. Having now used the 405 for the last month, I couldnt be more satisfied with the product and would highly recommend it to anyone. I use my forerunner for bicycling and running approximately 6x/weekly. I have never had any issues with accuracy of the heart rate monitor, GPS, or cadence. On the contrary I have found it to be quite accurate and reliable. I have used the GPS on one occasion in a slightly wooded area and the GPS reception was reliable and accurate. I was a little concerned about the complaints concerning the bezel and its dysfunction when wet. I do not perspire massively but I do have many sweat glands. However, this has never prevented me from being able to use the bezel with relative ease, so unless your exercising naked you can always wipe your hand off on your shorts. I also read a complaint concerning the size of the display fields. This seems a little ridiculous as all the fields are of similar size to my prior cyclometer. Additionally, you have the option of displaying from 1-3 fields at a time, so if your visually impaired then display one field instead of three and naturally it will be larger. Further you can program the watch to scroll through three different displays each showing from 1-3 fields. In other words, you can see all the information you want and more during a run or bike. In conclusion this device has been everything I wanted and more and I have not had a single issue with it thus far after over 20 hours of use.
On: 2008-10-19
I have owned this watch for about 3 months now. I am a competitive runner and a casual marathon runner. I have several issues with this watch.
1. The watch malfuntions (freezes up, the bezel cannot be used, bizzarily switches from one screen to another) when it is raining. Changing the sensitivity of the bezel has not solved the problem for me.
2. The watch uses a fair amount of energy in relation to the built in barrery capacity. Consequently I find mine constantly drained and often running out of juice when on a long run. It is annoying to always have to fully charge the device before I go for a long run (13 miles or more - let alone marathon preparation runs of 20 miles or more). As a result using this watch on your long runs requires careful planning. Otherwise you find yourself having to wait 30 minutes or more in order to charge the watch before you can go out for a long run.
3. The watch often records all sorts of nonsense. Half of my runs uploaded to garmin connect are nonsensical represenations of my run. (Incomplete, or no gps info, or whatever.)
4. The unit locks up from time to time even in good weather conditions.
5. I am 64 tall and the watch does not fit comfortably around my wrist as a notable portion of the watchs electronics are contained in the wrist band. This renders the wristband stiff. You cannot see this in the pictures. Buy packing much of the electronics into the wristband they were able to make the watch look like it is of regualar watch size.
6. The speed measurement accuracy while running is dissapointing. My speed tends to swing widely on the display although I run at a pretty constant place.
I still use the watch mainly to help me know the lenght of runs when I explore new routes (which I tend to do a lot) but I am less than satisfied. In fact I am back to my good old trusty Ironman Timex (without GPS) for most of my routine runs where I know the mile markers.
One day, I am sure, most of these issues will be ironed out, but until then I cant really recommend this watch (at any price actually) to anyone. It is NOT ready for prime time.
On: 2008-10-13
I used and loved the 305 for two years, however I am 110lbs and it looks like a 70s startrek communicator on my arm. I bought the 405 because it was a bit smaller and my 305 got ran over.
The 405 is a hugh disapointment. Ive sent my 305 back for repair ($106) and they sent me back a refurbished unit. Ive stopped using my 405 and went back to the 305.
Here is what I hate about the 405
- they dumbed down the advance workouts, you can only write them from a computer.
- the Ant+ upload only uploads to garmin training center and no other program, and it is slow. It also doesnt always find the device right away so I have to sit around for it to locate it then upload.
-the bezel sucks
-they removed the "snooze" function on the alarm function.
They should have stayed with the buttons,
-the bezel either doesnt recongize you are touching it or it keeps getting activated. In fact even with the bezel locked I heard it waking up in my sports bag when I was driving...I go around a corner...beep, hit a bump...beep, stop...beep, speed up...Beep. 3 hours later when I to where I was going to workout, the battery was 50% used up. This happens all the time.
- the bezel isnt user friendly...as you go through the menu you accidently touch the bezel to long and it switches screens...or you accidently touch a differnent part with the other hand and it chooses something else. Drives me nuts.
The charge clip is hard to get on just right....not difficult but you have to make sure it is charging.
Anyway. I love the 305 but I want something smaller and It would be nice if I could swim with it too. So I will keep my 305 but I just bought a Suunto T4. It looks like it will do everything the garmin will (and some) but has a significantly smaller display. I wasnt excited about the seperate gps pod but now that I have it,I think it is better. I just clip it to my water belt or my race belt. As a triathlete the watch stays on and the gps gets put on when I put my race number on.
Sorry Garmin...you lost me as a customer over the 405.
On: 2008-10-13
It is a great product, much lighter. Weak point is a shorter battery life, comparing with Garmins 305.
On: 2008-10-04
This product has renewed my love for running. It is amazing. You are easily able to keep up with your time, pace and distance. I can run or ride my bike and come home and stick the usb stick in and see exactly what I did and where I went. It is a great product for a serious runner in training for an event or for the novice that wants positive feedback. I would highly recommend the Garmin 405 to everyone!
On: 2008-09-27
My last running watch was a Suunto S4 and now Im using a Garmin 405. This review highlights my experience with both watches.
Suunto S4 experience (used for 2+ years):
I purchased a Suunto S4 a few years ago. It was cutting edge at the time. However, I had to return it to Suunto three different times because it stopped working each time I had to change the battery. My conclusion each time this happened was that the watch had great technology... but it was built with cheap material with poor quality testing. I didnt purchase the PC pod... so, I was unable to transfer my workout data to my computer. I did have a heart rate monitor and a foot pod. The watch worked good when I didnt have to replace the battery. I needed to read the manual several times before getting a good grasp of all the features. I felt that the built in Suunto Coach feature was pretty much useless... it consistently recommended a schedule that was too light for me. Overall feeling of the Suunto S4:
* Great watch for runners a few years ago
* Still good technology in the watch
* Made with cheap material (lifespan of watch was very short in my opinion)
* Worked well on a treadmill and outdoors.
Garmin 405 experience (after 1 month):
Ive had the Garmin 405 for a month now. It rocks! It took me one run to get used to the Garmin 405. After one more run I had it configured just right for my needs. I know there are features I still have not taken advantage of... but it works just the way I want it to with the right information displayed during my run. I occasionally use the Heart Rate Monitor to get a feel for my average heart rate on different types of runs. I never installed the software to track my running on my computer. Instead I setup an account with Garmin Connect and it is excellent!!!!! The ability to track my exact course on the map, elevation, distance, heart rate, peaks and low points for each measurement, etc. is incredible. Plus, its there on the web for me to pull up anytime and anywhere. Ive run against the virtual trainer on a few occasions. However, I prefer to monitor my running time, speed and distance (or current HR if Im wearing the Heart Rate monitor). There is a ton of data you can use to monitor when you run. I cant comment on the longevity of the watch since mine is only a month old (I hope it lasts for at least 2 years). I sometimes wear the watch when Im not running. Often Ill just snap on the charging clip after a run and leave it until my next run. The ant technology has worked perfect for me to load my runs online. I just snapped in the ant stick this evening and 6 runs loaded off my watch to the internet for my review. One tip that has worked well for me is to lock the watch after I start the run and set the training screen to my preferred view. This will prevent me from changing something by accident and is something I learned to do after running in the rain once. I have not tested the 405 on a treadmill since I have not purchased the footpod. Regarding the GPS signal, it seems to work very well... even with trees overhead. Its cool when the watch tells me theres a sharp turn ahead... and its right. Also, I like how the watch tells me when my run is half over. In both of these cases, it tells you with a message box and a little sound that prompts me to look at my watch since I wear an IPod when I run. I always strive to complete my workout goal because I get a nice success message at the end with an sound indicating my workout has completed.
Overall recommendation: Buy the Garmin 405 and use it with Garmin Connect. If you are a runner that likes to analyze the details of your runs... you will love it.
On: 2008-09-25
Overall I like the watch. Like anyone who has spent $350 on a gadget, I went through a period of buyers remorse when the negative reviews on this watch weighed heavily in my mind. But Ive gotten used to the foibles, and am now preparing to buy a second one of these watches for my wife. The thoughtful negative reviews Ive read are generally true, and the question you must face is: will you be ok with it.
I use the watch 3x-4x weekly for running & heart rate training, following a metabolic test and training routine suggested by the pro at my gym. My wife began this program first, and got set up on workout routines that are like 2 minutes at one heart rate, followed by 1 minute at another heart rate, etc. She was using a Nike heart rate monitor that didnt allow such programming, so she started wearing a second watch so that she could keep track of times and heart rate more easily.
The Garmin software for setting up such a workout is EASY, and using it during a run is as simple as it ought to be. I run Windows XP and have had very little trouble with the sync; when I walk in the door with my gym bag, the computer and watch find eachother like long-lost lovers, and exchange information without being prompted. By the time you set your bag down, the computer pulls up data on your run. Really slick.
I also like looking over the data that comes out at the end. Its been rewarding to see how my pace is improving and heart rate is recovering more quickly after intense bursts. Id like to get my 5k below 20 minutes, and I can watch my progress toward that goal. A weakness of the PC-based software is the map. The built-in basemap is so coarse as to be almost useless. Dont expect to use this map to plan routes.
You can transfer up to 25 workout routines to the watch, customized for pace, heart rate, distance, calories, whatever. The watch displays are also customizable, showing the data that I want to see at a glance while running (like how long until this interval is over!).
I had some initial trouble getting used to the touch screen. I seriously question the wisdom of that design "feature." But I can always get the watch to do what I want it to. Note to Garmin: there is a reason why the Timex Ironman was a popular watch for so long; its easy to USE!
I have experienced some GPS issues. You have to get the watch fired up a few minutes before you begin your run. You can program a warmup period at the beginning of your run so that the watch is finding satellites while you get yourself going. GPS elevation "measures" are notoriously poor, and I think it would have been wiser of Garmin to leave that data off. I live in Colorado and have used the watch to log a bike trip up into the foothills. Even over significant elevation changes (100s of feet) the elevation data were noisier than the hills I was climbing. Another user noted trouble with bias in tree-lined areas. Ive seen very little of that in my neighborhood, though the pace estimate does get wonky when I go through an underpass along our bike trail. You can check the watchs "satellites" screen to see the strength of signal. In general, I dont trust the instantaneous pace readouts, but instead rely on the results on the computer when I return home. There I trust data averaged over >2 minutes.
As for battery, it hasnt been a problem. One guy described the horror of the buttons getting pushed when he travels. I just put the watch inside my running shoe (face toward the sole) and stuff a sock in behind. Ive had no problem there.
Garmin support has been good. Apparently the watch I bought (local running store for about the same price as Amazon) had been registered to another user (a return?). Garmin responded to my email request about it within 36 hours. They also helped when my watch got hung up and wouldnt sync. Also, Garmin has released a new operating system for the watch that you can easily download and transfer via the wireless connection.
Again, Im happy with the watch. If youre the type whose glass is generally half full, then my bet is that you will too.
On: 2008-09-19
I had one of the first generation, oblong rectangular Forerunners. It was useless. It was uncomfortable to wear, took a long time to acquire location, and lost the satellite with any tree cover.
This one is wearable in public without looking too geeky. It picks up the satellites very quickly (about a minute). Finally, it can handle tree cover well. The battery does not last a whole week, but I can live with that as the price of smaller size. The touch wheel is erratic but usable. My real issues are with data transfer. They went with wireless data transfer for some silly geeky reason. I suppose it would be useful if it somehow used the Bluetooth my laptop already has, but, drat, it uses some USB dongle as the wireless transmitter. So, when I want to download data to my laptop, I have to fish through my drawers to find the dongle, set a couple fiddly settings on the watch, and make sacrifices to the wireless vodoo god to bring the data over. So, if I have to hunt for the dongle, where is the advantage over hunting for a cable? Am I missing something? Basically wireless is cool but has no advantage for a laptop user (IMHO).
There is no MacOSX wireless driver yet. They promise it within weeks. It does work with XP on a MacBook running under VMWare 2. Too bad they didnt just ditch the wireless data transfer. A driver for USB wireless transfer would probably be easier to write (not that they would have considered developing the Mac driver at the same time as the Windows driver....).
On: 2008-09-08
I love the GPS feature that tracks the distance I have run. I travel a lot, and I enjoy the watch because I always know exactly how far I have run even when I am not on familiar paths. And the Training Center program does a great job of tracking progress. Its nice to be able to compare week to week how fast I am running and see how much further I am running. I was worried that the watch would feel big on my arm, but it does not bother me at all.
On: 2008-09-05
I used to have the Forerunner 305. This is too much better. You can use it as watch (not to go to a formal dine) that was a huge con for the other forerunners. I raced 10k last weekend I it was very accurate, even the instant pace, that was not very good in the previous models. Too much better than Suunto X9i that is worthless.
The google interface and garmin connect are cool if you like to review your data in different forms.
If you want track calories, go to polar, garmin program still shows values too low, basically because they aimed top runners (olympic type) and the calories is related to speed. I am 10 km/h runners that brings a low quantity of calories spent after a 10 k run.
The bracelet also is not the most confortable, but if you think that it is a GPS, Heart Monitor and Watch definately this is very well packed.
The imporvement on the firmware also brought it to next to Polar 800 SD in terms of graphics for HR, that it is nice.
I recommend it if you a hi-tec runner...
On: 2008-09-04
Ive owned the Garmin Edge 305 and various Polar heart rate monitors. Overall Im very impressed with the Forerunner 405 - except for the lack of Mac support.
First of all the size of the device surprised me. Its actually fairly small, especially compared with the clunky previous Forerunners. Smaller than my Suunto watch. Second I like the ability to choose different data fields (up to 3) on customized displays. This is like the Edge 305 and much better than the Polar devices. Third the compass proved to be very useful when finding my way out of a mountain biking mess of trails. And fourth of course the GPS giving speed, distance, etc is great for either running or mountain biking.
Disappointments are its not completely waterproof (crazy in this day and age), and the lack of Mac support.
I got around the Mac support by loading Vista on my Mac through Bootcamp. Needed to do this for my other Garmin products anyway, but Garmin really need to get over this!
On: 2008-09-02
Well, Ive been using this HRM for 2 weeks now, and I wanted to share with you all how great it is.
Since I was an addicted fan of Polar HRMs, I was afraid to change. But this FR 405 proved to be the best HRM I ever trained with.
Although Gramin still has some work to be done:
- The PACE is not accurate out of the box, so you need to go to Garmins web page and update the HRMs firmware;
- Lack of integration with my MacBook. So I was forced to install parallels and run windows XP in order to use its PC integration;
- Terrible training software and a pain to make the HRM "talk"to the PC....It lacks the appropriate support for installation of ANT drivers.
Still, its a great HRM, and the ability to see your route on the google earth is awesome.
The touch bezel is also very nice, and despite of what others said, its very simple to use.
As for the terrible native software, you can replace it with gorgeous Sport Track...Its free and it would accept the data exported from the Garmins Training Center.
By the way, I use the FR405 for running and Im currently training for the Amsterdam marathon in October.
On: 2008-08-25
I bought this product. Although impressive, its only good outside. For instance, if you run on a treadmill, you must buy the speed sensor ($120) to get calories burned. You are out of luck if you take spin class. It will not record calories.
From Garmin Support:
>Thank you for contacting Garmin International. Unfortunately, our
>fitness units calculate calories burned using speed, distance, and time.
>If youre indoors the Forerunner 405 is not able to calculate speed and
>distance. Because the unit has no distance value, its unable to
>display calories burned. Please let us know if you have any additional
>questions.
>With Best Regards,
>Joe C
This is a deviation for how most heart rate monitors work (Polar, Timex). Most monitors calculate calories based on weight, age, and heart rate. Being able to get calories expended even during the indoor winter months is useful.
Also, there is no way edit workouts results in the software. So, if I do a spin class or run on the treadmill (w/o the speed sensor), I cant alter the uploaded data and enter an estimated distance.
This is different from the Polar software which does allow complete editing of most parameters.
Over all, this is a "cool" monitor. However, if you do alot of indoor training, youll probably want a different monitor.
UPDATE:
After 6 weeks of use, the touch bezel stopped working. I tried a master reset and the bezel is still not functional. Ive contacted Garmin Support for help. Ill update this when I hear something.
On: 2008-08-25
Its a good product, but for the price it should be great. The battery life needs to be a bit longer (It doesnt live up to the promise on the package). Also, the control scheme needs work to be more intuitive. If you lock the bezel, it beeps at you every minute or two to tell you the bezel is locked. Its pretty annoying.
The software and the ANT stick work well. So does the heart rate monitor. Satellite acquisition is amazing. Fast and accurate. It even locked on in an interior downstairs room of my house.
I recommend waiting for the next generation, which will probably iron out some of the kinks. Or see if you can find one for cheaper than $350, and youll feel better about the small drawbacks.
On: 2008-08-23
If you are like me..you have been researching this product obsessively. I am here to tell you to BUY the 405! I know there are many reviews about the 405 that arent very good...but heres something that everybody has forgotten to mention: This unit has wireless technology, which means it can be updated. So, yes, there are some quirks Garmin is still working on, BUT they can and have been addressed with the available updates. I LOVE my 405! Like anything you purchase..sometimes things dont work correctly..return it and try again! I really like the Garmin Connect, a feature I didnt think Id even use. The 405 is soo..much more comfortable to wear than the 305 and the good ole 101! I am excited to see just how far Garmin will take the 405, Garmin Connect and its upgrades! The Forerunner just keeps getting better!
On: 2008-08-20
I have been using the garmin mainly for running, for a month. I must say that it provides accurate information, such as distance, heart rate, and it is very easy to download workouts from the PC, and upload information from the watch to the computer.
The drawbacks are related to the impossibility to receive water, which has created problems with the watch basically while running in a normally rainy day. I have also experienced problems when running with long sleeve, since it touches the watch and it changes the screen.
I prefer it over my previous Polar S410, especially for the ease to program workouts and donwload information to the computer. The major drawback is not be able to use it to go swimming, or even at rainy days.
On: 2008-08-20
After two weeks of side-by-side usage, Ive concluded that these watches are targeted at very different markets. Furthermore, in many respects, it seems like neither watch is totally ready for prime-time. Both have nice feature sets, but they each seem to be lacking some very important features to make them truly useful across several sports. The Suunto X9i seems to be targeted and more useful to the climbing crowd, whereas the Garmin Forerunner 405 seems targeted at the fitness/jogging crowd. Neither has the complete feature set that the above-average hiker/trail runner/mountain biker needs. Thus, if you purchase either, you have to accept the compromises inherit in one or the other.
If I was pressed to recommend one over the other, I very hesitantly lean towards the Garmin Forerunner 405 due to smaller size, better battery life, faster GPS synch, slightly better navigation screen and of course, lower price. Im hesitant because of several important cons which I elaborate on below.
STATS:
Battery Life (w/ GPS): 4.5hr (X9i) vs. 8hr (405)
Battery Life (w/o GPS): 16d. (X9i) vs. 12d. (405)
Size: X9i is larger in every dimension than 405
Weight: 74g (X9i) vs. 60g (405)
Water Resistence: 100m (X9i) vs. 3m (405)
Heart Rate Monitor: No (X9i) vs. Yes (405)
Outside Temperature: Yes(X9i) vs. No (405)
CONS: Garmin Forerunner 405
1) Does not display raw latitude/longitude position on standard screen. You can save a waypoint, which they call "location", and then edit that point to see the latitude/longitude (displayed in non-decimal format).
2) Does not have On/Off button to save battery-life.
3) Comes with very basic software with limited maps. Cannot export tracks into GPX format.
4) Difficult to upload waypoints for future route.
5) Limited to WGS84 map datum (limits international usage of tracks)
PROS: Garmin Forerunner 405
1) Easy to use menu system.
2) Fast GPS satellite synching.
3) Can connect to heart rate monitor.
4) If you can get waypoints loaded, there is a nice screen that shows the direction/distance to the selected waypoint.
5) Great fitness monitoring screens and many are customizable.
CONS: Sunnto X9i
1) Large physical size.
2) Poor battery life with GPS on.
3) Slow GPS satellite synching.
4) Difficult to use and complex menu system with 5 buttons.
5) Does not have On/Off button to save battery-life.
6) GPS tracks, which they call "logs", tend to have jumps/errors when GPS drops out, which is often.
7) Comes with very basic software with no maps.
8) No screen to show direction to a selected waypoint.
9) Limited to WGS84 map datum (limits international usage of tracks)
10) Suggested Retail Price is 25% more than the Garmin 405.
PROS: Suunto X9i
1) Does display raw latitude/longitude position on Position screen, but in non-decimal format.
2) Does have temperature feature.
On: 2008-08-19
As a long-time user and fan of the Garmin 305, the Garmin 405 was a product I was looking forward to for months as I was excited to see the next generation of the 305 I have enjoyed so much.
I could not be more disappointed with the result.
The Garmin 405 is a classic example of a good product concept and clever design gone horribly wrong as the Garmin team focused on form (looks) clearly beat out the folks worried about function. The watch looks fine (great for a HRM/GPS watch, so so for an everyday watch) but in terms of actual purpose-built functionality, it is terrible. There are multiple reasons for this which I will outline below.
(1) Useless when wet (yes, that includes sweat). The fact that you cannot toggle between screens or do anything with the bezel while the device is wet should have caused the designers to toss out this novel touch sensitive concept and stick with what works. Instead, they decided to go with a neat design concept that works great when the salesperson is showing it to you at the store, but will provide endless hours of frustration when you are out running and just want to see your heart rate. This is my first bullet point because it is the best example of the type of design failures that make this a terrible device.
(2) Use of built in functions/screens - The makers carried over the capabilites of the Garmin 305 and added a virtual training partner functionality, but the display can only show three fields at once and the fields themselves are too small for good viewing while in motion (ie running). Cycling between the displays is easy to do while sitting on a couch, even fun when you run your finger along the bezel, but when you are out running you quickly realize that it is very difficult to accomplish anything with the device. With the 305, if you wanted to change fields on the fly, you could manage to do it while keeping a reasonable pace. With the 405, you need to press buttons and run your finger along the bezel to switch fields - again, great on a couch, nearly impossible on a run.
(3) GPS Accuracy. I have traded messages with people who disagree, and I will say that I sometimes have great accuracy, but have also had multiple experiences where the accuracy of this device is off by so much as to make the pace and distance benefits of a GPS useless. The best example is running a measured mile with typical neighborhood street tree coverage and having the device show I went a total of 0.70 miles (the 305 on the same stretch showed 1.01). I have had this happen multiple times in various locations and therefore have stopped using the watch in races when I want to know my true pace and distance (I am using the 305 again).
(4) Silly things that might (or might not) drive you crazy - There are two buttons on the Garmin 405 - both on the right side of the face as you look at it. These buttons perform some useful functions, including locking the bezel so that you can wear the device in a non-GPS mode and avoid running down the battery needlessly while still using the device as a watch. The problem is that if, like me, you actually own a daily wear watch and when you travel you prefer to put the 405 in your bag or suitcase, having the two buttons on the same side means that if they press against anything they will unlock the bezel and the GPS will start running (or try to). The result will be a dead battery when you pull it out of your bag. It may seem minor, but pulling the 405 out of your bag after you arrive and want to go for a run, only to see it is dead, again and again, is annoying. The positive offset is that the watch actually charges at a pretty decent speed. Oh yes, and when the battery does, in fact, die, you will need to go through all of the intro screens again to get it going which will sometimes freeze on you (check message boards for solution to this as some people have posted them).
Overall, this is a terrible product and if you really want to get a GPS enabled running device, I would highly recommend you buy the Garmin 305. It is much cheaper and while it does not look as good, the size will not bother you after a couple of wears and it will work flawlessy for you. I suspect they will eventually correct the failings of the Garmin 405 but until they do it is not a good use of your money.
On: 2008-08-17
This is my first heart rate monitor so I dont really have anything to compare it against. I did a lot of research before deciding upon this unit with the heart rate monitor. I didnt find anything that came close for the price. There are a lot of features so for the less tech savy who want to simply push one button and be done this may not be the unit for you. If features are what youre looking for and arent against actually reading the manual then this is a fantastic device. It works extremely well even under tree cover, even under bridges for that matter! Ive not yet had it loose the GPS signal.
Its really cool to be able to download the GPS data into Google earth with just one click.
I also really like the fairly compact size of the watch. Its small enough to wear as a normal watch and not have people star at you because of this enormous contraption on your arm. I also bought this one because the GPS receiver is built into the watch, no separate unit required!
There are lots of accessories for this unit like a foot pod for running in doors and a bike unit to track your cadence, etc.
Im very impressed with this unit and highly recommend it unless you want to use it swimming. Its not intended to be submersed in water.
On: 2008-08-16
First of all before you purchase this product, I would strongly recommend that you check on the return policy from where it is purchased from. I have been told that Garmin will not accept returns on this watch, unless they consider the watch to be defective. Tricky because I believe this is a defective product being sold. Second, I am suprised to actually see a few positive reviews on this product. I wonder if any of those reviews are from Garmin employees who created this product? My wife bought me the 405 for my birthday and it did not work. We took it back and purchased another one. This time the watch did pick up a GPS sigal, but the touch Bevil has a mind of its own. And actually it just would not work for me. The tap functionality in general seemed not to be working. I consider myself a person who has no difficulty with technical gadgets. But the 405 is what I would consider a failure of a product. I surprised this watch even made it out of the Garmin quality assurance department. I wouldnt waste my money on this product. It was a big dissapointment. I hope you are spared the unhappiness that I experienced with this product. Possibly Garmin will do it better the next time if they release a successor to the 405.
On: 2008-08-11
I switch from my Polar 725x to the Garmin Forerunner 405 and so far Im happy with the unit:
Pros:
- Data transfer works excellent. Huge improvement for me as Polar uses IR, which in my opinion is obsolete.
- You can create your screens of variables to be monitor and combine them as you wish (3 variables per screen up to 3 screens). Polar has fixed screens.
- I really enjoy the Virtual Partner function.
- GPS function: The unit picks up the satellite signal very fast. You can download courses in the web site and follow them by your own. The Google earth interface is great to watch your route at home with your family.
Cons:
- The battery last no more than 6 hours. If you are planning to get lost into the woods for days you better bring another GPS unit as you will run out battery.
- No temperature sensor.
- The software is really really really bad. Polar is much more advance regarding analyzing data.
On: 2008-08-11
Ive been running with the Garmin 405 for several months now and love it. Given the mixed reviews here, I was apprehensive about getting it, but it really is a great training device.
Out of the box, its quite good. After configuring it and just getting used to the way it works, its much better. For example, mine is set to auto lap every kilometer and I mostly use a custom view with just lap pace and heart rate. That configuration works very well on, say, a Workout set up for 10K. Interval Workouts are also very handy and easy to set up. The possibilities are endless.
As Ive progressed as a runner - first marathon this year, 3:52 at 41 years old - Ive tried a variety of watches. First, a Timex Ironman, which I loved, but no Heart Monitor. Then a Timex Heart Monitor which I used with the Ironman (for the 100 lap memory). The Timex watches were stolen so next, a Nike Heart Monitor with the Nike+ Sports Band and Foot Pod.
The Nike+ Sports Band looks cool but is not very accurate, even calibrated. Changes in speed, hills, etc. will affect the accuracy of any foot pod system. Once calibrated, it tended to be about 3-5% off. Not the end of the world, but also leaves some doubt as to your real pace in, say, intervals or tempo training. The Nike+ website also is not great. It looks nice, but is hard to navigate.
Now, the Garmin 405. Likes:
1. Everything in one device - HR, pace, distance, elevation, laps.
2. Pace - I thought the whole GPS thing might be a bit too high-tech for a guy who loves the simplicity of running, but it is very, very nice to know your pace as you run. I use Hal Higdons training plans, which call for all kinds of runs, with warm-ups, intervals, tempo intervals, pace segments, etc. The pace feature makes doing these workouts possible without having a coach at your side.
3. GPS frees you from mapping out your route. You just run until it shows your distance is done. The Garmin Connect site then shows your map. This doesnt sound so amazing, but it is very liberating. You just run wherever you want, explore your neighborhood, whatever. It transforms city running.
4. Auto laps. Great feature. Records all your details (time, HR, pace) for each lap automatically. You can review on the watch or on Garmin Connect.
5. The Garmin Connect website is good, not amazing, but complete enough with nice graphs and its easy to imagine it getting better.
6. The data seems pretty accurate, based on a track workout. In a recent 10K race, it recorded 10.2K, but some of that variation is certainly due to my weaving among the crowd.
Dislikes:
1. Battery life - with GPS enabled, it needs a charge every couple of days to avoid the dreaded "low battery" warning in the middle of a workout.
2. The USB stick for wireless transfer. It works, but Nike does it better. The Nike+ pop-out USB stick is a much simpler way to transfer data to the computer and a much better way to keep from losing the USB part.
3. It can take a couple of minutes to find satellites and loses the satellites on streets with tall buildings. This is a little disconcerting, but the software seems to correct for it.
4. You need the foot pod to use it for indoor training. One more piece of gear (and not cheap).
All in all, the Garmin 405 is an incredible training device. It is the best choice in the market. Nothing comes close to it. 5 stars.
I hope you find this helpful.
On: 2008-07-24
Ive used the Garmin Forerunner 405 with HRM on a daily basis for well over a month, and recommend it highly. Im a multi-Marathon runner and recently did my first triathlon, so tracking my miles run and biked for training and competition is important. Garmins on-line service (connect.garmin.com) works well, as does the wireless interface (i.e. the watches amazing ability to wirelessly synchronize its data with your PC).
I also like how during my run I can easily reset the pace of my virtual partner (like most runners I tend to start out too fast, and having the ability to re-set my Forerunner 405 "Virtual Partners" pace to my fatigue-induced realistic speed is very helpful!) The touch sensitive bevel to control the watch works well, and is quite intuitive.
The small size of the watch is absolutely amazing, especially considering its capabilities. Ive worn the 405 at work, and havent received a second glance (a bit to my chagrin, since I want to show it off!)
Bottom line - a great training tool, which I highly recommend.
On: 2008-07-22
I only had the 405 for a week and ended up returning it earlier today. Chose not to get a replacement. Its possible that I got a dud*, but I believe my comments are still valid for any Forerunner 405:
So its a sports watch but the bezel doesnt work when my fingers are sweaty? Um, am I missing something here?
Maybe I was doing something wrong and it takes longer than a week to get used to the bezel, but I could hardly ever get the thing to recognize that I wanted to scroll an NOT select. Ironically, whenever I made the wrong choice I had to push the back button on the side and thus be reminded that advanced technology is not always a good idea.
Garmin Connect (MotionBased not an option): as of 7/22/08 its practically a joke. Mega sluggish, lacking the MotionBased features Im used to (like Average Pace), and sometimes returning server errors.
On the up side, the 405 acquires satellites much faster than the 305 and actually looks like a watch. I suppose the latter is somewhat important.
==============================
* As I was getting ready to go out for a run today and was going through the menus, the 405 froze and eventually died on me. In the next hour I wasnt able to power it on (yes, I tried charging it to no avail). Im glad I still have my boxy and Soviet looking 305.
On: 2008-07-22
Ive been using the watch for about a month now, almost daily. The watch itself is great. Great functionality, great specs, very usefull. BUT - and theres always a but - the watch basically freezes up when it becomes wet. I sweat more than average and the iPod-like bezel does not respond when wet. I read a bit about this and made the purchase anyway. Big mistake. I am now returning because after about six miles, it is useless. A few other comments:
- Strap is comfortable but if you have a larger chest (Im 44"), and you are forced to wear it tight, plan on buying lots of the $10 straps. Mine is already showing signs of streatching. I had a polar before with a nylon strap and this wasnt an issue
- There is some negative play on getting the watch to sync with PC. Im a fairly technically savy guy and it took more than one try. The instructions online arent the best.
Takeway, if you are a skinny runner who doesnt sweat, this watch is a five. Otherwise, you may want to avoid.
On: 2008-07-18
gps works great on trails where I live in San Diego. pace/distance are quite accurate. only a few complaints are that I the time is set two hours ahead. i havent been able to figure out if I can reset that and there are no troubleshooting directions for that problem. still need to contact customer support to see if they can fix it. also the watch looks smaller online so the watch is still quite big for a small wrist. i only wear the watch while running b/c its still big. cant wait til garmin comes up with a smaller womans version.
On: 2008-07-12
Ive found it to be an absolute delight. I do most of my running on the Burke-Gilman Trail in Seattle which is heavily covered with a tree canopy and have had zero problem with satellite connectivity. I have my watch do its sync up routine, with the satellites, when Im stretching before hand and the watch is off, it goes much quicker when the watch is still and not on your wrist moving about. When Im done stretching I pop it on and take off.
When Im done with my workout I normally plug in the ANT stick and leave the watch next to my computer to download the data while I take a shower. The total transfer time is probably 2 minutes tops. I really do love the ability to plug the workout into google earth and let your friends see your work out, exactly how you ran it.
On: 2008-07-11
Ive had my 405 for about a week now. It was fairly easy to setup. When you get the unit, you need to charge it up - that takes about 3 hours. Once it has charged, it walks you through the initial configuration. At that point, I put on the HR monitor, it detected the unit, and I was ready for a run.
When I got back from the run, I booted my computer, downloaded the software from the link in the quickstart manual, plugged in the ANT unit. It found the 405 and uploaded my data so that I could look at my stats.
The watch has a virtual running companion that you can enable. Ive set this for the pace I want to stay below, so at a glance I can tell how far off I am.
So far, I am very happy with the 405. I am the type of person who likes stats, so the info collected on each run is a good motivator.
On: 2008-07-10
As a triathlete, I am always looking to improve my skills and my tracking of my progress. This tool is ideal for that.
Before I bought the Forerunner 405, I was using a Timex Ironman Heart Rate Monitor and a Sport Brain pedometer to track various data. While I really like both products, I found they didnt track enough of what I needed and the pedometer, while I did calibrate it, wasnt super accurate in tracking my mileage or pace. Thus, I wanted something that would do everything my existing two gadgets did, only more accurately and with more functionality. The Forerunner 405 is that training tool!
I absolutely love the Forerunner 405 and feel it is the best value on the market for what it does (as some of the other similarly priced products dont have near the capabilities and functionality and some of the more expensive products dont offer enough added capabilities to justify the much higher price.) I also love that the GPS is in the watch unit...not a separate gadget you have to hook onto your waist like most other products with similar capabilities.
What I love about this product is how many things you can program it to track and how you can customize it for your specific needs (and you can change those custom features as your needs change.) For example, I do a lot of hill running. I know the hills I run are fairly steep, but never knew how steep and really wanted and needed to know that. The Forerunner can be programmed to include grade that tells me just that. Now I know the exact grades of those hills. I also love that you can program up to 9 things it tracks while you are on the bike or run (up to 3 items in each of 3 fields) but you dont have to program it to its maximum potential. I dont have the foot pod or the GSC 10 for the bike like another reviewer as I have a computer on my bike already. However, the Forerunner and my bike computer are identical in their data, which just tells me how truly accurate this unit really is. Granted, because I dont have the GSC 10, I dont know my speed by looking at my Forerunner until after I sync up with the ANT stick, but since I have the bike computer, its not an issue. Another really cool custom feature is that you can program your specific heart rate zones into the Forerunner (which sends that data to the ANT stick and the software programs). I know some other reviewers mentioned it was a bit complex to program. Yes, it takes some time if youre going to really use all its functionality, but if you read the owners manual (the bigger one, not the quick start one) and follow the directions, its really very easy. Also, if you have questions or problems with anything, the Garmin customer service representatives are super helpful and can help you do or fix whatever you need (I know this as Ive called them twice and they were great!)
As for the ANT stick and the tracking software that you download to sync to the Forerunner, its awesome. The Garmin Training Center shows you line graphs of your heart rate and which zones you were in for each workout, which is very helpful. The Garmin Connect software has much more detail, including pace, mileage, average speed, average heart rate, max heart rate and so much more. I know another reviewer said he wished it was USB vs. the ANT stick, but if you are like me and you only use one computer to upload your data from the unit, this wont be an issue.
Another cool feature is that the the Garmin is compatible with Training Peaks. So if you use that product too, you can upload your data to TP in minutes. Whats nice is that when you do that, TPs software figures out how long you were in each HR zone so instead of only knowing your average and max HR (which is what the Garmin software tells you, for the most part), you can see exactly how much time you spent in each HR zone, which I find very valuable. The Garmin Connect software links with Google maps too, so you can see where you went on your bike or run, which is kind of fun, but not really a training tool necessity. That data also transfers when you upload to TP.
My only complaint is that this product is not supposed to be used in the water. So, you cant use it to tell the distance you swam in open water. But, since this is something I dont do that often, its not that big of a deal.
So, if youre looking for a great training tool that is highly accurate and customizable, I think you will love the Forerunner 405 and feel it is a great value.
On: 2008-06-24
This product is ridiculously complex. The interface will require referring to the manual again and again. Very little is intuitive. Simple things like activating the light require multiple button presses, on two buttons, neither is labeled "light".
Its not Mac compatible and says nothing about this on the package. The wireless "ANT" stick requires a PC. There is Mac software for the Garmin Training center, but no way for the 405 to connect to it.
On a PC the ANT software runs constantly, that is rather than just running when the Garmin Training center application is running, it runs 24/7 slowing your computer. Data is transfered to it (slowly) then to the Training Center.
On: 2008-06-24
The Garmin 405 is not my first HRM watch, but it is my first that has integrated GPS functionality. This watch is slightly complex as mentioned in an earlier review, but not too complex to get used to, and once you work out your process for using the watch it is not complex at all. What makes it initially seem complex is that it has so much functionality you can use it can be overwhelming. To turn on the light simply requires you to touch the bezel with 2 fingers rather than one, same motion for turning it off. They are attempting to match the user friendliness of the iTouch/iPhone with the touch bezel interface.
I have probably the most complex setup for this watch that is possible. I have the HRM, footpod (so I can use it on a treadmill indoors) and the GSC-10 for my bike (a carryover from when I had the Forerunner 50 which does not have GPS). So far pairing and using the various ANT devices including the USB connection to the PC for data downloading has worked very well with no problems.
This watch does not currently work well with Macs. I have many computers at home, including 3 Macs, my main computer being a Al iMac. I just use Parallels and XP for data transfer and analysis for the 405 currently. My hope is that Garmin meets their promise of Mac compatibility in 2008, but the workaround with Parallels works OK for now.
If you are a gadget person and run/bike and love to review and collect data this is the product for you. I definitely fit that segment and love the 405. Only Mac compatibility and the somewhat complex menu system keep this from being rated 5 stars by me. If you prefer simplicity of operation and do not like gadgets much, my recommendation would be to choose a less complex watch with HRM.
On: 2008-06-23
At first, the wireless transfer seemed a little like bells
and whistles that I didnt really care about, but its
turned out to be worse than that. I was hoping to replace
and Edge 305 with this device, so that I could use it more
easily for running. That device uses standand USB cables to
sync and charge the unit---I have them at work, at home, and
in my car. The 405, however, uses a custom charging clip
that I will wither have to carry with me or buy multiple copies
of it and dedicate USB ports to their use. If I lose it,
it is not widely available, and will likely mean I cant use
the device for a while.
Same problem with the ANT stick, which takes yet another USB
port to use. I have to carry this small, easily misplaced
$50 item along with the unit to use it elsewhere. And the
data transfer rate is dramatically lower than the Edge 305
version which uses USB.
Lastly, the MotionBased agent doesnt recognize the 405, so
I am stuck with the much slower and less functional Garmin
Connect.
The sort-of iPod like bezel interface is good, but takes some
getting used to. Overall, its better that the massive
button pushing that would otherwise be required. It is only
slightly larger and heavier than a regular wristwatch, and it
looks nice enough to wear in a non-training setting.
Its OK, but it would have been much, much better with a
standard USB interface.
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