Cheap GPS running watch advice...

[Hard-Drive]

I'm a slightly overweight 42 year old with 2 previous spinal operations which has meant for the last ten years even stepping off a pavement without seeing the drop first has meant serious back pain. However, shock horror I started going to the gym regualarly at the beginning of the month, it's made a huge difference to my core stability, general back pain and for the first time ever I've been able to use the treadmill, and even did a very boring 10k on it the other night. I've bought some running gear and I'm starting to run outdoors too and really enjoying it...and by watching the booze and lard intake I've dropped 3kg too.

I'd really like a reasonable running watch with GPS functions to help pace myself. Doesn't have to be too flash, but the following would be good. I might be doing a proper 10k event at the end of the month and I'd like something that makes sure I don't burn out in the first few km by getting swept along with all the good guys. Needs to have:

Current speed
Average speed since starting the run
Time per km
Distance covered this run
Total distance (odo)
And possibly an HRM too
Waterproof
Ideally £100 max

If it could be used for other sports (cycling/sailing) that would be good and if I could somehow "switch" between sports, so if I am out on the bike it knows I've not just run 30 miles in an hour and a half that would be good!

I would also push the budget if it was more of an outdoorsy Suunto kinda thing that I could use for walking/skiing etc which at the same time did not weigh a ton on my wrist. I'm happy running with my big chunky G-Shock (G Rescue model) but would not want bigger or heavier. Must be a plastic or ideally silicone strap.

Thanks in advance

[WestyCarl]

Most will do what you want (and more). Check out DCrainmaker.com he does some very detailed reviews and seems to offer sensible advice regarding GPS watches.

[ModMan]

I can only speak from personal experience.

I have a Sony Smartwatch 3 it has built in GPS but cannot do heartrate unless you wear one of those chest straps via Bluetooth and the app supports it (Like Ghostracer) It pairs to my Android phone, is waterproof/showerproof etc.

I use it with Strava and Endomondo (So no heartrate) and it works a treat. Battery life about 2 days max. I get all the info you need on the screen. I don't need to carry my phone.

£79'ish - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-Smartwatch-Activity-...

Girlfriend just bought the Garmin Vivosmart HR+ with GPS, waterproof etc(Price dropped from £160 to £130 last week)
It has GPS, Heartrate etc, 7 day battery life and works a charm. Once again, you get the stats you're after on the screen and you don't need your phone with you on the run.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01DWEBI7O/ref...

[FunkyNige]

Hard-Drive said:

Current speed
Average speed since starting the run
Time per km

Most people I know who run use the time/km as their speed (time/km is known as pace instead of speed, don't ask me why), for example I may aim for 5 min/km, I don't even know what speed that would relate to. On my display I have current pace, pace for this km, and distance covered.

Hard-Drive said:

Total distance (odo)
[quote]
They all have a limited memory that won't last forever so you may need to upload the data to your phone (they all come with apps) in order to track total distance. Strava is the most popular app/website for this.

Can't help with a specific model, but I'd be surprised if any of the watches on the market from the big players don't do all you need.
One note of caution - my Garmin 220 doesn't have a cycle mode, but when I upload a ride to Strava I can upload it as a ride instead of a run.

[Jacobyte]

A Garmin 230 might be the answer if you can stretch your budget a bit, it uploads cycling data separately from running.

[anonymous-user]

I bought the latest tomtom spark/runner 3 a couple of weeks ago for £150 and they do a cheaper £100 one sans heart rate monitor. It's fantastic value for the money. GPS fix within 10 seconds and the best bit is you can upload gpx routes and follow on the watch, including trails - brilliant if you like running in different places you've never been before.

[Evanivitch]

Garmin Vivoactive (1st gen). No HR, bit of a budget stretch but suits me well.

Otherwise Garmin forerunner 15/25.

[Challo]

I just picked up the Garmin Forunner 230 from Wiggle for £150. Has everything I need, few more features than the basic watches, and you can also link to a Hr strap if needed.

[foliedouce]

It's more than you want to spend but I'd recommend a Garmin Forerunner 235

Has built in heartrate monitor (not a chest strap, actually in the watch) which I find kills boredom in meetings

Also the Garmin app is really good, it syncs with the watch and gives you a map of your run / cycle with distance calories burnt etc in a really nice GUI.

Also I have scales which Bluetooth in to give you weight / body fat etc

And if you want to get really geeky, it integrates with MyFitnessPal so you can track calories eaten v calories burnt via exercise

You'll only buy it once, so go a little more and get a decent one!

Also you can change the face of the watch via an app which is fun

Edited by foliedouce on Friday 3rd February 05:35

[mondeoman]

I just got a vivo active hr from decathlon for 149, gutted it's was cheaper on Amazon. It replies a 920 xt, cos it's got built in hrm, so no strap on, and loads of apps from rowing, running, riding, swimming, walking, strength etc..

Great piece of kit.

[ED209]

mondeoman said:

I just got a vivo active hr from decathlon for 149, gutted it's was cheaper on Amazon. It replies a 920 xt, cos it's got built in hrm, so no strap on, and loads of apps from rowing, running, riding, swimming, walking, strength etc..

Great piece of kit.

Be aware the wrist based hrms are not always accurate, i have a fenix 3 hr and the reading it gives is often a lot different to a heart rate strap worn at the same time. I certainly trust the step more as it always seems to give the expected result where sometimes the watch gives me a heart rate of 90 during a brisk run, a similar run can also show heart rates over 160. The strap always shows roughly what i would expect 130-155 beats per min.

[Evanivitch]

ED209 said:

Be aware the wrist based hrms are not always accurate, i have a fenix 3 hr and the reading it gives is often a lot different to a heart rate strap worn at the same time. I certainly trust the step more as it always seems to give the expected result where sometimes the watch gives me a heart rate of 90 during a brisk run, a similar run can also show heart rates over 160. The strap always shows roughly what i would expect 130-155 beats per min.

The same can be said of all HR monitors short of glued electrodes.

They're all somewhat a novelty in my opinion.

[Hard-Drive]

Thanks guys. I feel some "mission creep" coming on here and possibly a Garmin 230 getting bought...

So if I've read this right, you can essentially get "apps" to customise the watch, like a different style of face, or data, is that right?

And I could customise the "other sport" setting so I have separate data for running/cycling/sailing? I really don't care about indoor running etc as treadmills have all that info on anyway.

If so, is there a timer/countdown? I'm thinking for dinghy racing, where I could for example set it to 6 minutes, start the watch, and it count down to a start with a visible display and an audible beep. Be great if it would then automatically loop back again.

Another question, ages ago my mate had a Foretrex, and you could hook it up to a PC, overlay the data on a map, and essentially "playback" a race (sailing in this case) with speeds and direction (compass bearing) displayed. Will the Forerunner do that...and hopefully in a much easier way?

Excuse the luddite question, without sounding too PH I'm more of a Swiss mechanical man myself!!!

[tenohfive]

ED209 said:

Be aware the wrist based hrms are not always accurate, i have a fenix 3 hr and the reading it gives is often a lot different to a heart rate strap worn at the same time. I certainly trust the step more as it always seems to give the expected result where sometimes the watch gives me a heart rate of 90 during a brisk run, a similar run can also show heart rates over 160. The strap always shows roughly what i would expect 130-155 beats per min.

A couple of points re optical HRM accuracy:

1. The watch needs to be tight against your wrist, tighter than you would normally wear a smart watch.
2. Until you get warmed up and the blood moving they don't claim to be accurate.
3. Some will struggle with sudden change (think interval training) but the good ones tend to be almost spot on overall.

Watch wise, look at TomTom. There's a reason DCRainmaker still suggests the older models at the sub £100 end of the market. I'm very much into my running and use a Runner 2 Cardio. It's brilliant, and has been spot on for runs of up to 7 hours (paired with an external HRM to extend battery life rather than use the optical one built in.)

[Jacobyte]

Hard-Drive said:

Thanks guys. I feel some "mission creep" coming on here and possibly a Garmin 230 getting bought...

So if I've read this right, you can essentially get "apps" to customise the watch, like a different style of face, or data, is that right?

And I could customise the "other sport" setting so I have separate data for running/cycling/sailing? I really don't care about indoor running etc as treadmills have all that info on anyway.

If so, is there a timer/countdown? I'm thinking for dinghy racing, where I could for example set it to 6 minutes, start the watch, and it count down to a start with a visible display and an audible beep. Be great if it would then automatically loop back again.

Another question, ages ago my mate had a Foretrex, and you could hook it up to a PC, overlay the data on a map, and essentially "playback" a race (sailing in this case) with speeds and direction (compass bearing) displayed. Will the Forerunner do that...and hopefully in a much easier way?

Excuse the luddite question, without sounding too PH I'm more of a Swiss mechanical man myself!!!

I have a few watch faces on myFR230, it's very easy to change between them.

There is a countdown app here, I haven't used it, but others might also be available:
https://apps.garmin.com/en-GB/apps/7b888120-1ce0-4...

Once you've uploaded the data to Garmin Connect, you can replay the session with a map in the background. It does it all automatically. For example, here's a mountainbike ride I did in December:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1502122...

The world is your oyster

[Hard-Drive]

Useful stuff there Jacobyte...thanks!

Now a bit torn between the Forerunner and the Fenix...any views on that?

[Challo]

Hard-Drive said:

Useful stuff there Jacobyte...thanks!

Now a bit torn between the Forerunner and the Fenix...any views on that?

I found the Fenix a little too expensive but this has a good explanation of the Garmin watches and which they are best for

https://www.wareable.com/garmin/best-garmin-watch

[ukaskew]

RaymondVanDerDon said:

I bought the latest tomtom spark/runner 3 a couple of weeks ago for £150 and they do a cheaper £100 one sans heart rate monitor. It's fantastic value for the money. GPS fix within 10 seconds and the best bit is you can upload gpx routes and follow on the watch, including trails - brilliant if you like running in different places you've never been before.

I've got the cheap version of Spark/Runner 3, a lot of watch for the money. I absolutely love the Race functionality for parkrun and for the 4 race trail series I'm doing (you can save 'races', basically time and distance, and if you load it up when doing the same thing again it gives you a 'live' readout of how far ahead or behind you are).

Edited by ukaskew on Thursday 9th February 13:00

[FunkyNige]

ukaskew said:

I've got the cheap version of Spark/Runner 3, a lot of watch for the money. I absolutely love the Race functionality for parkrun and for the 4 race trail series I'm doing (you can save 'races', basically time and distance, and if you load it up when doing the same thing again it gives you a 'live' readout of how far ahead or behind you are).

My old Garmin (205 maybe? Big chunky red thing) used to do that - you saved a run on the watch, then you could run against that another time, a quick glance down at the watch told you if you were ahead (black numbers on clear) or behind (clear numbers on black) your saved run. Annoyingly this feature only seems to be on the higher end Garmins these days.
Looking into these watches on this thread has be eyeing up a Vivoactive so I can track swimming too, even though there's nothing wrong with my 220...

[Willy Nilly]

Put any stupid ideas about buying a Tom Tom Cardio Runner 2 to the furthest, most secret recesses of your mind. I have one and want to smash the useless POS into a 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 pieces.