# Running watches



## lucy123 (Nov 28, 2014)

Looks like we may need a whole section on running Northerner!

Want to buy hubby a gps watch for xmas - one which tells him how far he has gone  and how long it has taken.

I have a Garmin but takes ages to find the signal whereas map my run is o instant on my phone! He wont carry a phone!

It needs to be simple to use and have big numbers!  Any ideas?  what do you use?


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## BigMalc (Nov 28, 2014)

I am a definate Garmin fan and use a 110, but as soon as it goes I will move on to the 220.  I often start it finding signal as soon as I get out of the car etc so that is just habit forming.

I much prefer a watch to a phone as it fits on the wrist and as I dont run with music phones are too bulky to take for me, apart from on a long run when the prospect of needing to call a taxi is that little bit greater!

Best of luck


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## lucy123 (Nov 28, 2014)

Thanks Malc, but where I live you can stand outside 15-20 mins and still doesn't find it - and hubby gets inpatient and goes off without me!


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## BigMalc (Nov 28, 2014)

wow, that is appalling service.  I've not had that sort of delay, other than once in the middle of a wood!


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## Mark T (Nov 28, 2014)

A phone will always be quicker because it uses a combination of the phone network towers and knowledge of where you live to set up a pre fix - this means it takes less time to get a precise fix.

If I turn gps on my phone when out and I don't have data enabled (which is most the time) then mine also takes a couple of minutes.  Whereas with data enabled or in range of home wifi it's usually seconds.

I'd carry a phone personally.  They are useful things to have with you especially if you go walking/running alone and hurt yourself.


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## Northerner (Nov 30, 2014)

I'm really surprised it's so poor on your Garmin Lucy, have you contacted Garmin about it? My previous 305 and my current 110 take about a minute to find a signal. There are other options that a lot of people seem to be using, like the Garmin Vivofit which is an activity tracker, and I think uses movement to calculate distance in the same way as a pedometer/stepcounter, so might not be as accurate as GPS.


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## MisterMints (Jan 29, 2015)

Lucy, the Garmin Forerunner 220 and 620 will both find a satellite signal in 2-3 seconds provided you plug it in to your computer regualarly to sync data.

It keeps a file on board the watch which is basically a map of where the satellites will be overhead so it knows where to look and how to lock on quicker.

I have a 220 and absolutely love it! If I could spare the extra cash, I would've got a 620 though. Depends how serious your other half is about this running lark though!!

220 Review:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/11/garmin-forerunner-depth-review.html

620 Review:
http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2013/11/garmin-forerunner-review.html


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## HOBIE (Jan 29, 2015)

Think Garmon products are good ! Motorbike handle bars which got me to Istanbul, talks to my skid lid. One in van & car. The watch one I was looking at does heart rate / distance & down loads to computer.  You cant get away


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