Garmin 305 replacement

1 watcher
Jun 2013
9:55pm, 9 Jun 2013
4,077 posts
  •  
  • 0
Debstir
Probably pointless posting this just now cos it'll likely be ages before I can afford (or actually need!) to replace my Garmin 305! But I'll ask anyway ;)

What - out of the squillions of Garmins now on the market - is nearest to the 305 function-wise? Basically looking for actual pace, average pace per lap (or mile, in my 305's case), distance & time (obviously!), & HRM. Decent-ish battery life would be useful too, only because I'm slow ;)

Thanks :)
Jun 2013
10:36pm, 9 Jun 2013
1,143 posts
  •  
  • 0
HuwH
310xt is similar in shape and functions. I went from to 305 to the 310xt without much difficulty. Didn't buy the HRM one as you can use the 305's one with it. Picked it up for £160 on amazon at xmas. Battery life is great and no bezels either.
Jun 2013
6:59pm, 10 Jun 2013
1,681 posts
  •  
  • 0
stu8
I really really wants this

dcrainmaker.com
Jun 2013
7:23pm, 10 Jun 2013
1,381 posts
  •  
  • 0
Dooogs
I'm about to get a Garmin for the first time - most of the reviews I've read concur with HuwH and suggest that a 310XT is the obvious upgrade (similar features but much better battery life)...
Mar 2015
12:25am, 9 Mar 2015
1,646 posts
  •  
  • 0
Wazelle
Will you advise me please. My 305 has nearly died. It takes many attempts to get it to upload the run data.

Should I get a 310xt or a 620? What do you think? And do you have to get a new HR strap or will the old one work with it please?
Mar 2015
6:07pm, 9 Mar 2015
1,647 posts
  •  
  • 0
Wazelle
Knock knock. Anyone got any advice please?
Mar 2015
6:21pm, 9 Mar 2015
4,795 posts
  •  
  • 0
Badger
The old HR strap will work just fine with anything Garmin have sold since the 305; the most recent watches (620, 920xt, Fenix 3) come with an HRM with an accelerometer built in to measure cadence and one or two other things about your running style. Cadence is the most useful of these, and those watches can measure that without the HRM anyway, so no real reason to upgrade that.

Beyond that - tricky. Depends a bit on what bits of the 305 you really use and what you want to spend. If you use it for following routes, the 620 can't do that at all, the implementation on the 310xt sucks but can be persuaded to work well.

If you want a daily watch to wear all the time, 620 works well. If you're happy switching watches, 310xt is heavier, but no more than the 305, and has great battery life and possibly the best GPS tracks of anything Garmin have ever made.

620 can download satellite data which let it lock your position considerably quicker than the 310xt.

620 can upload data via USB, wifi or Bluetooth LE; 310xt is strictly ANT, which can be a real pain in the neck at times. Basically, there is no reason you should ever have to lose data off a 620, because you can always copy it off by USB; very very occasionally a 310xt can get so screwed up that you can lose data because you can't transfer it without completely factory resetting the watch. (This is extremely rare, but it can happen).

If you just run, it's a wash; if you cycle or swim too then the 310xt is much better.

You might even prefer the 220 to the 620.

More details of what you want please :)
Mar 2015
11:06pm, 9 Mar 2015
1,648 posts
  •  
  • 0
Wazelle
Thanks for reply. I need the screen to be big and easy to read and the battery life to be long. I have never used routes but have weak sense of direction and often get lost so if there is one that you can load in a route and then follow it that would be good. Would have liked that last weekend when I went astray on TBC. I would prefer good GPS signal so pace is fairly accurate. It is not so important that it can do bike swim or ski as mostly I just run with it. I won't wear it as a watch so size and weight not important. 305 never bothered me. I like the sound of cadence and acceleration being measured. Ideally I would like to use the stop watch function in run.......realise that maybe there is a way of programming workouts but that might be beyond me. I am allergic to some metals. Anyway prefer watch with a back that is not metal. I like the sound of the ones that Bluetooth workouts to your phone but so long as the process for uploading is simple, I should be OK. It needs to be tough. I run nearly everyday and it may get bashed. Thanks again.
Mar 2015
11:08pm, 9 Mar 2015
3,755 posts
  •  
  • 0
Kieren
I have the 305 but I now use my phone with a wahoo bluetooth heart rate strap [tickr run]. The strap will record heart rate, cadence, as well as torso movement to give you a running smoothness score.

I prefer it as I often don't have the garmin charged and with the phone & wahoo app, I can easily upload to garmin & fetch, strava and runkeeper easily.

The downsides are:

1. I can't plan a workout on any of the apps I have
2. I don't have the garmin virtual training partner - something I really liked on the 305
3. I carry the phone & have to put it in a plastic bag when it rains
Mar 2015
10:03pm, 10 Mar 2015
1,655 posts
  •  
  • 0
Wazelle
I have never used virtual training partner. I like to see pace and HR too. Otherwise your option is clever and super cheap!

About This Thread

Maintained by Debstir
Probably pointless posting this just now cos it'll likely be ages before I can afford (or actually ...

Related Threads

  • garmin
  • gps









Back To Top
X

Free training & racing tools for runners, cyclists, swimmers & walkers.

Fetcheveryone lets you analyse your training, find races, plot routes, chat in our forum, get advice, play games - and more! Nothing is behind a paywall, and it'll stay that way thanks to our awesome community!
Get Started
Click here to join 112,110 Fetchies!
Already a Fetchie? Sign in here