Watch recommendations please

1 watcher

old mum Sep 2017 12:28pm, 11 Sep 2017 1,018 posts	0 old mum Gertie, my long trusted mistress of running geekery, is sadly preparing to meet the choir of eternal alerts. It seems 10 years of me swearing at her big square face has worn her down! So, where do I go from a Garmin 405? Ideally I'd like a general fitness tracker (currently use the basic Fitbit for this) but with functions that you would find on a running watch and preferably without the faff of a HR monitor chest strap. Oh, and a budget to suit a skint student please! Fetches, I bow to your vastly superior knowledge.
fetcheveryone Sep 2017 12:29pm, 11 Sep 2017 18,569 posts	0 fetcheveryone What is your budget? It might help folks to know the upper level to aim at.
becca7 Sep 2017 12:36pm, 11 Sep 2017 7,406 posts	0 becca7 The Garmin 35 is pretty good and about £140 to £150. Takes heart rate from the wrist and is, in my experience, fairly accurate. GPS is good (except, it seems, where there are mountains). Counts steps as well.
old mum Sep 2017 12:40pm, 11 Sep 2017 1,019 posts	0 old mum Tbh Fetch, it's been that long since I've had to look at these things I'm a bit lost! I've seen some that are touching £400! Probably looking at half that tops. Thanks becca, I'll have a look.
larkim Sep 2017 12:50pm, 11 Sep 2017 2,694 posts	0 larkim You won't go wrong with any garmin at around £150-£200. Then just pick one you like the look of and tick off the features that you want! Be aware that wrist HRMs can be a little less precise than chest straps. It seems that as different people have different shaped wrists and like their watches different "tightnesses" around their wrists, a watch which will give spot on HRM readings for one runner might be flaky for another. Of course, that only matters if you really care about the HR readings. The 235 is very popular, and the Vivoactive HR is good (though I don't like the look of it). For something "different", the Vivosmart HR+ (note, HR+ not just HR) looks more like a fitbit, but is still very good (my better half has one) and is about £130. Not quite so much of a runners watch though in terms of depth of features.
lammo Sep 2017 1:13pm, 11 Sep 2017 7,938 posts	0 lammo This chaps product reviews are well respected: dcrainmaker.com
StuHolmes Sep 2017 1:38pm, 11 Sep 2017 1,760 posts	0 StuHolmes https://www.dcrainmaker.com/product-comparison-calculator?comparison=yes&ids=3081,66436,51128,51129,72457,56799
old mum Sep 2017 5:34pm, 11 Sep 2017 1,020 posts	0 old mum Thanks folks. Your opinions/experience please with the Polar M600? It's right at the top end, but would apparently be good for me to swim with. I also quite like the training planner option. DCRainmaker didn't slate it...
The_Saint Sep 2017 6:12pm, 11 Sep 2017 6,062 posts	0 The_Saint I don't have this model, but if I was buying right now it would have to be the Forerunner 235
Ness Sep 2017 7:13pm, 11 Sep 2017 8,531 posts	0 Ness Another vote for the 235.