Which GPS watches do you guys recommend?
When I'm swimming in open water, I want to know the straight-line distance of the course. I'm not nearly as interested in how much extra I ended up swimming by veering off course. That's an interesting data point, but I don't get credit for the extra distance in a race, so I don't count it in training either.
Because of that, I don't care too much about the swim correction feature. I'm fine if the data ends up with a bunch of zig-zags. As long as I can hit lap to pinpoint landmarks on the course, I can figure out the straight-line distance in Google Earth.
I do care about how quickly it can get a signal.
A lot of my triathlete buddies have the Garmin 310XT. That seems to have a bunch of features I don't need. Plus, I think it's really ugly. I truly hate the idea of spending that much money on a humongous gray and orange watch.
The reviews I read on Timex and Polaris GPS watches don't look that great--I see a lot of complaints about them being slow to connect and the software being a pain to use. Have any of you had good experiences with them? What about lower-end Garmin models?
If I did break down and get the 310XT, would I ever even be wearing it on my wrist, or would I have to wear it under my cap?
This is an in-depth review of the 910XT. It looks like it will cost about $50 more than the 310XT. It's smaller, nicer looking, and it is supposed to work in the pool, counting laps and strokes (like the Finis SwimSense or the Pool Mate).
Spending $349 on the 310XT would kill a little part of my soul, but, if the 910XT works as advertised, I probably wouldn't mind parting with the $399.
To get an accurate distance or to get an idea of how straight you're swimming, you still have to wear it under your cap.
The lap counting features sound very cool. Pity I just bought my 310xt like two months ago :frustrated:
I suspect there will be good deals on the 310XT when the 910XT starts to ship so it might still be a good option if OWS is the primary use.
This is an in-depth review of the 910XT. It looks like it will cost about $50 more than the 310XT. It's smaller, nicer looking, and it is supposed to work in the pool, counting laps and strokes (like the Finis SwimSense or the Pool Mate).
Spending $349 on the 310XT would kill a little part of my soul, but, if the 910XT works as advertised, I probably wouldn't mind parting with the $399.
To get an accurate distance or to get an idea of how straight you're swimming, you still have to wear it under your cap.
The lap counting features sound very cool. Pity I just bought my 310xt like two months ago :frustrated:
I suspect there will be good deals on the 310XT when the 910XT starts to ship so it might still be a good option if OWS is the primary use.
