Proving a complete solution to store, monitor and analyze workout data, the Garmin Forerunner 305 is an upgrade to Forerunner 201 and 301. With the GPS watch the users can get information about time, distance, speed as well as calories burned during a workout session.
The review of the Garmin Forerunner 305 reveals a lot of important features of the model. Apart from tracking the speed, time, distance and heart rate in a basic walking session, the unit can help the users share the same data with their coach or trainer. Compared to its predecessors, the model is more comfortable on the wrist for being lighter. The unit is designed with an in-built SiRFstar III GPS receiver that makes this model more sensitive than its previous ones. Apart from enhancing the GPS performance of the unit, the SiRFstar III GPS receiver helps the device to remain in contact with the satellite even indoors, around tall buildings and under thick trees.
Garmin has simplified the process heart rate monitor during exercise sessions by introducing a new superior technology called ANT wireless. It is actually one of our best fitness trackers for cycling. The user of Garmin Forerunner 305 can get accurate pace data and distance feature while working indoor by adding an optional accessory known as Foot Pod. The accessory transmits the signals with the help of ANT technology when attached to the shoes of the user.
The Garmin Forerunner 305 Feature and Specification Review:
- Display: 1.3″W x .8″H, 160 x 100 pixels
- Case: Waterproof to IEC 60529 IPX7 standardshttp://www.unbiasedgpsreviews.com/wp-admin/post-new.php#titlediv
- Receiver: SiRFstarIII™ high-sensitivity GPS receiver
- Map mode: Electronic map shows your location, along with marked locations. Pointer arrow shows direction to travel when navigating to a stored location
- Antenna: Built-in patch; points to the sky when wrist’s in motion for optimum performance
- Heart rate monitor: wireless design; eliminates crosstalk
- Waterproof: Yes
- Battery type: Rechargeable lithium-ion
- Battery life: 10 hours
- Waterproof: yes
- High-sensitivity receiver: yes
Another important feature of the Forerunner 305 that makes it a useful device is its easy-to-access and intuitive menu. The users who have missed clearer display in the previous model can observe the difference with this model which is featured with higher screen resolution.
That aside, the users can customize the display of data so that the information on the workouts can be accumulated in through screen partitions. The Forerunner 305 is designed with its button placed on the face and sides of the watch for convenience of use. The easy-to-handle features of the unit make it easy to operate the “enter”, “mode” and “scroll” buttons.
The review of the Garmin Forerunner 305 speaks a lot about the data dock feature of the model that allows the users to connect the unit with the USB port of the computer. With this technique users can feed their training data to Garmin’s Training Center software. Although the “virtual partner” feature is same as the previous models, the Forerunner 305 boasts a new feature called “course”. However, the workout feature is really helpful that allows the users to arrange their workout programs with different intensity levels.
The Garmin Edge 705 is a well-designed and planned GPS meant for cyclists. Now, cyclists have the option of trying this new type of product with a color map display and turn-by-turn directions across every road of North America and a few other continents. It has a database of 6 million points of interest. This GPS is an accurate and highly sensitive signal receiver with wireless installation and operation. You can let go of the conventional cycle computer in favor of this advanced GPS computer. The information is directly downloaded from the satellites and hence there is no need for wheel calibration routines. This allows you to switch between different cycles without having to recalibrate again.
The Garmin Edge 705 is a personal training system for cyclists. It includes features to track vertical profiles, climb, descent, altitude, speed, distance, heart rate, cadence, power and time. It also has a barometric pressure sensor to give altitude variation during climbs and ascents. Along with this fitness features, are the regular features of street navigation and mapping capabilities. These capabilities never allow you to get lost in unknown territory. You can always find your way with turn-by-turn routes based on built-in maps.
The Garmin Edge 705 has made utmost efforts to live up to the expectations of experienced cyclists. It has SRM compatibility and wireless unit-to-unit connectivity. The unit measures torque and cadence for each leg at the pedals. It can monitor GPS position, power, heart rate, speed, cadence, altitude and gradient on the same display. And that is not all. The Garmin users can share information about courses, waypoints and workouts with other Garmin users. The ANT+Sport™ wireless technology makes this possible.
A barometric altimeter gives accurate altitude data and allows you to match your profile with your speed, cadence and heart rate after the ride is over. It uses a heart rate monitor to eliminate cross talk and interference and deliver real-time heart rate data. It will help you to analyze your profile after a work session. Additionally, the speed sensor can allow you to record speed and distance data while training indoors.
Garmin Edge 705 Features and Specifications Review:
• No. of waypoints: 100
• Portability: Yes
• Download capability: Yes
• Built-in base maps: Yes
• PC connectivity: Yes
• Backlit display: Yes
• Color display: Yes
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Battery life: up to 15 hours
• Battery included: Yes
• AC adapter: Yes
• Screen size: 2.2”
• Warranty terms – parts: 1 year limited
• Warranty terms – labor: 1 year limited
You can customize the Garmin Edge 705 in several ways to suit your purpose. You can design workouts according to your needs. This GPS has the advantage of providing you with a virtual training partner who provides valuable feedback. It can notify you if you are ahead or behind your target. You can chart out a new course or set pre-recorded speeds for every leg of the tour. The bike computer screen has 16 data fields which you can use to advantage. It also has auto-pause feature and program alerts if you stray beyond your customized settings.
The Garmin Edge 705 gives you the power to connect with all other cyclists through GarminConnect™. It is Garmin’s own site for data analysis and sharing.
You can analyze your workout and join other outdoor enthusiasts with the help of your computer. Its clear and bright display allows you to read data quite easily in all conditions.
The only features which the Garmin Edge 705 can add are a thermometer and a gear indicator. With so many good features, these two will add to its variety. It is priced at $549.99 MSRP which is itself a good indicator of the good features. However, it is a must buy for every outdoor enthusiast.
A cool upgrade of the GPS 60CS, the GPS 60CSx is a popular model for marine and outdoor application. Loved by outdoor enthusiasts, the GPSMAP 60CSx sports a large color TFT display and turn-by-turn routing capability. Each unit comes with a blank 64 MB microSD card safely placed inside a waterproof battery compartment. As an add-on to the GPS 60CS, handhelds you can also purchase BlueChart® marine cartography, City Navigator™ street maps and MicroSD cards that are pre-loaded with MapSource® Topo and inland lake maps. The unit’s fast USB connection allows users to load map data and transfer routes and waypoints.
Additionally, the following features makes this new Garmin a whole lot better; a highly sensitive SiRF GPS receiver which lets users track their location in challenging conditions, through faster satellites access. For extremely accurate elevation data the 60CSx also includes a barometric altimeter and an electronic compass for an accurate heading display in still positions.
This Garmin GPS 60CS is ready to take you anywhere on land or sea with two major improvements on the unit. Firstly, the 60CSx features an awesomely accurate SiRFSTARIII chipset, for its faster acquisition time and tremendous coverage under canopy and even indoors! Secondly, as an upgrade on the built in memory (which it no longer uses), loads Map sources to a removable microSD card. You also have almost unlimited map storage capability supported with a 64 MB card
Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx Features and Specifications Review:
• Width : 2.4 in
• Depth : 1.3 in
• Height: 6.1 in
• Weight: 5.4 oz
Acquisition Times
• Cold acquisition times : 45 sec
• Warm acquisition times: 15 sec
GPS System
• Recommended Use: Hiking
• Receiver: 12 channel
• SBAS : WAAS
• DGPS: DGPS ready
• Accuracy Position: 15 m , Velocity – 0.05 m/sec , Position – 3 m
( With WAAS ) , Velocity – 0.05 m/sec ( With WAAS )
• Update Rate: 1/second
• Grids: UPS , UTM , MGRS , User , Lat/Lon ,
Loran TDs , Maidenhead
• Connectivity: USB, Serial
• Interface: NMEA 0183 , RTCM SC-104 DGPS
• GPS Functions: Services Speed, Heading, Distance,
Altimeter, Elevation, Local pressure, Electronic compass, Ascent/descent rate, MOB (Man Overboard), 12-hour pressure trend, ETE (Estimated Time Enroute), ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival)
• Antenna: External
• Features: Alarm , Clock , Games , Calendar,
Barometer, Custom POIs, Preinstalled POIs Barometric altimeter, Optional external GPS antenna connection.
• Built-in Memory: 56 MB
• Removable Memory: 64 MB microSD Card
• Software Included: MapSource Trip & Waypoint Manager
• Compatible GPS Software: MapSource BlueChart , MapSource City
Select , MapSource US TOPO 24K
Navigation
• Waypoints : 1000
• Tracklog points; 10000
• Navigation routes: 50
• Waypoints per route: 250
• Trip computer: TracBack , Trip timer , Average speed
Maximum speed , Trip distance , Sunrise/sunset times
Built-in Display
Type : TFT
Resolution: 240 x 160
Diagonal Size: 2.6 in
Display Illumination: Yes
Color Support : Color
Connections
Connector Type Serial: RS-232 , Serial – USB , Antenna – MCX
Slot Provided
Slot Provided: MicroSD
Battery
Battery size: AA type
Battery required: qty 2
Mfr estimated battery life: 18 hour(s)
Others
Included GPS accessories: Lanyard , Belt clip , USB cable , Wrist strap
Waterproof: Yes
Waterproof standard: IPX7
The GPS 60CSx is a multi purpose GPS receiver, and a favorite among geocachers, hikers and bikers. The 60CSx is tried and tested for high accuracy in a handheld GPS. This is a lightweight handheld GPS at 5.4 oz. and capable of storing 50 routes. You can add new programs and maps as well as store previous trips and data with the help of its serial computer interface. The Built-in barometer saves you from sudden weather changes. The System includes MapSource trip & 1000waypoint storage manager. In general, this GPS receiver is value for money.
If you want a GPS for use in both land and water, then the Garmin GPSMap 60 is the perfect one for you. It has been manufactured to suit both land and marine navigation. It includes a built-in Americas base map. Automatic routing has been integrated into it. The Garmin GPSMap 60 has 12 parallel channels which use WAAS (wide area augmentation systems) technology to provide precise global positioning using correction data. You can now navigate through the densest forests, along waterways and canals, or even ski through ice, using the Garmin GPS 60.
The Garmin GPS 60 includes 24 MB internal memory. You can load a variety of maps through a speedy USB interface. It is also compatible with Garmin MapSource products such as BlueChart, 24K Topo and CitySelect. These maps can guide you through every turn and across every intersection. However, Garmin forgot to include voice prompts in this unit. It would have additionally helped you to follow the maps without taking your eyes off the road. Clear voice prompts could have navigated your way in important networks of roads or while cruising on motorboats. Garmin has somewhat made up for this by providing tone prompts, which signify a turn on the road ahead.
The resolution of the Garmin GPS 60 is 160 x 240 pixels which offer a clear and distinct display on the 2.2” screen. It has a high-contrast, four-level grayscale LCD. Backlighting has been provided for both display and keypad. There are 1000 user waypoints with name and graphic symbol. Additionally, there are 20 reversible routes. The position formats supported by the Garmin GPSMap 60 are Lat/Lon, UTM, Loran TDs, Maidenhead, MGRS and user grid. No memory battery is required as a non-volatile memory has been provided. You can store user data permanently on the unit.
Garmin GPSMap 60 Features and Specifications Review:
• No. of waypoints: 500
• Portability: Yes
• WAAS enabled: Yes
• Hard drive storage: Yes
• Download capability: Yes
• Built-in base maps: Yes
• PC connectivity: Yes
• Backlit display: Yes
• Water-resistant: Yes
• Battery life: up to 28 hours
• Hand strap: Yes
• Screen size: 2.2”
• Warranty terms – parts: 1 year limited
• Warranty terms – labor: 1 year limited
The Garmin GPS 60 is very compact and lightweight. It is rugged and waterproof with a user-friendly interface. It includes the modes of geocaching and geolocation gaming for exciting entertainment. Besides these modes, it has a handy trip computer which shows the odometer, stopped time, moving average, overall average, total time and max speed. A 10,000 point automatic track log along with 20 saved tracks is also provided by the Garmin GPSMap 60. This will allow you to retrace your previous route or chart out a forward path.
There are many advanced features on the Garmin GPSMap 60. Besides course and speed filtering, there are also built-in celestial tables to calculate the best times to fish and hunt. It can provide the approximate time and place when you can find a good catch. The Garmin GPSMap 60 also has a stop watch and an alarm clock. You can fix alarms for anchor drag, arrival, off-course and proximity waypoint. The navigation information can be shared with repeaters, plotters and autopilots using NMEA protocols through the serial ports. The unit provides up to 28 hours of battery life which is considerable in comparison to other competitive units. It is optimally priced at $249.99 MSRP and fits the budget of most people in the USA.
A GPS system is not only handy on the roads, but it can also be used while traveling off the beaten path while camping, hiking and other outdoor activities. This has been proved by the Garmin Colorado 300 handheld GPS. Wanting to make an all-purpose GPS, Garmin has preloaded it with BlueChartg2 coastal charts. The unit is stuffed with information about shorelines, depth contours, navaids, harbors, marinas, port plans, and coastal roads of the US and Bahamas. These waypoints, routes and tracks can also be shared with another Colorado user.
The Garmin Colorado 300 GPS is controlled with a Rock n Roller wheel. It aids in the input of information by the user with one hand only. Built-in 3D base maps of the US help in navigating anywhere; either on land or in sea. A Secure Digital media card slot allows the user to store additional maps and images on the unit. The high-sensitivity WAAS enabled GPS receiver can trace the exact location within seconds, and the user does not have to worry about getting lost. The Garmin Colorado 300 GPS can be relied upon to rescue the traveler in times of distress.
With the help of the Garmin Colorado 300 GPS, the user can download geocaches. It supports Geocaches.com GPX files. Geocaching is the latest tech-hobby to hit the people in the US. And to add to it, the geocaches can be shared with another Colorado user wirelessly. The user can send photos of his latest visits and extraordinary collections to his friends with the press of a button. The Garmin Colorado 300 GPS can also be customized based on the user’s preference.
Garmin Colorado 300 GPS Features and Specifications Review:
• Model Number: COL 300 (
• Screen size: 3-inches
• Number of channels: 12
• Number of waypoints: 1000
• Portability: Yes
• WAAS enabled: Yes
• Hard Drive storage: No
• Download capability: Yes
• Built-in base maps: Yes
• Mapping software: Yes
• PC Connectivity: Yes
• Voice prompts: No
• Backlit display: Yes
• Color display: Yes
• Water resistant: Yes
• Battery life: Up to 15 hours
• 3D map view: Yes
• Accepts data cards: Yes
• Barometric Altimeter: Yes
• Geocaching mode: Yes
• Hunt/Fish Calendar: Yes
• Location reporting: Yes
• Map provider: Other
• Warranty term – Parts: 1 year
• Warranty term – Labor: 1 year
The Garmin Colorado 300 GPS has a built-in electronic compass which will show the bearings of the user and is very useful in the wilderness. And if the user is atop a mountain or hill, he can gauge his altitude with the barometric altimeter. It can even plot a graph with the pressure against time, which will alert the user about impending weather disturbances. He can plan his route thereafter. Being waterproof and extremely durable is another advantage of the Garmin Colorado 300 handheld GPS system. This makes it ideal for outdoor pursuits. Rainwater will not harm the Colorado. It has a rugged design for long-lasting use.
Optional preloaded SD cards can be plugged into the Garmin Colorado 300 GPS. A MapSource card will give detailed description on available maps to guide the user to his destination. Interestingly, the slot is located inside the waterproof compartment. So, the user does not have to worry about getting it wet during the outdoor activities. The Colorado includes a track log too. With a steep MSRP price of around $500, you can often find this GPS unit on sale.
The Garmin Oregon 400T (OR 400T) is a handheld GPS designed for those who enjoy the great outdoors. This GPS system comes preloaded with topographical maps of the United States and users report strong satellite reception all over the place which is a major concern if you venture off the beaten path regularly.
Another interesting feature with the Garmin Oregon is the ability to share information with other users. If your friends and family have their GPS, you can share various information wirelessly. An optional microSD card is also available for additional storage. The rugged exterior of the Garmin Oregon 400T is exceptional. This simple feature could save you from having to buy new GPS’s every year from your outdoor trips. It is also waterproof if you are in an area near water. The Oregon 400T connects to your PC with a USB cable for updates.
Garmin Oregon 400T Features & Specifications Review:
Model: Garmin OREGON 400t (OR 400t)
Connectivity Technology: USB Cable
Display Size: 3 inches
Native Resolution: 240 x 400
Battery Average Life: 16 Hours
Screen: Rugged Touch-Screen Technology
Sharing Features: Wireless Sharing Of User Tracks, Waypoints, Routes & Geocaches Between Units
Channels: 12
Oregon 400T Screen Review: The 3 inch screen of the Garmin Oregon 400T is fantastic. It is a full touch screen which has its advantages and disadvantages. It makes it easy to use but in an outdoor environment, you will find your screen getting dirty quickly. The 2D and 3D abilities of this GPS are not only useful but really fun to use.
If you enjoy the outdoors whether it be hiking, climbing, camping, hunting or anything else, the Garmin Oregon 400T will help guide your way. There are various modes on the Oregon 400T including automotive, marine, geocaching, fitness and recreation. There is also a built-in compass to point you the right direction.
Garmin is typically the household name of GPS and they have done a phenomenal job with the Oregon 400T. As one of the premier handheld GPS systems, the Oregon 400T is on the higher end at $600 but has the features and quality to match. You can pick up a cheaper handheld GPS system but you won’t find one quite like the Oregon 400T.