'm looking for a running watch and am open to suggestions. I know there are runners on here so any advice welcome.

I have been trying a Polar M200 but have had problems with it starting a new session that I have finally given up and returned it.  My wife also has one which seems to be OK but I have been in conversation with Polar support for the last week and still not got it sorted. I was happy with the recorded session but it was getting started that was a problem.

Anyway, I would like to find something similar. HRM, GPS, phone app, website. Wrist  based measurement but connection to chest strap if possible. Record of HR and track for each session, possibly upload to Strava.

Budget would be up to £125. I paid £103 for wife's and £93 for mine, so looking for similar.

I’ve been using a garmin forerunner 35 for 15 months or so - I got mine for 80 quid on an Amazon Prime day but I think they go for around £100. It’s basic but it does the basic things well and covers all the things you’re asking for

Long term Suunto user here, think I got my first one in 2000 ish. Currently using an Ambit 3 Peak. Mainly as it has a barometric pressure gauge - gets used for some mountain marathon races, but a lot when doing longer mountain runs while wanting to contour and make nav choices - also very used to it for weather warnings.

For a short period in the late 00s I had some Garmin watches (205,305, 410) they were all crap. Prior to that was a long term Polar user (mid 90s onwards) as we used them in the pool (ex-swimmer) - but their running options are just not that good.

Some of the lower level Suuntos may fit the bills (Suunto 3), but buy and large you get what you pay for.

If all you need is GPS, there are loads of options in the Garmin range also.

We've got 3x Garmin forerunner 45's in our house, work well, unobtrusive, connect with all the Garmin peripheral's like cadence/speed sensors for biking as well as the foot pods for running.
We're all happy with ours.
Cost was £130

Garmin Instinct user here, wear it as my day today watch and find it perfect as a running watch.

Edit: will only get down to your budget on a very special offer or second hand

Thanks guys. I'll start looking at these.

I have the Forerunner 45 too.
A year of use and it does the basics well

Vivoactive 3, used for running, kayak, hill walk and bike. Good. Might be able to find it in budget. Touchscreen interface though, personally found it fine, but then it was first and only smartwatch-thing I'd had. Curious to see how a button version would work that lead to buying Rich's ....

Forerunner 645. However, not running at mo, doing more rowing (indoor) and weights / cardio stuff. 5 buttons and no touch screen. Jury's out. Suspect button version may be the better bet.

Either are good and price / availability would be only thing that would dictate my choice (not the interface-type, at least not at the mo). Also, think the latest Vivoactive (4 - ?) now includes at least 1 button + touchscreen (whether this is best of both worlds, admission of failure or hopeless compromise IDK).

Both are "Music" versions so can sync (to a limited extent) with Spotify (premium accounts) and other music services to let you listen without a phone. It's a compromise set-up with limited functions but good, IMO, and quite nice loosing the smartphone lump. There are some issues with connection, which wrist, which bluetooth headphones / buds etc. But think this is common across most watch / earbud set ups. All that based on using the Vivoactive, not tried the 645 yet.

Both Garmins, both poss' not in price range if trying to buy new or latest models. Older and secondhand could be had for your budget though.

I really liked dcrainmaker's reviews and assessment of devices.

Edit - sorry, the Vivo' always had 1 button, the v4 added a second one.

The Suunto AMbit3.. does it have some sort of mapping? I'm assuming rides can't be recorded on it and how accurate is the elevation data (last one I had was a poor show so stuck with my Casio)...

Hi guys, after checking around I decided on a Garmin Forerunner 45. Found one for £125. Now wait for delivery. .Only downside might be import charges, it's a Danish website.

They’re on Wiggle for £130
No customs roulette and will be delivered in 2/3 days?

Up to you but Chew's probably right. Charges etc will be way over the £5 difference.

I recently purchased a fenix 6
Have a Fenix 5 sapphire for sale.
Looking at sold prices on eBay would be in your price range, and certainly covers all your requirements.
Of any interest?

Not wanting to jump the queue but I might be My forerunner is playing up so time for an upgrade.

@asposium Thanks for the offer but I have already ordered a Garmin.

I've sent him a pm but did say you have first dibs, there is an etiquette to these things, don't want you to think I pushed in.

No problem Sean.

Please excuse the potentially ignorant question...

I have just started dabbling in running. I currently record my efforts on Strava with my phone.

It would be nice not to have to carry a phone when I run. Do these smart watches need to pair with a phone to work, or are they independent data gathering devices in their own right? I did look at the Garmin and Suunto websites, but can't discern either way.

Cheers,
Si

Si


Mine is independent, it has its own gps receiver and pairs with my phone when I get home at the end of a run to upload it. It can even be used to follow a course but I don’t bother with that.

Most of them pair with a phone for uploading data but don’t need the phone while you’re running.

Thanks chaps!

Si

Aye. That. They work fine stand-alone. If you want to consolidate your data onto Garmin Connect/Strava etc then you'll need to connect to the Internet somehow.

I have an old Forerunner 110 that needs to be plugged into a computer in order to upload. Most now have Bluetooth so you connect to an App on your phone and it does the Internet connection.

I use a Garmin Vivoactive 4. After a run/ride/swim etc, I just press 'End'. When it has a connection to my phone, it synchronises to the Garmin Connect app. That sends the data to Garmin Connect servers, and that then sends the data to Strava. It sounds more complex than it is. If I'm running from my house, I press 'End' at my front door.i It's usually a few seconds until I hear a 'bing' from my phone indicating that the data is with Garmin and a couple of seconds later a second 'bing' to indicate it is with Strava.

Was following this with interest and it made me go searching for deals. Turns out my Vitality life assurance gives me 50% discount on Vivoactive 4 - £279 down to £140. Ends on 31st Jan though so I had to order one.

darbeze wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 9:59 am Please excuse the potentially ignorant question...

I have just started dabbling in running. I currently record my efforts on Strava with my phone.

It would be nice not to have to carry a phone when I run. Do these smart watches need to pair with a phone to work, or are they independent data gathering devices in their own right? I did look at the Garmin and Suunto websites, but can't discern either way.

Cheers,
Si

Have a look at dcrainmaker's site, he reviews pretty much every consumer/activity related device there is.

These days the manufacturer will have an app for your smartphone that connects to the device so it's a bit easier to configure but everything else is done on the device. The usual "you pay for what you get" applies, the internal chips are probably identical but you "get" more features on the more expensive ones, they are just disabled on the cheaper ones or don't have the buttons to access them. Bluetooth is pretty ubiquitous so you don't have to plug the device in to a computer to upload your activities or download workouts or routes.

Not running but I've paired my Garmin Edge with my phone. Finish a ride, press save and a few seconds later a message pops up to say that it's synced up with the servers. I've got my Garmin and Strava accounts linked so the ride is then copied to Strava automatically. Then sometimes the phone and the Edge won't connect even though they are a metre from each other!

whitestone wrote: ↑Thu Jan 28, 2021 12:56 pm
Have a look at dcrainmaker's site, he reviews pretty much every consumer/activity related device there is.

These days the manufacturer will have an app for your smartphone that connects to the device so it's a bit easier to configure but everything else is done on the device. The usual "you pay for what you get" applies, the internal chips are probably identical but you "get" more features on the more expensive ones, they are just disabled on the cheaper ones or don't have the buttons to access them. Bluetooth is pretty ubiquitous so you don't have to plug the device in to a computer to upload your activities or download workouts or routes.

Not running but I've paired my Garmin Edge with my phone. Finish a ride, press save and a few seconds later a message pops up to say that it's synced up with the servers. I've got my Garmin and Strava accounts linked so the ride is then copied to Strava automatically. Then sometimes the phone and the Edge won't connect even though they are a metre from each other!

Cheers,

I will have a look at that..

Si