Recommend me a GPS ...
 

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[Closed] Recommend me a GPS watch for running, cycling and swimming

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Wifey birthday present time, and I'm thinking of getting her a GPS watch to replace her broken one.

Needs to have separate cycling and running modes, and be waterproof enough to swim with. Doesn't need HRM, but cadence ability would be good. Doesn't really need fancy swim modes, just waterproofness.

Ideally it shouldn't be massive either, as she has dinky wrists/hands.

I've seen the Garmin 610 on SportsPursuit, which ticks all the boxes except swimability, and the 910 which ticks all the boxes but is pretty chunky (mate has one).

Any others I should be looking at? I'm going to have a look at Polar stuff, what other brands are there? Oh yeah, there's Suunto too, I'll have a look at them.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:08 am
 cp
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I quite like the look of the vivoactive for that use

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Garmin-Vivoactive-Smart-Watch-Sports/dp/B00RE1UL52


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:10 am
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Have you seen the DC Rainmaker website? He reviews GPS doodahs, and often has photos of them on his girlfriends (wife's?) wrist as well as his own for size comparisons. It can be a rather daunting site at first as there's so many, but he does a recommendations list of the highlights. And then the reviews themselves are very in-depth.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:15 am
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Cheers chaps

Vivoactive looks like it warrants some investigation...

I have seen the DC Rainmaker site for individual reviews, not waded through it widely though


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:33 am
 cp
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d c rainmaker is great!


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:35 am
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<pub landlord>
vivoactive for the lady, fenix 3 for the man
</pub landlord>


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 10:41 am
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I have a TomTom multi sport that is pretty good , you just select what sport your doing and away you go , uploads to strava automatically if you want it to . Only problem is the bike mounts are awful so I just wear mine as a watch .


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 11:10 am
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Tom Tom Multisport is what I have, great watch does all the things you say you want!
New version has the option to store music on it and Bluetooth it to your earphones.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 11:19 am
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I have the TomTom Multisport too, seems good for running, not used it for cycling but it's a bit of a let down for swimming (it's length counting appears to be a random number generator).


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 11:24 am
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I have a 910, and whilst it's not that small, it's not particularly excessive on my little ladylike wrists.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 12:03 pm
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Does the TomTom show/record maximum speed in the cycling mode? The DC Rainmaker site suggests it doesn't


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 12:13 pm
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G/F having the same problem, but what HR for all cycling/running & swimming!
She not to fussed on GPS, but I think she needs to get with the times!
The one she looked that can do a 3 are very expensive, (be able to ad cadance as well)
so we come to the conclusion is to get a half descent Cycle/GPS unit and a water proof HR watch for swimming/running a few she looked at, are working out cheaper than the all in one flashy one (that normally big & buckle for a small wrist)


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 12:15 pm
 cp
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Don't forget none do hr for swimming


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 12:29 pm
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Garmin 910XT or it's latest incarnarion... Thise three uses are what it was made for.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 12:33 pm
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[i]Don't forget none do hr for swimming[/i]

Not an issue, don't need HRM at all, she doesn't use it.

If the TomTom does max speed, I think it's just the ticket.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 1:13 pm
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Couldn't think of a more pointless present/purchase ever than that, have a read of the thread idealism, consumerism, modern life. Your just the perfect subject.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 1:44 pm
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You know what, you're right. I absolutely shouldn't spend the money I've worked to earn on a present for my wife that she's said she would like, will appreciate and will use whilst she's enjoying riding her bike, going for a run or having a swim, all of which are good for her physical and mental health. I apologise, I am a complete bastard.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 2:15 pm
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Couldn't think of a more pointless present/purchase ever than that, have a read of the thread idealism, consumerism, modern life. Your just the perfect subject.

Comedy post of the day! 😆


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 2:19 pm
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Comedy post of the day!

Hey, don't knock it, he's made me see the error of my ways.

Of course some might say that he's just a sanctimonious tosspot, but, you kow, each to their own (unless they want to buy a GPS watch, that's not allowed).


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 2:23 pm
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At least you thought about getting your wife a gift, that's the important thing.

Print out a transcript of this thread and give that to her instead. I'm sure she'll appreciate the thought.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 2:29 pm
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Noooo, because then she'd know that I thought about buying her an unnecessary, awful, consumerist token. What I should have done is thought of buying her a yohurt-weaving course in the Shetlands, but then not bought it.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 2:34 pm
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When I was looking at buying one a while ago it looked like Garmin were the best of a bad lot.

If she doesn't mind the chunkiness then the triathlon specific ones like the 9xx series are better, due to the larger display. The FR620 will need some sort of adapter to fit a handlebar.

There are swim compatible HRMs available these days. Check and see if they do cadence for running too. However, they will only transmit swim data to a "tri" watch.

Oh, and shame on you for your horrendous consumerist ways. Children starving in Africa and all that.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 5:11 pm
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I was thinking of the 920XT until brocks pointed out that I'd obviously be a twunt for buying one!
Too big for a lady tho?


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 5:16 pm
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You can always get one of those velcro neoprene sleeves and wear it in there while still using the buckle. Wouldn't want to lose it in the swim leg if it came loose though.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 5:59 pm
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I tried on a 920XT the other day and I have proper baby wrists but it was surprisingly okay! Okay so I wanted a new gadget toy but I already have a Garmin swim, a Garmin 800 for biking and a Garmin 610 for running I am clearly a twunt of the highest order.

920 no different in size to the 610. Have you looked at Suunto's?


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 6:13 pm
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Abigale has had her VivoActive since March. Gets used daily for running, cycling and swimming. Not used the golf bit yet. She really rates it. Links into her phone auto via blue tooth. She gave me her old vivofit which is no where as good.


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 7:09 pm
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Couldn't think of a more pointless present/purchase ever than that, have a read of the thread idealism, consumerism, modern life. Your just the perfect subject.

Speaking of which.

I now have a redundant Garmin 310XT after my GF gave me a 225 for my birthday.

Free to a good home if anyone covers the postage?


 
Posted : 25/09/2015 7:27 pm
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@piemonster
Dibs if it's not gone already please! My e-mail is mailtocuriousyellow at gmail dot com


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 12:26 pm
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Dibs is yours

Will drop you an email Monday, just about to head up to Inverness for work so can't really sort at the mo'


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 1:06 pm
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Dam it too late otherwise I'll have it.. can donate some money to charity!


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 2:26 pm
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Thanks piemonster!

In the spirit of things and some shitty news, I will put some cash towards Wokingham Hospice in your name too. If you've got a charity preference then let me know.


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 3:06 pm
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*tries not to suggest the charity I work for*


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 5:38 pm
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Donkey sanctuary?


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 5:48 pm
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*chortles*


 
Posted : 26/09/2015 6:11 pm
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Suggest away! 🙂


 
Posted : 27/09/2015 8:47 am
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Wokingham Hospice will do just fine curious Yellow.

If you've not got mail, I've mailed you wrong!


 
Posted : 29/09/2015 5:45 am
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Hmmmm... Nothing yet, but I've had this problem before where it's been delayed due to being marked as spam.

If you're round Reading/Somerset then I could just collect from you?


 
Posted : 29/09/2015 1:13 pm
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Still nothing.

Want me to e-mail you instead?


 
Posted : 29/09/2015 5:52 pm
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I thought the Garmin vivoactive was the bees knees - until I tried one, then realised that the display is hard to read indoors (maybe not really an issue?), and the track/route recording isn't awfully accurate. It only records route data every 4 - 7 seconds, which means it doesn't always restart straight away if you stop (if you have it on autopause). It may be a tad better if not using autopause, but I don't want it recording the time if I'm not moving. I compare it to my Edge 800 and 310xt and it was over half a mile short on a couple of 15 mile rides. Until they upgrade the software to 1 second data recording (like their more expensive gps models) I won't be buying it. A great shame, cos otherwise it was exactly what I wanted!


 
Posted : 29/09/2015 6:48 pm
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Tried that again?


 
Posted : 29/09/2015 8:45 pm