urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:akkeresuakkeresuakkeresuakkeresu2009-06-07T05:41:46Zurn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:akkeresu:693And just a quickie!2009-06-07T05:41:46Z2009-06-07T05:41:46ZGot an artist doin' sketches! Read closely though. ^^<br /><br /><a href="http://westly-roanoke.livejournal.com/223591.html">http://westly-roanoke.livejournal.com/223591.html</a>urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:akkeresu:288Review for the Garmin Forerunner 3052009-03-28T06:35:29Z2009-03-28T06:35:29ZGood evening, ya'll!<br /><br />I am a cross-country runner just getting back into the groove, and what better way to start spring training than with new gadgets!<br /><br />I recently was speaking with my dad in Iraq, and we got on the subject of GPS systems. He has a Forerunner 101, which is great, but fairly large, and not as sensitive. So after some research and price shopping, I decided to pick up a Forerunner 305.<br /><br />Garmin is well known for GPS units, but their Forerunner series are built for runners, bikers, triathletes, and other active people. The Forerunner 305 is built like a watch, with a backlit screen, a antenna that wraps around the screen, and a comfortable ANT+ heartrate monitor that syncs up upon starting the rechargable watch. A good 8-10 hour battery holds tough with the IPX7 waterproofing and the USB charging system, making sure that your GPS is ready to go when you are. Although it is a bit large, it is very comfortable, with good vinyl straps and a well molded design. The core feature is the ability to track movement, create courses, and race against a virtual partner. All of this data is easily accessable on the watch, though the buttons may be a bit hard to press at times. Even better is the ability to upload the information onto a computer, and upload it to sites like Motion Based, which allows users to take a look at each other's runs, or even race against each other by downloading a course and racing on the same course. The only downside is the lack of a roadmap, but touch screen GPS systems can outperform the Forerunner series easily. This GPS is only for running, biking, swimming, hiking, etc. It's great to use in the woods or in areas where it can be easy to get lost, with a breadcrumb tracking system and a "Head Home" feature that will let you go back to the start of your journey. It also supports adding waypoints through the watch or downloading them into the watch via USB.<br /><br />After testing this during a rainy, but fast 1.5 mile run on Wednesday and a fairly muddy 2 mile on Thursday, it's comfy, engaging, and even fun to set a goal and actively race it, with a little victory song when you win against your virtual partner. I haven't had more fun actually setting a goal and beating it! If you want to get going with good way to gauge progress and where you run, this is an amazing product. <br />With lots of data to use, custom pacing and heart rate monitoring, and excellent tracking, even in urban and wooded areas, it's definitely worth the $300 price tag. But, don't stop there! Look at Amazon for the Forerunner 305 for $175