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Item 816863
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REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
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Reviewed by 10 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-10
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
I have used every single incarnation of Garmin's GPS watches and for many different reasons I've never kept any. I tried and loved the Timex Global Trainer but as a woman with tiny wrists, it looked like a practical joke on me. I'm not one to remember to change watches after a workout/before work so I really needed a watch that I could get away with at work.
While this isn't the daintiest watch on my writst, I do wear it all the time, including to the office and its fine. Not great looking, but fine.
Functionally it does everything I want it to do. Customizable split screens are awesome, the touch screen works great (even in the rain or the shower), and the blend of touch screen and the buttons is perfect. The satellite connection establishes quickly and stays solid.
I have no complaints at all about this watch but if I were to suggest one improvement, I would suggest Garmin putting a micro-sim card in the watch to allow un-teathered 2 or 3G uploads of data anytime, anywhere, without needing to be near the ANT device/computer. There is certainly enough room in watch for an iPad like SIM and I think it would enhance the device a lot.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
I am training for ultras. I train on a treadmill and outside. I've had a garmin 305 for the past two years which I'm pretty happy with.
I upgraded to the 610 mainly to get the first beat analytics on calories and training effect. The 610 is also 'prettier' and easier to wear all the time.
Wearing everyday is ok. The battery life is good and I charge about once a week and train with it for 4-5 hours a week also. The strap is the main issue. It's not very strong. I woke up one morning and it had been stretched overnight so the strap had separated by maybe 1/4 inch from the watch and the metal tab normally in the strap was on the outside. I managed to stretch the strap to let the tab reenter the strap correctly but the strap seems weak on that side now.
Firmware wise, I like the wireless sync. I don't get the device timeout issues that plagued me on the 305. But, the issues with wireless sync are that I find it really hard to make it sync. It seems to sync when it feels like it. I've also had a 2 hour session sync correctly to daily mile/garmin training center but it's corrupt on garmin connect.
The training effect is cool but takes about 2 weeks to learn you so the readings start to make sense. There is no way to back up it's opinion of you which is a major problem as if you do a hard reset then it forgets and it's back to square one as it relearns you again. This has happened to me and it's really annoying. The firmware seems flaky (V2.6). I've had the watch hang several times and reboot itself during sessions and when syncing.
The training effect went nuts at one point and went to 5.0 within minutes of starting a session. Garmin supports only answer was to restore the watch to factory settings but that loses the TE learned settings.
So, I'm on the fence with the watch. The strap durability concerns me. The firmware issues also do. The lack of an ability to see what the TE settings are and to set them is also a major problem for me. Battery life is fine but short for ultras (9 hours).
I'm waiting for the 910XT and will trade in the 610 for that. The 910XT has the same features, 20 hour battery, no touch screen (this is a plus...) and has an altimeter.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
Could not wait to get my Forerunner 610 as soon as it was available. I had been using an old 210, and was tired of the bulky design, slow signal, and buttons. I loved the 610 from the first run, however it just completely died on me after 2 months of use. Seems like the battery needs to be charged, but after being plugged in all day, still says @ 0%. I will return it tomorrow and hope it was just a defective device, and not an overall problem with this model.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
I returned the first Forerunner 610 nine days after buying it when two out of its three buttons had cracked around the blue seals and then completely fell off. REI was excellent about making the exchange, however the replacement 610 I received is now three weeks old and also has cracks in the sealant rings around two of the buttons. Other than a light sweat, my Forerunner never gets wet and is used for running approx 1 hr a day. I have owned four other models of Forerunners in the past and never experienced any issues. The poor quality of the 610 is baffling to me.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
I had a 405cx that died an unexpected death, thankful that it was bought at REI by a REI member, got a refund, and I got the 601 for Christmas. Compared to the 405cx it is much easier to use, to scroll between screens, menus, etc. I love it. I like the web based training records, excellent for prepping for races!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
I recently sold my Garmin 405 CX because of a ridiculously short battery life. I had read that this watch watch was much better and thought I'd give it a try. I haven't been disappointed! The battery life is great, lasted 4+ hrs during a recent marathon. The reception was great in the city with the skyscrapers. It has a power button which is key for making sure the battery life will last during your activity. It also holds a charge between uses as long as you turn off the GPS. One last thing that I personally like is that it will vibrate at each mile if you want. The touch screen takes some getting used to and all in all this is well worth the price.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
This is my 3rd Garmin Forerunner watch. Before this one, I've owned a Garmin 410 and worked great. I love how you can change the training page to your liking, and the new touch screen on the Forerunner 610 is amazing, but it took me a while to get use to it. However, the wrist strap broke on the first week. It broke from the hinge itself. [...]
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
This is my second Garmin Forerunner. After two years of heavy use, my 405cx finally bit the dust. Unfortunately, it was during a 20 mile trail race; lost the entire thing. Rather than try to resurrect it, I opted to upgrade to the 610.
So far, I'm very happy with the 610. The touch screen and user interface is much better than the 405 and I have a much easier time navigating among the screens, accessing and modifying the settings, and setting up and using workouts.
One issue I have is not being able to see the battery life without bringing the watch to life, which sets off the automatic GPS locator. I'm also a little concerned that I may crack the screen if I drop the watch, as I'm prone to do from time to time.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
Couldn't ask for a better watch extremely accurate just buy for 30 dollars cheaper at [@]
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Garmin Forerunner 610 GPS Fitness Monitor:
Not a good product. Had it for two months and it totally crashed. Software wiped out.
Displaying reviews 1-10
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Merchant response: Hey, John – we’re happy you’re enjoying your Garmin Forerunner. We aim to provide a great value to our customers. Sometimes you may find lower prices elsewhere, but very few retailers can a match the total value proposition that REI offers with the lifetime 100% satisfaction guarantee, dividend potential, and highly knowledgeable and caring staff. Thanks so much for your review!