What is a good entry level garmin?

What features are you wanting? Does it have to be Garmin?

Forerunner 10 is relatively cheap and it has all the functions an entry level runner needs; pace, distance, time, calories, personal records, comparison current pace to target, except heart rate. It is very easy to use.

Recently REI had the 210 (which has now been replaced by the new 220) on sale for only $149, including heart rate monitor. Considering that the 10 is often $120-130, that's a steal, if you can still find it at that price. It's an older model, but it works perfectly fine, does laps, shows pace, etc.

Salsero Runner wrote:

Forerunner 10 is relatively cheap and it has all the functions an entry level runner needs; pace, distance, time, calories, personal records, comparison current pace to target, except heart rate. It is very easy to use.

Forerunner 10 will do anything you really need. And it looks the most like a regular running watch.

EZ10Miler wrote:

Forerunner 10 will do anything you really need. And it looks the most like a regular running watch.

Do you like the "men's" version or the slightly smaller (but still bulkier than a normal watch) "women's" version?

I suppose the larger face might be easy to read, but i'm thinking if I buy another watch, I want it to be as small as possible. I'm not afraid to rock my 205 on the occassional training run, but it does feel a bit dorky.

Bring Back the 880 wrote:

EZ10Miler wrote:

Forerunner 10 will do anything you really need. And it looks the most like a regular running watch.

Do you like the "men's" version or the slightly smaller (but still bulkier than a normal watch) "women's" version?

I suppose the larger face might be easy to read, but i'm thinking if I buy another watch, I want it to be as small as possible. I'm not afraid to rock my 205 on the occassional training run, but it does feel a bit dorky.

This is my question, too. Does the smaller version (women's) look like a real watch or were you referring to the larger (2.5cm) version?

Thanks!

I like the size of the garmin FR 10. I am a woman and the previous garmins were way too large for me so I prefer the 10 even though the others have more functions. Size matters, haha. It may have the size of a reg watch but the colors are pretty girly (mine is violet)

For the price and function I think the 10 is great.

If you want it small as possible, get the women's version. Most people will not even be able to tell it's a GPS watch. The women's one even comes in "non-girly" colors now. I have a Forerunner 10 and it's great.

Be sure to get a heart rate monitor. It is very helpful training thru a long aerobic base build. Seeing heart rate, speed and elevation graphs over each other is a valuable progress reference. Check out www.garminconnect.com, where your data will go.

My best advice is forget Garmin. Their software is ridiculously poor. The Garmin Forerunner I bought in 2004 still had the *exact same* software in 2010! The current Garmin's don't impress me at all.

I would suggest the TomTom Runner instead. I bought one last year and I'm very satisfied. Hi-res screen, fairly thin, easy to use, and can be had for $150 on sale.

220 is good