This Garmin running watch is GPS-enabled, waterproof and has a long lasting battery. Taking a closer look, you will discover that you can feed in running, biking and other training data. It connects wirelessly to your home computer so you can track you progress.
It is multi-sport enabled which means you can track different training programs with a press of a button.The large display is easy to read and the buttons are simple to use. There are also pre-programmed features including the Virtual Partner training. This motivational feature helps you with various courses, workouts and goal setting to assist with all your training requirements.
Additional features on the Garmin Forerunner 310XT include water resistance to 50-metres. So you can wear this Garmin Forerunner in the pool or lake during a workout or race to keep you on track and recording your time and other stats to help you improve your personal best times.
The battery is a long life rechargeable lithium-ion that will give you up to 20-hours of use per charge and can be charged up to 1-thousand times. This training watch is designed so that you can wear it on your wrist or have it attached to the handlebars of your bicycle. Either way, you’ll be able to keep track throughout the race or training session.
It also looks attractive with the grey/orange color scheme of the outer case.
In the box with the Gamin Forerunner 310XT
The package includes the Garmin Forerunner 310XT, a premium heart monitor, so you can track your heart rate to focus on hitting and staying in your optimum target workout zone. A USB ANT stick, a charging clip, an AC adapter, plus and owner’s manual and a quick reference guide.
Online reviews of this product say that it is an excellent training tool with many great features. The fact that it is easy to set up and use means you can be training with it shortly after getting it out of the package. The ANT USB stick set up is just as simple and quick so you will instantly be able to record and save your training data.
The GPS-enabled feature lets you follow and record your exact training routes used when running or biking. The Virtual Training partner is a rather ingenious addition. It is, in reality a ‘previously recorded’ version of you on the same route. What this does is give you an actual set of stats to challenge yourself with (especially since they are your stats) and you can track if you are keeping up or falling behind the previous version of you on the same training route.
There are a few negatives noted with the Garmin Forerunner 310XT with the most obvious one being that there is no actual swim option on the unit. To measure distance and record the course you covered swimming, the watch needs to stay above water as it cannot maintain GPS connection once underneath.
No GPS when under water
You can use it swimming as it is waterproof, but the programming does not have a setting for swim. There also appears to be an issue with the elevation readings it produces. Some online reviews indicate the readings are way off of actual elevation. The switching between activities cannot be done during a specific event, (you need to pre-program the legs before you start and switch manually during the session). This has been noted as an issue for those who train differently each day and may not have properly set the watch at the beginning of a new training session.
Although there are a few negatives, this training watch is actually a pretty good value as it does have many useful features that will be great for training purposes. Like all Garmin products it is built to last. The heart rate monitor, long battery life and attractive design all add up to one very solid training device. For even a serious trainer, the Garmin Forerunner 310XT is a very good choice.
