My husband bought this for my birthday and I love it. It was an adjustment at first, as it is quite bulky for small wrists but it has helped me maintain my pace, increase and improve my pace and help me run faster times at races. One can also download the progress using the program that comes with Garmin - NOT the best program so I use athlinks and record my times.

NMan0862

USA

I am a new runner, started running in December 2010 with the goal of doing a marathon in 2011, and one of the first things I bought to help me train was this Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS. It was the best purchase I have made running wise because it does so much. The Garmin Forerunner 305 is a wristwatch that comes with a heart rate monitor that you strap across your chest. The wristwatch part of the unit has a large screen that can be customized to display up to four items, and it is possible to set up four pages to quickly cycle through so that you can have more information at your fingertips. For example, I set up my main display to show the following: average pace, running time, heart rate, and lap time, but you can customize it to your hearts content. You could even have it tell you what direction you are going The heart rate monitor that is included has been great and works as advertised. With it I can train in my aerobic zone to increase my running efficiency. Your data can be synced to Garmin's own social service that breaks down splits and maps where you ran, you can make these links public or private of course.

templated

Yuma, AZ

I love my new Garmin forerunner 305. I have had trouble trying to gauge my speed, and it seemed at times I was running too fast and then too slow at other times. The Garmin Forerunner helps me to quickly see my speed so that I can make any adjustments while training. The screen is large enough to easily see this information without being too distracting while training. I also like how it tells the distance ran. Sometimes it is difficult to mark off the distance that you are running while doing training runs and you have to guess at your distance. This device allows you to quickly see where you are at to help you better prepare for races. I am currently using this device to train for a half marathon, and I think it is great!

chandlercoupons

Union City, TN

So I love this watch! Love it. I would call myself a "runner" for about a year and a half now. Last year (2010) I decided to begin training for a half marathon and wanted to know my precise mileage, pace, and heart rate. Looked at a lot of options. Nike+ was first. This was great for shorter runs but when I started running 3 miles+ the accuracy dropped. when I went outside I found my stride to be registering far different than the treadmill so did research on GPS watches. Been using the Garmin 305 for just over a year and LOVE it. Accurate, easy to use, buttons easily accessible and easy to customize screens. Downsides: sometimes I have to stand outside for 5-10 minutes for the sattelites to pick up a signal. This really sucks when you're crunched for time. Also, it can be bulky BUT I only wear it for running so it works great and perfect for me. For female runners with tiny wrists (like myself) you'll definitely notice it but you'll love it. And the price for what it does, can't be beat which is why I'm sticking with it. It's just so simple, does what it is supposed to and very easy.

techielover32

Minneapolis, MN

I wanted a GPS watch to help with my workouts and to motivate myself. I chose the Garmin Forerunner 305 because I already had experience with the Garmin brand (gps unit). The basic functionality such as distance and heart rate monitoring work perfectly. The inital acquisition of the satelittes takes some time just like their GPS units!!! How frustrating sometimes.  But once it acquires the signal, I haven't see any signal drops like I have experienced with other GPS watches.  This unit has a very comfortable and well-designed heart rate strap. I was hoping that owning a device like this would be motivational for me and it really has been. I can't imagine running, biking or doing any phsyical activity without it now!  After working out, I just plug this thing into my computer and my workout logs are updated. It can't be any easier! The watch is a little bulky looking and not too the greatest fashion, but it works good. TWO THUMBS UP!    

matt857697

Wilmington, MA

I've done the half marathon training with and without the Garmin forerunner, and it's much easier with this watch.  It's great for when you're training for a race.  It hooks up easily to your computer.  The software it comes with is easy to use.  You can enter in your workouts for the week, month, whole training program, and send them to the watch.  Then all you have to do is choose the day or your workout, and off you go.  There are a ton of preset workouts, or you can eaily customize your own.  It also takes all the guess work out of running when you're shooting for a certain pace or distance.  The window clearly shows 4 different measurements, so there's no flipping back and forth between screens while running.  The heart rate monitor is a great additional feature.  Enter in your weight and age, and it easily adjusts heart rate zones and calories burned.  The software keeps track of all your information, so it's easy to see how much progress you've made (great for those bad run days!!).  It's worth every penny. Only con is that is a little bulky, especially if you're a smaller woman like myself.  The signal can take awhile to pick up if you're in an area with lots of trees or buildings blocking the signal. 

runningmomof1

Saint Paul Park, MN

I started using the Forerunner 305 a few years ago after using a Polar F6 heartrate monitor for a few years before that.  The 305 gave me the option to get GPS distances when running outside as I started to log miles more accurately.  When paired with the optional cadence sensor, you can also record distances traveled inside on a trainer.  The watch has changed how I have worked out both monitoring my speed/pace/HR/cadence. I would highly suggest this for an entry level heart rate monitor especially for those looking for GPS.  The watch can also be used for tracking GPS routes while swimming in open water if you put it inside a ziplock baggie and swim cap.  The 310 offers more robust function for GPS while swimming but the 305 does the trick for a much lower price point.   The watch is a bit bulky and I highly suggest the quick release kit for a much more comfortable feel.  A mode for multi-sport also makes this watch ideal for a triathlete across multiple different sports.

jvanis

Saint Paul, MN

I have had this GPS for about 3-4 years now, and it has been amazing.  It has yet to fail me, and that is saying quite a bit since I am fairly hard on my equipment.  I have used this while running and bicycling, and it has been great for both. For somebody who has never trained with a GPS device, this opens up entire new levels of training.  Before all I had was my time, so I knew more or less how fast I was going.  Now I am able to program in all sorts of training programs, like if I want to run at a certain pace, or maintain a certain heart rate.  Plus, when I get home, I can upload the run and watch it all on google satellite view and see how I did.  Plus, it lets you upload to online software that tracks how you are progressing.  I can honestly say that this helped me get past many plateaus in my training just by allowing me to see how I was progressing (or not).  I would highly recommend this to anybody that is active outdoors.   

nigelcorn

Henderson, NV

I got the Forerunner 305 about 2 weeks ago and used it a couple times. It's an affordable GPS watch with great features that allow me to see how fast and far I'm running. It came with a heart beat sensor that you put on your chest and I found the heart rate to be pretty accurate. The watch is a little bulky but still fits well even on my skinny arms. The watch has great customization to allow you to put on data that you care about. I have mine set to lap distance, lap pace and heart rate. You can also use the watch for cycling if you wish. Getting GPS satellites takes about 1-2 minutes in my experience, which is kinda long but not a deal breaker. Connecting the GPS watch to your computer allows you to connect to Garmin's online page to upload your stats, or you can use the client that comes with it. Uploading online allows you to share your runs and view various of graphs. Really good product if you are active and need the data.

diddydk

San Jose, CA

I received the Garmin Forerunner 305 as a birthday gift so I could start preparing for my first triathalon. At first I was skeptical of the cost, as I felt I could calculate the distances and speed I ran for much cheaper on my own, but I have found the time the Garmin saves me is well worth the money that it costs.  The 305 is not quite as small as some of the newer models, but this is something I have actually come to really like, as it is easier for me to adjust while I am running.  The heart rate monitor is small and I barely notice it across my chest, it was very easy to adjust to.  The best thing about the Garmin is that it is so easy to connect to my computer and upload from, it only takes a few minutes and seems to be very accurate.  Sometimes when I go trail running it seems to have a hard time picking up the signal, but this is not very often and is what I would expect from any other simliar device. Overall I feel the Garmin increases my enjoyment and ease of exercise.

BryanB

Highland, UT