Garmin Forerunner 301 Review

August 16th, 2009 by Craig Smith Leave a reply »

Click Here To Learn More About The Garmin Forerunner 301

Specifications

  • Dimensions: 3.26 x 1.71 x 0.7 inches (8.28 x 4.35 x 1.8 cm)
  • Display: 1.44 x 0.92 inches (3.65 x 2.34 cm)
  • Resolution: 100 x 64 pixels
  • Weight: 2.75 oz (78 g)
  • Battery: rechargeable lithium-ion
  • Battery life: 15 hours, typical
  • Water resistant: yes (IPX7)
  • GPS-enabled: yes
  • High-sensitivity receiver: no
  • RoHS version available: yes
  • Lap history: 5,000 laps
  • Waypoints/favorites/locations: 100
  • Routes: 10
  • Heart rate monitor: yes
  • Bike speed/cadence sensor: no
  • Foot pod: no
  • Automatic sync: no
  • Garmin Connectâ„¢ compatible: yes
  • Garmin Training Center compatible: yes
  • Virtual Partner: yes
  • Courses: no
  • Auto Pause: yes
  • Auto Lap: yes
  • Auto Scroll: yes
  • Multi-sport: yes
  • Advanced workouts: yes
  • Simple workouts: yes
  • Pace alert: yes
  • Time/distance alert: yes
  • Vibration alert: no
  • Interval training: yes
  • Customizable screen(s): yes
  • Unit-to-unit transfer: no
  • Sport watch: no

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Intuitive menus
  • USB PC interface
  • Good for biking
  • Reliable GPS

Cons

  • Erratic heart rate monitor
  • Poor battery life

Ratings

Score (Rank)

Value: 7/10 (10)
Performance/Ease of Use: 6/10 (10)
Quality: 6/10 (10)
Size/weight: 7.75/10 (7)
Overall Rating: 6.75/10 (10)

Review

Garmin Forerunner 301The Garmin Forerunner 301 GPS watch is a small GPS enabled watch that gives all levels of runners a variety of different tools to monitor and track the overall progress of their workout. It has its own virtual personal trainer and a coded heart rate monitor. Plus, the device can be used for a variety of different sports.

The Forerunner 301 has dimensions of 3.26″ x 1.71″ x 0.7″. It has a display size of 1.44″ x 0.92″, with a display resolution of 100 x 64 pixels. It weighs 2.75 ounces and the battery can last for up to 15 hours.

The heart monitor of the Forerunner 301 will consistently track your overall heart rate during your workout, so that you can determine the overall quality of your workout. The device will show you what your current heart rate is, and the overall range of beats per minute, in order to provide you with the most detailed information possible.

The Forerunner 301 can be used for a wide variety of sports. You can easily press the mode button to switch between the different activities that you will be doing. The great thing about this particular feature is that you can switch between the different sports without having to reset, making the device ideal for runners, hikers, swimmers, and cyclists. The Forerunner 301 can even be used for triathlon training.

The Forerunner 301 will plan, store and evaluate data from your different workouts through the use of their available online community. Using the Garmin connect you can quickly upload the information on your workouts and find route mapping information. You can also share the different training routes that you have identified with other runners, helping to improve the overall workout that you are receiving.

The Garmin Forerunner 301 is small, easy to use, and has many different tools to help you take your workout to the next level. That being said, some of the common drawbacks include that the heart rate monitor can be erratic at times and if you are in area where it is hard to receive a satellite signal then the device could have trouble tracking properly. Overall, the Garmin Forerunner 301 is a useful and versatile device and is worth some serious thought.

Click Here To Learn More About The Garmin Forerunner 301

Manuals

Owner’s Manual
Quick Start Guide
Heart Rate Monitor Guide

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