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(More customer reviews)I've had this watch for over a month now, and have used it on over two dozen runs. I bought it (my first GPS watch) mainly because I was amazed at the bargain price for the functions offered. Look around and you can find this unit for $85 (shipping included). NO WAY you can get a Garmin for that. But do you get only what you pay for? Well, in this case, I feel that the unit gave me MORE for the money for what it offers, though it definitely has some limitations.
First, if you read the one-star review from the guy who thought this unit was too big, ignore it. If you want a small GPS watch, go for the Garmin 405 (which is about how many dollars you'll pay for it.) I run with a lot of people with Garmin 205 and 305, and they're EXACTLY as large. The watch isn't heavy though, and I run with it just fine, even in races.
When my running group goes out on the road, and we compare results after, the Bowflex is pretty much comparable with the Garmin models. There will be small differences (even between one Garmin and another), but nothing major. In that aspect, it is a true bargain.
I've also used the heart monitor a number of times, with no problems. It's a chest strap type (the only technology that currently seems to work accurately) about which I was a little wary, but found it doesn't bother me. I've got a hairy chest, and heard that chest carpet may block good contact, but that hasn't been true. If you wet the sensors with a dab of water to start, it picks the signal up just fine.
However, this unit does NOT do well in the woods. As a weekend trail runner, I've found that disappointing. I set mine to beep at me when my pace fell under 8 minute miles. Well, there I was plowing along at decent speed, what must have been 7:30s if not 7:20s, and the damn watch is beeping at me. I picked up my pace, to what must have been near 7:00, and it STILL kept beeping at me, flashing "speed up!" It is pretty annoying to be harassed by one's watch, when said watch is flat out wrong. I also ran the same course through the woods twice with this watch on (pace monitor off second time) and got wildly different distances. It seems the signal goes in and out under tree cover, and then the software tries to compensate by drawing straight lines between the known points. I've heard that Garmin does not have this problem so much, so if it's worth it to you to be accurate in all circumstances, decide if that extra $ is worth it to you.
The other problem I had with this watch was the sports tracking program it comes with on CD, which didn't work on either of the two computers where I tried to set it up (it sets up OK, I even downloaded workouts to it, but the next time I tried to open it, it wouldn't let me--on two different computers!) Frankly, that bodes ill for the technology, and I hope I don't eventually find similar issues in other aspects of the watch! However, for this particular problem, you can just download SportsTracks, which is a better program anyway.
Also, this watch is made in Taiwan and if you like your English scrambled in a wok, you'll love their instruction sheet. That said, figuring out how to work the watch was cake, with just a little trial and error. It's pretty well designed.
In sum, this is NOT the best GPS watch! If you've got the money, and the needs, go for something better. But if the money is a sticking point for you, I can attest that this is a fully functional GPS ROAD RUNNING watch. If you buy it knowing that, and for that use, I think you'll be plenty satisfied.
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Bowflex GPS Tracking Heart Rate MonitorTrack and analyze your exercise and training routines with the multi-use Bowflex GPS 905 heart rate monitor watch. More sophisticated than most HR watches, the GPS 905 not only reads your heart rate, but it also includes dashboard views of your workouts showing your speed, altitude, and calories burned and then records the data for later analysis on your computer. As a result, the watch makes a great training companion for skiers, runners, and cyclists. The watch's GPS functionality also extends to backwoods trails, with a backtracking option that makes it easy to return to your starting location or waypoint. The internal memory can store up to 60,000 track points, 600 waypoints, and 100 laps. And, of course, the GPS 905 offers all the standard heart rate watch functionality, including target zone alarms, lap time calculations, and other training tools. Equipped with a USB port for PC and Internet connection, the GPS 905 will change the way you exercise outdoors.
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