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Beginner Running
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Garmin Forerunner 305 = $157 on Amazon right now, most bang for your buck. Its very accurate, has heart monitoring, and is affordable. Nike+ can be inaccurate in various circumstances and if you are going to spend the money I would put it at the Forerunner especially if you are a serious runner (or would like to be). The Garmin 205 is the same as the 305 sans heart rate for $140 and I have seen it as low as $124 on amazon (seems to fluctuate quite a bit).
answered about 2 years ago |edited about 2 years ago |Report
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I've got 1000 miles on the Nike+. Sometimes it's scarily accurate, other times within 50yards of a mile, occaisionally it's just wacko. It tends to be very accurate when you run at the same, even pace. It all depends on how accurate you need. If you're ok with it being 1/4 or 1/2 mile off after 10 miles, then no problem. It's fine for executing a training plan. But, if you need to know your pace to within 1 sec/mi, it's not for you. I pretty much always cross check with google earth, mapmyrun to map out the distance anyway. But, you're not going to get better for $29 (or $19 if you have an iphone or touch). Realize, that if you want to run on a treadmill, the shoe sensor for a garmin is like $100.
If I were you, I'd start with the Nike. The web site, training plans, challenges, goal, ability to track your mileage, etc, will all help motivate you to run, and that's the most important part. It's simple, cheap, easy to use. Plus, the Garmin's don't play music.
(this assumes that you have an ipod nano, iphone or ipod touch).
Oh, don't get the garmin 205. Has difficulty acquiring sattelites.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I guess for $30 you can't really go wrong with the Nike Plus especially if you are a beginner. I'm not sure the benefits of using the Nike+ or Garmin on the treadmill? Guess it depends on what you are using them for. I occasionally bring the Garmin just to keep track of splits when on the treadmill though any stopwatch would work for that. The Garmin 205 DOES NOT have difficulty picking up satellites. Most of the people I run with and myself have the 205 and this has never been an issue. The older Garmin 201 has issues keeping signal around tall buildings or any sort of tree cover so I would avoid that one.
answered about 2 years ago |edited about 2 years ago |Report
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There's another option to consider now: Adidas miCoach. It has a foot sensor and HR monitor. No display, it gives your stats and motivational messages(!) through a pair of headphones. It's not cheap, $70 to start, another $70 for the foot sensor.
Its strongest selling point imo is that the foot sensor is designed for any shoe, and the receiver (the brains of the whole operation) will accept audio from any mp3 player.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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i love my 305, it seems big and bulky when you first buy it but after a few runs you hardly notice that it is there.. but
CAUTION: if you leave your watch on top of the truck, it will fly off going down the road.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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Dallas noted "I'm not sure the benefits of using the Nike+ or Garmin on the treadmill? "
It's so that your run is recorded into your Nike+ or Garmin connect running log on the web site. Of course you can use DM as your log, but sometimes it's nice to have the data:
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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Another vote for the Garmin 305. But I have no experience with the others.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I have a Garmin 205 and love it. It has been well worth the money in my book.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I bought my wife a Nike+ last year and she stopped using it after a few months. Now she steals my Garmin 305 whenever she runs. If I lost my 305, I'd replace it in a heartbeat, no question. Just my $.02.
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I have a Nano with the Nike+ Sports kit (Sensor + a plug in receiver for the nano). As mentioned by others, if you're looking for high levels of accuracy... this isn't the tool for you. However, if you're looking for some thing to track your runs reasonable well for only a little money then this is your ticket.
The Nike+ Sports Kit's plug-in receiver includes additional capabilities over the built-in pedometer receiver in the 4th Gen Nano. The Sports Kit include progress announcements so as I'm running it will call off every kilometer/mile plus any time I press the center button it will tell my my current distance, time, and pace. It also integrated with the music by allowing you to select a play list for your workout and a power-song to play when you're slowing down of need a mental boost.
As to the HRM functionality... its rumored to be coming but hasn't appeared so far. The Nano software has a setting for an HRM but no one has seen one yet. So, some day soon we will have the HRM.
The other advantage of the Nike+ system is that the sensors themselves are so cheap... $19.00 each and they can be used (with a properly fitted pouch) with any shoes (I use mine on a pair of New Balance 1011s). The sensor is cheap enough that you can get several if you need them. All the other foot pod system are quite pricy at $69 to $120 for a pod.
Again... if high accuracy is your need... go with the GPS units... if simply utility and price are your needs then go with the Nike+
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I've been using the Garmin Forerunner 305 for over a year now and haven't had any issues with it at all. Its got a long battery life, is accurate, and is more affordable than a Polar. HR and multisport compatibility is top notch as well. The ability to upload workouts to Garmin Connect now gives it even more value. Only knock is that it isn't waterproof (if you're a swimmer), but Garmin corrected that with the Forerunner 310 model (its newer and therefore more pricey).
Hope this helps
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I am a new runner and I have the Nike +... Already, I need to reset it. It has been fairly accurate. My friend has the Garmin 305 and I am almost ready to buy one!!! It seems to be the more accurate way to go if you like to get outside. I was a treadmill walker/jogger, but now I am totally addicted to the open road and trails!!! Ever go running in the Redwoods? It is amazing!!! Get yourself a Garmin... don't waste the $30.00
answered about 2 years ago |Report
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I'm also fairly new to running but I have both Nike+ and a Garmin 405, at the moment I used both and compare the stats (yes I'm into numbers).
I always run with an iPhone or Nano and listen to podcasts so Nike+ was a nobrainer, I like the challenges, goals and coach on the website but the website is dog slow and can be a pain to use.
The Garmin was bought because I wanted a heart monitor as well as a watch that I could use to track intervals in runs e.g. run x amount, rest x amount, repeat x number of times.
Of the two yes the Garmin is more accurate but the Nike+ does just fine in that department and works on a treadmill out of the box (Garmin needs a foot pod if you are indoors).
The Garmin has the advantage of the heart monitor and the ability to setup time schedule based workouts which the ipod does not do.
If I had to choose only one I would most likely go with the Garmin unless I was running indoors on a treadmill in which case i would go with Nike+.
answered almost 2 years ago |Report
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