TomTom Cardio Runner Review
The key feature of the TomTom Cardio Runner is its optical measurement of heart rate, rather than requiring a separate chest strap. Other than that, the TomTom is a fairly mediocre device, and you're paying a premium over some of the better watches, especially as the optical HRM does not work well. I think that the TomTom is only worth considering if you really want the built in optical heart rate monitoring, otherwise look elsewhere.
Contents
1 TomTom Cardio Runner Pros
- The optical heart rate monitoring works reasonably well most of the time, but there are enough problems to limit its viability. Optical heart rate monitoring is a technique that has been around for decades, but it's only recently that the technology has been viable for use during exercise. The TomTom uses two green LEDs and a detector to determine Heart Rate based on the blood filling the capillaries under the skin.
- When the watch has a good lock on your heart rate it's fairly accurate, and normally within a few beats/minute of a chest strap based monitor. Most of this variation seems to be due to the smoothing that's applied to the reading rather than overall accuracy.
- I had a number of problems with the TomTom not locking onto my heart rate for minutes at a time. It would either show a ridiculously high or low value, so it was pretty obvious. Occasionally it would not find my heart rate at all and just show three dashes. See images below for details.
- I found the problems were worse when my skin was cold. I've not tried it in winter, but at 50f/10c the TomTom struggled, probably because the capillaries it was looking for had constricted due to the cold.
- Because the TomTom has to be next to the skin to monitor the blood flow under the skin, it would be problematic in winter when you need to wear extra layers of clothing. You can't put the TomTom over a base layer, so it would have to be covered by your outer layers, hiding the display.
- To get a good view of your capillaries, the TomTom needs to be positioned slightly further up your wrist and to be quite tightly closed. I didn't find this uncomfortable, but it was tighter than I'd normally have a watch. However, you get a better reading with the watch tighter than is comfortable.
- Using optical heart rate measurement is generally not accurate enough for measuring Heart Rate Variability.
- The TomTom will cache the locations of the GPS satellites for a few days, which worked reasonably well.
- With GPS turned off, the TomTom battery will last some time, making it possible to monitor heart rate for extended periods, such as during sleep.
- There is great support for automatically uploading to a variety of tracking web sites, including MapMyFitness, RunKeeper, TrainingPeaks, as well as exporting to KML, GPX, CSV, FIT or TCX files.
- The TomTom can pair with a smart phone, allowing for posting of workouts or updating the satellite pre-cache via the phone.
- I rather like the TomTom's four buttons arranged as a square for input, which works rather like a joystick for navigating menus. The right side of the screen is touch sensitive for turning on the backlight or recording a lap, but it's triggered by sweat.
2 TomTom Cardio Runner Cons
- The core functionality of the TomTom seems rather crude when compared with other devices in this price range.
- You can chose two metrics to display at the top of the screen, but these are shown in a tiny font that is hard to read in poor light.
- The main display will scroll through a number of metrics, but there is little configuration of what to display. (The histogram of heart rate display is rather cool.)
- The GPS Accuracy is mediocre. It could be a lot worse, as Garmin has shown, but it could also be a lot better.
- I've found no way of displaying cadence on the TomTom, which I think is a major shortfall. (There is support for a bike cadence sensor in the multisport version of this watch, but that doesn't help runners.)
3 TomTom Cardio Runner Heart Rate Graphs
These graphs show the TomTom Cardio Runner against the record of a traditional chest strap. The top of the graph shows the two recordings superimposed, with the TomTom in red and the chest strap in blue. The lower line on the chart is the difference between the two readings.
4 What's Missing
While I don't consider these missing features as 'cons', it's worth understanding the features that are missing compared with other watches.
- Altimeter. GPS is far less accurate vertically than horizontally, so a barometric altimeter can provide a much better idea of your ascent and descent. It can also be useful for navigation if you're ascending or descending a mountain. In some races I've been far more interested in how much ascent is left rather than the distance to the top.
- Navigation. The navigation capabilities are useful if there is a risk of getting lost. I've made good use of this feature when running in an unfamiliar city, or when running remote trails.
- Downloadable Apps. Smart watches have got is used to the idea of a device that can be extended with new functionality, and this concept is being introduced to running watches.
- Extended battery life. Some porches can extend the battery life by turning the GPS reception off for short periods. This can dramatically reduce GPS accuracy, but it's a useful trade-off for some ultramarathons.
- Training Effect. The Firstbeat Training Effect gives you a sense of how hard each workout is, and this sometimes includes the time for recovery.
- Graphs. Instead of simply displaying a numeric value for things like heart rate, some watches will display a graph of the value over time, giving you a sense of how things are progressing.
- Running Dynamics. Some of the newer Garmin watches can show and record Vertical Oscillation (VO) and Ground Contact Time (GCT).
- Alerts. Some watches will alert you when a metric is out of range. The alert for Cadence is really useful and one of my favorite features.
- Web Configuration. Some watches allow you to setup the configuration via a web site, and then download your changes. This is vastly easier than fiddling with the watch.
This review was made possible by readers like you buying products via my links. I buy all the products I review through normal retail channels, which allows me to create unbiased reviews free from the influence of reciprocity, or the need to keep vendors happy. It also ensures I don't get "reviewer specials" that are better than the retail versions.
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5 Comparison Table
I evaluate running watches in three distinct ways. Firstly, you can use a watch on its own, without any kind of Footpod. This is probably the most common way runners use their watch, but you miss out on a lot. The second rating is with a standard Footpod that is available quite cheaply. These Footpod's can be reasonably accurate once the calibrated, but calibration is a little tedious. The final evaluation is with the Stryd Footpod, which is vastly more accurate than any other type of Footpod, or and more accurate than GPS. The table below looks at the score, and the value for money of each watch for each of the three conditions. (I’ve also tested the Apple Watch 3, but I’ve not included it in these tables as it’s not really a running watch.)
Review | With Stryd Score | With Stryd Value for money | With Footpod Score | With Footpod Value for money | Without Footpod Score | Without Footpod Value for money | Price at Amazon.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Epix Review | 47 | 4.5 | 31 | 3.9 | 23 | 3.4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 47 | 2.9 | 32 | 2.3 | 24 | 1.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 45 | 3.8 | 28 | 3.1 | 24 | 3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 935 Review | 45 | 3.6 | 30 | 3 | 22 | 2.4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 40 | 4.9 | 21 | 3.8 | 17 | 3.8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 920XT Review | 39 | 4.4 | 30 | 4.7 | 24 | 4.5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 37 | 2.6 | 27 | 2.3 | 23 | 2.1 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 36 | 4 | 19 | 2.9 | 15 | 2.8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 34 | 5.1 | 14 | 3.4 | 10 | 3.3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 34 | 3.9 | 23 | 3.7 | 18 | 3.4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar V800 Review | 33 | 2.8 | 26 | 2.8 | 22 | 2.7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 32 | 3.9 | 25 | 4.3 | 21 | 4.5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 32 | 3.4 | 29 | 4.1 | 25 | 4.2 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 31 | 2.9 | 22 | 2.7 | 18 | 2.5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 30 | 4 | 27 | 5.5 | 23 | 5.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 30 | 3.5 | 23 | 3.8 | 19 | 3.8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 235 Review | 28 | 2.9 | 20 | 2.8 | 12 | 2 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 620 Review | 27 | 3.8 | 24 | 5.1 | 20 | 5.6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 910XT Review | 26 | 3.9 | 26 | 6.1 | 21 | 6.7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 310XT Review | 25 | 4.6 | 24 | 8.3 | 18 | 10 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M400 Review | 25 | 4.3 | 15 | 4.5 | 11 | 4.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 225 Review | 25 | 3.8 | 13 | 3.1 | 9 | 2.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 25 | 3.3 | 10 | 2 | 10 | 2.5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M430 Review | 25 | 3.2 | 15 | 2.9 | 11 | 2.7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 610 Review | 24 | 3.3 | 20 | 4.3 | 14 | 3.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Leikr Review | 10 | 1 | 20 | 2.5 | 14 | 2 | Leikr ($380) |
Epson SF-510 Review | 4 | 0.7 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-810 Review | 4 | 0.6 | 6 | 1.6 | 6 | 2.3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 10 Review | 2 | 0.3 | 2 | 0.6 | 2 | 0.9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
The score is the sum of how well each watch can answer the four basic questions (how far, how fast, where are you, what's your cadence), plus some bonus points.
- The "How far you've run" will be based on GPS only for "without Footpod" and "with Standard Footpod", but based on Stryd if supported in the "with Stryd Footpod" table..
- How fast you're running assumes you're using a Footpod if it's supported, otherwise the rating is 0-2 based on GPS accuracy.
- The "Where are you?" is based on various navigation features such as back to start, breadcrumbs, and preloaded maps. For some watches, you have to turn GPS off to get the benefit of Stryd, so those watches have worse "where are you scores" with Stryd than without.
- The cadence score uses 1 point for an internal cadence sensor, 2 points for footpod support, 1 point for support from chest strap cadence, and 1 point for cadence alerts.
- I give 1-2 bonus points for application support, 1-2 bonus points for data upload, 1-2 bonus points for Optical Heart Rate Monitoring, and 0-1 bonus points for battery life.
- Value for money is the score divided by the price (at the time I last updated the table.) Your needs may be different, so you might weight the different aspects of the watches differently, or be basing your decision on different criteria totally. Hopefully this table will give you a good starting point for your decision.
5.1 Score Breakdown without a Footpod
Review | Score | Value for money6 | How far did you run?1 |
How fast are you running?2 |
Where are you?3 |
What's your cadence?4 |
Bonus Points5 | class="unsortable" |
Price at Amazon.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 25 | 4.2 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 920XT Review | 24 | 4.5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 24 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 24 | 1.9 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 23 | 5.9 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Epix Review | 23 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 23 | 2.1 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar V800 Review | 22 | 2.7 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 935 Review | 22 | 2.4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 910XT Review | 21 | 6.7 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 21 | 4.5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 620 Review | 20 | 5.6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 19 | 3.8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 310XT Review | 18 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 18 | 3.4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 18 | 2.5 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 17 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 15 | 2.8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 610 Review | 14 | 3.9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Leikr Review | 14 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | Leikr ($380) |
Garmin 235 Review | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M400 Review | 11 | 4.9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M430 Review | 11 | 2.7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 10 | 3.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 10 | 2.5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 225 Review | 9 | 2.9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-510 Review | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-810 Review | 6 | 2.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 10 Review | 2 | 0.9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
5.2 Score Breakdown with a Standard Footpod
Review | Score | Value for money6 | How far did you run?1 |
How fast are you running?2 |
Where are you?3 |
What's your cadence?4 |
Bonus Points5 | class="unsortable" |
Price at Amazon.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 32 | 2.3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Epix Review | 31 | 3.9 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 920XT Review | 30 | 4.7 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 935 Review | 30 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 29 | 4.1 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 28 | 3.1 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 27 | 5.5 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 27 | 2.3 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 910XT Review | 26 | 6.1 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar V800 Review | 26 | 2.8 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 25 | 4.3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 310XT Review | 24 | 8.3 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 620 Review | 24 | 5.1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 23 | 3.8 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 23 | 3.7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 22 | 2.7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 10 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 21 | 3.8 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 610 Review | 20 | 4.3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 235 Review | 20 | 2.8 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Leikr Review | 20 | 2.5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | Leikr ($380) |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 19 | 2.9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M400 Review | 15 | 4.5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M430 Review | 15 | 2.9 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 14 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 225 Review | 13 | 3.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-510 Review | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-810 Review | 6 | 1.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 10 Review | 2 | 0.6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
5.3 Score Breakdown with a Stryd Footpod
Review | Score | Value for money6 | How far did you run?1 |
How fast are you running?2 |
Where are you?3 |
What's your cadence?4 |
Bonus Points5 | class="unsortable" |
Price at Amazon.com |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Epix Review | 47 | 4.5 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 47 | 2.9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 45 | 3.8 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 935 Review | 45 | 3.6 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 40 | 4.9 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 9 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 920XT Review | 39 | 4.4 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 37 | 2.6 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 36 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 8 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 34 | 5.1 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 34 | 3.9 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar V800 Review | 33 | 2.8 | 10 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 32 | 3.9 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 32 | 3.4 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 6 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 31 | 2.9 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 30 | 4 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 30 | 3.5 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 235 Review | 28 | 2.9 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 620 Review | 27 | 3.8 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 910XT Review | 26 | 3.9 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 310XT Review | 25 | 4.6 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M400 Review | 25 | 4.3 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 225 Review | 25 | 3.8 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 25 | 3.3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Polar M430 Review | 25 | 3.2 | 10 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 610 Review | 24 | 3.3 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Leikr Review | 10 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Leikr ($380) |
Epson SF-510 Review | 4 | 0.7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Epson SF-810 Review | 4 | 0.6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
Garmin 10 Review | 2 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Error: Could not parse data from Amazon! |
5.4 Basic Features
Review |
Released | GPS Accuracy |
Weight (oz) | Size (CM3) | Display (mm) | Resolution (Pixels) | Waterproofing | Heart Rate Monitor |
Cadence | Data Upload |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Epix Review | 2015 | 6.2 | 3.0 | 48 | 29 x 21 (609mm2) | 205 x 148 (30.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 2017 | 5.6 | 3.5 | 36 | 30.5 (round) (731mm2) | 240 diameter (45.2K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 2015 | 6.2 | 2.9 | 33 | 30 (round) (726mm2) | 218 diameter (37.3K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin 935 Review | 2017 | 5.6 | 1.7 | 24 | 30.5 (round) (731mm2) | 240 diameter (45.2K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 2016 | 4.9 | 1.7 | 19 | 21 x 29 (609mm2) | 148 x 205 (30.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin 920XT Review | 2014 | 6.6 | 2.2 | 35 | 29 x 21 (609mm2) | 205 x 148 (30.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 2017 | 1.5 | 17 | 30.5 (round) (731mm2) | 240 diameter (45.2K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes | |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 2015 | 5.4 | 1.3 | 13 | 29 x 21 (592mm2) | 205 x 148 (30.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 2017 | 7.8 | 2.0 | 25 | 24 x 23 (529mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 2013 | 7.6 | 3.1 | 30 | 29 (round) (661mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 2014 | 7.9 | 2.9 | 30 | 29 (round) (661mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 2016 | 7.1 | 2.7 | 38 | 32 (round) (804mm2) | 320 diameter (80.4K total) | Good (100m) | Yes | Internal (Limited Footpod) | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 2014 | 5.7 | 3.2 | 32 | 31 (round) (755mm2) | 70 diameter (3.8K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 2014 | 7.9 | 2.5 | 30 | 29 (round) (661mm2) | 128 x 128 (16.4K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 2013 | 7.6 | 2.5 | 30 | 29 (round) (661mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Garmin 235 Review | 2015 | 4.9 | 1.5 | 19 | 31 (round) (755mm2) | 215 diameter (36.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Garmin 620 Review | 2013 | 7.1 | 1.5 | 20 | 25.4 (round) (507mm2) | 180 diameter (25.4K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod/Heart Rate Monitor/Alert | Yes |
Garmin 910XT Review | 2011 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 49 | 33 x 20 (660mm2) | 160 x 100 (16K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Footpod/Alert | Yes |
Garmin 310XT Review | 2009 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 63 | 33 x 20 (660mm2) | 160 x 100 (16K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Footpod | Yes |
Garmin 225 Review | 2015 | 6.2 | 1.5 | 24 | 25.4 (round) (507mm2) | 180 diameter (25.4K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 2015 | 6.0 | 2.2 | 30 | 22 x 25 (550mm2) | 144 x 168 (24.2K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Polar V800 Review | 2014 | 8.0 | 2.8 | 31 | 23 x 23 (529mm2) | 128 x 128 (16.4K total) | Good (30m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Polar M430 Review | 2017 | 7.2 | 2.0 | 24 | 23 x 23 (529mm2) | 128 x 128 (16.4K total) | Good (50m) | Yes (+OHRM) | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Polar M400 Review | 2014 | 6.6 | 2.0 | 24 | 23 x 23 (529mm2) | 128 x 128 (16.4K total) | Good (30m) | Yes | Internal/Footpod | Yes |
Garmin 610 Review | 2011 | 7.3 | 2.5 | 41 | 25.4 (round) (507mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Fair (IPX7) | Yes | Footpod/Alert | Yes |
Leikr Review | 2013 | 7.3 | 2.4 | 25 | 41 x 31 (1271mm2) | 206 x 148 (76.8K total) | Fair (IPX6) | Yes | Footpod | Limited |
Epson SF-510 Review | 2015 | 4.4 | 1.7 | 24 | 28 x 22 (616mm2) | 128 x 96 (12.3K total) | Good (50m) | Yes | Limited Internal | Limited |
Epson SF-810 Review | 2015 | 5.5 | 1.8 | 28 | 28 (round) (616mm2) | 128 diameter (12.9K total) | Good (50m) | OHRM Only) | Limited Internal | Limited |
Garmin 10 Review | 2012 | 3.8 | 1.3 | 33 | 25 x 24 (600mm2) | 55 x 32 (1.8K total) | Good (50m) | No | No | Yes |
Review |
Battery Life (hr) |
Tested Battery Life (hr) |
Extended Battery Life (hr) |
Charge On The Run? | Training Effect |
HRV | GPS cache | Sensors |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Epix Review | 24 | 17.6 | 50 | Yes (with USB=Garmin) | Yes | Record | Yes | Ant+ |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | 20 | 23 | 35 | Yes, but can't be worn | Yes | Record | Yes | Bluetooth/Ant+ |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | 20 | 22 | 50 | Yes (with USB=Garmin) | Yes | No | Yes | Ant+ |
Garmin 935 Review | 24 | 24.5 | 60 | Yes, but can't be worn | Yes | Record | Yes | Bluetooth/Ant+ |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | 13 | 13 | Yes (with USB=Garmin) | No | No | Yes | Ant+ | |
Garmin 920XT Review | 24 | 19 | 40 | No (terminates) | Yes | Record | Yes | Ant+ |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | 13 | 13 | No | Yes | Bluetooth/Ant+ | |||
Garmin Vivoactive Review | 10 | 10 | 10 | Yes (with USB=Garmin) | No | No | Yes | Ant+ |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | 10 | 11 | 30 | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Bluetooth |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | 15 | 50 | Yes | Yes | Record | Yes | Ant+ | |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | 20 | 100 | Yes | Yes | Record | Yes | Bluetooth | |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | 18 | 17 | 26 | Yes, but can't be worn | Yes | Record | Yes | Bluetooth |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | 15 | 50 | Yes (with USB=Garmin) | Yes | No | Yes | Ant+ | |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | 10 | 10.5 | 100 | Yes | Yes | Record | Yes | Bluetooth |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | 8 | 7.3 | 25 | Yes | Yes | Record | Yes | Ant+ |
Garmin 235 Review | 11 | 11 | Yes, but no optical HR | Yes | No | Yes | Ant+ | |
Garmin 620 Review | 10 | 10 | No (resets) | Yes | Record | Yes | Ant+ | |
Garmin 910XT Review | 20 | 20 | Yes, but no display | Yes | Record | No | Ant+ | |
Garmin 310XT Review | 20 | 20 | Yes, but no display | No | No | No | Ant+ | |
Garmin 225 Review | 10 | 11 | 10 | No (resets) | No | No | Yes | Ant+ |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | 8 | 6.3 | 8 | No (resets) | No | No | Yes | Bluetooth HR |
Polar V800 Review | 13 | 24 | 50 | No (terminates) | Yes | Display | Predictive | Bluetooth |
Polar M430 Review | 8 | 8 | 8 | No | No | No | Yes | Bluetooth |
Polar M400 Review | 8 | 8 | Yes, but can't be worn | No | No | No | Bluetooth | |
Garmin 610 Review | 8 | 8 | Yes, but no display | Yes | Record | No | Ant+ | |
Leikr Review | 5 | 6.5 | 5 | Yes, but can't be worn | No | No | Yes (few hours) | Ant+ |
Epson SF-510 Review | 30 | 30 | 30 | No | No | No | Yes (few hours) | Bluetooth HR |
Epson SF-810 Review | 20 | 26 | 20 | No | No | No | Yes (few hours) | None |
Garmin 10 Review | 5 | 5 | No | No | No | No | None |
Review |
Color Maps | Breadcrumbs | Courses | To Waypoint | Compass | Reverse course | Beeline to start | Connect IQ | Altimeter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Garmin Epix Review | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 5X Review | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 3 Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Garmin 935 Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Garmin Vivoactive HR Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Garmin 920XT Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Garmin Vivoactive 3 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Garmin Vivoactive Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Suunto Spartan Trainer Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Suunto Ambit2 Review | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Review | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Suunto Spartan Ultra Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 2 Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Suunto Ambit3 Run Review | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Suunto Ambit2 R Review | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Garmin 235 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Garmin 620 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Garmin 910XT Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
Garmin 310XT Review | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No |
Garmin 225 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
TomTom Cardio Runner Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Polar V800 Review | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Polar M430 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Polar M400 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Garmin 610 Review | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No |
Leikr Review | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Epson SF-510 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Epson SF-810 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
Garmin 10 Review | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
For "navigation":
- Color Maps gives you full color maps, rather like a smart phone, with roads and paths marked out.
- Track Outline is a display of where you've run, rather like a breadcrumb trail. If there are maps, the outline is superimposed otherwise this is just the outline on its own without any context.
- Course Outline is an outline of a route that can be downloaded. I've found this useful during ultras or in unfamiliar cities where I've needed to know where to go.
- Back To Start is a simple arrow point to your starting point, so it won't help you backtrack.
- Back To Waypoint returns you to a previously marked location using a simple arrow to point.
- Compass. A magnetic compass can help you orient yourself or the map. Without a magnetic compass you have to be moving for the GPS to give you a sense of direction.
(Older Reviews: Polar RC3 GPS, Soleus 1.0, Motorola Motoactv.)