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* '''[[Heart Rate Monitor]].''' [[Heart Rate]] is important information when training, though it is important to understand the limitations of heart rate based training. Having a [[Heart Rate Monitor]] that will record your heart rate is particularly valuable for evaluating your training.
** Note that the [[Heart Rate Monitor|Heart Rate Monitoring]] of Garmin watches is not as reliable as the Polar systems, but there are [[Garmin Heart Rate Monitoring|things to can do to improve the Garmin HRM issues]].
* '''Cadence'''. A display of [[Cadence]] is a critical training tool and newer watches are able to use an internal accelerometer to provide Cadence without any accessories. Other watches may need a Foodpodor the newer Garmin watches can use the running dynamics heart rate strap. A Cadence alert will help you stay in the right cadence range, and is a useful feature.
* '''Data Upload.''' The ability to record your workout and store it in a training log such as [[Dailymile]] or [[SportTracks]] is vital. All of the recommended watches here have that ability. I'd strongly advise even a new runner to store their data so that they can look back over the months and years to understand their progress. A watch that can upload to a PC makes recording your workouts much easier.
* '''Battery Life.''' How much battery life you need depends on how long you run for. It's best to have a watch that will last quite a bit longer than your longest run.
===Ambit2 R Cons===
* The biggest downside to the Ambit2 compared to the 310XT/910XT/610 is that there is no way of displaying your current pace from the [[Footpod]] while using GPS for overall distance and course. You can only use a footpod by turning off GPS, which is pretty useless.
* The Ambit2 does not have a vibration alert, which is something I miss far more than I'd have expected. The vibration is useful for alerts, as you may not hear the beeping in noisy environments or when wearing headphones. The vibration in other watches is also useful as a confirmation you've actually pressed the lap button.* Like any complex device, the Ambit2 can occasionally need a reboot. Sadly, while you can shut down the Ambit2 from the menu, the only way of waking it up again is to plug it into a USB power source. This should be a very rare issue, but if it happens to you on or just before a race, you're screwed. (To shut down, press the "Back/Lap" and "Start/Stop" buttons pressed to enter the service menu.)
* While the Ambit2 can display a map of a route, or give you a map for going back to the start, there is not a simple display of your current route.
=Worth Considering=
* As well as GPS, the Fenix 2 includes a barometric altimeter, which is far more accurate than GPS for altitude. It also includes a thermometer, and while the watch is too close to your skin for accuracy it does give a good general indication.
* For displays of Heart Rate, Altitude, Barometric pressure and Temperature you can also get a small graph that shows changes over time. I've enjoyed this feature.
** In addition to the built in temperature sensor, the Fenix2 also supports a [http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Temperature-Sensor-Fenix-Outdoor/dp/B0092ZMXBS wireless temperature sensor] that the same size as their Footpod. This is likely to give a more accurate temperature reading as you can put it a little further from your body. <jfs id="B0092ZMXBS" noreferb="true"/>.
* There is a prediction of your [[VO2max|V̇O<sub>2</sub>max]], which worked well for me, but I would not rely on its accuracy.
* The Fenix 2 is large, but not as big as the 310XT or 910XT and it looks like a watch rather than a dive computer. .
* The Fenix 2 will link to a smart phone to upload a workout as it takes place, which is nice for folks tracking you during a race, though it means wearing the watch and the phone together.
* You can add as many pages of displays as you want, which given how much the Fenix 2 can tell you, is great.
* The Fenix 2 can display alerts and text messages from a smartphone. I suspect this is of more use if you're wearing the Fenix 2 as an ordinary watch, rather than when running.
===Fenix 2 Cons===
* My testing for [[GPS Accuracy]] shows similar appalling accuracy to the 620 and 10.