8,153
edits
Changes
no edit summary
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin 310XT Review}}
The {{Garmin 310XT}} represents great value for money, providing all the key features you're likely to need, though it misses out on [[Best Running Watch| some of the cool new abilities of the more recent watches]]. The 310XT is now two generations old, having been replaced by the [[Garmin 910XT]] and then the [[Garmin 920XT]]. The [[Garmin 910XT]] is better, but not worth the extra cost for most runners, while the 920XT is a rather larger leap forward. If you want something smaller, then the [[Garmin 610]] is also excellent value for money, or the later [[Garmin 620]]. While the 310XT is rather large by today's standards, I have tiny wrists and it fits me well. (It's a better fit for tiny wrists than the [[Polar V800]] for instance.) For a simple evaluation of a GPS watch, I look at how well it can answer some basic questions:
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the Garmin 310XT has good GPS accuracy. It will give you a better idea than most watches how far you've gone.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. Thankfully, the 310XT is one of the few devices that will display current [[Pace From A Footpod]] while getting all other data from GPS.
* '''Where am I? '''The Garmin 310XT has some basic navigation functions. There are no maps, but you'll have an outline of the route you've run and you can download a course, which I've found useful on occasion.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. The Garmin 310XT supports [[Cadence]] via a [[Footpod]], but has no alerts nor does it have an internal accelerometer to estimate Cadence.
For ultramarathon running the Garmin 310XT has the battery life to suffice for shorter ultras, but if you expect to be moving during the [[Second Dawn]] you may need to look elsewhere. (You can turn off GPS and use a Footpod; if you're okay with that compromise, the 310XT will last for days.) See [[ShoesBest Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
[[File:Garmin310XT.jpg|thumb|none|200px|Garmin 310XT]]
=Garmin 310XT Pros=