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From Fellrnr.com, Running tips
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A good running watch can provide valuable information while you run, as well as automating your [[The importance of a training log|training log]]. This article is a concise guide to the best running watches available today at differing prices. It does not attempt to cover every watch on the market, but it does call out some to avoid. __NOTOC__
=Summary=
This is a summary of my recommendations. Note that the prices shown below reflect the last time I checked, and the prices to fluctuate from time to time.
{| class="wikitable"
! Watch
| The best watch<span style='color:#FF0000'> </span>for nearly every runner.
| {{Garmin 310XT with HRM}}
$210180
| {{Garmin 310XT without HRM}}
$180175| {{Garmin HRM}}| {{Garmin Footpod}}|-| {{Garmin 910XT}}| A version of the 310XT with a few extra features.<br>Better for swimmers & adds an altimeter.| {{Garmin 910XT with HRM}}$450| {{Garmin 910XT without HRM}}$400
| {{Garmin HRM}}
| {{Garmin Footpod}}
| {{Garmin Footpod}}
|-
| {{Garmin 910XT10}}| A version of the 310XT with a few extra features.<br>Better for swimmers & adds an altimeterSmall and cheap.| {{Garmin 910XT with HRM}}$450Not supported| {{Garmin 910XT without HRM10}}$400130| {{Garmin HRM}}Not supported| {{Garmin Footpod}}Not supported
|-
| {{Motoactv}}
|-
| {{Soleus 1.0}}
| Remarkably cheap, but limited.
| Not supported
| {{Soleus 1.0}}
$75-85
| Not supported
| Not supported
| Good (20hr)
| No
|-
| {{Garmin 910XT}}
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
| Yes
| Good (20hr)
| Yes
|-
| {{Garmin 610}}
| No
|-
| {{Garmin 910XT10}}
| Yes
| No
| No
| Yes
| Yes| Yes| Good Poor (20hr5hr)| YesNo
|-
| {{Motoactv}}
* The price is quite high, listing at $350 or $400 including the heart rate monitor.
* Not the range of accessories that the 910XT/310XT has, such as power meter for cycling.
* No display of course maps.
=Budget - Garmin 10=
The {{Garmin 10}} is the cheapest GPS enabled watch that Garmin makes, and price wise it fits between the cheaper {{Soleus 1.0}} and the more expensive {{Garmin 310XT}}. I think it's worth the extra $30 over the {{Soleus 1.0}} for the ability to download data and automatically maintain your [[The importance of a training log|training log]]. However, the price of the {{Garmin 310XT}} has been steadily falling, and I believe the upgrade is well worth the price difference if you can afford it and don't mind a larger watch.
[[File:Garmin10.jpeg|right|none|500px|The {{Garmin 10}} showing the variety of colors and the two sizes that are available.]]
==Garmin 10 Pros==
* Smaller than the 310XT/305/205 and closer to the size of a traditional watch.
* Available in two sizes with either a 2.5cm or a 2.1cm screen, as well as several colors.
* The limited functionality makes it easy to use.
==Garmin 10 Cons==
* The battery life is rather short. It is claimed to provide 5 hours, and this is likely to cause an issue for slower marathon runners or ultrarunners.
* Not the range of accessories that the 910XT/310XT has, such as [[Heart Rate Monitor]] or [[Footpod]].
* No display of course maps.
=The Cheapest – Soleus 1.0=
[[File:Soleus10.jpg|none|thumb|200px|The Soleus 1.0]]
The {{Soleus 1.0}} is one of the cheapest on the market at $75 (list , with a recommended price of $99), and while but often available from Amazon for $75-85. While it has some significant limitations, it is basically functional. The [http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Forerunner-GPS-Watch-Black/dp/B0090C7A5M {{Garmin FR10] 10}} is the cheapest Garmin GPS watch, but at $130 it's nearly twice the price of the Soleus 1.0. (There are other GPS watches by Soleus that have better functionality, but their price makes them unattractive when compared with the other watches here.)
==Soleus 1.0 Pros==
* The big attraction of the Soleus 1.0 is the price, which is half that of the next cheapest watch I'd recommend (the Motoactv{{Garmin 10}}).
* This is a smaller watch, similar in size to the Garmin 610.
