Question:I need recommendations for a good running watch. I've been using my Suunto
Vector (a very fine watch for backpacking), but I need more run-specific
features.
In particular I'm interested in something that will give me mile splits and
store those for races up to 100 units (miles, kilometers) so I can review
splits post-race.
User interface is also important... when my brain is jelly I don't want to
have to remember a cryptic series of button presses.
If you have nothing recommend, are there any brands or models to avoid?
Answer:
I like my Timex-Ironman. It has "100 lap memory," which basically gives the
split capability you requested. As for ease of use, I think it's pretty user
friendly.
i agree.. it's very easy to use.
100 laps is also a lot of memory...
unless you are using it in the chemistry lab (was it andy hass?)
I've been very happy with my Timex 100 lap Ironman. It basically has
everything you need (timer, counters, alarms) and was very quick to
learn for around $50 a few years ago. I bought it at Target and
convinced the sales lady to give me one of those cloth straps instead
of the default plastic one for free, so I really got a good deal. I
don't know what they cost now, but I'm pretty sure it is still
reasonable.
I and most others will recommend the Timex Ironman 100 or other Timex.
They are really designed for runners and they are cheap.
BTW While I am sending a copy of this to your e-mail, if you don't come
back and read the news group replies you are going to miss a lot. The most
important part of a news group is the ability to play off others messages.
One thing leads to another and in the end the total of the parts is far more
than all the single parts.
I've got one of the older ones, one with two buttons on front, and I like it
a lot.
The one I have can store different races also, but for every new race it
takes 1 lap. In other words if you stored 4 different races, you could have
a total of 96 different laps.
I run with the Nike SDM Triax, which has a piece that attaches to my shoes
and sends a radio signal to my watch to show me Speed, Distance, and
Laps...elapsed time, etc...I love it!
i have one, the 100 laps one w/ the flix thingy for lighting up(anyone ever
actually use that?)
mine ran about 45USD on sale, not bad.
I usually store about a months worth of runs on it before i have to clear
em.
a pc uplink like some of the higher end HRM would be nice ;) but for 45buck
what do you really want?
Timex Ironman seems to be a good choice.
But why not go for a Polar S410 : you can have both split times and HRM at
the same time. And it comes with a nice software to analyze all these data.
i feel the same way about my ironman 50-lapper. my only bitch is that
timex assumes everyone wears their watch on their left wrist.
negotiating that i-click thingie on the move with my left hand, on the
outside of my right wrist, is a pain.
and no i cannot conform and switch wrists. We Fear Change. so i
bitch. :)
ick. doesn't that thing start to reek after a while, or don't you
sweat to the point of complete saturation.
I have the one with the flix thingy. BTW, "flix thingy" is a good
description of an apparently useless extra. When I flick my wrist, the
dial remains lit for all of a fraction of a second - not enough time for
my old eyes to focus on the numbers (even if I am looking through the
proper part of my bifocals). So no I don't use the useless thingy.
I was running a night race (9pm) once and I have one of those FLIX watches.
I held down the light button for 3 seconds, then I moved my wrist real quick
and couldn't figure out what was wrong. Why it didn't light up. Then I
remembered, the FLIX option was on my other Timex Ironman Triathlon and not
the one I was wearing that night. Boy did I feel dumb.
I gave up trying to use it after that.
Another option is the Timex HRM. It has the same features as the 100 Lap
Ironman plus the HRM. I bought my wife one of these, and I tried it out
yesterday myself ;). It works very well.
I have never seen any Timex HRM.
How much are they ?
Are they reliable over the time ? (I had bad experience with non-Polar
cheaper brands :-( )
You are using it incorrectly. You need to put it in "night mode" first
by pressing the upper left button (the manual light button) until the
watch beeps. Then it will stay on for several seconds each time you
flick it.
I have a 255 lap Reebok Flash which it's excellent. I've never been able
to find it again in stores, so maybe discontinued?.
It does normal stopwatch with splits and pauses, countdown/up timer with
repeats good for intervals, speed counter, weekly & daily alarms.
May be the following page could of use in helping you choose:
http://www.runnersworld.com/gear/watches.html
Cheaper than the 230$ of S410 Polar anyway.
I have given a glance to the Walmart site and found that the Timex HRM seems
to be a nice tool. I think I'm gonna search a Timex retailer in France.
The Nike Triax 300 (will record up to 300 splits/laps/etc) has worked
very well for me. A tad heavy, probably too expensive, but there is
plenty of memory, the numbers are large enough to actually read, I can
switch back and forth from time of day to chronometer-without stopping
the chron and you can switch the chron read out to either elasped split
or eplapsed total time (whichever on is selected for the large number
the other is shown in smaller numbers below it). Excellent backlighting
can set to turn on when you touch a button or just when you need it.
That said it's made by Casio so you might want to see what they offer in
the way of watches, got to be for less $$.
Hmmm. The flix option is the one I absolutely use and love. I run in the
morning and except for June and July it is dark when I'm out. Before the
run, I set the watch in night mode, and with each flick of my wrist I get
light for about 3-4 seconds. I can focus well enough (eyes are old, but not
ancient) and can read the time. It's cool.
My complaint about the Ironman, flix or not, is that the split times are
little and they are hard to read in transit. Bigger numbers are needed to
see what the heck you are doing whilst sprinting.
