After breaking my second Nike Sportwatch in the span of only one year. I decided that I will not be using Nike anymore.
I was pretty sure I was going to get a Garmin. I was looking at either the 210 or the 610 and was trying to decide if some of the features of the 610 would be worth it or not. But one thing that I just couldn’t look past was the fact that Garmin’s watches aren’t waterproof.
I just don’t see how you can make a sports watch and not make it Waterproof. It was rare, but I did kind of like using my Nike watch while I swam sometimes, plus, if I ever wanted to train for and do a triathlon, I would think that I would want the watch at that time as well.
Some of the reviews for the Garmin seemed to give it downs for reliability as well, and more and more I started looking at the Timex Run Trainer. It of course was comparable with the Garmin 210 except for the Virtual Partner thing (Which I was slightly interested in, but could live without). But it got very good reviews, and word was that it is rock solid. I use a Timex Ironman flix 100 as a backup sometimes, also as a standard watch. Well, that one went through a windshield not to long ago and kept working just fine, so I was willing to take a shot with this one too.
I’ve used it a couple of times so far. Things I like as compared to the Nike Sportwatch. It feels about the same on my wrist, similar size and weight. It’s not to bulky, could be worn as a regular watch if you wished. I like that the band is only a band (Not the cable to connect to USB like the sportwatch) which is I think the source of all Nike’s problems. The band gets flexed over and over every time you take the watch off, and I’m sure that wires inside that band are breaking, or becoming brittle over the course of time. The USB cable clips on to the watch face and connects with four pins on the back in the Run Trainer. I can’t see this connection type ever becoming a problem.
As far as using it, It’s fairly easy. Picked up the GPS signal the first time I ran with it in about 1:30 or so, so it took a bit. But every time since that I’ve done so it’s been between 10 and 30 seconds. Usually closer to 10. I’ll let you know if things change yet. I think the Nike Sportwatch was a little easier to look at data while you ran, as the up/down buttons cycled through all the metrics it was taken. With the run trainer you switch between four screens that you set up previously, If you didn’t set up one of the metrics you don’t normally care about on one of the four screens, then you won’t get to see it during your run (At least, not in a way I’ve figured out yet.) The only one this really hit me on, since I only care about three or four numbers usually while I’m running, was the actual clock. I wanted to know what time it was while I was running, and I hadn’t thought to set that up on one of the screens.
Now, here’s one thing that as of now I don’t really like, Training Peaks. Timex data is downloaded to your computer, and then automatically uploaded to training peaks for you to look up your runs, etc. Similar to the Nike Site, or Runkeeper. I wish it would just use Runkeeper, or you could choose between a number of different sites, and that was one of the options. Nike had this problem too of course, all nike runs synced with the nike site. I got used to it, and actually grew to like the nike site pretty well. I think Garmin runs natively with Runkeeper. It’s handy because I already had an account there and sometimes used their app. But I’m sure I’ll get used to whatever in the end. I’m sure you’ll hear about it hear if I don’t.
I’ll keep using it of course, right now I’m still going through initial stages. I’ve used it three times and haven’t charged the battery yet. I’m still trying to do the initial drain completely charge fully steps of the watch, I’ve been turning on the GPS Signal at random times throughout the day to drain the battery quicker. I’m getting close. It’s only got one bar left as of now.
written by Chris
\\ tags: GPS, Ironman, Nike, Run Trainer, Running, Sportwatch, Timex, Watch