Garmin Forerunner 310XT GPS Multisport Watch - Grey

I bought this item about a month ago.Whilst it is relatively expensive compared to the 305 etc, this is an amazing piece of kit. If you are looking for an item to help motivate you, you really cant get better! I have run in the 2006,2007 and 2009 London Marathons and needed some extra incentive to go training. It acquires satellites very quickly (I have used it in the UK and Greece and it takes no more than 2 minutes to locate your position)...The ANT connection to my IMac was brilliant and easy to install. My 310XT now links with the computer after every run, without any problems. It is great to see your route on Google Earth.I have used it for tennis, running, swimming and canoeing! Running is certainly what this item is best suited to.Battery life is good and whilst the orange colour wouldn't impress everyone, it is completely fine!I really rate this item....Since I reviewed this item, the back light stopped working. I tried all the reset procedures and the light still would not work. usually I wouldn't mind too much, but since the daylight is drawining in, in the UK, I contacted Garmin. They really could not have been better. Make sure that you call them (you may be kept waiting for a while). The email method of contacting Garmin, gained no response. Despite this minor flaw, I continue to rate this product 5 stars. It is absolutely brilliant and all in all, my experience with Garmin was superb! Make sure that yiou keep the rather large packaging when the item arrives...If you want motivation to train, this is the item, I promise you!!

I thought long and hard befor going ahead and purchasing the 310 , but after using it for only a few days , I can confirm that it is money well spent ! It has a very easy to use menu system and after a couple of videos on youtube, I was pretty confident with setting up the watch as I wanted it.I found the 4 screen mode a little tricky to read whilst running but setting it to just 1 or 2 items per screen and autoscrolling thru them solved my problem in a jiffy.The information that is available when the unit is connected to the computer is astounding , maps , graphs , charts , facts and figures galore. Also planning an interval workout on the pc and then sending it to the unit straightforward , somthing that encourages me to vary my sessions rather that going out for a run or a quick ride on the bike.Satellite pickup is quick and constant and I have had no issues with the hrm , which works a treat.Dont delay , buy today.

This is easy to use, with a menu that you can soon get used to and an easy-to-read display. There's a good range of functions (can set up for multi-sport use and is waterproof for swimming, so great for triathlon) including an option to race against a pre-set pace (or 'virtual partner') and the heart rate monitor works a dream (inlike many at and below this price range). It's particularly powerful as a training tool if you make the best use of the 'Garmin connect' and upload your data onto a Garmin account (or my son uses Strava with it and that seems to work well too). It seems to pick up satellites faster than most other sports watches and the battery life is more than adequate for longer training sessions and my early experience suggests that the manufacturer's claim wouldn't be unrealistic as long as you don't keep recharging before it runs down. The only obvious downside would be the large size relative to most systems (but I've got a small wrist and am quite happy with it - I like the clear display & easy controls that this allows). I've seen that you can get an even better watch for a lot more money but, for anyone up to pro level, I doubt that you'd beat this for the price.

While lacking some modern features like barometric altitude, wrist HR sensor, some dedicated sports activities, a step counter, and bluetooth downloads, the 310 xt still has a lot to offer.I used my 310 xt regullrly for about 3 1/2 years (the strap broke!) before switching to my current VivoActive HR (VAHR) about 5 months ago.The 310xt doesn't have a touchscreen, so you won't have the problem of a cracked touchscreen (like I have on my VAHR ... grrr!).The only modes are cycle, run and "other", which can be set to swim, but could also be used for anything - some folks use them for horse training with a special (hugely long) HR belt for the horse!On the other hand, the battery life is superb - I used my 310xt to record a 14-hour bike ride, so the claimed 20-hour battery life (GPS om) seems realistic. By contrast my VAHR is only rated at a 14 hour battery life, and an 11 hour bike ride got it down to 16%!Downloading the 310xt is best done via a computer/laptop using the included Ant+ USB stick and the Windows Garmin Connect software - by comparison, my much more modern VAHR can be downloaded via bluetooth to a smartphone or tablet, or via the USB cable/charger that comes with the VAHR.So what will I do with my old 310xt? Probably get a bike mount kit for it (yes they are still available) to replace the broken strap. That 20 hour battery life on the 310xt is STILL impressive by todays standards, and is VERY impressive for a watch in this price range.Why upgrade from a phone strapped to your arm? It is just SO much easier with a little watch on your wrist, and if you like running AND cycling, a triathlon watch makes much more sense than putting a cycle computer in your pocket while running, or strapping a running watch to a bike.Just make sure you get a chest HR belt to go with the 310xt.