Garmin 35 v 230, which one should I get? I kind of like the HR function on the 35, but the 230 looks better aesthetically and appears to do pretty much all of the same functions from the research I've done. I will only be using this for running and normal wear, so the 230 might be the better option with longer battery life. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Isn't the 235 the realistic comparison to the 35 ?
Why would someone wear a running watch outside of running?
Get a normal watch too.
I guess, haven't really looked into that one too much, and from what I've read, the 235 isn't too much different than the 230. I just don't feel like spending the extra money, when I can get the 35 for $170 and the 230 for $200.
The 235 has a heart rate monitor, but is otherwise the same as the 230. It's much more expensive than the 230 at present (probably because there will never again be a GPS watch that doesn't have heart rate built in). The question is simply whether you want a heart rate monitor on your watch or not.
No optical heart rate monitor on the market is really good enough to do serious heart rate based training, if that's your thing. They're accurate enough to set a speed limit on your recovery days, which is honestly the main use case for heart rate for most runners. The newer Garmin heart rate monitors also track resting heart rate throughout the day, which is good for tracking your recovery, but the 35 doesn't really do that.
The advantage of the 230 is that it has more data fields and you can download customized workouts, which can be extremely detailed. Some people find them very useful, but others prefer to do most of their hard workouts on the track. If you do complicated marathon workouts in the course of your long runs (e.g., including 1.5 mile MP repetitions alternating with .5 mile "steady" recovery intervals), then programming your workouts is very helpful, because it's easy to zone out or lose track. It's also nice to be able to do a hard track-style workout on the roads on occasion, especially if you're a road racer. Quarter mile repeats and below aren't very accurate with GPS, so you can't stress about a few seconds, but longer stuff usually works well.
That said, the 35 is overpriced and the 230 is due for a refresh. If I were getting a watch now, there's no question I would get the Polar M430.
Fenix 3 HR are available for less than $400 now that the Fenix 5 is out. Just drop some extra $$ and get that. You won't regret it.
Stem cells wrote:
Fenix 3 HR are available for less than $400 now that the Fenix 5 is out. Just drop some extra $$ and get that. You won't regret it.
That's still a lot more money for a watch that does a ton of stuff that most people don't need. Unless you want a watch to track a lot of different sports, then there's no point. It's also huge and heavy.
I really like my 235 but, as others have said the optical sensor can be really far off (It has reported that my heart rate will stay in the 170's just walking around my house)
GPS Convert wrote:
I guess, haven't really looked into that one too much, and from what I've read, the 235 isn't too much different than the 230. I just don't feel like spending the extra money, when I can get the 35 for $170 and the 230 for $200.
The 35 has integrated HRM as does the 235, the 230 doesn't so a major difference - hence my post.
Given the poor quality of my 630's HRM, if I had my time again I would have bought a 235 and accepted that it isn't always spot on - just like any chest strap.
All He Does Is Win wrote:
Why would someone wear a running watch outside of running?
Get a normal watch too.
Why not, if it connects to our phone via Bluetooth and is a "smart watch"? Real runners don't care about social acceptance.
I love my 230. Had it for over a year now.
It's very light and gets the job done without having a large price tag. The tracking is very customizable, and so are the workouts. You can customize workouts to your heart's desire. You can also add external apps, and although it has no wrist HR monitor, you can connect a chest one and it works like a charm.
I have the 230 and love it.
Unlike the 10 I will actually wear it all day.
I don't use a heart rate monitor so that part isn't an issue for me.