Is the Suunto t6c hrm model simular to the Garmin 405? The Suunto also includes training software, which is helpful to optimize specific workouts without overtraining. The hr zones appear to be identical for both. Thoughts on which is a better investment?
I researched all of the GPS watches and found the Garmin's are the best performing, most accurate, best looking watches. I recently bought a 405 with HR strap. Now I can accurately do my mileage on the road instead of the treadmill. I like it a lot and would recommend it to anyone serious about running.
the 405 (and all of the Garmin watches) come with the training center and Garmin Connect to track you training and workouts. The training center is software you install on your computer and Garmin Connect is a free web-based service.
You can upload all your workouts from the watch to your computer with the wireless ANT stick that comes with the watch.
Garmin is a well known company outside of just gps watches. They are also one of the world leaders in car navigation systems and other GPS electronics. They are also the leaders in GPS watches.
Suunto on the other hand is a much smaller company and focuses on sports equipment, not gps. However they make other equipment and currently their highly accurate compass is used by the Finnish and English armies.
Take your pick.
My Pick: Garmin.
I just recently got a Garmin and it's amazing. I would recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind dishing out the money for it.
I have owned several garmins that i bought for training and i have been given a couple of suuntos (just the watchs not the GPS ones) by my work. I would say that Garmin makes a fantastic product that is extremly acurate and durable. As I said i have never used a Suunto GPS but the watchs that i have had were all of really poor quality. They bezels usually broke, the batterys usually go dead very quickly and are dificult to replace because you need to replace the seal as well so you have to buy their battery. Also the menus are usually confusing and hard to customize. If i were to recommend one for actual training i would say go with the Garmin 305 it has a bigger screen which makes it easy to see multiple peices of data while running hard. Plus its much cheaper and easier to use than the touch bezel of the 405 with wet fingers. If just want something that makes you look high speed and you don't really want to use if for training then go with the sunnto because they look way cooler.
OP: If you care more about the speed/distance, go with the Garmin. If you care more about the Heart Rate data, go with the Suunto.
I use the 405 and it seems incredibly accurate everywhere except mountain bike trails with lots of tree coverage and tons of turns. Everywhere on the road, tree covered or not, seems really, really accurate.
I've used it on some measured trails/paths just to see if it's close and it was dead on with each mile marker. I also have mapped a couple runs using the usatf.org route mapping site, and again it's within a hundredth or two even over a 10-15 mile run.
As far as the "wet bezel" problem....it hasn't really been a problem. I like to see 3 things on my watch- total time, average pace, and distance. I have it also pop up the mile splits as they occur. I don't need anything else on there, so I just leave it on that screen, lock the bezel, and I never have an issue. It's really easy to use, too.
This is all coming from someone who swore these kinds of watches off a year ago. I finally broke down and got one so that I could more accurately measure distances of tempo runs and so that I could tell paces to the kids I coach as I run with them.
A year later, I do everything but races and track workouts with it.
Garmin 405 all the way!
not 100% wrote:
OP: If you care more about the speed/distance, go with the Garmin.
To clarify further, if you want instantaneous speed, go with the Garmin FR60, not any of the GPS units.