I need a no-frills GPS watch that takes laps

Take a look at the new line of Epson GPS watches. I have one of the original RunSense (without the HR) and it's been great. No accuracy issues at all and is a basic level watch. I'm like you in that I don't really care for all that crap that Garmin puts on their watches.

The wrist reads are largely useless for fast training. The two I've had work pretty darn well at aerobic paces or anything slower (like just walking around and living).

For tempos or intervals, if I want to know my HR I need a strap.

My last wrist based HR/GPS died on me, so I replaced it with a rather plain and somewhat old Forerunner 620 that I got off ebay on the cheap. So far the thing is awesome. And it takes laps. No wrist HR, though.

vivalarepublica wrote:

What the title says. Looking for a no frills, minimal GPS watch that will take lap splits and maybe heart rate. Don’t need things like a color touchscreen with customizable watch faces and umpteen app connections and notifications and all that stuff.

I’ve looked at Garmin and the Forerunner 25 seems to fit the bill, but it doesn’t have the wrist heart rate feature (how accurate are those anyway?). Forerunner 35 also seems like a good option for what I’m looking for, I think that I can get past the excess of features.

Anything else out there that will fit the bill?

Garmin fenix 5 or die

itdepends wrote:The wrist reads are largely useless for fast training.

+1

Do any of the watches mentioned have the ability to easily use two or more interval timers? That way I can run for an interval duration and rest for another, without fiddling with the watch.

Bonus if it accepts a HR strap and has GPS.

I have the Harmon 15 w HR monitor.

Zero frills bells or whistles. Just the basics and a good price.

I’m 100% satisfied

So what you are looking for is like a Timex Ironman watch with a GPS? I would LOVE to find one like that too. I find all the Garmins confusing.

*Garmin

Old HS coach wrote:

So what you are looking for is like a Timex Ironman watch with a GPS? I would LOVE to find one like that too. I find all the Garmins confusing.

This is what I've always wanted. I end up using my plain Timex for intervals and trackwork and the GPS on other days. It's unfortunate, mostly because I end up misplacing the watches, and would rather not have to enter runs manually into my running log.

Timex recently released a $99 basic GPS watch. Not sure if it has intervals, but it doesn't have wrist HR.

Old HS coach wrote:

So what you are looking for is like a Timex Ironman watch with a GPS? I would LOVE to find one like that too. I find all the Garmins confusing.

Basically. I have my Timex, and then I have my fitness tracker with heart rate. But then I realized that GPS is useful for tracking workout pace and distance, so a GPS watch with Timex-like features would be everything in one.

These Epson watches look promising for that purpose.

The Garmin 235 works well for me. I feel the HR (via wrist) works well and is accurate.

You can customize workouts using time, distance or hitting the lap key and the intervals, repeats will be a subset of the whole workout.

TomTom's GPS watches are pretty cheap and basic.

MeHereYouWhere?! wrote:

Timex recently released a $99 basic GPS watch. Not sure if it has intervals, but it doesn't have wrist HR.

These seem almost like what I am like looking for, except it seems to require a USB connection to upload workout data, rather than the Bluetooth that connects to a phone app that is pretty much standard for GPS watches these days. I guess that I like a few frills.

Bluetooth upload, wrist hr in"cardio" models, lap function. You want a tomtom

I have an old Garmin Forerunner 10 and it is very simple. Has GPS, takes laps (but can't show current lap time, very frustrating sometimes), no heartrate.

I got a refurbished one for around $50 I think so definitely one of the cheapest out there.

vivalarepublica wrote:

These seem almost like what I am like looking for, except it seems to require a USB connection to upload workout data, rather than the Bluetooth that connects to a phone app that is pretty much standard for GPS watches these days. I guess that I like a few frills.

How hard is it to plug in the USB to your phone? ;)

Garmin Forerunner 210 or 220. Either one will do the trick.

Make sure you get one with the heart-rate strap.