TomTom Runner GPS Watch Review

TomTom Runner GPS

The TomTom Runner GPS Watch is the first real product from TomTom in the highly competitive GPS watch category. This watch has some great features, including some fun graphic modes that are almost too good in that you want to look at the screen instead of run. It’s a solid entry that should be looked at by most runners.

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5 Tricks to Getting the Best GPS Running Watch

Home Before Dark by heza, on Flickr

Home Before Dark by heza, on Flickr


Deciding on the best GPS running watch for your needs can be tricky. There are a ton of different styles out these days, and that number is only going to increase over time.
I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed, so I came up with a few main things to consider. Here are 5 tricks to choose the best GPS running watch that I’ve found after checking out a few of them.

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How to Fix a Broken Garmin Running Watch

Garmin has some of the most popular watches for runners. This includes the Garmin Forerunner line, from the 110, 210, 410, 610 and 910. Of course, there are older models in the 05 series, such as the 105 and 405. In addition to the Forerunner series, Garmin watches for running include FR 60 series of GPS watches.

Garmin GPS Watch Repair

Read our Garmin GPS watch reviews if you are in the market to buy a new GPS watch for running.

When your Garmin watch is broken, or not working properly, there are a few steps you can take to fix it. Garmin has a fairly good reputation in service and support, and contacting them directly is always an option. That said, before you delve into contacting Garmin, we advise that you do a little troubleshooting of your own. Troubleshooting Your Garmin is a great resource.

Your watch battery may also be causing a problem. Check out my page on How many years will the battery in my Garmin Forerunner last? if you think this might be your problem.

When you need your Garmin watch fixed, you need to determine whether your watch is still under warranty or out of warranty. Remember, the 1 year warranty is a limited warranty. So, if you damage the watch by smacking it against a tree on a trail run, they will not fix it.

Covered by Warranty Garmin GPS Watch

If your watch is covered by warranty, the process is simple and Garmin provides clear instructions on their site at:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/warranty.html

You can request a repaid by calling their customer service number at 1-800-800-1020 (U.S. only). At that point, they will provide you with instructions on what to do. They will also provide you with an RMA number and a docking number to ship the watch back with. Make sure you include this information. You don’t want to be the one with your watch lost while already at Garmin. And, omitting this information can result in a delay of your repair.

Out of Warranty Garmin GPS Watch

If you are out of warranty, well, it will cost you to repair the watch. However, repair will be a lot cheaper than buying a new watch for running. To get repair service, you complete the request on the Garmin site at:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/outofwarranty.html

One nice thing about Garmin is that they will provide you with a price for repair before you ship the watch back to them. So, you know exactly what it will cost you to repair.

A Note on Shipping

When sending your GPS watch to Garmin for repair, please package it in a box and not an envelope. It may be cheaper, but you may end up having the watch damaged even further due to shipping. So, any small box with a little crumbled up paper for padding would be ideal. Make sure to include insurance as it is required by Garmin for shipping. Unfortunately, you may be required to pay the shipping cost to Garmin, depending on your situation.

Repair Warranty

Garmin provides a 90 warranty on their repair work. They also have a 1 year warranty on the product if you purchase it new. If you have a problem covered by your warranty, the good folks at Garmin will let you know how much time is left on your warranty.

Running without a Watch, GPS or Heart Rate Monitor

A couple of days ago, for the first time in a long time, I went for a run with a watch, GPS or heart rate monitor. I was feeling a little down and felt that a short run would do me good. So, I decided to head out the door without any electronics. I told my wife I would head down into the canyon and be back in 30 minutes.

So, I headed out the door, checked my form and started a leisurely run over to the trail that would take me down about 300 feet into a canyon. I wasn’t quite sure how far I would run, what my course would be or if I wanted this to be an easy or hard run. Sometimes, no plan is a good plan.

It’s a somewhat steep hill going down and the day was somewhat warm. Last summer I got into the habit of either singing or snapping my fingers as I head down on narrow trails. I do this for good reason, last summer is when I got too close for comfort to a rattle snack. So, I try to make a little noise to let them know I’m coming. I got the idea from mountain bikers who have bells attached to their bikes as they careen around the trails.

The descent is about 300 feet and takes me to a creek. When I got to the bottom, the small bridge was washed to an angle from rain last week. So, I spent about 10 minutes or so trying to straighten it out. I gave up and threw a couple of rocks in the water to make sure the step to the bridge was easy. Once I got across, I decided to head on over to Paradise Falls, about a mile away.

Running with no watch to Paradise Falls

I started feeling really good on the way to the falls. Since this was later afternoon on a weekday, I had only passed one hiker. So, I felt a great sense of calm listening to my footsteps and my breathing.

I checked out the falls and say a young couple sitting on a rock. So, I decided not to disturb them. I turned and started to backtrack on the trail from where I came. At that point, I started thinking how good I felt, so I turned around and kept moving alongside the creek. From the falls, you can continue to a developed campsite. That was fun as there were two more stream crossings, I got my left foot wet.

When I got the campsite, I was planning to head back up canyon along a fire road. However, I saw a sign for the lizard rock trail. This is the backside of a trail that is fairly long. From the starting point, I had only taken it to the actual Lizard Rock. But, never beyond. So, I figured why not and kept going. I knew I was in for a tough run because from the bottom of the canyon to the top of lizard rock was about a 500 foot climb in less than a mile.

Just as I started up the steep switchbacks, a few guys on mountain bikes came screaming downhill. I jumped to the edge of the narrow trail and hugged the mountain. They yelled out that there were five more riders. I kept an eye ahead as I started back on the trail. Sure enough, in less than 60 seconds, the all five riders passed me.

As I got the steep part, I tried a new running technique of crossing over my feet at a slight angle as opposed to running straight up. The hill was tough, but I felt unbelievably happy to be running up, a slew of positive thoughts kept passing through my head. I stopped a couple of time, but this was because I wanted to take in the view.

The last 40 feet are very steep to get up to Lizard Rock, so I mostly walked it. But, from the top, I felt great.

This picture is the trail to Lizard Rock from the front. I stood on top for about two minutes to soak up the view and felt great. I took the front trail back home. It was all downhill.

From this point, I felt like I was running on air. My legs were refreshed at the top and I took it easy coming down. As a matter of fact, this run was my easiest run in years, despite the hill climb. I just felt great.

Lizard Rock is just to the left/top of the center of this map:

View Larger Map

No Running Watch, GPS or Heart Rate Monitor

I have a general idea of how long this run took. I stopped at a drinking fountain near a nature center. I stopped at the falls and a couple of times up the mountain and the top of the mountain. Not once did I wonder how long I had been running or how far.

 

The next time you need to clear your head, don’t just go for an easy run, go to explore. You never know where your mind will take you.

Timex Mens 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch for running is ideal for those who just need running shoes and a no frills watch for running as companions for their training sessions. The Sleek collection from the Timex stable is a result of nearly two decades of technological advancements and aesthetic refinement. The advanced features and bold design makes the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch stand out amongst its counterpart training watches.

Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch - Design

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch comes in a bold purple color and a variety of other bold colors. The design of the watch is a perfect combination of style and aerodynamics. The display of the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Watch is quite unique with the bold oversized digit display. The bevel of the watch is surrounded by four buttons which are used to set up the watch and to access the menus.

The four main buttons are used for namely, Set/Recall, INDIGLO, Mode and Stop/Reset. The bevel has another button for Start/Split that is used for easy lap and split option.

Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch - Usability

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is a no frills training companion. It does not come loaded with features and customizations. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is easy to set up and use. You can easily change the settings of the watch by using the four buttons to access the menus. Navigating the menu options is also extremely simple with two buttons acting as scroll buttons.

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is ideal for the casual runner. The resin strap of the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch makes it extremely comfortable to wear. The resin strap is flexible and the watch itself is quite lightweight.

The resin strap is that it is glued onto the sides of the watch. The strap is then also attached to hooks around the four corners. With prolonged usage the rubber starts to detach from the hooks on the watch. This is the only noticeable downside of the watch.

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is also water resistant which allows you to train underwater up to 100 meters for nearly 30 minutes.

Over sized digits are used for the display which helps in easy viewing. The display also has all-day white reflector which makes viewing easy even in direct sunlight.

Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch - Features

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch has many features that the best running watches should have.

INDIGLO

Every training watch worth its money must have a powerful backlight to help easy viewing in dark conditions. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch comes with a dedicated button for the backlight. The INDIGLO button on the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch can be pressed down to view the display or can be set to keep the light on for a few seconds for easy viewing and setting changes.

The backlight provided in the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is quite powerful and bright. It stays on for about 8 seconds but the time the backlight stays on cannot be adjusted.

Interval Timers

The interval timer feature is extremely useful for casual runners who like to alternate their training between running and walking. The interval timer allows you to train based on effort put in over time rather than distance. The interval timers can be set to beep at the end of a set time to alert you to switch your activity. For example, the timers can be set to beep for your 5 minutes run and then beep again for your 3 minutes walk and then repeat.

Chronograph

The chronograph or stopwatch feature is a must have in every training watch. The chronograph allows you to time your training sessions in terms of minutes or hours. The chronograph of the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is accurate to 1/100th of a second. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch also has a dedicated Start/Stop button for the stopwatch which allows you to effortlessly time your runs without having to fiddle around the menus.

The chronograph feature also allows you to pause in between your training and resume timing once you start training again.

Lap Memory

Lap memory is an important feature for runners who have a lot of repetition during their training. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch stores up to 50 lap sessions for reviewing later. The laps can be stored as 5 sessions of 10 laps each or 10 sessions of 5 laps each. The summary of each session will show details like best lap, average lap and time taken of individual laps and also shows the lap with the best performance. The summary will also show the overall lap time and the current lap time.

The lap summary also shows the lap and split times. This is essential for runners who want to accurately time their runs. The difference between the lap and split time will give you the time that has elapsed since your last lap and the split time will give you the time that has elapsed since you started running.

Other Features

The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch can be used as a normal watch when you are not training. The watch displays the date and time in its characteristic over sized digit display. The watch also has 3 alarms which can be set to buzz every day, buzz on weekends or buzz at a particular time on a particular day of the month. The watch is also water resistant to 100m which allows you to wear the watch across many sports like canoeing, water rafting, snowboarding, etc. The water resistant feature also allows training in heavy rain.

Battery Life

The battery of the Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch promises to last for about 2.5 years with 2.5 hours of use every week.

Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch - Summary

The Timex50 Lap Sleek Training Watch for running fulfills the need for a basic training watch that has the essential basic features while being water resistant. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training Watch is competitively priced between $30 and $50 making it an ideal, comfortable and low cost training companion for casual runners. This is considered the top running watch by many runners.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Timex 50 Lap Sleek Training watch for running is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • Paragon Sports
  • Altrec

Suunto Quest Running Pack

The Suunto Quest Running Pack is an advanced training tool for runners, swimmers, triathletes and cyclists. The Suunto Quest Running Pack has packed more features into itself than what the Garmin and Timex or Polar offer. The Suunto Quest Running Pack not only tracks important training metrics like pace, distance, speed and time it also has advanced features for accurate heart rate monitoring. The online features that are provided with the Suunto Quest Running Pack allow users to upload their training details, choose popular tracks, compete or coordinate with other runners. Click here to check the current price for the Suunto Quest running pack.

Suunto Quest Running Pack: Design

The design of the Suunto Quest Running Pack is elegantly simple sticking to clean lines while continuing with the aesthetic quality of the other watches from the Suunto stable. The traditional round shape has been maintained for the dial making the Suunto Quest Running Pack watch look like an ordinary watch and not like some feature laden computer on your wrist.

The size and weight have been maintained to ensure a comfortable fit across a wide range of wrist sizes. The watch is also light weight. The mid-sized diameter of the dial does not make it look overly large but just the right size.

Suunto Quest Running Pack: Usability

The Suunto Quest Running Pack watch is based on the same platform as the M series which has allowed the operations to be cleaned up to an extent where only three buttons are necessary to set up and use the watch. The top and bottom buttons work as scroll buttons to move up and down while the middle button is used to access the menu. The crisp and clean display adds to the ease of use of the Suunto Quest Running Pack.

Setting up the Suunto Quest Running Pack is extremely easy. The three buttons allow easy navigation between the menu options and you do not have to go through a complicated sequence of button pushing. Suunto has kept the setup process as effortless as possible. The user only needs to input the minimum required information after turning on the watch.

The Suunto Quest Running Pack allows easy changing of settings by simply connecting the watch to your computer. The Moves Count online training portal lets you change the settings on your watch with just three single clicks.

Suunto is known for the dive watches it produces hence the Suunto Quest Running Pack being water resistant is no surprise for someone acquainted with Suunto. The watch works perfectly 30 meters underwater for nearly 30 minutes.

Click here for more information on the Suunto Quest running pack.

Suunto Quest Running Pack: Features

Heart Rate Monitor and Foot Pod

The heart rate monitor on the Suunto Quest Running Pack is one of the best heart rate monitors provided by Suunto. It is flexible, light weight and can be easily strapped on or taken off. The flexible textile strap fits comfortably without constricting your breath, unlike other poorly designed heart rate monitors. Pairing the heart rate strap with the watch is extremely easy and it connects to the watch through wireless transmission. The foot pods work similarly and sit among the shoelaces of your shoe.

The watch displays not only the current heart rate but also your average heart rate for each individual training session. The heart rate is updated every few seconds giving you the accurate current heart rate. The features of the heart rate monitor also allow you to view your current heart rate as a percentage of your maximum heart rate.

Cadence

Cadence is an extremely valuable training metric if you want to train specifically to increase your stride frequency while reducing your stride length. The foot pod helps the Suunto Quest Running Pack track how many times your foot has rotated through a particular gait cycle and hence calculates your cadence.

Since the Suunto Quest Running Pack uses the foot pod to calculate your cadence and not a GPS receiver you need not worry about the accuracy of the cadence calculation while training indoors or while running through city blocks.

Speed and Distance

The Suunto Quest Running Pack provides accurate information about your speed, distance and pace during training sessions; though these metrics are available only if you pair the watch with the provided foot pod.

Lap Counting

Using the online portal Moves Count the Suunto Quest Running Pack can be set to auto lap. This provides a new lap after every 1km you have run. The training summary will then display details like time and distance for each individual lap.

Another great addition to the auto lap in the Suunto Quest Running Pack is that you do not have to fiddle around with the buttons to change the lap while running. A tap on the screen of the watch is enough to start a new lap. This tap functionality is extremely useful while training outdoors in cold weather wearing big chunky gloves.

History

Once you have completed your training session you can not only view the details of the most recent training session but also compare it to other stored training sessions. The details displayed in the history mode include distance, pace, time, average heart rate, maximum heart rate and cadence.

Moves Count

Moves Count is the online training portal of Suunto that allows you to upload your training details, analyze them and schedule improved training sessions. The online portal also allows you to explore the online community of Suunto watch users, check out popular training tracks or compete with other athletes.

Memory and Battery Life

The Suunto Quest Running Pack watch comes with a 20 hour training log memory which makes the watch perfect for marathon training or adventure racing.

The battery of the Suunto Quest Running Pack promises to last for about a year if used for 2.5 hours per week.

Click here to learn more about the Suunto Quest running pack.

Suunto Quest Running Pack: Summary

The Suunto Quest Running Pack watch is one of the most advanced non GPS watches available in the market. The watch displays an impressive amount of information which can be analyzed and uploaded online. The Suunto Quest Running Pack watch is pure value for your money. It also includes a great heart rate monitor watch and a pod that works almost as well as a full GPS running watch.The watch helps you take your training to a whole new level while being extremely social with the online training portal Moves Count.

Read more GPS Watch Reviews or Heart Rate Monitor Reviews.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Suunto Quest Running Pack, includes a running watch, is available from these online stores:

  • Read More Reviews | Check Pricing
  • Buy at: Amazon.com | Paragon Sports | Altrec

Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Watch for Runners

The Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS watch for runners has forgone the virtual training partner, multi sport modes and other features of its more expensive counterparts like the Garmin Forerunner 410 and 310XT. The Garmin Forerunner 110 has taken a much simpler route to being the basic runner watch. Hence it has the basic displays of a runner watch that shows time, distance, pace and mile splits. Though the Garmin Forerunner 110 has been targeted at the mainstream runner it is not ideal for someone who wants to train seriously. It is a watch for running that a casual runner would prefer.

Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Watch for Runners - Design

The design of the Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS watch for runners is not bulky or chunky and defines the goal of the watch: overall simplicity. The choice of colors also has intrigued many customers with a hot pink for women and standard black and hot red for men. The simple features and simple look of watch make it look like a normal watch not a feature laden computer on your wrist.

The Garmin Forerunner 110 has a simple interface bezel with no touch screen option unlike its counterpart the Garmin Forerunner 410. The bevel of the Garmin Forerunner 110 is surrounded by four basic buttons of a runner’s watch namely, light, page/menu, lap/reset and start/stop.

Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Watch for Runners - Usability

The Garmin Forerunner 110 has simplified the complex features of most of its counterparts and has the basic features which many serious athletes will vouch is all you need. Giving up on the overwhelming customizations the Garmin Forerunner 110 is perfect for the casual runner. Plenty of storage, easy interface, easy to read screen and a simple GPS tracking make this watch extremely easy and a pleasure to use. For the casual runner the Garmin Forerunner 110 is the perfect watch to launch into the GPS watch line.

The only downside to the Garmin Forerunner 110 is that though it is waterproof to support underwater use at 30 meters for 30 minutes the screen begins to fog up after barely 20 minutes of underwater use.

Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Watch for Runners - Features

Running

The Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS watch for runners is undoubtedly designed for running and with just a tap on the page/menu button the GPS is turned on and ready for running. Once you are done with your running a tap on the start/stop buttons stops recording and you can then view the distance travelled, time taken and pace details. If you have a heart rate strap you can also view your current heart rate on the Garmin Forerunner 110.

Auto Lap

This is a great feature characteristic of every Garmin Forerunner. The Auto Lap helps you create automatic splits/lap every time you set the desired distance. Most casual runners do this to set mile markers, the Auto Lap feature of the Garmin Forerunner 110 does this automatically for you. By default the Auto Lap feature is set to split at 1.0 mile, you can customize this and set it to any desired distance. Pressing the lap button will provide information about your total time and average pace rate.

Heart Rate Monitor

The major reason any individual would take up training is to keep the heart fit hence the Garmin Forerunner 110 allows you to use the ANT+ heart rate strap to monitor your heart rate. The current heart rate will show up on one of the data pages which can be further analyzed on Garmin Connect.

Using Indoors

The Garmin Forerunner 110 comes with an indoors mode which allows you to only monitor your heart rate. Even if you are training indoors you can use this feature. This mode does not display the distance, time or pace.

Backlight

The backlight of the Garmin Forerunner 110 is extremely bright and stays on for about 8 seconds. But unlike its counterparts the time the backlight stays on cannot be adjusted on the Garmin Forerunner 110.

History

Holding down the page/menu button of the Garmin Forerunner 110 displays the history. You can then navigate to view different activities and also view the summary of each activity which includes distance, time and pace.

Cycling

Though the Garmin Forerunner 110 was simplified to be a single sport watch, it can used for cycling by switching the display mode to ‘speed’ from ‘pace’. You can then strap it onto your wrist or use a bike mount to record your training. Except for pace the monitor shows speed otherwise there is no difference between the summaries for running and cycling.

Swimming

The downside of the Garmin Forerunner 110 is that it isn’t quite waterproof. The screen of the FX110 fogs up with barely 20 minutes of use underwater. Hence training underwater with the Garmin Forerunner 110 isn’t quite a good idea.

GPS

The GPS feature on the Garmin Forerunner 110 is accurate and has simple route tracking to help the first time user of GPS watches. The GPS chip of the Garmin Forerunner 110 is very fast in comparison to the other Forerunners and takes less than 20 seconds to find the satellites and lock in.

Battery Life

The Garmin Forerunner 110 promises 8 hours of battery life with full GPS usage. It also comes with an auto power saving mode which enables the watch to go back to regular mode after 5 minutes of inactivity.

Software

The Garmin Forerunner 110 comes with Garmin Connect and can be used with Training Peaks as well as Sport Tracks to record and analyze training sessions. These softwares provide feedbacks and help design better training schedules. The Sport Tracks helps you choose a track and then schedule or customize your training on the specified track.

Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS Watch for Runners - Summary

The loss of many features for simplicity does not sit well with the heavy dent caused to the wallet otherwise the Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS watch for runners is a step towards better technology for the casual runner. Not too complicated yet reliable with faster GPS connectivity and easy interface the Garmin Forerunner 110 with the lack of the Virtual Training Partner and Foot Pod sticks to the basics while still doing well. Being slim and pretty it records plenty of data without issues of data loss or drops. It’s probably one of the best running watches for runners looking for an affordable GPS watch.

Read more GPS Watch Reviews.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS running watch is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • Backwoods
  • Altrec

Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is mud and dirt resistant making it an ideal runner watch for those who hit the trail when running. Casio, famous for giving the world the quartz crystal regulated digital watches for running has  gone a step ahead with its innovations when it released the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch. The light weight yet strong and uber cool watch is known for its resistance.

Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch: Design

The first impression of the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is quite reassuring with the proper matte black finish and crisp display. The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch has the typical black/anthracite color combo of Casio with the right hand side of the dial being highlighted with silver chrome. The non rotating bevel consists of four buttons around it namely, mode, adjust, start/stop and split/reset. The writing of the functions is in yellow and is luminescent aiding viewing in dark conditions.

Since the watch is mud resistant the module of the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is not exposed except for the bare stainless steel back. Casio has built and designed the watch to operate even when fully covered in mud or dirt; hence the outer rubber buttons serve as a membrane to help operate the inner module buttons. The buttons can be even used underwater.

Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch: Usability

A glance at the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch gives out its huge size. The resin band along with a double tang clasp makes it perfect for big hands along while ensuring that the watch stays on even during extreme conditions. The allen head-screws used to mount the resin band onto the watch also vouch for the extreme conditions that this watch is built for.

The band is also long enough and the watch can be comfortably worn over wet suits and large jackets. The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is water resistant and hence you don’t have to worry about indulging in water sports anymore. The big buttons for the functions which are separate from the module allow the watch to be used easily even while wearing gloves. The buttons are all encased which allow for easy viewing with the backlight even under water.

The only downside of Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is the durability of the resin strap. The resin strap loses its suppleness very quickly with the formation of a white powdery substance on it. Though the resin band does not cause any skin irritation it does feel plastic which is very unlike Casio watches.

Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch: Features

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch for running comes with the essential features of world time, stopwatch, countdown timer and 5 alarms.

Mud Resistant

The module of the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is sealed and so are the buttons to prevent mud and dirt entering the watch. This also makes the watch fully operable under extreme conditions especially when it is submerged in mud.

Backlight

The most charming sub feature of the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is its auto backlight which illuminates the display the moment the watch is tilted towards your face. The electro luminescent panel illuminates the screen and the text panel for easy viewing. The backlight also flashes with buzzer when it sounds for the alarm, countdown and stopwatch.

World Time

The World time feature of the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch provides current time of major cities across the world. It also provides current time of specific areas like time zones.

Stopwatch

The stop watch for the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch has a dedicated button hence allows easy measurement of elapsed time. The maximum time measurement is indicated by the time figure. This feature works by the timer counting down from a specific start time set by the user. A value on the display also indicates the number of timers that are available while the time figure is used to indicate the maximum possible start time.

The stopwatch also has a repeat feature which allows automatic restarting of the time at the end of every countdown.

Multi Alarm

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch comes with 5 multi alarms which can be used to set the alarm for a specific time to ring daily or for a specific time on a specific day of a month. This function also allows setting different alarms for different functions like snooze, time up, auto start and countdown timer progress. Hence when the watch beeps you will know what it is beeping for.

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch also has an hourly alarm that beeps every hour on the hour. It also has a snooze feature which allows you to stop the alarm and make it buzz after a couple of minutes.

Battery

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is popular among the Mudman series of Casio because this watch lets you have the twin impossible of being outdoors indulging in your favorite sports and not having to worry about the battery charge or your watch. The solar powered battery allows you to stay outdoors as long as you like while it recharges itself. The battery lasts for 3 years with regular charging.

The only downside to this feature is that the battery automatically discharges if left for too long in a place where it is not exposed to light.

Shock Resistant

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is tough because it is resistant to the physical shocks characteristic of extreme sports. The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch can endure the strongest of vibrations and impacts. The watch is also well suited for extremely low temperatures, working flawlessly at even sub zero temperatures.

Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch: Summary

The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch though built for the dirty outdoors exudes quality and finesse. In today’s world where there is a never ending need for having the best, the Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar Watch is an enduring classic. It is one of the toughest watches available in the market and ideal for those with a busy and rough lifestyle. This is one of the best running watches for trail runners or anyone heading out for the local mud run.

 

Help support Running Watch Review. The Casio Mudman XXL Tough Solar running watch is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • Paragon Sports

Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch

The Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch speaks of the quality and comfort that Adidas provides to its customers. Adidas started out as a company that provided athletes with shoes but now it is the most recognizable brand for sportswear. Adidas has a history of predominantly coming out with unisex designs that look great on both men and women. The Adidas watches are a hit among people across the world because of the unrivaled comfort level they provide. But recently Adidas has started making watches that are gender specific to cater better to the needs of their fans. The Adidas Women’s Training Lahar is one of the best running watches for women available on the market today.

Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch: Design

The Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch for running comes in six different colors ranging from hot pink to red, enough to make any lady smile with glee and stand out in a crowd. Adidas has designed the Women’s Training Lahar Watch to provide a clean and sleek look that enhances its feminine features. The watch has been designed to help health conscious women and female athletes with their performance and time tracking needs.

The watch sports a non rotating bevel which is surrounded by four buttons for namely set/light, mode, workout and stop. The grey dial color helps in easy viewing with an easy to operate backlight. The buttons surrounding the bevel have been placed strategically to help in operating them even while running.

The features that the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch packs along with its feminine looks makes it a class apart among the women’s watches available in the market.

Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch: Usability

Adidas has upped the usability quotient with the Women’s Training Lahar Watch. Anyone who has just started running and unsure what to buy because they do not want to spend time reading and understanding manuals then the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch is the best buy. The easy and simple features come as a pleasant surprise. It is great watch for beginner and casual runners but it is not suitable for serious trainers.

The Women’s Training Lahar Watch is also water resistant hence it aids in training under water for nearly 30 minutes. Training in rainy conditions is also not a big deal now with the buttons responding in rainy and underwater conditions just as they would in sunny weather. The only down side to the usability of this watch is that operating it in cold conditions with gloves is quite frustrating. Since the buttons are closely spaced operating them with gloves is a hassle.

Apart from being water resistant the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch is also shock resistant making it a multi sport watch. The Women’s Training Lahar Watch can be used across a variety of sports like running, cycling and swimming. Being shock resistant makes it an ideal training companion since it can deal with the physical shock of body movements across even extreme terrains.

Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch: Features

The kind of watch that you need depends on your training needs. Since this watch is a casual runner watch it comes with the basic features of 10 lap memory, chronograph, alarm and date display.

Chronograph

This is the basic feature that any watch for running must have. Chronograph or stop watch mode is what helps you in timing your runs in hours, minutes and seconds. The Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch also displays fractions of a second to provide more precise timing. The Start/Stop button helps pause the display without stopping the watch providing you with the time taken for each lap. The Women’s Training Lahar Watch also provides details of each lap where it shows the overall time taken and the time taken for the current lap. Though a runner might calculate lap times in her head, a built-in lap timer is always a welcome feature.

Memory

Most running watches should contain a memory function which allows the runner to review her training records. Hence running watches contain memory functions that allows you to store sessions within a certain limit. The Women’s Training Lahar Watch comes with a 10 lap memory meaning that it can store 1 lap session consisting of 10 laps or 2 sessions consisting of 5 laps each.

The memory recall mode contains a header page that shows the date of each session. Once you choose the session that you want to review by scrolling through the list you can check the number of laps, overall time taken and the best lap of the session. Once the runner has finished reviewing the session she can choose to delete the session from the memory.

The Women’s Training Lahar Watch comes with basic memory capacity of 10 lap sessions which is generally enough for the casual runner and for full mile splits in a marathon.

Other Features

The display of the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch uses the unambiguous and concise military time display to avoid confusion between AM and PM.

The countdown timer lets you set a single time and then decide whether you want the countdown timer to start again after the beep. The basic countdown timer of the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch is quite inflexible for continuous sessions since it would entail a lot of button pushing, though it is useful when covering fixed distances.

The basic alarm and backlight features of the Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch are almost self explanatory. The alarm helps you wake up on time for your training sessions. The Women’s Training Lahar Watch like any basic watch sports a decent backlight that aids viewing in dark conditions. It has a dedicated button for this feature which helps in easy usage.

The polyurethane band allows the passage of air between the adjustable buckle strap and your skin providing a cool and sleek feel to the watch.

Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch: Summary

There are nearly hundreds of watches available to suit varying training needs for different levels of athletes. But until now the watches were basically unisex and nothing was tailored to meet the specific needs of a female casual runner who wanted a stylish and sleek running watch at an affordable price. The Adidas Women’s Training Lahar Watch is a perfect companion for casual female runners looking for strength, durability and style combined. It is one of the top running watches that you can find.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Adidas Women’s Lahar Training watch for running is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • Wristwatch.com

Freestyle Shark Classic Digital Running Watch

The Freestyle Shark Classic digital running watch is a casual timepiece looks great especially because of the white plastic case and silver dial, although it is available in other colors. Offering a great Japanese Quartz movement, Freestyle Shark Classic Digital runner watch is well protected by mineral crystal. It is a well known fact that mineral crystal is extremely durable in such cases. Freestyle Shark Classic Digital running watches have been an instant hit among the ladies. A large number of reviewers have already spoken volumes on how great a running watch for women it is. Now that the watch has been tried and tested by hundreds of women already, it is possible to write a realistic review on the design, usability and functionality. Now it is possible to dig out for the accurate views of the women on this watch and in-person testing results to write a straightforward review. Read on to find an in-depth analysis of Freestyle Shark Classic Digital running watch.

Freestyle Shark Classic: Design / Comfort

Most women do not really buy fitness watches for running or general workouts. Even if they do, they tend to give equal importance to design and function. It is also an additional accessory that women want to wear just for fun. Manufacturers of Freestyle Shark Classic Digital have tried their best to add this element of fun. You are likely to receive a multitude of compliments for the great style and appearance of this watch. In fact, you may just end up liking this runner watch more than other fashionable alternatives. A clean design along with basic features actually make Freestyle Shark Classic Digital watch an obvious choice for women looking to try something sporty, delicate and beautiful.

Freestyle Shark Classic: Usability

Most women who have tried this watch in the past said that Freestyle Shark Classic Digital watch was a great fit and it gave no problems at all. One can use this watch in just any environment without inviting any damage. Since controls on the watch are easy and intuitive, a number of women have used this watch during skim boarding and surfing. You can start a stop watch or configure an alarm easily through buttons on the side.

Freestyle Shark Classic: Features

With a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty, you can be assured that this running watch will be your companion for a very long time; at least until the time you end up losing it somewhere. The product is completely water resistant up to 100m. This medium sized runner watch is perfect for any woman looking to buy something that has a great form as well as standard function. The most important features available in Freestyle Shark Classic Digital include stopwatch, chronograph functions and dual time.

Freestyle Shark Classic: Summary

Freestyle Shark Classic Digital has been proven to be a great hit among all other ladies running watches available in the market. For many women, Freestyle Shark Classic Digital is the best running watch ever because it adds flair and style to a woman’s wrist on almost every occasion. This watch is usually recommended for casual workouts and training. As pointed out above, a number of women are also using it for surfing.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Garmin FR60 GPS running watch is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • WatchZone.com

Casio G-Shock Tough Culture Running Watch

This Casio G-Shock Tough Culture watch is truly a delight for consumers who love the active way of life and need a rugged sporty watch to complement their lifestyle. The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture has been quite popular around the world because of its sporty sensibilities and continues to be one of the top choices in the runners’ watch market. Would you invest money buying it? Well, read our review to find out!

Casio G-Shock Tough Culture: Design

The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture is a functional piece of equipment that has been designed keeping in mind sports and athletics enthusiasts. It has the rugged sensibilities that are expected in a watch a triathlon athlete would wear on her hand to keep track of her workouts. The top face of the watch has 3 sub dials which will help you keep track of the laps that have been run. Analog-quartz has been used for this watch. Since it is available in white, it may suggest that it has been meant for a younger audience. But that is certainly not the truth. We think that the white color make it a unisex wear, something that both the sexes would feel comfortable sporting on their arms.

Casio G-Shock Tough Culture: Usability

The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture is easy to use and you won’t have trouble setting it up and operating it the first time. First off, the dials are clear and easy to read. If you are training in the sunlight, reading the watch or hitting the dials will not be a problem. This functional watch is also good for times when you may sweat a little too much as it is water resistant. In fact, you can even go swimming in it, considering that it has water resistance to up to 200 meters! The one thing we felt was a minus point was the fact that since it is white in color, the dye from dark clothes that the wearer is wearing may run off onto it.

Casio G-Shock Tough Culture: Features

The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture watch that may not sport GPS or a heart rate monitor or even a pedometer, but it is quite a good buy for people who find too many features in their watches confusing but would yet want a sporty device. The water resistance feature is a hands- down winner for people who like to go swimming and keep track of the number of laps they swam along with their speed and time. The countdown timer and flash alert also works well. The EL backlight that this watch comes with is useful if you want to see in the dark or inside the swimming pool. The multiple alarms are a wonderful addition too.

Casio G-Shock Tough Culture: Summary

The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture is the perfect runner’s watch who love to hit the trails and get dirty. Sport it the next time you go running on a mud trail! It’s perfect!

Help support Running Watch Review. The Casio G-Shock Tough Culture running watch is available from Amazon.com.

Adidas Fitness Digital Running Watch

Adidas Fitness Digital watches for men and women have been quite popular in the past as they offer a wide range of features along with a great style.

Adidas Fitness Digital Watches: Design / Comfort

Adidas Fitness Digital running watches have become early hits among testers all over. This is mostly due to the level of comfort in using this running watch. While a person is running fast on a road or anywhere else, it is possible to operate the Adidas Fitness Digital runner watch without any hassle. A large number of people appreciated this watch for light weight.

Adidas Fitness Digital has a narrow design. This design looks great but not every person is in love with such designs. Therefore, it is important that you check this watch physically at least once before you make up your mind to have one.

Some people have complained that the band of the Adidas Fitness Digital watch discolors within a few months of usage. It may not be a problem for a person who keeps changing watches after routine intervals. However, fading colors are not pleasing at all to someone who intends to use a watch for a long time. Yellowish brown colored worn-out band can be a turn-off to anyone. It’s also a fact that such discolorations take place mostly when the band of the watch is exposed to water and high-low temperatures. If a runner takes a good care of the watch, it is possible to keep its colors intact for a very long time.

Adidas Fitness Digital Watches: Usability

As described above, operating Adidas Fitness Digital is extremely easy. All controls of this running watch are extremely intuitive. You will never need to go through the manual to use various features.

Some people have complained about the readability though. Digits displayed on the screen of the Adidas Fitness Digital are taller than usual. These digits are not easily read by everyone. While some people may appreciate these taller digits, others may find it difficult to read anything in chronograph mode. Chronograph functions of the watch are easy to understand but you will need to have a little eye for the detail to operate it real quick.

Adidas Fitness Digital Watches: Features 

Most reviewers appreciated the shadow face functionality of this watch. In fact, this one additional functionality can make Adidas Fitness Digital the best running watch for many people. With shadow face function, one can easily compare lap times without wasting a moment. Although this running watch is rich in much desired features, you need to pay attention to the sleek design as well.

Adidas Fitness Digital Watches: Summary

Adidas Fitness Digital can be the best running watch for a large number of people. However, it is not a perfect running watch for every runner. Touch plate on the front side of the watch and water resistance are some irresistible features of this watch.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Adidas Fitness Digital running watch is available from these online stores:

  • Amazon.com
  • Watchzone

Nike Sportband Runners Watch Band

The Nike Sportband is perfect for those people who live a very active and sporty lifestyle. It is the perfect companion for you whenever you want to go running, hiking or exercising. It can record distance, time, pace and calories burnt while you run and it has the memory to save details of your workouts for a week, so that you can review. What’s more, after you are done, you can connect your Nike Sportband to your computer and go to Nike’s official website to set goals, track runs, challenge other people and much more! On second thoughts, it also works as a watch! Want to know more about this dream device? Read on!

Nike Sportband: Design

Needless to say, Nike has gone through a lot of research and brainstorming for creating a device such as the Nike Sportband. Design- wise, it is one of the best runner’s watches available worldwide. It’s not just a watch we are talking about. It’s the whole Nike Sportband kit. The sensor that you are supposed to insert in your shoe is small and has been clearly designed keeping in mind active wearers. That this sensor is a pedometer and many other different things is something you would know if you are a Nike fan! Overall, Nike doesn’t disappoint at all.

Nike Sportband: Usability

If you have used Nike products before, you know that the brand places utmost importance on comfort. It does not go wrong with the Nike Sportband. The running watch is very easy to set up and linking it to the computer is easy too. The Nike Sportband receiver can be used easily as a watch and we have found that the wristband is comfortable to strap on the hand for the whole day if one wants! Another great thing that Nike gets full points for is that the sensor can be used with other non-Nike+ shoes as well, with the help of a shoe pouch. Minus points? Well, you can’t count your daily total steps with this device; it is meant for runs and dedicated walks only. Also, the batteries which the sensor comes with are not replaceable.

Nike Sportband: Features

The Nike Sportband is a fully featured runner’s sports watch for men and women alike. Viewing your workout level and performance on the Nike Sportband is easy. You can upload it on to your computer via an USB port for better analysis. The sensor that comes with the kit can communicate wirelessly with the Nike Sportband. Visual readouts of your distance, speed and time is also possible though counting steps is not. Nike’s website also enables users to get together, challenge others, set goals and do various other things. But first, you will have to create a personal profile on Nikeplus.com. The sensor is shock resistance and water proof. Nike+ Sportband will give you quite accurate data. When used with Nike+ shoes, its readings are more accurate. Though it has no GPS or heart rate monitor, it pleases most activity- enthusiasts.

Nike Sportband: Summary

Overall, the Nike+ Sportband is a great buy if you are looking for a fun runner’s watch.

Help support Running Watch Review. The Nike+ Sportband running watch is available from these online stores:

  • Paragon
  • Altrec
  • Amazon.com