Our Score: 4 out of 5

Price: £299.95

Review by Mike Ovens

PROS

1. Many different setups and tailored displays to choose from.
2. Robust and sturdy strap/fittings.
3. Long charge-life.

CONS

1. Large and slightly cumbersome.
2. Complicated to set up.
3. The GPS can sometimes be slow to pick up and drops out regularly.

DETAILS & FEATURES

• Industry-leading SiRFstarIII GPS technology and ANT+ compatibility.
• Performance Mode records multiple variables during your workout, including speed, distance, elapsed time, pace and calories burned.
• Multisport Event Mode records activities and transitions in one sequence.
• Customizable screen display show up to four windows of information.
• 20-workout memory with dated summary records up to 1000 laps of information.
• Chronograph with interval and countdown timers measures performance.
• Records elapsed time, calories burned and performance data for each lap.
• Performance Pacer helps meet finish-time goals.
• Hands-free option automatically starts and stops data capture functions.
• Download data to free online training log software powered by Training Peaks.
• Advanced desktop software manages user settings for easy customization.
• Compatible with Timex digital 2.4 heart rate sensors using ANT+.
• Compatible with ANT+ third-party bike power meters and sensors to measure cadence and speed/ distance.
• INDIGLO night-light with Night-Mode.

User Review by Mike Ovens

This is a great looking sports watch, if a little large (possibly more of an issue for women runners) compared to other brands. The watch has an enormous array of settings and display setups to choose from or alternatively you can create bespoke displays. But it’s also a very good stop watch with all the things you’d expect from that, including start/stop/lap timing etc…

The top pusher is easy to switch on and off the watch, and it’s has a lightweight resin case and resin strap.

It incorporates SIRF-star111 GPS technology, but can be a bit slow to pick up a signal. The 15-hour rechargeable battery is fantastic. It’s also water resistant to 50 meters, making it excellent for triathletes.

After the workout you can delete or save your workout, good for those wanting accurate logs. You can set timers to help manage reps, and you can pace your workout, too. If you switch to multi-sport mode, you can manage up to five sports together – a real bonus and a unique function. And you can see all five variables at one time, i.e. speed, distance, elapsed time, pace, and calories burned, again making it the perfect watch for the serious triathlete.

A great feature is split counting and lap viewing features, so it’s easy to see what lap you’re on, which was really handy when I was running 10 x 800m.

Link up with www.trainingpeaks.com. You’ll learn about your sport, and about your training just by using this site! Upload data from the watch, and use the site for menu plans, goal setting and detailed reports. (But allow some time to do this).

As well as measuring speed, distance, time, pace and calories, this unit also measures location with altitude ascent and descent distances and rates. It can record up to 100 location waypoints to track back and create routes and can recall up to 50 custom routes for pace tracking.

It is user-friendly, but it takes a while to take it all in. Read the booklet before you get going, there’s so much packed into this wrist-computer you need to take your time. But once you get the hang of it, this watch is indispensible and there’s very little it cannot tell you!

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