I am looking at GPS units and was wondering what units would be worth looking at. I was planning on using it to determine the distance and elevation profiles for various training routes (yes, I am anal). I would like to be able to upload maps and download information to my PC. Any suggestions?
Rich G
Rich - a couple guys I train with have Garmin Forerunner’s. Gotta say it’s one cool toy - apparently, you can download (free) software that’ll do just what you’re looking for - you can get a map of your route, along with elevation profile and splits. It does seem to have a little bit of trouble keeping up on winding trails, but it re-calculates faster than most other types, I believe. I think the price has started to come down (I wanna say around $120 now), and I bet you can find them on sale.
Check out www.geocaching.com, they have a lot of information about gps units.
I’ve had a hand held GPS unit on our boat for several years. We use it for scuba diving to pin accurately point wreck sites in Lake Ontario in case the moorings are down. To use one for running really proves who the equipment geeks are!
Rich - a couple guys I train with have Garmin Forerunner’s. Gotta say it’s one cool toy - apparently, you can download (free) software that’ll do just what you’re looking for - you can get a map of your route, along with elevation profile and splits. It does seem to have a little bit of trouble keeping up on winding trails, but it re-calculates faster than most other types, I believe. I think the price has started to come down (I wanna say around $120 now), and I bet you can find them on sale.
It’s actually ON SALE right now @ Buy.com!
It’s the first time I see it under $100…
The favorties that I’ve noticed in user groups (then bought and now use):
Running: Forerunner 201. Garmin has two other similar models, but the 201 gives you runner specific features. For instance, automatic mile splits are very addicting. Check out the Yahoo group on the Forerunner to see excellent ideas on what you can do with this unit. The problem with this is that it isn’t WAAS (a little better accuracy) and it is GPS elevation–so pretty good on elevation but not great. Thus the elevation is “close” but certainly not dialed in.
Cycling: etrex Vista. Garmin has a nice bicycle mount and the be-all-end-all is the etrex Vista with a built-in, real altimeter. If adjusted correctly at the beginning, just very accurate. Too big to run with, but I am using at least ONCE in my races to get a real accurate read of the elevation and profile on the bike.
The Vista keeps a running elevation profile, a dynamite trip computer, and the “average ascent” immediately tells you how you are climbing. On my 60 mile solo rides, I find that it is just cool to distract my mind by running through the stats.
There are a lot of tricks in using these (such as always downloading the logs from any event WITHOUT saving to get best resolution). And really, having Garmin’s Mapsource turns out maps so nicely that you may feel that this is required also. On the Vista, you can then download maps to the unit and see where you are. Unfortunately, the LCD is so small, I find it necessary to stop to read the map, but it has helped me figure out a few routes when I’ve gotten lost.
“Peter, High King of Narnia,” said Aslan. “Shut the Door.” Peter, shivering with cold, leaned out into the darkness and pulled the door to. --The Last Battle, C.S. Lewis
I use a forerunner 201, and it does a pretty amazing job. I am addicted. You might check out motionbased.com (and a thread about them here), for even more accurate info that your GPS provides. Unless you get a GPS with WAAS or a barometer, you won’t get very accurate elevation detail. I have a friend though, that uses Nat’l Geographics “Seamless USGS Topographic Maps on CD-ROM”. He uploads his coords, and it gives the exact elevation of the ground based on existing topo info. It seems to be pretty accurate. I think its overkill.
Unless you are a race director trying to give super-detailed info to your racers so they know exactly what they are getting into, I would say that a ForeRunner 201 will get you plenty close enough for standard training purposes. It does for me, and I’m have serious OCD.
What’s the difference between the forerunner 101 and 201?
the biggest one is that the 201 uses a rechargable lithium battery as opposed to replacing aaa batteries all the time (as I did every 5 hours with the Timex system). A major upgrade as the lithium lasts 13 hours or so.
Garmin is about to announce the Fore Runner 301 that will include heart rate with all of the GPS functions. May not be available for a while, but will be the next “cool toy.” It is all about being anal and compulsive. But it is still a tool to be utilized.
Get the Garmin 201, if you want I will send you some of the things it can do via email, just PM me your email and I’ll send it to you.
Can I be geek #1?
I have had mine for about a year and I am addicted to it.