I was in the market for a Polar V800. Liked the formfactor and the underwater HS. Disliked that I had to move from Garmin Connect to Flow (I now have an Edge 800 and a Forerunner 110). But reconsidered buying since the DC Rainmakers review.
But I still miss the swim metrics and the fact that I don’t have a watch that I can put on before the swim instead of afterward.
Is the 910XT a good option to consider? I know the open water swim metrics are pretty good. But it seems a bit outdated (being from 2011), and maybe there will be a ‘920’ soon? But I read about several issues that several slowtwitchers had with the watch and had to send it back to Garmin.
An alternative will be buy the Polar and hope that the swim metrics will work out.
Or just buy a Garmin 220 (or 620) and just record the time for the swim (de 110 I now have is not waterproof).
Also been struggling with this but at the end choosing the garmin because:
I already have edge 500 which i want to use on the bike leg (and speed and cadence sensor etc to go along with it)Suunto is waaay more expensiveNot sold on Polar or TomTom at all. Would have considered Suunto if not the garminI dont need a watch I can wear all day. I want a dedicated Tri watch that does everything in training and during the race. If I want to tell the time I use my phone (never been a watch wearer though so thats just me)
I know some on ST have struggled with the 910xt, hasnt put me off though.
A couple of my mates have the Suunto and love it. (Just to complicate your decision)
Are the Garmini 910 swim metrics actually good for anything? I mean do you actually use the data to help you train or are they just ‘feel good’ numbers that make extra graphs on Garmin Connect?
I say this because I just got a Garmin 310xt for $156 shipped after I tore apart my last one on a mountain bike ride (crash). I considered the 910 but their sale is over and the 310 is less than half the price of the 910.
Are the Garmini 910 swim metrics actually good for anything? I mean do you actually use the data to help you train or are they just ‘feel good’ numbers that make extra graphs on Garmin Connect?
To be honest, I think a part of the 910 swim metrics is about feel good numbers. It sounds a bit weird maybe, but I like ‘collecting’ my activities on Garmin Connect.
For instance, a great run I had in Washington DC at 6AM is now a souvenir in my Garmin app. The same thing applies for GPS data (the map) on swims. In a couple of months I will be on Hawaii for three weeks. I would love to ‘capture’ great swims there (like at Kona).
Also been struggling with this but at the end choosing the garmin because:
I already have edge 500 which i want to use on the bike leg (and speed and cadence sensor etc to go along with it)Suunto is waaay more expensiveNot sold on Polar or TomTom at all. Would have considered Suunto if not the garminI dont need a watch I can wear all day. I want a dedicated Tri watch that does everything in training and during the race. If I want to tell the time I use my phone (never been a watch wearer though so thats just me)
I know some on ST have struggled with the 910xt, hasnt put me off though.
A couple of my mates have the Suunto and love it. (Just to complicate your decision)
Also been struggling with this but at the end choosing the garmin because:
I already have edge 500 which i want to use on the bike leg (and speed and cadence sensor etc to go along with it)Suunto is waaay more expensiveNot sold on Polar or TomTom at all. Would have considered Suunto if not the garminI dont need a watch I can wear all day. I want a dedicated Tri watch that does everything in training and during the race. If I want to tell the time I use my phone (never been a watch wearer though so thats just me)
I know some on ST have struggled with the 910xt, hasnt put me off though.
A couple of my mates have the Suunto and love it. (Just to complicate your decision)
Suunto Ambit 2S was $239.00 last week at REI
Stop trying to make my decision harder
Seriously though I’m in South Africa so once I import it, pay tax, etc. its not that much cheaper (its listed at $299 on REI right now so once I add shipping, duties, and 14% sales tax its more than 400 bucks). I do have someone visiting the states in August so I could get them to bring it back cheaper, but then there is still the compatibility issue
Just for interest sake I think a Suunto 2S is around $600 here at the moment. Crazy but true. 910xt is around $400 for just the watch.
I’ve had a 910 since release. It was replaced once by garmin b/c the barometer went haywire but that was 2 yrs after I bought it (out of warranty so i had to pay $99). The first was pretty flawless and the replacement has been fine. The only downside i’ve found is instant running pace but average lap pace over a mile is fine with me so it’s not a big concern
I bought the fenix2 recently just b/c I like gadgets and I won’t use it racing yet. I swim with it and run with it but I dont’ like not having bike profiles, I don’t like it dropping ANT devices in multisport and I don’t think it tracks average pace as well as my 910. On most of my runs with the fenix2 the beginning of my mile is shown as quite a bit faster than I’m running and then it slows down over time to the actual pace. It’s annoying to be honest. Battery life is good and it acquires satellites fast. Oh and not a fan of the black screen and white numbers on the fenix2. I wish garmin would just give us the ability to reverse that and cost some battery life
Are the Garmini 910 swim metrics actually good for anything? I mean do you actually use the data to help you train or are they just ‘feel good’ numbers that make extra graphs on Garmin Connect?
I say this because I just got a Garmin 310xt for $156 shipped after I tore apart my last one on a mountain bike ride (crash). I considered the 910 but their sale is over and the 310 is less than half the price of the 910.
jaretj
I have been doing the workouts in Swim Workouts in a binder. I have cycled through the program twice.
What I like about the swim metrics is I can go back and look at the same workout, 60 days ago and see how I did comparatively. I see that everything is a second or two faster, so all is good.
In OWS, I really like the stroke count. I do one route regularly, see my stroke count is usually within 3 strokes on 550m but my times vary, so it’s definitely my cadence that is affecting my speed rather than the strength of my pull.
So it’s cool but far from critical.
Stats on power and pace during key workouts are important. The swim metrics are just kind of cool for data geeks and when there is no pace clock in the lake.
I am a big fan of the 910. I have had none of the problems that people of talked about in this forum. Maybe I am just lucky. I like the device since I can use one device for everything. Its not as good as purpose made device like their bike computers but it works. Probably the thing I like the most that the new polar device can’t do yet is the quick release mount. Its a silly reason to get a watch but that quick release mount makes it much more practical device for people like me.
By their own admission the V800 is not ready for prime time …
Garmin does more than everything I need. And yes! I will buy the replacement 920XT ??? When it comes out.
Garmin 910XT
Garmin 310Xt
Garmin 810
Garmin 500
Timex run trainer GPS 1.0
Timex Global Trainer.
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Yea I have a problem… I am working on it…
Jeff
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