Hi again ST
I have had enough of my 310xt and really want a new watch. I want GPS (dont mind if its a pod or built in). I want the HR to work in the water (while I swim). I want a long battery life (long enough for an IM race, slow IM race that is).
Any ideas welcom but I dont want a Garmin.
Thanks
any experience with timex-5f011?
In order for the HRM to work while swimming, you’ll need an older “analog” communications protocol. The newer digital protocols (Garmin ANT, Polar WIND, …) are higher frequencies and don’t transmit through water. That would limit you to the older or lower end Polar watches or perhaps some of the “budget” or off-brand HRM watches. I’m not sure how you’d confirm that a budget watch used analog transmission, but, obviously, if it advertises “digital” then it’s out.
Given that restriction, I don’t think there’s anything with built-in GPS support. Of course, GPS itself is a higher frequency signal and won’t transmit through water, so you wouldn’t get usable GPS tracks from swimming with a GPS watch anyway.
If you can live with a separate GPS pod, then the Polar G1 might work. It would give you the option of tucking the pod inside a swim cap while wearing a compatible watch. If you could position the pod inside the cap in such a way that the signal reception was decent, you might get an okay GPS track.
Stephen
GPS won’t work underwater…
Unless you are just looking for a watch that has a GPS on it that won’t die in the water. In that case I’ve heard that while not perfect by any means, your Garmin is “best available”
Never tried it. But I have heard the 310xt will work if put in the swim cap.
http://sullyows.blogspot.com/2010/05/technology.html
Should work even better with the quick release. No HR though.