Garmin Forerunner 310XT

The Forerunner series of athletic-minded watches from Garmin Ltd. have

gained a devotion with some athletes and exercisers that may only be

described as cultish. But it is with good reason: Forerunner watches

are top-shelf performers and they offer functions unlike anything else

on the market.

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To the point, the Forerunner series provides accurate and useful GPS
functionality combined with all the fitness metrics an exerciser might
want and need.

For the past three months, I have had the Forerunner 310XT on my
wrist. It is a big and solid watch, with a substantial $399 price tag
to match.

But for the money, the 310XT gives a stout waterproof design and an
easy-to-use interface that measures your heart rate, calories burned,
distance covered, altitude gained, and a litany of additional assets
to track and quantify a workout in space and time.

The watch’s stellar GPS functions impressed me most. On training runs
in the city as well as adventures in the mountains and woods, it was
easy to track a route. The high-sensitivity GPS receiver captured
every twist and turn, including under tree cover.

At home on a computer, a wireless connection via a USB stick takes
information from the 310XT and puts it on a map. Grids and charts pop
on the computer screen, revealing fitness-oriented details of your
recent activity outdoors.

On the go, the watch can accurately measure distance and pace. During
a run or a bike ride, you can glance at the watch to obtain real-time,
GPS-based information on miles traveled and speed obtained.

Made for runners, bikers, and swimmers — or triathletes if you
combine all three — the watch is waterproof. It can be mounted on a
bike and can track distance in an open-water swim.

Downfalls? The watch is pricey, to be sure. With the heart-rate
monitor strap it costs the aforementioned $399. The 310XT is $349
without the strap.

Battery life is about 20 hours. Unlike most watches, you must plug the
310XT in every couple days to charge. I found this to be a hassle, as
I would occasionally forget to recharge the watch and find dead
batteries when it was time to workout.

The watch initially feels big on the wrist, measuring more than 2 by 2
inches square. But size concerns go away after a few uses, and the
large display screen soon makes you appreciate the substantial watch
face on your wrist.

In the end, if you can afford this tool, its pros far outweigh its
cons. I had few complaints and no troubles getting the watch up and
running. It became integrated into my workout routine this summer. To
be sure, I am edging toward joining the Garmin cult.

–Stephen Regenold writes about outdoors gear at www.gearjunkie.com.