Great watch for running indoors or outdoors
After using the Forerunner 305 for over two years I decided to replace it with the 405cx and am very happy with my decision. But first let me address the main criticism of the 405cx and its predecessor the 405--the bevel and touch system.
Garmin is not Apple so the bevel and touch are not on par with the scroll wheel on an Ipod or the touch on an iPod Touch--but they still work fine. Granted if the bevel gets sweaty or I touch it with sweaty fingers (not something unexpected for an exercise watch) it becomes nonresponsive until I wipe off the sweat. But this is not a big deal for me. When I run I simply use auto scroll which is unaffected by moisture. And if I want to override auto scroll by using a manual touch it takes only a second to wipe the sweat off the bezel or my fingers. So don't be discouraged from buying this unit based on the bevel and touch.
While the 305 is a great unit here is why I like the 405cx better. Note: I use this on an Intel powered Macbook running the latest edition of Leopard without any problems.
1. Although the 405cx is as thick as the 305 it is noticeably smaller and lighter.
2. I like the wireless ANT technology that automatically transfers data rather than having to place the unit in a USB cradle as with the 305 (though doing so is not a big deal) and also effortlessly pairs with my heart rate monitor and foot pod (which must be purchased separately).
3. The 305 has no power save mode and I inadvertently drained the battery a couple of times when I forgot to turn it off after running or put it in the charger. The 405cx not only has an automatic power save mode but you can turn off the GPS when running indoors to further save power. With the GPS turned off barely any power is used. Also this ability to turn the GPS off makes it easier to use the footpod when running indoors (the 305 first has to search for a satellite signal before realizing you are indoors and that can take several minutes).
4. I find the bevel and touch system on the 405cx much easier to use than the buttons on the 305 in order to change various features. But I like electronic gadgets and as I said above the sweat issue is not a big deal for me.
Here are some tips:
1.
Rinse the unit the heart rate monitor and the strap after each use with plain water.
2.
Keep the unit in the charging clip after each use to ensure you always have enough power. A simple touch of the bevel will tell you the percentage of power left. The charging clip can be powered via a USB port on your computer or via an electric outlet using an AC adaptor. The included AC adaptor with the 405cx is very clunky; I use the Apple travel charger for the iPod instead. Make sure the charging clip is properly attached to the unit or you will drain the unit instead of charging it (already happened to me).
3.
Although the unit lists three training fields there are actually four if you have the heart rate monitor--by default only the heart rate shows up in the first field but you can modify that to include two additional data items.
4.
Unlike the 305 where you can move forward and backward between data fields the 405cx lets you move only forward. Therefore when I run indoors I turn off my "outdoor only" data fields--grade elevation etc.--so that I don't waste time looking at them.
5. For a first time purchaser to whom cost is important I would say get the 305. My reasons for switching to the 305 may not be important to you.
6. Buy the new version of the footpod rather than the old version (I have reviewed both on Amazon) for running indoors.
7. I use a Mac software program called Ascent that I think is far superior to Garmin Connect and Garmin Training Center and unlike the former does not require an internet connection to upload data.
Bottom Line: I have had this unit for three weeks and run over 100 miles both indoors on a treadmill and outdoors in all kinds of weather--light rain cool nights and hot humid days. I really like this unit. Due to the bevel and touch issues I would have rated it 4 ½ stars if I could but since there are no ½ star ratings I gave it 5 stars despite those issues because for me they are negligible compared to the rich features on the 405cx. If you are a serious runner you will love this unit.
Update July 22 2009: I have now been using this for about six weeks and logged over 200 miles. In that time I have had the bevel lock up due to sweat only twice: once in the gym and once outside. The point is that this is even less of a problem than I thought and should not discourage you from buying this unit.
A more serious issue is with the ANT technology. Sometimes I will get a message on my laptop that the transfer of data to the laptop from the 405cx was not successful. I then quit the Garmin Ant Agent on my laptop (and sometimes remove and reinsert the ANT USB stick as well) restart it and have to go through this process three or four times before the data finally transfers to my laptop. The problem began after I updated the ANT software and I see from Garmin forums that other users have experienced the same problem. Hopefully this is just a bug that Garmin will fix in a later update. While I would not let this discourage you from buying the 405cx just keep in mind that a wireless transfer of data while convenient is not always problem free.
Update August 21 2009: Garmin released an update for Macs (and I assume for PCs as well) that solved the download problems using the ANT technology. Now the data transfers work perfectly.
The more I use this watch the better I like it. Here are my latest comments:
1. The backlight is far superior to that on the Forerunner 305. It produces a much brighter light that I appreciate when running at night either outdoors or on the treadmill at my gym (the treadmill area is kind of dim at night).
2. The battery life is excellent. Even with BOTH the backlight AND the GPS on for a couple of hours battery capacity is still 75% when I am finished running. What this means as a practical matter is that if you forget to hook this watch up to the charger after a long run you will still be good to go for your next run. The battery life per charge on the Forerunner 305 is not as good and sometimes when I forgot to charge the 305 between runs the battery would die during the second run.
3. The "sweat issue"--i.e. the watch becoming non-responsive when the bevel gets sweaty--has become a non-issue for me since I haven't experienced any problem in months. Perhaps that is because I periodically "towel off" the sweat on my wrist and forearm during a long run.
Update January 9 2010: I continue to recommend this watch as the best GPS watch for serious runners. Using it this winter has been a pleasure. Here is why:
1. I have run in sub-freezing temperatures where the "real feel" with the wind has been as cold as zero. I keep this watch around the outside sleeve of my running jacket so the GPS function is not impeded (as it would be if the watch was covered up). The bitter cold has had no adverse effect of any kind so far.
2. When I take a break during my run at a local convenience store the watch does not fog up when I go inside and after I have warmed up it does not fog up when I go back outside.
3. I have run in light snow which I just shake off the watch periodically without any adverse effect (and I did not expect any since I have run in light rain during warmer weather without any problems).
In short this watch is performing great during a very cold winter in the Northeast.
Update May 24 2010: I have been using this for almost a year and it still works great. On a recent vacation to Mexico the satellite signal was picked up quickly and without any problem and the same was true when I returned home to New Jersey. Also I ran outdoors in very hot and humid weather and was drenched with sweat. It just took a couple of seconds to wipe it off the unit so that it would function properly. Here is a cleaning tip: At the end of each run I stop the timer then touch the Time/Date at the top of the unit to switch to the time and then lock the bezel before I rinse the watch off. I found that if I tried to lock the bezel while the unit was still on the exercise screen sometimes I would accidentally restart the timer. But that doesn't happen if you switch to the Time/Date before locking the bezel.
I still believe that this is the best GPS watch on the market for serious runners.
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