Sports Watch - Where To Get On/Off The Slippery Slope

[jyl]

Since Santa is looking for idea help . . .

Thinking of getting a sports watch like gizmo that shows my heart rate.

This appears to be a slippery slope, leading from the $33 Timex heart rate monitor watch, to the $500 Garmin 910 wrist navigation telemetry and diagnostic computer system with wireless sensors for HR GPS speed cadence and blood alcohol level too for all I know, or even a step further to $700 worth of Suunto Ambit madness.

What do you have, or would you have if you were buying again? What is the sweet spot of functionality vs extravagance.

Note: device must be capable of serving as a watch too (time, day, date) and be happy in shower or pool.

[mjohnson]

The Cheaper Garmin (210?) works for me. It should interface with all the other wireless sensors besides HR. I think the comm standard is ANT+? The Garmin software is great and links with Google Earth.

[jyl]

Irritating, the 210 and 410 are not okay for swimming, says Garmin. Just rated for rain, showers and similar. Seems you have to go up to 610 to get a waterproof Forerunner?

[red-beard]

I have the cheaper sports watch for generic running and more expensive stuff for the bicycle.

The Garmins do not seem to be affected by local inteference as much as other HRMs. How ever, I do have trouble at times with certain strap/sensors. And don't seem to mix and match well either.

I'd start off with a $30-50 sports watch with HRM chest strap.

[rick-l]

I have the Garmin 410 and like it a lot. The website is great.

The only complaint is the time to first fix is atrocious if you haven't used it in a couple days. Start it up with a view of the sky about 5 minutes before you go. It must download ephemeris data a bit at a time.