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Should I buy a Garmin Forerunner 405?



I’ve had my Garmin Forerunner 305 for several months now, and just as I bought it the new Garmin Forerunner 405 came out. I’m glad I bought my Forerunner when I did though, and I certainly have no regrets about buying it… but I can be ever so impulsive, and so now I’m considering a Garmin Forerunner 405!

How does the Garmin Forerunner 405 differ from the 305?

The main difference is the actual look of the Garmin Forerunner 405. It actually looks like a watch, The 305 is certainly not something you would ever wear as a watch… but saying that the 305 is perfect for running. The display is very clear and it’s easy to set the display up so you have your favourite 4 pieces of data always on display.

The Forerunner 405 meanwhile looks like a flashy sports watch - something you could wear for everyday use.

Instead of using side buttons to switch between modes it has a dial (a touch bezel) that turns to scroll through each option. I’ve read that this can be a bit fiddly, and also difficult in the rain if the dial is wet.

Satellite reception of the Garmin Forerunner 405

I’ve read that the actual GPS chip has also been upgraded in the Garmin Forerunner 405, but as I have no gripes with the reception of the chip on the 305, this isn’t really giving me too much of a reason to upgrade.

Sharing and uploading workouts with the Forerunner 405

One of the big differences between the Garmin Forerunner 405 and the 305 is that the 405 can transfer data wirelessly between your computer or even other Garmin Forerunner 405 units. Again, a nice feature, but I’m happy enough with the USB connection of my 305 to my Mac… and I don’t train with other people, so have no need to transfer data to other units.

So, will I be upgrading to a Garmin Forerunner 405?

I don’t think I will go for the Garmin Forerunner 405 just yet. I’m simply happy enough with my 305. If my 305 ever needs replacing, then the Forerunner 405 will be the one I go for, but until then I just don’t think there are enough extra features to push my to my credit card! It looks like Garmin have addressed the main let down of the 305 - it’s looks… but if you want just an excellent unit for training, and not for everyday use, then I don’t think you can go wrong with the 305.


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(This entry was posted on June 29th, 2008.)

4 comments so far to “Should I buy a Garmin Forerunner 405?”

  1. Posted by: Andrew is getting fit
    on June 29th, 2008 at 6:27 pm

    Yes!

  2. Posted by: ArZka
    on August 6th, 2008 at 6:36 am

    I’ve been going through different GPS wrist computers and been going back and forth between these two in addition to a few others form Suunto, Polar, FRWD and so on. One thing that you should remember is that 405 doesn’t have Mac support. It’s also missing some other features (there was a comparison on the Garmin site which was pretty much useless for me since I didn’t understand what those missing pieces mean (305 has 50 routes, 405 has 0, for example). The missing Mac support is however the thing that made it for me.

    Another options I’ve been considering are Suunto T3-6c series (with the GPS pod which is extra, and PC pod which is also extra) but they don’t store the route you’ve gone, only distance and speed. Suunto X9i has the GPS built-in but has no heart rate monitor. Polar has some GPS enabled models (RS800) but afaik it also only stores distance and speed, not the route. FRWD W600 has heart rate and GPS, but the GPS is again in a separate unit, so you have to carry around (and recharge) more than one unit.

    So far Forerunner 305 seems to be what I’ve been looking for. 405 looks nice, but apart from the smaller size is has fewer features than 305, and from some of the reports it seems to find the satellites faster than 305 but also loses them easier. All that is on my part just guessing since I don’t have either, but as long as they don’t support Mac, it’s not even an option.

  3. Posted by: Constantine
    on August 6th, 2008 at 1:49 pm

    I have planning to get myself a GF watch because I thinking it will help me in my quest to run a full marathon under 3 hours. I will order one to use in my marathon training

  4. Posted by: trio
    on September 17th, 2008 at 1:21 pm

    I’ve heard that the 405 doesn’t look good at all if you have small wrists that its lugs both stick out. But I haven’t seen on in the flesh as such.

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